A group of Adelaide wine enthusiasts known as 'The Blacktongues' meet on a regular basis throughout the year and taste their way through ten premium wines. The wine is served blind, and the group of 14 to 17 persons have an hour to decide on their favorite, least favorite and two other wines that would come in at second and third place.

This tasting was held on the 2nd March 2005 with 14 persons in attendance. The results of the voting are listed after a short tasting note on each wine.

1. 2002 Turkey Flat Cabernet Sauvignon
A nice nose of sweet coffee, some capsicum and dusty blackberry. The palate was very nice with blackfruits, some toffee but with a slight greenness on the back palate. Good persistence and nice complexity.
(0/14 best, 2/14 Least, 3/14 - Equal second/Third)

2. 2002 Kaesler Cabernet Sauvignon
A milk chocolate nose with sweet blackberries on the attack, finishing a little short and perhaps a bit simple for my liking, although still a nice wine.
(1/14 best, 1/14 Least, 1/14 - Equal second/Third)

3. 2002 Rockford Rifle Range Cabernet Sauvignon
The nose was wound a bit tight with blackfruits/liquorice flavours and a hint of greenness on the back palate. One of the controversial wines of the evening, I was quite surprised to hear this was the rifle range considering all the great things I have heard about it, as were others around the table who had voted this wine one of their favourites at a previous tasting.
(1/14 best, 4/14 Least, 2/14 - Equal second/Third)

4. 2002 Villa Tinto Cabernet Sauvignon
Nice intense liquorice/chocolate fruit with some plum and berry characteristics, good persistence and tannins. Located next to Rockfords, this was a nice little surprise from a small producer.
(0/14 best, 0/14 Least, 4/14 - Equal second/Third)

5. 2002 Mamre Brook Cabernet Sauvignon
An outstanding nose that fairly jumped at you from the glass, blackberry liqueur and sweet milk chocolate with nuances of malty oak. A plush palate of sweet, pure blackberries and nicely rounded tannins.
(3/14 best, 1/14 Least, 1/14 - Equal second/Third)

6. 2002 Glaymond Cabernet Sauvignon
This was one my favourites for the evening. An intense, savoury nose of roasted meat, nuts, fragrant violets and cassis. A gorgeous, silky palate of integrated tannins wound around a core of finely knit blackcurrant, licorice and smoke with great mouthweight, balance and a finish that lingered the longest of any of the wines.
(1/14 best, 1/14 Least, 3/14 - Equal second/Third)

7. 2002 Ross Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
Chocolate, licorice and some berry fruit aromas with a palate of milk chocolate, concentrated and intense blackfruits, good mouthfeel and tannins but finishes a bit short.
(1/14 best, 1/14 Least, 3/14 - Equal second/Third)

8. 2002 Charles Melton Cabernet Sauvignon
A savory nose that I first thought may have been bandaid, but it blew away over the course of the evening and became an iodine and seaweed aroma with nice fruits and coffee. The palate was smooth and silky with layers of espresso coffee, intense fruits and some sweet toffee characteristics. Good persistence and balance.
(3/14 best, 0/14 Least, 3/14 - Equal second/Third)

9. 2002 Greenock Creek Cabernet Sauvignon
There was a hint of orange underlying a nose of ground coffee, earth and sweet, intense black fruits. A silky smooth palate, with plush, pure fruits and integrated tannins.
(0/14 best, 3/14 Least, 4/14 - Equal second/Third)

10. 2002 Kabiminye Cabernet Sauvignon
Sweet nose of mocha, earth and grilled nuts with a lovely intensely fruit driven palate with coffee and spices on a somewhat short finish.
(3/14 best, 0/14 Least, 2/14 - Equal second/Third)
 

The above notes are my own and not representative of the group. My personal favorites for the evening were the Glaymond, Mamre Brook, Greenock Creek and Villa Tinto.

Copyright © 2005 Mark Wickman, All Rights Reserved
About the Author
Mark Wickman is the owner and manager of Wickman's Fine Wine Auctions. You may reproduce in full or in part any portion of this article providing you credit the author, email the author with the details of where it will be published and and add a link to the authors website (http://www.wickman.net )