#328 Ten year old Cabernet

The wine critics of the world are in Bordeaux at the minute, tasting the 2010 vintage and everyone is eager to find out how the vintage after a 'legendary' year is tasting.  I am in Scotland, so decided to take a look back a decade to the 2001 vintage.  A year that started off well with some folk saying it could have been another 2000, but then in the early autumn, changeable weather put a stop to any plans for two stonking years on the trot.  On the other side of the world, the Yarra Valley Cabernets had a super 2001 vintage with it being viewed the star of the vintage.  I decided to see how these two regions have survived the decade since harvest, and opened up two wines from 2001 - from St Julien, Chateau Leoville Barton and the Yarra Yering Dry Red No. 1 Cabernet Sauvignon.

2001 Ch Leoville Barton
A clear, purple colour, lots of dark cherries, some herbs coming through with a gorgeous vegetal note.  Some dusty rocks too and charred steak fat too.  A little bit of plum coming through with a lot of plum skin.  The palate is restrained, has initial up front vegetal notes, a dusty, leafy note.  But then you get a really nice earthy, spiced berry note with a load of cherry stones and plum skin thrown into the mix.  A really decent, old school Bordeaux, just needing a little more time.  The only complaint is that the tannins grip just a touch, but they will soften.  8/10

2001 Yarra Yering Dry Red No 1 Cabernet Sauvignon
Lighter, brighter fruit.  More strawberries and raspberries and a little bit of chocolate.  It has a little bit of candied berries coming through and although not jammy, you do notice a degree of blackcurrant compote.  Watermelon too comes through on the nose.  The palate has a light fruit sweetness, but with structure and spice.  There is some leathery component sticking out with a tiny degree of jam - but good quality jam - creaping into the mid palate.  There is a little warmth, but it is really well integrated into the wine. 8/10

Both wines are lovely and both wines are well made, but the Leoville Barton simply outclasses the Yarra Yering.  The Australian wine tries hard to be sophisticated and elegant and the French wine simply is sophisticated and elegant.