MAXWELL - MINOTAUR: Unveiling an Unexpected Hidden Gem

I found this bottle of wine in a box of three that I didn’t even know I had.

This is the joy of buying wine when once upon a time it was more affordable to do so and tuck the wine away to age.

This wine is 12 years old and might just be in its drinking sweet spot full flavoured black fruit and berries ripe, rich and showing no sign of fading, except for the cork. That was crumbly and had to be extracted with a two-pronged cork puller.

Thank God they used a long cork as in this case it may have saved the wine.

Much to my surprise and joy the wine showed all the hall marks of maturity, with no faults or unattractive smells.

In the glass: The wine is deep purple/black in colour.

Nose: Offers up the surprising and recognisable perfume of red ripe berries washed with dark red cherry with notes of aged wood and hints of McLaren Vale soil, as if it was only bottled yesterday. The unmistakable smell of quality Australian wine.

In the mouth: The wine is intense very well balanced rich and opulent to say in the least, dark ripe fruit aged oak, it is still powerful harmonious and persistent.

A blockbuster of a wine that still has the framework to ensure a few more years of life left in the old girl, keep an eye on the cork.

This is were I am personally torn between the Stelvin closure and cork.

If this was under the Stelvin closure would I have tasted any of these flavours that I have enjoyed today?

No, I don’t think so the wine is a blockbuster and under Stelvin it would still be just a pup and possibly have 10 more years ahead of it.

Regardless of the closure Australia has been producing some of the world’s best Red and White wines and all I can say to you, is buy the best quality wines you can, and tuck them away in a dark place and forget you have them.

Because the price of quality Australian wine is getting to get to the point, that even I will just have to settle for reading about them rather than getting a chance to drink them!!!

I enjoyed this with a mature English Cheddar cheese and Lavosh crackers.

Sometimes that is all it needs, Is a good cheese to complement the wine, whilst sitting in front of the fire.