2000 MadFish Premium Red Tasting Notes

This traditional blend of three classic grape varieties is designed to produce a wine with a complete palate profile. Cabernet Sauvignon is structurally the strongest variety with good flavour in the early and late part of the taste spectrum backed up by fine tannin. Merlot has less flavour persistence than Cabernet Sauvignon but has wonderful mid palate fleshiness giving a sweet fruit centre to the wine. Cabernet Franc is highly aromatic providing a very attractive addition to the bouquet as well as contributing to the flavour early in the palate profile. The grapes were sourced from the top three grapegrowing regions in Western Australia giving a complex array of regional characters. Fermentation in open topped vessels with traditional pump over cap management produced a wine with loads of fruit flavours and background tannin providing structure without astringency. Maturation in French oak barriques for 10 months adds further complexity and structure without dominating the fruit.

The 2000 MadFish Premium Red has a medium density plum red appearance with a purple rim betraying its youth. The nose is classic Cabernet based with berry fruits the dominant aroma. Hints of mint and spice complement the fruit. The palate is lively and fresh. Fruit characters drive the palate with a suggestion of black forest cake and charry characters from the oak. This is a soft generous wine with loads of flavour that will provide ample drinking enjoyment.

The wine will benefit from a further 6 to 8 months maturation as to allow the fruit to emerge; secondary characters will develop over a 2 to 5 year period.