Cuvar Winery
Guardians Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2023 750ml

16.5 Jancis Robinson - Mid crimson. Much more leafy/herbal than the Merlot/Cabernet Franc. With firm, chalky tannins, it needs time for everything to settle down but all is in balance. Fresh and packed with pure fruit.

94 Points Cameron Douglas MS - An excellent wine with a frame of dark berries, violets and ripe Doris plums. Flavours expand on the palate as the wine begins to open out with chocolate and new leather, boysenberry then black currant and baking spices. Complex, new, dry and full-bodied. A lovely concentration and power, a firm squeeze on the palate with a backbone of acidity and smoky wood tones. The baking spices and wood flavours layer in complexity and length. Youthful and still developing with best drinking from 2029 through 2035. 

5 Stars Michael Cooper -  The classy 2023 vintage was harvested from vines 22 to 27 years old in the Gimblett Gravels.  A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (65 per cent), Merlot (20 per cent) and Malbec (15 per cent), it was matured for 18 months in French oak casks (50 per cent new).  Full-coloured, it is a very elegant wine, mouthfilling and savoury, with rich, ripe blackcurrant, plum and spice flavours, and refined, supple tannins.  Still youthful, it should break into full stride 2028+. 

Deep ruby red with a vibrant purple hue where the bouquet opens with rich aromas of blackcurrant and blackberry, complemented by notes of dark chocolate and hints of cedar from oak ageing. There is a touch of dried herbs and a whisper of tobacco adding complexity.The palate is full-bodied and structured with velvety tannins and flavours of ripe black fruits interwoven with layers of spice reminiscent of cinnamon and fruit cake. The oak influence is evident but well-integrated,providing a luxurious mouthfeel and contributed to flavours of toasted oak and espresso. The finish is long and lingering, with a harmonious balance between fruit,oak and savoury elements that leave a lasting impression.