Abbotts & Delaunay Carignan Alto Stratus 2014

A glorious modern expression, the instantly appealing bouquet shows dark plum, blackcurrant, cocoa, vanilla and cedar characters with subtle spicy complexity. The palate is powerful and graceful at the same time, and delivers waves of delicious flavours and velvety texture, finishing superbly long and engaging. The wine is loaded with rich fruit intensity, and offers terrific drinking. At its best: now to 2024

This lush, rich bottling leads with abundant oak-derived aromas of sweet spice, pencil shavings, whole vanilla bean and sweet wood. Raspberry sauce, macerated boysenberry and blackberry-coulis fruit tones lend some supporting fruit character. The palate is full and plush, while the woody tannins only come into play on the medium-length finish.