Deep dark red, dense and attractive – colours are vibrant and clear.

There are dark and leafy, ripe cabernet aromas with typical cabernet sauvignon berry notes.

The palate is medium to full bodied with mouth-filling flavours of ripe, rich chocolate and berries, and there’s a pleasant vanillin/spice component from the oak. The palate has elegance and an impressive length.  Tannins are grainy and full, but softening all the time, and give a nice lean dryness to the finish.

French (76%), Hungarian (15%) and American.  91% hogsheads and 9% barriques.  All of the barrels had been at least twice used in keeping with the Wisanger Hills style. The wine was matured in these for about 24 months.

This is a wine which drinks very nicely now, and it continues to get rounder and softer with time in bottle.  At the time of writing, the wine still shows quite youthful aromas.  Flavour, body and tannin structure all indicate that the wine will improve further with age – at least until 2010 – and it will continue to live on well after that!

2003/4 was a very good season.  After a wet winter and spring, the summer was cool and dry.  With the yields being, as usual, quite low (just on 2 tonnes per acre) the grapes ripened quickly and well.  Colour and flavour in the fruit was exceptional, and the cabernet was harvested on March 24 & 31 at an average of 14° Bé.