2016 Tim Adams The Fergus, Clare Valley

This wine has lifted red strawberry aromas and flavours of Tempranillo, with spiciness from Grenache and mid palate richness with dark berry and violet characters coming from Malbec. Ageing in older French oak hogsheads adds subtle yet integrated perfume and toasted characters. It is a luscious mouth filling wine with silky tannin that with careful cellaring may be kept for up to 15-20 years.  It nicely complements duck, turkey, lamb and spicy dishes.

2016 Tim Adams The Fergus is one of the great modern Cabernet blends of the Clare Valley, named in honour of Fergus Adams, father of winemaker Tim Adams and a central figure in the family’s winemaking story. The vineyards lie across elevated Clare Valley sites where red loam over limestone soils give Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec both depth and finesse, while the region’s cool nights preserve natural acidity and aromatic lift. Tim Adams has long been known for crafting wines of precision and balance rather than sheer weight, and The Fergus represents the pinnacle of that philosophy, combining Clare Valley structure with Bordeaux inspired elegance.

The 2016 vintage was outstanding in Clare, delivering fruit of exceptional purity and concentration. In the glass the wine shows a deep crimson core, opening with aromas of blackcurrant, dark plum, cedar, violet and subtle spice. On the palate it is rich yet beautifully poised, layering cassis, blackberry and mocha with fine, polished tannins and a long, savoury finish. It is superb with roast lamb, beef, game and aged cheeses, and it will continue to evolve gracefully for fifteen to twenty years, gaining more tobacco, leather and earthy complexity as it matures.