2021 Rymill The Surveyor Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra

Black plums, prune and blackberry compote. Immediate in its intensity and composition. Here and now it's all about vanilla oak and brooding spice with a background of black-berried fruit. Down the track you can see the pedigree and selection of barrels that provide the floral lift and spice. The palate is thick in its consistency and generosity. A wave of heat just interrupts the flow in its early drinking stage. A wine for long-term ageing and patient drinkers.

95 points Shanteh Wale winecompanion.com.au

The Surveyor Cabernet Sauvignon is named after John Riddoch Rymill, a famous surveyor and explorer, reflecting the pioneering spirit of both the family and the wine. It showcases the hallmark characteristics of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon with its balance of power, finesse, and distinct regional identity.

This Cabernet Sauvignon is characterized by its deep ruby color and complex aromatic profile. On the nose, you’ll find classic blackcurrant and blackberry notes, along with touches of cedar, tobacco, and hints of mint and eucalyptus, which are often signature traits of Coonawarra Cabernets. On the palate, it offers ripe dark fruits, including cassis, plum, and black cherries, intertwined with notes of dark chocolate, leather, and spice from oak aging. The wine is full-bodied, with fine tannins that give it a structured yet silky texture, and its acidity brings freshness to balance the rich fruit flavors. The finish is long and elegant, with lingering notes of black fruit and subtle earthiness.

Coonawarra is widely regarded as one of the premier regions for Cabernet Sauvignon in Australia, and the Rymill family has been instrumental in cultivating its reputation. The terra rossa soils are key to the distinctive characteristics of Coonawarra Cabernet, providing excellent drainage and promoting the development of concentrated fruit flavors. The cool climate ensures the grapes retain acidity and structure, resulting in wines that age gracefully over time.

For those seeking a wine with depth, complexity, and aging potential, Rymill The Surveyor Cabernet Sauvignon is a perfect choice. It pairs beautifully with hearty dishes such as grilled meats, rich casseroles, and aged cheeses.

The nose has complex layers of dark cherries, cassis, mocha and mint chocolate. As promised by its appearance, the wine is intense yet bright and generous in its complexity of flavours, with plums, star anise and fennel seed The voluptuous middle palate, abundant in fruit and elegantly structured by the oak and tannins, offers to linger in a long, convincing after taste.

Enjoy this wine on its own, or with food but careful cellaring for ten to twenty years will reward those with patience.