Casa Freschi Profondo 2002 "This rare (150-case) Langhorne Creek cabernet, shiraz, malbec blend is an excellent savoury style with density, lots of supple tannin and the ability to unfold when poured. Cassis, cedar and chocolate figure in a well-made red that avoids regional mint. Now to 2015." Huon Hooke

Casa Freschi La Signora 2002 "The Freschi vineyard at Langhorne Creek in South Australia was first planted in 1972 by Attilio and Rosa Freschi. Today, son David continues as custodian of the family vineyard with an eye to creating wines of the highest quality. La Signora 2002 is an unusual blend of 52% nebbiolo with cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and malbec. Rather closed on opening, it evolves an impressive bouquet after breathing. There's a savoury, tarry, Italianate nebbiolo thing going on, along with earthy regional hints and a slightly floral, musky touch. Dark cherry and berry fruit mark a silky palate, and it has real complexity, lovely texture and length. It finishes with a good measure of ripe, grainy tannin." Ralph Kyte-Powell

Casa Freschi La Signora 2001 "This is a unique blend of cabernet sauvignon, a touch of shiraz and some nebbiolo. It's from Langhorne Creek in South Australia - a place not renowned for savoury wines - but has been made with the structure and style to make meat dishes from osso bucco to roast lamb taste better." Greg Duncan Powell

Red-hot and sexy. Langhorne Creek seduces customers with its fleshy drops.

"...Freschi impresses as a serious, focused, quality-minded winemaker who has a firm idea of style and how to achieve it. He’d gained winemaking experience in New Zealand and his ancestral home, Italy, where he fell in love with the red wines, especially nebbiolo - which he has since added to the vineyard...And the wines are very good. Casa Freschi makes tiny quantities of two single vineyard reds: Profondo ($58) is the reserve wine, seriously profound and ageworthy yet silky smooth and decadently fleshy. The lighter, earlier drinking wine is La Signora, which is also excellent, similarly supple and ripe, more affordable ($38) and made in larger quantities. They’re a fine extension to the region’s portfolio...they are sensational." Huon Hooke

Casa Freschi Rating 4 stars                                                                       "This small Langhorne Creek maker produces just two intriguing and idiosyncratic red wines, both worthy of respectful attention." Robin Badley

2001 Casa Freschi La Signora Rating 4 stars 89 pts Drink 2011                       "In the seemingly lifted style favoured by Casa Freschi, a lively array of red and black fruits, complemented by fine, savoury tannins."

Shiraz Cabernet - true blue blend

2001 Casa Freschi Profondo Rating: bloody good (gold medal standard; 95-100 pts) "Langhorne Creek does it again: magnificent, rich, multi-layered blend of mostly shiraz, with an elegant, savoury finish." Max Allen

Wine Masterclass - Aussie reds with Italian flavours

"Two wines. That's all that winemaker David Freschi makes at his Langhorne Creek vineyard in South Australia. And not much of them either - 1000 cases all up. The two reds - a cabernet sauvignon blend known as La Signora and the shiraz blend called Profondo - are the mainstay from the four and a half hectares known as Casa Freschi that he and his wife established in 1998 on land bought by Freschi's parents in 1972. And in such a short time, the 2001s are only the third release. He's making superb, complex wine.

"There are no rules. It all comes down to the result in the glass," says Freschi. " But my aim is to bring out the best in those four and a half hectares." That includes two hectares of nebbiolo, which were planted in 1999. While working in Italy in the 1990s, Freschi fell for nebbiolo the famous red of northern Italy. " As a budding young winemaker seeing the Old World really opened my eyes. I like the Old World philosophy of growing a wine and expressing a piece of soil. I like the artistic element of winemaking rather than the science, although that's important too."

Wanting to make his own mark using the best techniques from the Old World and New World, Freschi left New Zealand where he had been senior winemaker at Corbans, to set up Casa Freschi. Apart from loving nebbiolo, one of the reasons Freschi planted the variety is its ability to impart natural tannin and acidity in the blend. Generally, Langhorne is a cool-climate region, resulting in low acidity and soft, fine tannins. And Freschi is looking for flavour and longevity.

The varieties in La Signora 2001 are cabernet sauvignon 80 per cent, shiraz 9 per cent, malbec 5 per cent, and nebbiolo 6 per cent, the latter imparting a distinctive savoury note. Lets taste the 2001. In the glass, it's an amazing rich deep purple to garnet colour. The nose is fab - loads of black fruits from blackberry, plum and cherry, some earthy characteristics, cedary notes from the French oak, which all follows through in the mouth with hints of spice, a bit of mint, even pork fat, and that distinct savoury finish from the nebbiolo. La Signora shows great balance of fruit, oak and tannins. Drinking very nicely mow although the firm tannins should see this age wonderfully, if done so properly, over the next five years. Next year, the 2002 La Signora will be even more interesting with its 52 per cent nebbiolo. Freschi says it's developing well. As for the Profondo, only 150 cases were made, making it harder to source. Grab a bottle if you get a chance, about $55. La Signora is a ripper food wine: try it with savoury dishes, lamb and beef done as a roast or barbecue." Jane Faulkner

The Bulletin, 10 Dec 2003

Wines of the Future

Langhorne Creek, South Australia "Casa Freschi and Brothers In Arms are causing a stir, helping to lift the profile of a region that we tend to take for granted." Sophie Otton

2003 Top 20 wines in Australia

2001 Casa Freschi La Signora, $36 "Despite the proliferation of new brands onto the marketplace, only a handful have really excited me in the past three years. This is only the third release, and easily the finest, of Casa Freschi’s superb Langhorne Creek cabernet shiraz malbec blend to which David Freschi has added six per cent (young vine) nebbiolo to give the wine added structure and complexity. From its perfumed, floral aromas, together with forest floor notes, dark sour cherry fruit and cedar (from 45% new French oak), this wine exudes elegance and complexity, despite it’s 14 per cent alcohol. The palate is equally refined with soft, gently grippy and persistent tannins ensuring it can still be drinking beautifully in 10 years". Philip Rich

asiacuisine.com   , 21-28 November 2003

Wine of the week

2000 Casa Freschi La Signora "On the winery: Just when you thought that Australian wine has run out of its trump cards, and all the fine wine producing areas in its land has been discovered, I would like to bring to your attention a lesser known Australia wine appellation, Langhorne Creek, where Casa Freschi is a fabulous winery to note, helmed by the young and talented David Freschi....David has since made wines in many regions around the world and has benefited from those exposure upon his return to tend to his family vineyard. David's wines are known to be beautifully aromatic with great mouth-feel and texture. He made two profound wines (and rightly so by naming one of them after that adjective), La Signora and Profondo. Those wines were aged in French oak (80% new) and bottled unfiltered and unfined. I must admit that Casa Freschi is one of the finest Australian wines I have encountered. Both the La Signora and Profondo are blends of Shiraz, Cabernet and Malbec. Production is unfortunately small (about 700 cases only)

On the wines tasted: La Signora (Italian for "The Lady") is a beautiful, elegant, charming and complex wine. Produced fom 51% cabernet, 41% shiraz, 8% malbec, it has a captivating perfume of violets, plums and raspberries. On the palate, it has ripe black and red fruit flavours that are framed in an elegant structure with silkiness and fine tannins. The velvety texture was packed with fruit purity makes it a great accompaniment to most flavourful dishes. In my humble opinion, La Signora is all about subtlety with purity and elegance. This is a wine with such charming personalities that we inevitably associate it with a lady, which I am confident many gentlemen will come to appreciate and cherish. La Signora will improve and become more complex in the next five years. Colour 22/23 , Bouquet 22/25 , Taste 26/30 , Structure and complexity 21/22 , Value for money Good , Overall : Excellent , Availablity : The Ninth Vine , Pricing S$45.50 +GST , Overall rating 91 points. Lim Hwee Peng.

Australian Gourmet Traveller WINE, Oct/Nov 2003

Stocking the cellar

2001 Casa Freschi La Signora, $36 "Despite the proliferation of new brands onto the marketplace, only a handful have really excited me in the past three years. This is only the third release, and easily the finest, of Casa Freschi’s superb Langhorne Creek cabernet shiraz malbec blend to which David Freschi has added six per cent (young vine) nebbiolo to give the wine added structure and complexity. From its perfumed, floral aromas, together with forest floor notes, dark sour cherry fruit and cedar (from 45% new French oak), this wine exudes elegance and complexity, despite it’s 14 per cent alcohol. The palate is equally refined with soft, gently grippy and persistent tannins ensuring it can still be drinking beautifully in 10 years". Philip Rich

Australian Gourmet Traveller WINE, Oct/Nov 2003

Hot 100 wine experiences of the year

Casa Freschi "David Freschi, who makes his own Casa Freschi wines as well as the Brothers In Arms wines in Langhorne Creek, is one of the most thoughtful and intelligent young winemakers in Australia and his wines are elegant and beautifully crafted" Philip Rich. " Well-made Italian varietals" Sally Gudgeon

Langhorne Creek "The big boys (notably Beringer Blass) have long recognised how good Langhorne Creek fruit can be, but it has always been blended away in multi-regional wines. The advent of Casa Freschi and Brothers In Arms may encourage other smaller growers to make wines that are purely regional and that direct some attention to this often overlooked and forgotten region" Philip Rich.

"From an exciting new maker in Langhorne Creek comes a big, bold, warm-area shiraz cabernet. Aromas of creosote over sweet, ultra-ripe plum and blackberry flood from the glass, and the palate is full-bodied, sweet-fruit driven and generous. Time should build more complexity. Drink now to 2013+ ." 4 stars $54. Huon Hooke/Ralph Kyte Powell

"Very richly flavoured, closed but concentrated. This needs time: a big, bold, generous wine with masses of sweet, ripe fruit. $54"

"Casa Freschi is a new name in the Langhorne Creek area - but importantly, it does have established vines to play with. The average vine age for the La Signora wine is 26 years, while the average vine age for the Profondo wine is 30 years. Everything is done in the attention-to-detail way, with hand pruning, hand plunging, hand harvesting and employment of wild yeasts.

There's an elegance to Casa Freschi reds that belies their ripeness, and it's no more evident than in this wine. The nose is a bit reductive right now but the palate is firm and linear, with perfumed violets, tar, tobacco, cakey blackberry and totally integrated syrupy oak. In the end it's a svoury, earthy wine, and it's best is ahead of it. (80% cabernet sauvignon, 9% shiraz, 6% nebbiolo, 5% malbec). Drink: 2004-2009. 90 points.

This wine is downright unAustralian! It draws through the mouth with such a savoury, linear, tight-boned muscularity that it bears little resemblance to the generous, ribald, fruit driven wines that have made us famous. That's not to say that it's not an excellent wine, because it is. But what you'll get is all about tar and cedar and tannin, with flavours like blackcurrant and redcurrant locked deep inside its heart. (83% shiraz, 17% cabernet sauvignon) Drink: 2008 - 2013. 92 points."

2001 Casa Freschi Profondo $55-60

"A magnificent, rich, complex blend of mostly shiraz and some cabernet from mature vines in Langhorne Creek, South Australia, previous vintages of this grandly named wine were good but failed to justify the price tag: this one exceeds expectations - not only is it a wonderful drink now, but it should develop gracefully over many years." Max Allen

The Advertiser, June 4 2003

2001 Casa Freschi La Signora $34

"David Freschi made this bosomy stunner blending cabernet, shiraz, nebbiolo and malbec from the deep eucalypty mud of Langhorne Creek. It's soulful, moody wine: opulent, sweet, and dense to the nose, then silky, slick and slightly minty on the palate - truly classical Langhorne Creek with a sexy twist of Italy, and just a hint of the glorious things to come. Swoon country. " 93 points Philip White

Australian Gourmet Traveller WINE , Apr/May 2003

"Freschi is able to make his own Casa Freschi wines in minute quantities at his workplace and sources fruit from his revitalised family vineyard (planted in 1972). There are two wines - the Profondo shiraz and La Signora cabernet shiraz malbec. Both are expensive and stunning: the Profondo, restrained and complex and made for cellaring, and La Signora, vibrant, subtly oak and more immediately appealing". Peter Forrestal

"I rate Casa Freschi as one of the most exciting new brands to emerge in the last two years. Made by David Freschi from a single, low-yielding vineyard at Langhorne Creek in South Australia, there are two wines: 700 dozen of a delicious cabernet shiraz malbec called La Signora and 1100 bottles of very concentrated pure shiraz, Profondo. They are rich, sumptuous, plushy wines, the feature of both being wonderful fleshy texture, silky tannins, great persistence and, mercifully, no gumleaf character. They manage this without being oaky, overripe or alcoholic." Huon Hooke

"Performing under pressure"

"Despite the continuing surge in Australian wine exports, there are signs the local wine industry is on much shakier ground. Recent collapses of multi-million dollar investments such as Barrington Estates, Gartner Wines and Normans Wines are sympotmatic of an industry growing at an unsustainable rate. This year has seen the introduction of a record number of new labels. While a few will go on to be successful and enduring brands, it seems inevitable that most will fall by the wayside. Given the surplus of wine - with the exception of chardonnay - being sold by wine brokers (a new growth industry in itself), it’s ironic that the low yields experienced by many vineyards in 2002 will only compound problems for smaller producers. In the long term, it’s anyone’s guess what will become of the dramatic increase in plantings over the last few years. On a far more positive note, it is interesting that many of the wines that really excited me this year were perennials, despite my desire to find new names to include in this year’s top 20. These are the wines produced by well established winemakers who, ignoring fashion or fads, go about doing what they have always done - and that’s making great wine.

Casa Freschi La Signora 2000 ($34)

Made in tiny quantities from a family vineyard planted in Langhorne Creek in 1972, David and Tania Freschi’s Casa Freschi wines are amongst the most promising debuts that I can recall. (The first wines were released from the 1999 vintage last year). Only 700 cases were made of this beautifully crafted, concentrated wine which is 70 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 24 percent shiraz and 6 per cent malbec. Fragrant with lifted aromas of cassis, and lots of cedary new French oak - already starting to integrate - the palate is persistent, with silky and refined tannins providing excellent mouthfeel and texture. This will improve and become more complex over the next five to six plus years".

Casa Freschi La Signora 2000 ($34) 93 points

"I can’t help wondering what our wine labels will be like in 50 years, when all the Asian and Afghan newcomers have got into the wine biz and feel cool about promoting their culture here, like the Italians are finally doing. David Freschi gives us a sinuous Larncrik cab, delicate, elegant and sweetish, like a medium cru Bordeaux with some eucalyptus and as much sensuality as you can get in a glass."

Robert Parker Jnr, The Wine Advocate, October 2002

"This estate believes in handcrafted wines, thus neither fining nor filtration is practiced. The stylish, elegant, European-styled 2000 La Signora (a blend of 70% cabernet sauvignon, 24% shiraz and 6% malbec aged in 80% new French oak for 18 months) exhibits a dark ruby/purple color along with Medoc-like aromas of tobacco leaf, licorice, and black currants. It is somewhat of a revelation from Australia given it’s elegance and restraint, particularly when compared to all the grapy, thick, unctuous reds produced in South Australia. It should drink well for 7-10 years." 88 points

"Made from 100% Shiraz aged in 100% new French oak, the dense ruby/purple-colored 2000 Profondo offers up spicy, chocolately, peppery, blackberry and cassis-scented perfume, and a medium bodied, elegant, restrained personality. This is a distinctly styled, measured, European-influenced Shiraz to drink over the next decade." 89 points

Huon Hooke/Ralph Kyte-Powell, The Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide 2002/2003

Casa Freschi La Signora 2000  ($34)      Quality : 5 stars  Value : 4 stars 

Casa Freschi is an exciting new brand out of Langhorne Creek. Winemaker is David Freschi, who has just 4.5 hectares in Langhorne Creek, but the wines...wow! They have real intensity and excitement. A pity there are only 8500 bottles of this in existence.                                    

CURRENT RELEASE 2000 : Smart packaging sets the scene. The colour is amazingly deep, and then the nose: powerful raspberry, peppermint and cassis, with a high note of crushed leaf. Sweet vanillan oak chimes in the mouth, layered with clean berry fruit. It's very intense and really captivates your attention. Impressive vino! Try it with T-bone steak."

Campbell Mattinson, Australian Gourmet Traveller WINE,Oct/Nov 2002

"Red hot wines"

"Sometimes, when you meet a winemaker, your comments can make their day - and sometimes they don't. When I met David Freschi recently and tasted his La Signora (interestingly, a blend of cabernet, shiraz and malbec, $34), I instantly said, 'Typical Langhorne Creek. Lots of generous flavour.' 'Actually,' he replied, 'I like to think it's un-Langhorne Creek in character.' 'Oh. Well, what I mean't was...'  And then I said something about the flavours being recognisably Langhorne Creek - plenty of deep, silky, plump, welcoming blackcurrant with a smear of spicy tobacco leaves - but that structurally, I can see what he means. There's a sense of elegance, a lighter seasoning of (French, not American) oak and a more direct, linear feel to the way the wine sits in the mouth. Which is another way of saying that Casa Freschi wines embrace the trademark yumminess of the area, but have an added dimension: a cerebral directness and a lullaby softness. Casa Freschi's pinnacle wine, the Profondo (100 per cent shiraz, $55) is similarly styled - with an added wedge of concentration.     

Casa Freschi is the venture of David and Tanya Freschi. It was established in 1998, but utilises a vineyard planted in 1972. It's predominantly dry grown, hand pruned, hand harvested and hand manicured. More recently, nebbiolo was planted adjacent to the original vineyard. There are only two wines in the range so far, but few new labels produce initial wines as lusciously impressive as these. Made in miniscule quantites."

Ken Gargett, The Brisbane Courier Mail, 4 September 2002

"Perhaps the most impressive of all is Casa Freschi. The 2000 La Signora ($34) is a blend of cabernet, shiraz and malbec, full of chocolate, coffee bean and sweet fruit flavours, which will age well. The 2000 Profondo ($54) is a single vineyard shiraz, tight, intense and seamless with cassis, chocolate and herbal hints."

Winefront monthly, August 2002

Casa Freschi La Signora 2000 $34

"Exactly the kind of flavours you'd expect from a Langhorne Creek red - oozing plums and blackcurrant - though with an entirely straighter, tighter structure. A very classy little number. Tannins are firm and there's a general spicy, French oak savouriness to the nose - the way the fruit presents in the mouth though is really the thing. Drink now-2007 92 points"

Philip Rich, Australian Financial Review Magazine, 28 June 2002

"David and Tanya Freschi's own wines are among the most promising debut vintages I can recall in a very long time.  The Freschi's can thank a previous generation for having planted vines.  In 1972, 20 years after they had emigrated from Italy, Attilio and Rosa Freschi planted 2.5 ha of cabernet, shiraz and malbec, but broadacre farming ware always a priority.

Young Freschi had graduated from winemaking at Roseworthy College in 1990, and immediately set off for California before ending up at Corbans in New Zealand.  An itch to make wine in the old world then led to a stint as a "flying winemaker" in Puglia and Tuscany making wines for the UK market.  Freschi eventually ended up back at Corbans where he became senior winemaker for the group before deciding that the time was right to come home.

His first task was to restructure his parent's vineyard by repruning and replanting with better clonal material, and then re-trellising with the aim to drastically lowering yields and improving the fruit.  Two hectares to Nebbiolo was planted at the same time.  With only the best parcels of fruit used, a mere 420 cases was made of the initial release of Casa Freschi La Signora (350 cases) and Profondo (70 cases), both blends of shiraz, cabernet and malbec.  While this has gone up to 850 dozen for the 2000 vintage, production will always be limited because of low yields (21 hectolitres per hectare for the 2000 Profondo, which is 100% Shiraz), and the desire to make the best possible wine.  The fruit that doesn't make the grade will simply be sold off for bulk wine.

New releases are confirming that the quality of the 1999s was no flash in the pan.  What makes these wines so impressive is that they combine fruit richness with an elegance and finesse not usually associated with South Australian red wine.

The Langhorne Creek region has gone from 450 hectares under vine in 1990 to a staggering 5500-plus hectares in 2002, mainly to supply fruit to the large corporates.  The result is that the area continues to lack the profile of the other regions of South Australia.  But with the advent of new labels such as Casa Freschi and Brothers in Arms dedicated to producing wholly regional, high-quality wines, Langhorne Creek, it seems, is finally set to move from the wings to centre stage".

Casa Freschi La Signora 2000 ($34)

"Only 700 cases were made of this beautifully crafted, concentrated and elegant wine from 70 per cent cabernet sauvignon, 24 per cent shiraz and 6 per cent malbec.  Fragrant with lifted aromas of cassis, and lots of cedary new french oak which is already starting to integrate, the palate is persistent, with silky and refined tannins providing excellent mouthfeel and texture.   This will only improve, and become even more complex, over the next five to six years plus".

Huon Hooke, Sydney Morning Herald, 15 June 2002

"Casa Freschi is an exciting new winery in Langhorne Creek, making tiny quantities of sensational reds in a ripe, opulent style"

Melissa Moore, Belmondo Sommeliers Choice, Sydney Morning Herald, 22 June 2002

Casa Freschi La Signora 2000 $34

Hailing from the Langhorne Creek region in South Australia, this beautiful winter blend of cabernet, shiraz and malbec grapes has plum, cherry and spice flavours and soft, silky tannins. Try with a roasted rack of lamb.

East End Cellars, Adelaide Advertiser, 5 June 2002

Casa Freschi La Signora 2000

"Have you heard of David Freschi yet, the man behind Casa Freschi and all round nice guy. If you haven't, then you need to come in and see us more often.  We're now looking at the second release from this quiet maestro and what a follow up.  The '99 was a booming success, giving extra proof of the power and pedigree Langhorne Creek has to offer.  Production has been upped and percentages varied but the wine still looks as delicious as ever.  The nose displays a touch of the new French oak used.  A sweetness and freshness of fruit sings to you.  The palate pure elegance.  Cabernet, Shiraz and Malbec (70%, 24%, & 6% respectively) splash together like a well trained synchronized swimming team.  La Signora is not a turbo-charged beast but a well tuned cruiser, hop on and enjoy the ride".   $36each or $33ea doz. price.

2002 Brisbane WIne Festival

Casa Freschi La Signora 1999 ; Rydges Southbank Trophy for Best Blended Red

Tim White, Australian Financial Review, 2 June 2001

"One who has got this [oak] right is newcomer David Freschi, whose two Casa Freschi wines exhibit lovely balance between fruit, tannin and oak. They're expensive, though, at $36 and $56 a bottle. His family has owned land in the region for many years and has recently taken over 4.5 Ha of the family property planted with mature, 30-year-old vines. His crops are low, the wines delicious.

Casa Freschi Profondo 1999 - Classy nose of blackberries and plums with a hint of eucalypt and spicey, cedary oak. Builds raspberries with air. Attractive in the mouth too, with currants, vanilla oak and earthy spicey characters. The finish is long and there are mouth-aromas of berries, chocolate and roast coffee. Should evolve nicely for another half-dozen years. Just 70 cases made. (92/100) At $56 - $60 per bottle, this is rather expensive for a first release, but then the yields are kept low and the winemaking (and oak) are first class".

Robert Parker Jnr, The Wine Advocate, June 2001

"Based on the first wines I have tasted from proprietor/winemaker David Freschi, this is an up and coming star. Both wines are aged in primarily new French oak, and will be bottled unfined and unfiltered. Readers may have already noticed, but to reiterate, these were barrel samples, hence the range of ratings. Both wines combine a power and uncanny elegance which is unusual in Australia.

The 1999 La Signora could easily pass for a St Emilion garage wine. It has a somewhat international style, but the opaque color offers up notes of coffee, chocolate, and blackcurrants along with cigar box notes. The wine is rich, dense, and ripe, with beautifully integrated acidity, wood and alcohol. The finish is long and at the same time elegant. It should drink well for at least 10-12 years (90-92/100).

Even more impressive is the Bordeaux look-alike, the 1999 Profondo. Also a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, it exhibits an impressive saturated, dark ruby/purple color in addition to a gorgeous nose of blueberry liqueur intermixed with cassis, Chinese black tea, vanillan, and licorice. Stunningly rich on the palate, with multiple layers of concentration, this compelling wine is a dead ringer for a top first or second growth Bordeaux. Anticipated maturity: 2002-2015. (92-94/100)."

FOREWORD

Kym Milne MW, Winemaking Consultant, England, May 2001

"Having now tasted David's first release from the '99 vintage I am very excited with what he has achieved. By reducing the yield of his vineyard, and careful winemaking he has produced two excellent wines.

La Signora is the most accessible of the two wines now, with more apparent berry fruit character, elegance and structure with good firm tannins that should see the wine age gracefully for 5-8 years or more.

Profondo is a superb wine far from showing its best yet. It is a deep coloured, very complex wine, which is powerful, yet elegant, with beautiful firm tannins that will see it age extremely well for 10 years or more.

What impresses me most about these wines is their elegance. Many of Australia's top flagship red wines consist of massive fruit character, coupled with huge new oak flavours and big, soft tannins. David's wines have more of a European structure to them - richness without being heavy, complex rather than overtly fruity flavours, and good firm tannin structure, which will allow the wines to age gracefully."