L'Aventure : Estate Cuvée 2018

Powerful, concentrated and confident with added swagger. Owner Stephan Asseo has deftly brought out opulent swathes of redcurrant and raspberry fruits laced with liquorice and cigar that is both striking and moreish. 100% estate-grown fruit cropped to low yields of under 30hl/ha. 90% new French oak, 10% one-year-old French oak, with malolactic fermentation in barrel. No fining, no filtering. 2,000 cases produced

This is a superb red with blackberry, blueberry, crushed-stone and currant character. Full-bodied, yet nervy. Hints of burnt orange and walnuts. Energy here. Framed and precise. 45% syrah, 40% cabernet sauvignon and 15% petit verdot. Give it three or four years, but already great.

45% Syrah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot. Reminiscent for Stepha Asseo (owner/winemaker) of some 'late harvest' style wines he made for this blend in 2006 and 2010. Opaque purple colour. Tarry black fruit and chocolate on the nose. Concentrated palate, but the alcohol is too evident. It feels like this will only increase with time. Chalky tannins are well refined given the muscular three varieties blended here. All about power. (TP)

Deep, glass-staining violet. Powerful blueberry, cherry liqueur, incense and pipe tobacco aromas, accented by mineral and smoky notes, show outstanding definition and pick up hints of mocha and exotic spices with air. Offers deeply concentrated black/blue fruit, cherry-vanilla, espresso and bitter chocolate flavors; a spicy flourish emerges as the wine stretches out. Finishes smooth, energetic and extremely long, with youthful, slowly building tannins and lingering suggestions of candied flowers and smoky minerals.

The 2018 Estate Cuvee checks in at 45% Syrah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 15% Petit Verdot, brought up in 90% new French oak. Reminiscent of the straight Cab but with more sex appeal, it offers a huge nose of crème de cassis, white flowers, crushed stone, graphite, and crushed flowers. This carries to a full-bodied, gorgeously textured red with incredible balance, no hard edges, a thrilling mid-palate, and a great, great finish. It’s going to benefit from 5–6 years of bottle age and keep for upwards of two decades or more. Hats off to winemaker Stephan Asseo on another incredible wine, and arguably the wine of the vintage.

The 2018 Estate Cuvée is made up of 45% Syrah, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 15% Petit Verdot aged in 90% new French oak. Deep ruby-purple in color, the nose takes some time to unfurl to touches of cast-iron pan, tar, turned earth, cassis and blueberry pie with floral top notes. The palate is full-bodied with lush, mineral-tinged fruit in a firm frame, lifted by surprising freshness and finishing long and perfumed. Give it another 3–5 years in bottle. 1,800 cases produced.