2020 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, Balnaves

• Style: Structured, elegant Cabernet Sauvignon
• Taste: Violet perfume, mulberry depth, chewy layered tannins, dark fruit
• Food: Grilled beef, braised meats, aged cheese, dark chocolate
• Occasion: Sunday lunch, date night, autumn evenings
• Serve: 14.5% ABV, now drinking beautifully, 10+ years ahead

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

A wine that announces itself from the first sip. This 2020 opens with lifted violet perfume and rich, mulberry-forward palate, delivering immediate reward that improves through the evening. Cool spring conditions and extended ripening thickened the grape skins, building chewy, layered tannins that remain structured without austerity. French oak — 54% of it fresh — adds smoky undertones that frame the plush fruit without overwhelming it. At 14.5% alcohol with refined acidity, this sits in the sweet spot for serious, food-friendly red wine.

The Winery — Balnaves

A three-generation family operation managing the southern end of Coonawarra's famous Terra Rossa strip since 1975, Balnaves now tends 58 hectares of their own vines (70% Cabernet Sauvignon) plus another 300 hectares for regional growers. They began winemaking in 1995 and have built a reputation for meticulous vineyard management — their land is divided into small blocks of one to two hectares, each handled separately according to its specific needs. The 2020 vintage posed challenges: late starts, frost scares, and humid spring weather disrupted flowering across the region, yet Balnaves' vineyards escaped the smoke taint that troubled others. Winemaker Jacinta Jenkins, consulting with long-serving Pete Bissell (retired June 2020), crafted fruit harvested in late April when Cabernet Sauvignon had achieved full phenolic ripeness. The final blend includes 11% Petit Verdot, adding depth and grip while preserving the pure cassis and black-fruit core you expect from the variety in this corner of Australia.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

This is your bottle for grilled or braised beef, roast dinners, game and venison, and those autumn evenings when you want a wine with backbone and generosity. Aged cheddar or blue cheese, dark chocolate — these are the partners that make this Cabernet sing. The vintage is drinking beautifully now and will continue to develop over the next decade, making it equally at home on a Sunday lunch table or a date night that calls for something with real presence. Explore our full Coonawarra range, discover more Cabernet Sauvignon selections, or browse our complete Australia collection to find your next favourite.