2021 Coonawarra Cabernet/Merlot, Balnaves

• Style: Structured South Australian Red
• Taste: Dark plum, sage, red fruit with tight, frame-worthy tannins
• Food: Grilled lamb, roasted vegetables, aged hard cheeses
• Occasion: Weeknight; Sunday Lunch
• Serve: 16–18°C, screwcap
• ABV: 14%

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

Red fruit, liquorice and vanilla open the nose; the palate flows into dark plum and sage, with tannins woven tight enough to frame rather than overpower. Subtle vanilla oak from 13 months in French oak (20% new) adds depth without dominance. Bone dry, balanced, food-ready at 14%.

The Winery — Balnaves

Three generations of family stewardship anchor this Coonawarra producer, whose winemaking began in 1995 under Pete Bissell (formerly Wynns). Today Bissell consults alongside Jacinta Jenkins, bringing consistent, honest craftsmanship to every vintage. The 2021 growing season—mild through summer with a long, slow ripening—built depth and flavour intensity without forcing alcohol. Seventy per cent of Balnaves' 58-hectare vineyard is planted with Cabernet Sauvignon; the fruit is split into small, individually managed blocks so that soil variation and vine age (here 12–22 years old) become advantage. Destemming and sorting before fermentation speaks to respect for what the vintage delivered.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

This wine pairs confidently with grilled lamb or beef, roasted vegetables with deep caramelisation, and aged hard cheeses. Serve at 16–18°C; the screwcap ensures reliability whether you're opening it on a weeknight or at Sunday lunch. A vegetarian-friendly wine that sits alongside the rest of our Cabernet Sauvignon selection as a textbook example of what Australia's cool-climate regions achieve when ripeness is earned, not rushed. Exploring Coonawarra's potential? This is a clear-eyed introduction to the region's terra rossa magic.