Hopefully wine drinkers are not swayed by a “Gold Medal” seal and a 92 James Suckling seal on the bottle of the Knappstein Clare Valley 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon. There is nothing inscribed on the “Gold Medal” seal to indicate who issued it. Could it be from some children’s colouring book? As for a jamessuckling.com 92 do we pay homage to wineflation ratings from that source and how much must a winery pay to put that seal on the bottle?
Put the manufactured hoopla aside and try the wine.
Aroma: Blueberry dominated but there is also some blackberry and vanilla. Hints of a dense and concentrated wine perhaps plush.
Palate: A blueberry tidal wave and for good measure blueberry pie hot from the oven. Dense and plush full-bodied wine with not a lot of tannins. Approachable and certainly can be sipped on its own.
Personality: I am a classic poster boy of many South Australian Cabernet Sauvignons. Perhaps not sophisticated or a superstar but very good.
Food Match: Eggplant parmesan.
Cellarbility: Consume by 2025-year end. Lack of tannins don’t give the wine much staying power.
Price: $18.95 CDN (Ontario).
RKS 2023 Wine Rating: 91/100. Jamessuckling.com and Sam Kim 92.
(Knappstein 2020 Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Knappstein Wines, Clare, South Australia, 750 mL, 14%).
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