Keeping with my quest to find Eucalyptus in wine, today I am tasting the 2006 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon by Wakley Vintners in Australia. I have previously tasted the 2005 Gumdale Cabernet Sauvignon. With a name like Gumdale and being surrounded by Eucalyptus trees, I figure the aroma and flavor will be obvious. I acquired this bottle with the plastic cork (screw-cap would be better) of Cabernet Sauvignon for under $7. The label states that there is a hint of mint. I doubt I can tell the difference of mint and Eucalyptus, but it will still be interesting to see how it shows. Of course, Cabernet Sauvignon also sometimes shows Chocolate, so I will be looking for it too.
Color
In the glass it is deep red with purple on the edges.
Aroma
It shows good aroma from a distance which always gets me excited to pickup the glass. There is some nice mulberry showing up on the nose along with some cedar. It also has a clear presence of Eucalyptus. It almost seems to open up my sinuses like a menthol-based medicinal product. I wonder if it helps me pick up more because of that. On the end there is a little oak. Anyone know how long this was aged in oak barrels?
Flavor
On the attack the dark fruit is showing nicely. There is black currant and a little bit of blueberry. The mid-palate exhibits sweet black cherry and the finish has more sour cherry. The mouth feel is smooth and a little heavy on the oak. If you are a fan of oak, it will please you. This is definitely a higher sugar Cabernet Sauvignon. It would pair well with dark chocolate or red meat.
Rating
I like this wine. It isn’t complex. It is a little too sweet. I rate it 86 points.
