Devils Lair Margaret River Cabernet Merlot 2003
Devil's Lair is a fairly recently acquired property of Australia's biggest wine company, Southcorp Wines. It comes from the beautiful Margaret River district, 350km south of Perth... Locals say the 1999 vintage was exceptional, and Cabernet always seems to be the outstanding grape variety here, certainly among the red wines. The winemaker was Stuart Pym, a local, who believes this is the best Cabernet they have made to date.
I am a big fan of Devils Lair Cabernet. I like the cooler southern Margaret River style and I like the choc mint characters that usually appear in the Devils Lair. Aromas of blackcurrant, dark berry, mint chocolate, tobacco and cedar. On the palate a medium to full bodied wine with ripe blackcurrant, black olive, tobacco and chocolate flavours. Nice balance of sweet fruit and more earthy flavours. Fine gravelly powdery tannins. Savoury finish. I like this wine a great deal. It does not have the power of the 2001 or the richness of the 1999 but it is an excellent Devils lair nonetheless. 93 Points Gary Walsh Winorama
