‘Tipsy Hill’ Blewett Springs Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 – From a single vineyard in the famed Blewett Springs sub-region of McLaren Vale, this is what elite Cabernet from this warmer region is all about. The name might evoke the occasional giggle but the reasoning behind it is rather sweet, if a little sad. The three hectare vineyard which is the source of the fruit was planted in 1999, but not just to grapes. There are also some exquisite roses, including a very rare one called the Tipsy Imperial Concubine rose. This rose gained its name from a period many years ago – the rose has been known in China since the 6th century but only came to the West in the 1980s – when one of the famous ‘Four Beauties of Ancient China’ became intoxicated by its perfume. The Four Beauties were four women who were considered so beautiful that they were able to exert influence over kings and emperors – in our case, the Beauty who was intoxicated by the rose’s perfume was Yang Guifei. Of course, such legends are never all sweetness and light, with three of the beauties apparently bringing their respective kingdoms to their knees with their lives ending tragically. Yang Guifei lived in the 8th century and was a beloved consort of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. Her face allegedly put all flowers to shame (not sure where that leaves our tipsy rose). She convinced the Emperor to offer the position of chancellor to her cousin but during a subsequent rebellion, the Emperor’s guards insisted she be put to death as they blamed the rebellion on the cousin. The Emperor gave the order for Yang to be strangled. All of which has very little to do with the actual wine but makes an intriguing story. More prosaically, the wine spends 20 months maturing in French oak, half of which is new.
An opaque black/purple, it is immediately apparent that the nature of this wine is of one offering a powerful and slightly burly character. Perhaps that can be partly attributed to the nature of the 2020 vintage. We have florals, exotic spices, chocolate, aniseed, black olives and charcuterie. Bright acidity with the oak melding well. Very long, very powerful. Ten to fifteen years. 96.
