Balnaves Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

The Balnaves vineyard comprises twelve blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon vines of varying acreage and vine age, the oldest planted in 1975. These blocks are divided again into smaller parcels of between one and two hectares, following soil types and topography, with approximately forty Cabernet Sauvignon fermentations being conducted each vintage. The best of these ferments are set aside during vintage for the Balnaves Cabernet Sauvignon and in outstanding years, the Balnaves The Tally Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.  

"It's full bodied and very dense with rich chocolate and blackcurrant flavours - concentrated and strong. No shortage of length or intensity. A brooding and moody Balnaves."  Gary Walsh

The 2007 Balnaves Cabernet Sauvignon was sourced from two blocks; the Dead Morris and Quarry Vineyards. The wine spent 16 months in tight-grained French oak from, Seguin Moreau, Saury, Taransaud and St Martin cooperages. 

"Vintage 2007 saw unprecedented frosts over Southern Australia. Our best vineyards were fortunately not affected.The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon is deep rich red in colour, the nose is perfumed with aromas of ripe cassis, liquorice, and some spicy notes, with subtle vanillan oak. The palate is lean and structured with tight cassis fruit and firmer tannins from a cooler year. This wine will reward careful cellaring. Hold."  Balnaves

Expert reviews

"A classic dark, precisely balanced and integrated Balnaves style, with a deep, heady bouquet of cassis, violets, blackberries and plums knit with sweet cedar/cigarboxy oak. Savoury, smooth and fine-grained, it's vibrant, dark and mineral, opening to reveal layers of sweet, ripe fruit and smoky, polished cedar/vanilla oak luxuriantly supported by firm, silky-fine tannin. YTD 2019-2027+."  Jeremy Oliver - 95 points

"Intense Coonawarra fruit, with amazing purity and poise; polished cassis and redcurrant combine effortlessly with the fine oak framework; full-bodied, dark and dense, with layered fruit coursing along the palate, harmoniously mingling with the fine-grained tannins. Drink by: 2020."  James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion - 95 points

"Goodness me, some of these 2007 vintage wines are very concentrated. Here's another one that needed at least a day's breathing (in bottle) before coming round. Beautiful smelling wine - blackberry, Cassis, licorice and cedar wood with a light floral perfume. It's full bodied and very dense with rich chocolate and blackcurrant flavours - concentrated and strong. The tannins grip firmly, initially with a black tea bitterness to them, but given time do relax somewhat and settle back into the wine. No shortage of length or intensity. A brooding and moody Balnaves. Drink : 2014 - 2024."  Gary Walsh, The Wine Front - 94 points

About the winery

Balnaves of Coonawarra is a small family-owned winery, in the heart of the Coonawarra Wine Region. Doug Balnaves established the vineyard in 1975 and 2.5 ha of Cabernet Sauvignon and 2.5 ha of Shiraz were planted on the rich terra rossa soils. Since those first plantings the Balnaves vineyards have grown steadily and today Balnaves have over 70ha of high-quality estate vineyards.

In 1990 siblings Kirsty and Pete Balnaves joined the family company and the first Balnaves wines were produced on a contract basis at a neighbouring winery. These days, Doug is General Manager, while Kirsty is the Business Manager and Peter runs the vineyard. In 1995 the family was joined by winemaker Pete Bissell and in 1996 their state-of-the-art 1000 tonne winery, designed and supervised by Pete, was completed.  

In 1998 the first vintage of their flagship wine, the Balnaves The Tally Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was produced. The 2004 Tally won Jeremy Oliver's Wine of the Year in 2007. In 2008 the winery was named James Halliday's Winery of the Year and they have been awarded five stars by Halliday for 17 consecutive years. 

Balnaves' success has in no small part been due to Pete Bissell, who celebrated 25 years as senior winemaker in 2020. Pete received numerous accolades over that time, including winning the Qantas/Gourmet Traveller Winemaker of the Year in 2005. Pete retired in July 2020 and assistant Winemaker Jacinta Jenkins took over as Senior Winemaker.