from a trio of reds

Drinks Trade Online magazine, August 2010

Deakin Estate has released a trio of reds including a 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, a 2008 Merlot and a 2009 Shiraz. Offering value for money, each of the wines displays personality and are to be consumed when young or cellared for three to five years.

Damn fine value.

Ray Jordan, The West Australian, 1st July 2010

Damn fine value for a $10 wine. It's clean and pure with good varietal characters on nose and palate. Soft tannins and gentle oak introduction. Current drinking quaffing at the right price.
86/100

Midweek Magic

Tony Love, Herald Sun, 22nd June 2010

The story: From southeast of Mildura, where the air is dry and barely a drop of rain falls during the ripening season. Dr Phil Spillman wrests surprising bargains from his estate vines - shiraz and cabernet the stars. The flavour. Happy, easy drinking that has a little mint and mulberry, dusty gum leaf with lovely juicy fruit.
RATINGS: 3 stars
VALUE: Terrific
VERDICT: Midweek magic

A good thing in our books

Campbell Mattinson & Gary Walsh, The Big Red Wine Book 2010/2011

Decent amount of grunt. Tastes distinctly of cabernet too - it's not a generic red, but has dusty flavours of currants, liquorice and dried herbs. Bit of grippy tannin to keep the focus - indeed quite a lot for a wine at this price - a good thing in our books. This is a well-made, well-flavoured chewy wine. 88 Points.

90 Points

Mike Frost, Courier Mail, Brisbane 26th Feb 2010

The blackcurrant and dark berry flavours of this red
are just right to go with grilled lamb chops or gourmet sausages at a barbie. Widely available. Rating: 90.

89 Points

Ray Jordan, West Australian, 4th February 2010

A medium-bodied firmish cabernet displaying nice subtle blackcurrant and light oak characters. Fine ripe tannins and a fine acid sustain a bright and lively wine. Classic cabernet structure and a quality wine at a good price. 89/100

almost impossible not to be smitten

Chris Plummer, www.australianwinejournal.blogspot.com,
20 Jan 2010

89 Points. Nicely varietal for the price, its leafy/minty nose of ripe dark plum, liqueur blackcurrants and cedar precede a soft and juicy cabernet palate with a sprinkling of dusty tannins peppered throughout its dry finish. Its vibrant plum and dark cherry flavours show elements of sour-edged acidity, with just a miniscule fraction of ultra-ripe fruit residing beneath, but the flow and charming balance evident from start to finish make the whole experience a totally delightful quaff.
It may not be as impressively varietal in its palate as its aroma, but for $7 it's almost impossible not to be smitten by Deakin Estate's 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. Save yourself a packet and whip some out at your next summer BBQ. Drink to 2012.

90 points

Jeremy Oliver, The Australian Wine Annual 2010

Scented with minty, violet-like aromas of cassis, blackberries, plums and cedary oak, this is simply an exceptional wine for its price. It's supple and juicy, with a piercing presence of small berries, plums and lingering earthy notes tightly knit with fine, dusty tannins and restrained vanilla oak, finishing with genuine length and balance. Who says Australian riverland cabernet is industrial? 90 points

A cracker

Jeff Collerson, Daily Telegraph, 22/12/2009

DEAKIN Estate has been among our top five producers of under-$15 wines for two decades. The new-release reds, an '08 shiraz and this, are crackers. The cabernet shows sweet, strawberry jam-like aromas with black fruits, mocha and some earthy characters mingling on the palate. The finish is soft and round. A bargain. At Dan
Murphy's and Vintage Cellars.

Simply an exceptional wine

Jeremy Oliver, Gourmet Traveller Wine, Oct/Nov 2009

This affordable and delicious young cabernet is scented with minty, violet-like aromas of cassis, blackberries, plum and cedary oak. It's supple and juicy, with a piercing presence of small berries, plum and lingering earthy notes tightly knit with fine, dusty tannins and restrained vanilla oak, finishing with genuine length and balance. It's simply an exceptional wine for its price. I'd like to send a case to every UK wine critic who says Australian Riverland cabernet is industrial.

Good quaffing

CAMPBELL MATTINSON, Winefront Monthly, 31 Aug 2009

Pretty happy with this Deakin Estate cabernet.
Decent amount of grunt... Flavours of currants and dried herbs and dust. Bit of tannin to keep the focus - indeed some at the tasting wondered if this had too much tannin (for the asking price). I didn't. Good quaffing. Rated : 86 Points

Buy of the week

David Ellis, Western Advocate, Bathurst

At $10, you'll find it hard to beat Deakin Estates Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 for that next barbie: this bargain buy is loaded with berry flavours and nice oak spiciness to complement the steaks chops and sausages.

wine that drinks well young

Jeff Gordon - 03/10/2007, Melbourne Times

Deakin Estate Cabernet 2006 comes from Red Cliffs, where the hot, dry climate helps the winemaker produce a wine that drinks well young, but poses a real test in extracting full flavours from the grapes. This one does it very well with expected blackcurrant, a touch of spice on the nose and fine tannins on the finish.

True to form

Fergus McGhie - 14/11/2007, Canberra Times

This is true to form and instantly recognisable as cabernet, with leafy aromas and blackcurrant fruit. The palate is medium bodied and a touch simple, but this is an enjoyable budget cabernet.

Another bargain

Peter Forrestal - 08/09/2007, QUAFF.COM.AU

Another Bargain is: 2006 Deakin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. A terrific cabernet for the price from a seemingly rejuvenated Deakin Estate in the Murray Darling.

one of the leaders of the pack

Paddy Kendler - 13/11/2007, Quaffing - Herald Sun

Young cabernet can be awkward edgy, closed and unapproachable, largely because of the astringent tannins from the tough skins. But a growing number of winemakers are forging a new cabernet style, a dry red with all the ripe berry characters typical of the variety without the tongue-twisting tannins. Deakin Estate is one of the leaders of the pack.

serious drinking pleasure

Steven Powell - 06/11/2007, B Magazine - National

Big blackcurrant flavours and equally bold tannins give this wine serious drinking pleasure.

enjoyable immediate drinking

3 Top Drops - 09/05/2008, Manly Daily

This is a straightforward sort of wine - nothing fancy - but check the price. What do you get for a tenner? Value, thats what. Obviously blackcurrant flavours, generous and juicy, with soft tannins that make it enjoyable immediate drinking. Pasta would be perfect.