Grant Burge Corryton Park Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 - In Bond

Stuart McCloskey, tasted 13 October 2026 "Pristine, beautifully preserved and sealed under screwcap. Eight years of evolution, and what a magnificent place this Cabernet finds itself in. In short, an absolute dreamboat of a bouquet. Imagine the classical refinement of Bordeaux meeting the seductive generosity of Australian Cabernet Sauvignon, with just a smidgeon of Burgundian perfume and delicacy thrown in for good measure. It’s a glorious combination…

The secondary characters have emerged in the most beguiling fashion. Freshly sharpened pencils, delicate cedar, and the unmistakable fragrance of unsmoked pipe tobacco weave effortlessly through a wonderfully expressive core of ripe mulberry, dark plum and blackcurrant. A gentle suggestion of anise adds another dimension, lending an exotic, almost liquorice-like complexity without ever overwhelming the purity of the fruit. This is the sort of bouquet that reminds me why I adore mature Cabernet Sauvignon. Frankly, I could spend the entire afternoon with my nose buried in the glass.

The palate follows the bouquet with remarkable precision. Mulberry, ripe blackcurrant and dark plum return, accompanied by those wonderfully evocative notes of pencil shavings, cedar, anise and unsmoked pipe tobacco. Yet, for all its maturity and complexity, what strikes me most is the freshness. There is a wonderful vitality running through the wine, keeping everything lifted, energetic and beautifully defined. Nothing tired, nothing fading, and certainly nothing suggesting this Cabernet is approaching the end of its journey. The fruit remains wonderfully pure, while the secondary characters provide that additional layer of sophistication that only time in bottle can deliver.

And then there is the texture. Goodness me - the tannins are silken, the fruit glossy and the entire experience as smooth as the finest cashmere. There is a seamlessness to the palate - it glides rather than marches, revealing its considerable depth without ever feeling the need to announce it. Confident, certainly, but wonderfully reserved. It possesses that increasingly rare quality of being both generous and restrained, with its authority expressed through poise rather than power. There is no unnecessary weight, no intrusive oak and no suggestion of excess. Just beautifully judged Cabernet Sauvignon, quietly going about its business.

What I find particularly compelling is the wine's reflective nature. This is not a Cabernet that reveals everything in the first few minutes, nor is it a wine to be hurried through over dinner. It invites contemplation. It rewards patience. Each return to the glass seems to uncover another subtle detail, another nuance, another reason to linger (I spent an hour with the same glass). There is an almost conversational quality to its evolution, as the ripe fruit gradually gives way to more savoury, earthy and gently spiced expressions. The freshness remains constant, providing a wonderfully precise framework around which everything else revolves.

There is something deeply satisfying about a wine that has reached this level of harmony. The exuberance of youth has softened into something altogether more thoughtful and sophisticated, yet none of the original vitality has been sacrificed along the way. It is Bordeaux in its classical structure, unmistakably Australian in its seductive fruit, and almost Burgundian in its aromatic delicacy and textural finesse. Three rather different personalities, all coexisting in perfect harmony. Drink now to 2035. Served using Zalto Burgundy stemware."