Palate
The palate exhibits flavours of mint and blackberry. A good acid and tannin balance prevails with a strong core of menthol and eucalyptus.

Nose
Pure menthol fruit, minty and fresh, with hints of spice.

Winemaker's Notes
Picked late April to early May, the season was warm with dry conditions prevailing throughout harvest. All blocks were hand-picked and sorted prior to crushing. An excellent year for Virgin Hills.

Enjoy With
Red meats or cheese. Also suitable for game such as venison.

Cellaring
15 years

Published
Australia & New Zealand Wine Companion 2002 (James Halliday)
"Medium red-purple, the hue reassuringly bright; the clean and smooth bouquet shows a pleasantly ripe and complex mix of berry fruits. The elegant, bright and lively palate has a slight minty backdrop to the predominant red berries, finishing with fine tannins and subtle oak."
Rating 92

Washington Post, September 19, 2001
"Virgin Hills produces a single Cabernet-based red wine from an extraordinary 30-acre vineyard in Victoria, Australia. Like many of the world's great terroirs, whether in Burgundy, the Piedmont or Germany, this vineyard is at the marginal limit for ripening. In warmer years, when ripeness is achieved, Virgin Hills makes a wine that ranks with the greatest red of Australia, including the legendary Grange, which sells for five times as much. Yet, while Grange is massively concentrated and strong, Virgin Hills is more like a Grand Cru Bordeaux, elegantly structured with deep blackcurrant fruit, possessing marvelous focus and balance. While 1998 is not a truly great vintage, the '98 Virgin Hills is nevertheless a fascinating wine, a bit lean, but with gorgeously defined fruit and a first-rate cassis and fresh herb bouquet. Under new owner, Michael Hope, the future looks even brighter."