Dominique Portet
Dominique Portet got his first whiff of wine at one of the world’s most illustrious wine properties: Château Lafite-Rothschild. It was here in Pauillac that his father, André Portet, served as régisseur (vineyard & winery manager). Dominique went on to earn his stripes at Montpellier University of Oenology before perking up morale as wine-buying adviser during compulsory military service. He later spent vintages in the Médoc, Rhône Valley, Provence and with Champagne giant Moët et Chandon, as well as in the Napa Valley at his brother Bernard’s Clos du Val estate. Since 1976 he has been a pioneer of the renaissance of Australia’s cool-climate wine industry, founding renowned sparkling wine house Taltarni in the Pyrenees and Clover Hill in Tasmania. In 2000 he embarked on his greatest adventure: the Dominique Portet winery in the Yarra Valley.
Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon
Taste:Strikingly bright purple in colour, its enticing aromas are evocative of fresh summer pudding. This wine is showing excellent ripe red fruits, with a bouquet of redcurrants, raspberries and red plum, while underlying notes of bay leaf and cedar bring a savoury element. The wine is soft and medium-bodied in the mouth, with a dusty density from tangy grape tannins. The oak envelopes the abundance of plum and berry fruit in a welcomed creaminess. Its plush ripeness is offset by the very fresh cut of its tannins and acids, giving it a crisp and buoyant feel. This wine has a lovely accessibility, its opulent red fruits provide lush, juicy flavours through to the finish, and fragrant blackberry notes. Vibrant, shapely and a real joy to drink.
