When we think of the Coonawarra we think of classic Australian Cabernet based wines, with big fruit and cedary oak. We don't often associate them with elegant food friendly styles, with fresh acidity and balanced and approachable tannins. Well here is that exact wine! Made by Rymill, one of the powerhouse wineries of the Coonawarra region, this wine is more like an AOC Bordeaux than an Aussie Coonawarra, it even has elements of Italian IGT's, those Italian wines that break the rules and use French grapes alongside their own native ones. With credentials like this you would expect to pay $40 or $50 for this wine at least, well here is where Rymill excels yet again. This bottle of MC2 will retail for under $20. The wine exhibits vibrant fruit yet doesn't show jaminess. The acid and tannins keep the wine tight and still exceedingly fresh for a wine this price with 4 years under its belt. On the nose is fresh fruit and herbal notes, along with cedar and earth. The palate attacks with fresh acidity and lets out ripe briary notes, charry barrel character with cherry, blood plum and sweet leather. The tannins feel more like grape tannins than those derived from heavy use of wood, which allows the wine to remain fresh and youthful. For the record this wine is a blend of three grapes made famous by the Bordeaux region in France; Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. As the wine opens up it offers a delicate and almost floral perfume, very pretty and totally pleasing. It is this kind of wine that I like to drink, because it tastes as it should and has texture and structure as it should. If only all wines in this price bracket were as expressive of their grapes as this one, we would never drink bad wine again. To find retailers of this wine log onto www.benandwine.com

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