This bottle of Spottswoode's 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon showed better than the last one I reviewed, with more voluptuous fruit and an expressive, generous personality. Perhaps being double-decanted 20 minutes ahead of service helped. Prominent cedar notes join prune plums, black cherries and a hint of dark chocolate. Full-bodied, this rich, dense and weighty wine closes with a velvety mouthfeel, great length and a seductive touch of licorice.

This iconic, organic estate has undergone necessary replantings and the wines have become riper and richer as a result of these non-virused vines. Yet the Spottswoode signature remains in this Cab's perfumed, lifted red and purple fruit, supple tannins and oak spice that doesn't overwhelm the juicy fruit. The acidity is a marvel for such a warm site.