James Halliday Wine Companion 2022

96 / 100

“A magnificent Tally. The fruit has a great depth of flavour and the X-factor that any Reserve should. Deep and fragrant, with a brightness of fruit not always obvious in this flagship. Coffee grounds and dark chocolate, studded with mint and hazelnuts. Fuller bodied with fine, gravelly tannins that give texture as much as definition. It needs more time but, wow, it will reward big time!”

Wine Details

• Region Coonawarra, South Australia
• Vintage 2018
• Type Red Wine
• Variety Cabernet Sauvignon
• Volume 750ml
• Alcohol Volume 14.5%
• PH

  3.4

• Standard Drinks 8.6
• Acidity

  6.6 g/l

• Closure Cork
• Background

  Among his many pursuits, Doug Balnaves was a shearer of Merino sheep. A shearer in Australia, is paid by the number of sheep he shears. Counted every two hour period, the Tally is recorded in the Tally book. The higher the Tally, the greater the recognition among his peers for skill and hard work. As an expression of this tradition, the Balnaves family see the wine ‘THE TALLY’ as the ultimate achievement for their company.

• Vintage Notes

  Vintage 2018 was warm and relatively early, with dry conditions and well-matured tannins allowing for wines to be left on skins for extended maceration. Cabernet Sauvignon from the Dead Morris vineyard (92%) was hand-picked and co-fermented with Petit Verdot (8%). Following a 10 day ferment, the Tally had an extended maceration of 16 days on skins before pressing to oak. Matured for 15 months in very fine grain French barriques (40% new).

• Tasting Notes

  Deep red in colour, the nose has fine lifted red and black fruits, spice and some forest floor leady notes adding complexity. The palate is medium bodied with complex black fruits and a fine tannin structure lending a long supple finish. An elegant expression of a single ferment.

• Peak Drinking / Cellaring Potential

  10-12 years

• Previous Vintage Tasting Notes

  The Tally.pdf

• Awards

  The Tally Awards.pdf

• Tasting Notes

  2018 The Tally.pdf