Oz vs. California reds

[Randy Caparoso]

Hello, folks... may I drop in? Your findings struck a chord with me, and now you've got me started...

The Henry's Drive Cabernets have been one of my favorites these past few years. Made by Sparky Marquis, an insanely brilliant, intuitive, yet incredibly meticulous winemaker (he also makes Shiraz and Cabernet under the Parson's Flat as well as Marquis-Philips labels). I met with him last July at his winery in Australia, and he was even more impressive in person than through his wines. He makes his wines with his wife Sarah, an equally talented oenologist.

The Henry's Drive Cabernets are almost always larger than life -- bruisers with sensitivity, power and finesse, muscle and flesh, and basically, just super-delicious to the palate. I daresay, it is almost predictable that it would "beat" any Silver Oak in just about anyone's living room taste-off... there's really nothing hidden in it. It wears everything on its sleeve -- take it or leave it, bud. And if you spent the bucks for it, then there's no sense in "leaving" it.

There are other stupendous Aussie Cabernets out there if you like the Henry's: look for d'Arenberg ("Coppermine"), Yarra Yerring ("Dry Red #1"), Wolf Blass (especially their wonderfully refined and sumptuous "Black Label"), Scarpontoni (their soft and sensuous "School Block"), ADW (their other-worldly "The Hattrick"), and of course, Sparky's incredibly smooth, yet pedal-to-the-metal intense Parson's Flat. None of them cheap, mind you. But you get a lot more for your $25-$45 with these wines than most California or Washington St. Cabernets.

My humble (is there any other?) opinion, of course.