Reviews - Vintage 2007
The Wine Front
Campbell Mattinson, 5 Nov 2008
91 Points. This is the sixth vintage of Hamish MacGowan’s ‘cabernet-to-drink-with-red-meat’ and it’s interesting to note that 75 percent of production is now exported. The grapes are sourced from a variety of South Australian and Victorian regions and despite myself, I’ve always been a fan of both the wine and the concept. The standard has been remarkably consistent each year too. This is probably my favourite Angus the Bull cabernet yet. It tastes dusty and blackcurranty and tannic, the finish minerally and dry. It’s a medium-bodied, chewy wine with gravely tannins and the odd violetty note - it’s all round good value, and drinking. Drink 2009-2013.
Ciao
Wine with Winsor Dobson, 5 Dec 2008
Big Red. Looking for a terrific wine to enjoy with a steak or a hamburger? The perfect partner for a barbeque? Look no further. This is a deliciously slurpable red with plenty of flavour. It's rich and powerful without being over the top. Great value for under $20.
Vintnews
Wine with David Ellis, 8 Dec 2008
It took just five vintages for Angus the Bull to make its mark as the wine of choice of many a red-blooded Aussie carnivore. And the release of the sixth vintage is sure to get more doing so, even though 2007 was a horror year for many makers with drought cutting fruit supplies to people like Hamish MacGowan – winemaker and founder of Angus the Bull – by over twenty per cent. To make up for it Hamish had to go "looking further afield," and ended up drawing on supplies from Victoria's and South Australia's premium Cabernet Sauvignon wine regions. The result is the 2007 Angus, a gutsy red with intense dark fruit, chocolate and vanillin flavours and gorgeous savoury oak – a wine to take by the horns.
Herald Sun
Drink - Paddy Kendler, 30 Dec 2008
4 1/2 Stars. Hamish MacGowan's cabernet is an interesting creation. The concept was to produce a varietal wine specifically geared to accompany prime beef and the origins of the grape material were always to be flexible. As such, the Bull is a multi regional blend of Victorian and SA fruit, each parcel carefully selected and processed to serve the end result in the winemaker's mind. I reckon the project works well and the wine shows typical black berry flavour with traces of dark chocolate and charry wood. Unlike many young cabernet, ready to drink tonight.
Reviews - Vintage 2006
Herald Sun
Quaffing - Paddy Kendler, Wine - 8 Jan 2008
5 Stars. Multi-regional blending is more commonly a big company practice, but Hamish MacGowan, a relatively small-scale winemaker, is decidedly atypical. He started in 2002 with a concept, the creation of a cabernet that would be approachable in its youth and ideally suited to red meats. The fruit would be sourced from a range of regions to fit the formula. The ‘06 is every bit as good as the impressive ‘05, featuring ripe berry fruit flavour and gentle tannins. Well conceived, very well executed.
Winorama
The Home of Renowned Tasting - Gary Walsh, 23 Jan 2008
I really like this wine and I could pretty much re-use the same tasting note every year. It is consistent and consistently good, the secret being in the multi-regional blending to create a (steak) ‘house’ style. Nice and rich with a mix of black and red berries, chocolate, a touch of mint and light vanilla oak. On the palate medium to full bodied with smooth flavours of dark berries, chocolate and attractive vanilla oak. It feels good in the mouth with some appropriate food friendly chalky tannin and a little warmth from alcohol. Cleansing tannin on exit. A very good drink - simple yet satisfying.
North Shore Times
Wine - David Ellis, 22 Feb 2008
A Noble Drop from No Bull MacGowan. Hamish MacGowan makes a ripper red for those who like their steaks big and rare. It’s five years since MacGowan launched his inaugural 2002 - and over those years he has not had a vintage that’s disappointed. His 2006 continues his philosophy of selecting only the best fruit, no matter how difficult this can sometimes be. For his 2006 he sourced from six vineyards across Victoria and South Australia. Its generous palate follows through on the ripe black fruit, rich dark chocolate and vanillin aromas, and is coupled with firm tannins and a bold savoury finish. What a shame more makers don’t think about doing something similar.
Illawarra Mercury
Grape Expectations - Kerry Skinner, 19 March 2008
Winemaker Hamish MacGowan and his Aberdeen Wine Company masterminded the marketing of Angus The Bull as a perfect partner to a slab of good Aussie red meat. Five vintages on it's been a runaway success. As always it's well blended, gutsy and powerful with lickings of black berry fruit, some underlying mintiness, balanced oak and juicy tannins. Drink with a grilled rump steak.
Adelaide Advertiser
Tasting Notes - Tony Love, 2 April 2008
91 Points. Lovely cabernet varietal fruit with a slight herbal edge to it rather than mint choc territory, indicative perhaps of its majority King Valley, Strathbogie Ranges and Goulburn Valley sources; more rosemary, sage and bay leaf with a fine textural line through the palate.
Reviews - Vintage 2005
Vancouver Province
Wine Guys - James Nevison & Kenji Hodgson, The Swirl - 10 May 2007
On top of cocoa aromas, this downunder drop is packed with back bacon, butterscotch and blackberries. The Angus is a lush, hedonistic bottle, the type that stains the teeth and takes names. "Angus" suggests pairing this wine with a very large steak, and we couldn't agree more...... cook a juicy brisket and serve this whopper of a wine.
Illawarra Mercury
Drink - Kerry Skinner, Drop of the week - 16 May 2007
A gutsy multi regional blend of cabernet sauvignon from vineyards in Victoria and South Australia. Small proportions of cabernet franc, shiraz and merlot add complexity to a wine which shows layered berry fruit flavours, minty characters and full juicy tannins. Drink with char-grilled steak.
Herald Sun
Quaffing - Paddy Kendler, Wine - 29 May 2007
Winemaker Hamish MacGowan is a man on a mission. He is dedicated to the market revival of cabernet sauvignon as the ideal wine to serve with red meat. To this end, MacGowan sources fruit from all over southeast Australia and aims for a balanced dry red of a generous and approachable nature. The '05, the fourth release, is not quite as rich and strong as previous vintages and, as such, is drinking well right now with red meat.
Sydney Morning Herald
Full Bottle - Greg Duncan Powell, Going Solo - 2 June 2007
"The Calf" 2005 375mL $12.00. It's amazing that more wine companies don't explore the opportunities of the half and quarter bottle, or the magnum for that matter. This succulent, well structured cabernet is just the thing for moderate couples or solo steak eaters.
The Wine Front - The Big Red Issue Part II
Campbell Mattinson, Edition 55, May 2007
88 Points. Always been a great idea for a wine - a red wine made for red meat - the name and the label and the wine all working together beautifully. For the first time, this release has a majority of Victorian fruit, and it's made it mintier, fresher, more vital wine, and very good value. There are lots of red and dark berried flavours here too. Drink 2007-2011.
Adelaide Advertiser
Wine & Food - Tony Love, Tasted - 20 June 2007
93 Points. Hamish MacGowan aims for a big red wine to match big red meat. Cabernet is his variety of choice, here built with craftily minted berries, ripe purple blackcurrent juice, light tannins to begin, with a solid finish. Good value for a serious Cabernet.