97 Points - Jeni Port
Ansted & Osicka is an impressive venture by experienced winemaking duo; Tobias Ansted and Simon Osicka. Ansted spent a time as winemaker at Balgownie Estate and now makes wine at Tellurian. Simon Osicka also has strong association with the region; taking over at the Heathcote winery his father Paul Osicka started in 1955.
Accessing grapes from Balgownie’s famed 1970 Block of Cabernet Sauvignon, the newly released 2024 Ansted & Osicka Balgownie 1970 Block Cabernet Sauvignon is a refined Cabernet with sublime structure, depth of flavour and complexity. Already selling fast on the back of some glowing reviews from Jeni Port and Mike Bennie, we expect our limited remaining stocks to sell out quickly.
"97 Points. Sadly now destined for development, the original Balgownie vineyard planted by Stuart Anderson in '70 made another stunning wine in '24 in the hands of Heathcote winemakers Tobias Ansted, former Balgownie winemaker, and Simon Osicka. Gives Bendigo cabernet some TLC which sets it soaring. Revels in the kind of complexity that old vines bring with deep, concentrated black fruits with a full spectrum of cabernet characters: cassis, blackberry, loganberry, dark olive, tilled earth, leaf, clove and herbs balanced perfectly in fine tannins laid out against a gentle cedary oak background. Gets the pulse racing, it's that good. A wine for posterity. Drink: 2025 - 2040. 13.7% alc. $60"- Jeni Port, Halliday Wine Companion.
"96 Points. Does what the label says. What an awesome opportunity to see this significant site through another lens. And such a worthy one. This is a complete schooling in cabernet. It’s quite the feat to do depth of flavour, concentration, and then silky drawl, freshness, finesse and persistence. A coolness to this wine and then the onslaught of dark cherry, ripe plum, fig and date, brambles and dried leaves, choc mint and dried herbs, all with the volume up, and then vacuum pack it all into a svelte, muscular and fine frame. Silky texture, a firmness and pliancy here – this feel is superb above so much on show here. This is a wine for hearty drinking, huge enjoyment, and yet there’s so much contemplation to lean into here. My word. Tasted: June 25 13.7% alc. $60 Screwcap Drink: 2025 - 2040"- Mike Bennie, The Wine Front.
