2017 Voyager Estate "Girt by Sea" Cabernet Merlot Margaret River Western Australia (Previously $25)

A little history... I remember the date of August 25th, 2012 when the indomitable Voyager 1 space probe crossed the outer limits of our solar system and entered the vast, fluid interstellar medium, becoming the farthest human-made object ever sent into space. First launched on September 5th, 1977, it still continues to chirp and tweet and transmit data 46 years later! Now, another spectacular little Voyager has made its way to our shores, traveling all the way from the Margaret River district in Western Australia, piercing the atmosphere in your glass with a stellar splashdown of luscious fruit, vanilla spice, sweet leaf tobacco and rich chocolate, ballasted by velvety tannins and pleasant acidity. All for an 'out of this world' price point! To quote a famous spacebot, "Resistance is Futile!"

This dandy little Bordeaux red blend is such a great value. A nose of chocolate black cherry, minerals and cedar. In the mouth, roasted coffee bean, currants, blackberry and light herbal notes. A perfect amount of oak and tannin on the very long finish, which is quite clean with a hint of chalk. Planning for the holidays? Stock up on this one before it is all gone! So rare to find a wine that isn't just a huge fruit bomb at this price.

Buckle up everybody, because this is the best deal I’ve come across in my career. Voyager Estate is a top-five producer in Margaret River and has been since the earliest days of wine production in the region. Founded in 1978, they are one of the Pioneers of “Australia’s Napa” a growing region so similar in climate to the Napa Valley that Robert Mondavi was an early investor and catalyst for its wines. These days, Margaret River is center-stage for Australian fine wine, earning 30% of the country’s awards while making up less than 2% of the country’s production. The Voyager “Girt by the Sea” is a serious, substantial blend of 62% Cabernet, 35% Merlot and a splash of 3% Petite Verdot, all aged in French Oak. Right off the bat the aromatics call to mind Bordeaux, but with an all-around riper and brighter fruit profile provided by Margaret River’s warmer climate. Cassis and graphite dominate the nose while the palate is brims with sweet, black cherry fruit, cola notes, and soft touches of vanilla. Leaning toward the medium side of full body, the tannin here is soft and gentle while a great line of acidity lights up the palate. A few years ago I bought ten or so cases of this exact wine which we retailed for $25. So why the massive discount? Unfortunately after an importer went out of business a massive parcel of this wine was left stuck in New Jersey with no one to sell it. With K&L’s knowledge of the producer and their excellent wines we happily agreed to pick it up at fire-sale prices and pass those along to our customers. This is a stone-cold $25 wine worth every penny. And at $9.99, this one of the best deals of the year.

The 2017 Voyager Estate "Girt By Sea" Cabernet/Merlot blend is an absolute knockout, ESPECIALLY at this pricing. There's everything you want from a Cabernet Sauvignon focused blend: It's a beautiful deep, garnet color in the glass, with just a touch of age starting to show at the edges. The nose exhibits a generous bouquet of fresh black and red fruits intermingled with trademark Margaret River earthiness, hinting at what is to follow. On tasting, the wine unfolds in layers, with bright pomegranate immediately giving way to dried cherries and stewed blackberries. The deep fruit finishes with elegant notes of earth and oak, adding complexity and backbone. What sets this blend apart is its soft, velvety tannins – they yield a gentleness that makes for a wine that is hard-to-resist, especially at this pricing.

A terrific bottle of easy evening red - Gentle plum compote, sweet cigar wrap, and a meaningful core of graphite minerality all pull this blend together and elevate it far above its price point. Perfect for steak & claret, backyard burgers, or anything that calls for a little red !

I simply can't believe the value here. Don't be alarmed by the VERY low price, this wine is GOOD! Years ago when I bought the Aussie wines for K&L, I really enjoyed the wines from Voyager estate. I carried this exact same wine from a prior vintage. But now, somehow Thomas has negotiated a deal to get it on the shelf for half the price I sold it for 7-8 years ago! Yes, in this age of historic inflation, this wine is less expensive than almost a decade ago with this ridiculous Insider's Advantage deal. But as I said, this drinks well above its price. The nose has lots of leafy, tobacco notes, juicy red fruits, loganberry, bay leaf, a subtle French oak spice. Medium bodied with lots of freshness and energy to give lift to the fruit. 30 mins in the decanter brings out some darker fruit and more softness on the palate. What a wine for the money...just incredible.