Devil’s Lair, Dance with the Devil Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

Stand aside nerds, there’s a new kid on the Margaret River Cabernet block, and with her oenological charm, she seems destined to fit right in with the popular crowd.

Devil’s Lair have recently released a new “on premise” Cabernet, the Dance with the Devil which sells at around $25 a bottle and is crafted to be partnered with food, rather than consumed in the comfort of your couch or in front of a winter fire.

It’s made in somewhat of a Bordeaux style and although the lifted and perfumed nose is perhaps more Aussie than French, it’s entirely what you would expect of a fresh and vibrant Cabernet from the region. All the usual currant and dried cranberry flavours are there, right across the palate but with a remarkable depth of character. The Dance with the Devil shows some herbaceous, if not oriental, woody notes both on the palate and through the finish but in a supportive rather than overbearing way. It’s not the type of wine you’d lay down for long, but the absence of new oak, strong tannins or obvious acid make for a delightfully drinkable Cabernet that more than justifies its relatively modest price point.

This fresh face of the Devil’s Lair stable may have a risqué moniker, but she’s always assured of being a welcome guest at my dinner table!