Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

'The best Great Southern Cabernet Sauvignon from 2018'

WINEMAKING

The fruit is hand-harvested from very low yielding vines. The grapes are crushed, de-stemmed and then pumped into 6 tonne overhead fermenters and inoculated with yeast immediately. The ferment is allowed to reach 30°C and pumped over with oxygen regularly during the peak of fermentation. This allows maximum extraction of the fine tannins, flavour and colour from the skins. Post-fermentation - the wine is run off into French Oak barrels, 35-40% being new, for 15 months’ maturation. The wine is then pumped into tank before being minimally fined (egg white) and filtered.

COLOUR

Deep red colour with great depth.

AROMA

Very intense blackcurrant, plum, and underlying dried bay leaf, oregano and choc-mint aromas. Hints of new French oak are apparent.

PALATE

Dry, medium acidity with fine and well-structured tannins reflective of a Cabernet Sauvignon that will age for the long haul. The fruit is refreshing and lively with blackcurrant, plum and dried herbal notes. The wine has finesse, elegance and poise but underlying power that has been built from the fine French oak. A Cabernet Sauvignon with a very long finish.

CELLARING

Enjoy now or cellar for up to 15 years.

AWARDS

#1 of 19, 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon from the Great Southern
— Huon Hooke, The Real Review

Best Buy Wines Over $35 
— Huon Hooke, Gourmet Traveller Wine

95pts — The Real Review
95pts — James Halliday
94pts — Cambell Mattinson
94pts — Ray Jordan

REVIEWS

“This family-owned vineyard was founded by the Taylor family in 1999, and Rob Diletti is the winemaker. This cabernet has a vivid, concentrated purple-red colour and a bouquet that explodes with blue, red and darker fruit aromas, tinged with briary, spicy overtones. Very full-bodied and strongly built, it has generous tannins that are fine-grained and ripely supple. Quality oak has been well handled. A big wine, superbly put together. Best in 2-23 years."

— Huon Hooke, Gourmet Traveller Wine

“Deep, concentrated, vivid purple/red colour, the aroma bursting with blue, red and darker fruit aromas, tinged with briary, spicy overtones. The wine is very full-bodied and strongly built, with generous tannins that are finely-grained and ripely supple, the whole thing lasting long on the finish. Quality oak, well handled. A big wine, superbly put together so it has great harmony. This will be long-lived and a great wine way into the future"

— Huon Hooke, The Real Review

“Hand-picked from selected low-yielding vines in Louis Block, crushed and destemmed, pump-overs post-fermentation, matured for 16 months in French oak (30% new). A high-quality wine in every way: quality of fruit, winemaking skill, clear-cut varietal expression. Over-delivers."

— James Halliday, Wine Companion 2021

“It’s from the Great Southern region or, more specifically, from near the town of Narrikup. It’s a small make, from 20 or so rows, in the vicinity of 250 dozen.
Gum leaf and blackcurrant, minted cream and cloves, a splash of milk coffee, and then fragrant dried herbs. It tastes and smells of Australia, mostly, with cabernet as the conduit, though the rumble of tannin and the wine’s excellent, flowing, juicy length make sure that quality is the wine’s clearest statement. There’s an elegant, mid-weight charm to this; it will age beautifully.”

— Cambell Mattinson, The Wine Front July 2021

“A good vintage, mature vines delivering with consistency and quality and attention to detail throughout the process have combined to produce this excellent cabernet. Rich blackcurrant fruit, showing a little meaty, black olive tapenade character. Savoury oak and firmish chalky tannins complete the task."

— Ray Jordan, 2022

PRODUCTION

258 cases