2011 Cabernet Sauvignon

At Victory Point vineyard, the 2011 vintage was heralded with below average rainfall. However, there were good falls of rain at critical periods in December and January which kept the vines in good condition to cope with the long summer period ahead. As the vines have never been irrigated the roots are now deep and established and they are strengthened to cope with the variances each vintage brings. This is, of course, what we are trying to achieve and the intensely flavoured fruit is reflecting the warm vintage.

The fruit for this wine was picked in small batches, on 5th March, 2011 at an average of 13 Baume.

Winemaking Notes

On delivery to the winery the whole bunches are destemed in individual batches to open fermenters. The tanks were hand plunged and fermented on skins for 14 days. The wine was pressed and racked to barrel where malolactic fermentation took place. French oak barrels were used, 30% of which were new. The wine was aged in barrel for 18 months before extensive blending trials were undertaken to determine the composition for the 2011 vintage.

The final blend is made up of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% malbec and 8% Petit Verdot.

The wine was bottled in November 2012 under screw cap closure.

Tasting Notes

On the nose, pronounced dark fruit characters are met with subtle hints of pancetta, fresh violets, olive tapenade and cedary oak. The palate is silky and fine, offering a seamless integration of ripe fruit and oak derived spice. Blackcurrant, salted plum and fig characters interact with hints of soy, red liquorice and espresso. This great Margaret River wine has exceptional depth of flavour and a long seductive finish.

Cellaring: 10+ years