Michael and Annabelle Waugh are disciples of Rocky O'Callaghan of Rockford Wines and have deliberately accumulated a series of old dryland, low-yielding Barossa vineyards, aiming to produce wines of unusual depth of flavour and character. They have handsomely succeeded in this aim. They also offer superior accommodation in the ancient but beautifully restored two-bedroom cottage 'Miriam's'; Michael Waugh is a highly skilled stonemason.- James Halliday

Michael and Annabelle Waugh are disciples of Rocky O'Callaghan of Rockford Wines and have deliberately accumulated a series of old dryland, low-yielding Barossa vineyards, aiming to produce wines of unusual depth of flavour and character. They have handsomely succeeded in this aim. They also offer superior accommodation in the ancient but beautifully restored two-bedroom cottage 'Miriam's'; Michael Waugh is a highly skilled stonemason.- James Halliday

McWilliam’s extensive vineyard resources translate into wines which are consistent in quality and style from year to year. Hanwood Estate fashions tightly fruit focused, complex wines with great structure and superb integration. The highly awarded winemaking team reaches out from Hanwod's environs along the Riverina to assemble grapes from sites trained to yield small, intensely flavoured berries which can be vinified into a stylish effort that's highly representative of the great Australian tradition of mouthfilling Cabernet Sauvignon wines.

Youthful crimson red with purple hues. Lifted berry and mint characters combine with hints of cedar and coconut oak to enhance the Cabernet Sauvignon fruit aromas. A soft but rich palate of currants and fresh berry fruit flavours combine with brown spice, cinnamon, melty chocolate, ribena and dusty leathery notes. A firm, agreeable tannin backbone provides excellent structure before a lingering, flavoursome finish, long and balanced. An approachable Cabernet to accompany a meaty pasta or Tex-mex burger and fries!

The colour is not as bright as the Mount Edelstone; both bouquet and palate have some cedary, earthy nuances and just a hint of mint; it is the length and persistence of flavour on what is a medium-bodied palate which is remarkable, aided by super-fine tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon (87%)/Merlot (13%). Screwcap. 14% alc. Rating 94 Points Drink 2021 Date Tasted Apr 09 James Halliday

The 2006 vintage shaped up as another high quality year but with only average yields in the Eden Valley and Adelaide Hills. After a late break in mid-June 2005, winter and spring rains were some of the best for years in the lead-up to flowering in early summer. Some varieties, such as riesling and shiraz, suffered more than others from poor set, leading to ‘hen and chicken’. While there was some damage in Eden Valley from frost, this had only a minor impact on the overall yield; however, yields in most varieties were down by 15-20%. The summer was mild with southerly winds, reminiscent of 2002. Brief heat waves occurred in late January and mid-February but were early enough not to affect quality, with only minor sunburn on exposed fruit.

Very deep opaque crimson in colour. A complex nose showing sweet, lifted aromas of red currants, plums, tobacco and violets with cedar, cigar box and anise notes. The elegantly layered palate shows mulberry and sage oil flavours with good acidity and structure that adds finesse to the fine-grained tannins on the long finish. Great vintage, drink now to 2017.

With the release of this exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon, we honour Dr Gladstones’ contribution to the Margaret River region.  Sourced from 37-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon vines in the Wilyabrup vineyard, this is a truly classic Margaret River wine, with structure and complexity, rich tannins and only the best French oak to enhance the fruit flavours.

Named in honour of Dr John Gladstones, whose vision led to the first vines being planted in Margaret River in 1967. Still holds a youthful, clear purple-crimson hue; from the Wilyabrup area, this is as near a perfect evocation of this part of Margaret River as you can find, with an all too rare purity to the cassis/blackcurrant fruit, framed by perfectly balanced and integrated French oak and fine, persistent tannins. From Margaret River, WA; Drink to 2030 with herbed rack of lamb; 97 points, $70, Screwcap, 14% alc; Top 100 Wines of 2011; James Halliday

The oak is a bit floaty at first but then violet and currant fruit whelms up getting dark chocolate and fruitcake scented. Masses of deep fruit in the mouth, and builds and builds towards the back. Huge fruitcake flavours, in fact hedonic with lip-smaking juicy currants and creaminess. This is one powerful Cabernet Sauvignon, and with no doubt will evolve over many years. Great mid-palate: powerful; yet so mouth-watering and lush. Great now, will be sublime in 10 years. 10/10 Hedonic Rating. 95(97)/100, Tim White; The Australian Financial Review

Deep red, purple tints. Black fruits and blackberries, with nice oak balance. Bright fruit, lovely blackcurrant and blackberry fruit, hints of blueberry; very fresh and vital, with ample tannins and extract, great flavour, an outstanding wine. Great balance, length and texture. 96 Points Huon Hooke

Aromatic with bay leaf perfume, mulberry and mixed berry fruit and a fair amount of spiced mocha oak. Medium weight, smooth and supple with gracious fine grained graphite tannin, excellent clarity of fruit and balanced acidity. Touch of roasting herb flavour on the finish. Has an even handed composure and charm – not a thumper – a smooth operator. It looked a little contrived and sweet at first, but given time the baby fat melted away to reveal a wine of, I suspect, significant ageing potential. Rated : 94+ Points Tasted : Nov11 Alcohol : 14% Price : $70 Closure : Screwcap Drink : 2018 - 2028; Gary Walsh; The Wine Front

In honour of the great Jack Mann (1906 - 1989), with Houghton's most outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon, his preferred variety. Jack Mann contributed more to Western Australian winemaking than any other. He created wine styles often way ahead of their time, yet insisted nature was the only true winemaker. From 1922 Jack crafted 51 consecutive vintages at Houghton, ever challenging winemaking standards and leading by legendary example. The wine is dense in colour, being deep purple-red with a bright scarlet hue. The bouquet has intense aromatics of blackberry, cassis and dark berry fruits, black olive and hints of mint with dark chocolate and fine cedary French oak. The palate is full-flavoured, rich, intense and complex. Concentrated, classic varietal fruit flavours are evident and supported by integrated fine French oak. The plush sweet fruit flavours are long on the palate and supported by the firm, fine tannin structure. A beautiful wine in every respect.
 
Jack Mann Cabernet is harvested from the Justin Vineyard in the Frankland River region. This region is characterised by cool winters, warm summer days and cool summer nights. The soils at Frankland River are degraded granite gravels that are some of the oldest in the world. The Cabernet grapes for this wine are harvested from a small patch of vines which are over 35 years old in the centre of the vineyard. The clone of Cabernet, is an original Houghton clone developed by Jack Mann. Grapes are handpicked and open fermented, hand plunged and pressed in small batches. The wine spends between 18 and 24 months in a combination of new and two year old oak barriques before bottling and maturation prior to public release. Dark red berries, firm fine tannin, great acid definition and depth characterise this exceptional wine, named for an exceptional man. Cellaring Potential; 7 -15 years; Winery notes.
 
Gold Medal - 2011 National Wine Show of Australia
Gold Medal - 2011 Royal Sydney Wine Show
Gold Medal - 2011 Royal Adelaide Wine Show
Gold Medal - 2011 Royal Hobart Wine Show

From the single Justin Vineyard in the Frankland River; this speaks of its place of origin even more eloquently than the Gladstones Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon. The cabernet is effortlessly focused and powerful, the balance, texture, structure, line and length of this beautiful wine certain to carry it long after I have had my ashes scattered. From Frankland River, WA; Drink to 2040 with slow-braised lamb; Rating: 98 points, $110, Screwcap, 14% alc; James Halliday Top 100 for 2011; The Weekend Australian, November 19, 2011

IN a recent tasting to celebrate Houghton's 175th anniversary, senior winemaker Ross Pamment put on four terrific flights of wines. From the White Classic created by the legendary Jack Mann in 1937, to the Wisdom Pemberton Chardonnay and the Gladstones and Jack Mann Cabernets, there were a number demonstrating excellence of the past 15 years. The 2008 Jack Mann - a blend of 92 percent cabernet and 8 per cent Shiraz from a vineyard planted in Frankland River in 1971 - is all about finesse. Fragrant, with black currant-dark cherry fruit and perfectly judged fine-grained tannins - check it in 10 years. Top 20 Wines of 2011, Financial Review

The Justin vineyard is one of the best Cabernet sites, if not the best, in the country I reckon. I was all set to do a big tasting session last night and then thought ‘Stuff it, I’ll sit down and drink this instead. You deserve it Big Boy!’ – so not a blind tasting, but could easily have turned out that way if I had shown a little less restraint….It’s a wine that’s characterised by its balance and poise. Dusty bay and gum leaf perfume, red and black fruit, pencil, tobacco and mocha are the flavours on a medium to full bodied palate that sports silky, but firm and controlling tannin, and just right acidity. There’s flavour, freshness and soaring length, and even as a young wine, it drinks beautifully from the get go. Has that extra dimension of finesse and charm that characterises so many of the Cabernets from the 2008 West Australian vintage. The bottle did not make it through the night… Drink : 2012 - 2038; 96 points Gary Walsh; The Wine Front

The Wisdom range draws on the deep knowledge and wise words of one of the nation's founding winemakers, the late great Jack Mann, who asserted that you can exist without wine but you cannot live! Wisdom is vinified from some of the finest parcels of Cabernet Sauvignon to be found in Margaret River.

Houghton has long been one of the leading protagonists within the hemisphere of cutting edge West Australian viticulture. Under the guidance and custodianship of many exceptional winemakers, Houghton has flourished and now enjoys an impressive retinue of vineyards across the length and breadth of Margaret River. Houghton retains access to some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon anywhere in the country. The select grapes are harvested at ideal ripeness and vinified in open and small static fermenters with careful plunging of the cap to achieve excellent colour and tannin extraction. Wisdom was then pressed directly to Bordeaux coopered French oak barriques for seventeen months maturation. Alcohol 14.0%

Brilliant, deep red with garnet hues. The bouquet is intensely aromatic. Lightly herbaceous with tomato leaf, mint and cigarbox complemented by clove, spice and charry notes derived from French oak. The flavoursome palate is rich with plum and cherry fruit characters, complemented by dark chocolate and mocha notes. Firm acidity and fine powdery tannins provide length and structure. A classic example of fine Margaret River Cabernet by one of the nation's most distinguished winemakers. Enjoy alongside barbecued beef, venison steaks and a tarragon red wine braised osso bucco.

Strong crimson-red; a gloriously balanced and silky wine in the mouth; has as much blackcurrant and cassis as you could ever wish for. Enough to seduce a pinot lover. Drinking: To 2027; Rating: 96 Points; James Halliday Australian Wine Companion

The fruit was de-stemmed to stainless steel fermenters. Fermentation in open and small static fermenters enabled the winemakers to gently extract colour and fine tannins from the grape skins. The wine was pressed off skins and matured in Bordeaux-coopered French oak for 15 months before fining, clarification and packaging. The wine is vibrant red in colour with a cherry red hue. Intensely aromatic, the bouquet shows aromas of cassis and berry fruits with a hint of mint and tobacco leaf, along with mocha, cinnamon and vanilla spices derived from French oak maturation. The full-bodied palate is flavoursome and rich in sweet berry fruit flavours with plum, mint, cinnamon and mocha oak. This is a soft and fleshy wine with fine, silky tannins. Cellar for 3-5 years
 
Highly perfumed and pristine cassis and cedar bouquet, showing a lick of black olive and a healthy dose of toasty oak; the palate is tightly wound, fragrant, long and pure, with the fruit swallowing the oak with ease; a very long and healthy future looks assured. Drink to: 2030; Date tasted: 28/Feb/2011; Price: $32.00; Rating: 96 Points; James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2012
 
Gold Medal - 2011 Sydney Royal Wine Show
Gold Medal – 2010 Margaret River Wine Show
 
94 Points; Jeremy Oliver
 
Ripe cassis, summer berries and dried leaves with a decary oak veneer and savoury earthy elements. Elegant and approachable withe finely balanced tannins and some vanillan oak spice to close. Rating: 93 Points; Nick Stock, The Good Wine Guide 2011.
 
Thomas Hardy and Sons (Houghton’s owner) became BRL Hardy, then The Hardy Wine Company, then Constellation Wines Australia – now owned (after a mass sell off of vineyards and wineries by its American parent company) by CHAMP Private Equity. This was all very unsettling because some brands lost the vineyards and wineries they were based on. Fortunately, the two new-release Houghton reds remain superb regional specialties. The Margaret River wine delivers cabernet’s classic cedar, black-olive and herbal aromas on a generous, elegantly structured palate. Chris Shanahan.

Excellent crimson; features a blend of 'old vine' cabernet from Great Southern (93%)/Margaret River (7%); a distinguished wine with very clearly articulated varietal fruit at the 'sweet spot' of maturity. Will age superbly. Screwcap. 14% alc. Rating 96 Points; Drink 2027 $85 Date Tasted Nov 09; James Halliday Wine Companion 2011

This is Howard Park's top-of-the-tree cabernet. It's from largely Mount Barker fruit with a small amount of Margaret River providing mid-palate grunt. A stylish and thoroughly seamless wine of poise and presence. Seamless smooth palate with fine silky tannins, fine-grained oak and deep concentrated fruit intensity. Outstanding wine of great promise. Cellar 14 years. Rating: 96 Points; Ray Jordan, Ray Jordan's 2010 WA Wine Guide

A warmer vintage has been countered by a higher proportion of Margaret River fruit and a lower proportion of Mount Barker in this blend, creating an outstanding Abercrombie that will not only be very long-lived but show great balance and drinkability at every step along the way. Pure, focused and structured, every molecule of crunchy blackcurrant fruit is in the right place here. Price: $85; Rating: 95 Points; Alcohol: 14.0%; Tasted: January 2010; Closure: Screw cap; Tyson Stelzer, Clear About Wine

The 2007 Scotsdale Cabernet Sauvignon is a crimson red wine  of medium  density with a purple rim. The hallmark of Mt Barker Cabernet Sauvignon from a great year is concentration, elegance and complexity in both the bouquet and palate.  This wine displays blackberry and mulberry fruits with forest floor like herbal aromas so typical of top Mt Barker Cabernet. There are chocolate and mocha characters supporting the clean fruit.

The palate is dense and concentrated yet soft and elegant with focussed sweet fruit flavours. There are dark chocolate and dark berries on the palate of rare power and intensity.  A firm structure gives backbone to the plush fruit and mouthfilling tannins are silky and supple. Aging will benefit this wine full of youthful potential.

Deep, dark and inky; a complex black olive bouquet, with a very rich, powerful and heady mix of cassis, cedar and a little violet thrown in for good measure; the oak merely plays a supporting role; generous, firm and very long. To 2018. 95 Points James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2010

Beautiful,sweet fruit, good balance and even flow of flavours across the palate. Tony Keys, The KROW (The Key Review of Wines)

We return to sharp varietal definition in two contrasting Howard Park wines from individual vineyards in Western Australia's Great Southern and Margaret River regions. The Great Southern wine presents ripe-berry flavours in a lovely interplay with classy oak without the leafy notes (usually indicative of a cool season) Scotsdale features very intense, very young flavours and taut, elegant structure. These Howard Park cabernets are strong, characterful wines needing a few more years bottle age to reveal their best. Chris Shanahan, The Canberra Times

2010 Sydney International Wine Competition - Blue Gold Award
2010 Royal Hobart Wine Show - Top Gold Medal
2010 Mt Barker Show - Gold Medal
2010 Royal Adelaide Wine Show - Silver Medal
2010 Australian Small Winemakers - Bronze Medal
2010 Winewise Small Vigneron Awards - Bronze Medal
2010 Cowra Wine Show - Bronze Medal
2010 Perth Royal Wine Show - Bronze Medal

Striking purple-crimson; a wine of the controlled power and concentration you might expect to find in a First Growth Bordeaux; black fruits, savoury but ripe tannins, and quality oak are seamlessly sewn together; has prodigious length.  James Halliday's 2012 Wine Companion, 96 points.

Notwithstanding the fact that he’s got some terrific fruit to work with, Juniper Estate and Higher Plane winemaker Mark Messenger is a deft hand at turning out beautiful, fully regional Cabernet. Lovely cocoa vanilla oak, bay leaf, spice, ripe mulberry and dark cherry fruit -balances deep fruit and appropriate levels of regional fragrance to perfection. Medium to full bodied with ample fruit and plentiful supple, fine grained tannin – it sweeps through the mouth with a regal air. Length and ‘ooh let me have another crack at that’ factor both turned up to eleven. It’s every bit as good as its more expensive peers from this vintage – better than most even. I dunno, I know people want certainty and all that, but here’s a 95-96 point wine for sure – see how it finds you on the night. Drink : 2012 - 2020+ 95 points Gary Walsh, The Wine Front

This strong performer has made the grade once more, with amazing fruit concentration and depth – really striking for the level of concentration and freshness it delivers.  The nose has an abundance of rich dark-berry fruit, black cherries, cassis and ripe blood plums, cedary oak with vanillin and spice – very smart.  The palate’s built on immense, mouth-filling tannins and perfectly struck ripeness, holding a long, roaring finish.  Powerful but beautifully poised. Score 95; Price $50.00 Alc 14.5% Drink 2015 Closure Screwcap Nick Stock, The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald Good Wine Guide 2011

 I would have to say this is the most complete and the best cabernet Juniper has made and there have been some good'uns. Firm controlled palate with deep concentration of fruit. It's poised and supremely elegant with great length, structure and underlying power. Will cellar for many years. 95/100 Cellar 12 Years. Ray Jordan's 2011 WA Wine Guide

A tribute to the brand's history, named after one of Leasingham's four founders, solicitor Magnus Badger. But the wine is also attributable to the distinctive characteristics of the Clare Valley, using fruit sourced from the region we have always proudly called home.

Leasingham has historically been recognised for its production of high quality red wine and Leasingham Magnus Cabernet represents true regionality and value in the red wine market. 100% varietal Cabernet Sauvignon and a partner to the Magnus Shiraz, the 2005 is the second first release of this wine. It displays all the hallmarks of the Clare Valley and Leasingham style: sweet fruit concentration and boldness of structure.

Ruby red with brilliant clarity, this wine displays lifted blackcurrant and violet perfume with underlying coffee aromas. The palate is tightly packed with ripe fruits and dark chocolate and shows fleshy fruit and boldly structured tannins with wonderful flavour concentration and a smooth finish. Alcohol 13.3%

Attractive ripe fruit nose showing. cassis and blackcurrant aromas provides the characters expected of fine, high quality Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon. Sophisticated French oak has contributed cedar like nuances. As the wine matures, expect to see cigar-box complexity with age. The palate has both elegance and richness with fine, long tannins providing finesse and texture. Ripe mulberries permeate the flavour. This is a stylish wine which will age superbly.

Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon has been the flagship of Leconfield since the first release in 1977. Our philosophy is to produce a Cabernet Sauvignon displaying both depth and elegance where oak complexes and enhances the fruit but is not allowed to dominate. The majority of this wine has been barrel fermented in predominantly French oak while the balance of the components had extra time on skins before pressing and oak maturation. Harvest occurred over a relatively short period from the 14th to 22nd April making it the latest vintage since 2004. The yields were quite low and ranged from 5.5-7.5 tonnes/ha. Oak maturation was in a blend of new and used hogsheads with several workings to soften the tannins and fill-out the flavour. The wine received one filtration before bottling on the 10th December 2010. We believe that this 2009 vintage will offer excellent cellaring opportunities over the next decade and beyond.

Good red-purple hue; a typically fine and pure cabernet from 3-0year-old estate-grown vines; blackcurrant with a touch of Coonawarra earth effortlessly drive the bouquet and long, medium-bodied palate; fine tannins and integrated oak complete a high class wine. Rating: 94 Points; Drink to: 2024; Price: $24.95; Date Tasted: 31 Jan 2011; Alcohol: 14%; James Halliday
 
Sweet, creamy oak to the fore. Oozing class. Fabulous glass of wine. Bright fruit, great freshness. Lovely complexity and length. Judges Comments - Gold Medal – London International Wine Challenge 2011
 
Leconfield's flagship Coonawarra red shows rich blackcurrant and cassis on the nose with restrained cedary oak and mulberry on the palate. Try it now with eye fillet or osso bucco but it will benefit from another five to ten years in bottle. $33 - $35. Ask at fine retailers." 93 points.(91-95 Exceptional). Mike Frost -  Brisbane Courier Mail
 
A Coonawarra cabernet that's drinking well now and has years of quality cellaring ahead of it if you're patient. The flavours are dense and concentrated, with trademark Coonawarra blackcurrant, mint and leaf. there's also some dark plum and subtle spice on the finish. I tried it with a roast leg of lamb and it went down a treat. Smooth, rich and satisfying.  A very good buy at this price. $33; Rick Alan - Parramatta Advertiser March 2011

Striking blackcurrants and cherries combine with aromatics of fragrant violets, bay leaf, anise, clove and dried tobacco. Oak is very fine and pencil-like creating an overall complex and fragrant nose.

A well appointed palate with direction and balanced with fine texture, exhibiting plump dark forest fruits. Dried sage, coffee bean, slight char and anise rise to a finish which is characterized by structural cocoa powderlike tannins.

The Leeuwin cabernets are really hitting their stride since the pivotal 2004 vintage. Smoky red and black fruit aromas, hints of undergrowth and fresh earth; soft mellow palate with ample ripe tannins, gently rounded and savoury, with elegance and balance. Now to 2030. 96 Points. Huon Hooke, SMH Good Living, May 3 2011

There's a certain allure with Margaret River cabernet sauvignon, a freshness that stems from a distinct herbal edge. What really defines cabernet, apart from an obvious cassis note, is its beautiful tannin structure that needs time to mellow as is apparent in the '06. There is plenty of spicy plum and dark berry fruit and a whiff of cedar from the seamlessly integrated oak - it is savoury and earthy with cleansing acidity. This is an elegant and beautifully balanced cabernet. Jane Faulkner, The Saturday Age - Life & Style, 14 May 2011

This is a beautiful cabernet, from a maker famous for chardonnay, whose cabernets have soared since 2004. Smoky red-and black-fruit aromas with a briary regional overlay. Perhaps not as big as the '04 and '05 but gentle, rounded and stylish. Now to 2026. 13 percent alcohol. 96/100. Huon Hooke, 25 Winter Wines, Good Living, SMH, May 24th 2011

A well appointed palate with direction and balanced with fine texture, exhibiting plump dark forest fruits. Dried sage, coffee bean, slight char and anise rise to a finish which is characterized by structural cocoa powderlike tannins.

Striking blackcurrants and cherries combine with aromatics of fragrant violets, bay leaf, anise, clove and dried tobacco. Oak is very fine and pencil-like creating an overall complex and fragrant nose.

Don’t let the price-tag fool you… this is one of the best value wines out there, and it pains us to reveal this secret little gem. After 42 years making wine for premium wineries including Penfolds, Seppelts, Krondorf and as Chief Winemaker for Mildara Blass, winning the Jimmy Watson Trophy, numerous show trophies and medals, Mike and his wife Judy had a desire to leave the corporate side of the wine business and get in touch with the land by growing the best grapes possible in the premium Adelaide Hills region
 
When the grape glut hit and the big wineries played dirty on their grape prices, Mike and Judy knew they had the material to make great wine....And they would sell it at unheard of prices to simply recoup the profit they should have received on the grapes used in the wine if sold at a reasonable price. The Winner? You, the wine consumer and enthusiast! Premium Grapes, Great Wine, Unbelievable Value! Mike Press Wines

This label is the bargain cellaring special of the decade. I still have 05s in my cellar and they´re not ready yet. The brand new release is as coiled-up, restrained and structured as any young MPWAHCS I´ve tasted screaming out for a decade to reveal the class of characteristic, cool cabernet. Drink 2016-2025; Rating: 94 points; Tyson Stelzer

Mike Press Single Vineyard Adelaide Hills Cabernet Sauvignon 2010; A wine that underlines the flexibility of the Mike Press vineyard, small though it may be. Bright crimson; has the elegance that has marked the Mike Press wines since day one, and the irresistible price; fragrant blackcurrant fruit is the driver, cedary oak and fine tannins bring up the rear in fine style. From estate vines now 13 years old. $14, Screwcap, 14% alc; From Adelaide Hills, SA; Drink to 2017 with lamb backstrap; 94 Points and Top 100; James Halliday

Sold out: Please note, until Tuesday we are offering the Moondah Brook Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2005 for the same price as this product. Simply follow the link to order online and ignore the $16.99 price as we will override back to $12.99 when invoicing. THis offer is only valid until close of trade Tuesday.

The 2008 vintage began early due to warm summer conditions. The warm daytime temperatures were moderated by cooler evenings which enabled the grapes to ripen gradually and achieve excellent fruit flavour and concentration. Grapes were harvested from vineyards in the Frankland River region at optimum flavour ripeness. The harvest occurred during the night to take advantage of the cooler temperatures and ensure fruit flavour and freshness. The juice was fermented in static fermenters for ten days before being gently pressed off skins. Primary fermentation was in stainless tanks followed by malolactic fermentation in a mixture of new and seasoned French oak. The wine spent 10 months in oak before select parcels were blended and prepared for bottling.

Bright and luminous, the wine is deep scarlet in colour with a purple hue. Intense aromas of cherry and raspberry are complemented by notes of vanilla, mocha and cigar box with just a hint of mint. The palate is full flavoured with velvety plum and chocolate characteristics balanced by cherry ripe charry oak flavours, rounded out with gentle tannins.

Trophy Best Wine in Show - 2010 Royal Hobart Wine Show
Trophy Best Red Wine in Show - 2010 Royal Hobart Wine Show
Trophy Best Cabernet Sauvignon - 2010 Royal Hobart Wine Show
Gold Medal - 2010 National Wine Show
Gold Medal - 2010 Royal Hobart Wine Show
Silver Medal - 2011 Royal Sydney Wine Show
Silver Medal - 2010 Royal Queensland Wine Show

A large-volume wine that reflects Houghton's spread of cabernet resources across the southern part of the state; vibrant purple-crimson, it has clear-cut varietal cabernet ripened to the precise point, and good texture and structure. Screwcap. 14% alc. Rating 90 Points; Drink 2018 $18 Date Tasted Feb 10; James Halliday Wine Companion

Known for its contemporary range of popular varietal wines, Moondah Brook can be relied upon year in and year out for the very best Cabernet Sauvignon. Western Australia offers outstanding growing conditions for the Bordelais varietals and Moondah Brook have been at the cutting edge of Cabernet viticulture for decades. Grapes are sourced from good vineyards grown mostly to laterite gravel and sandy clay soils. Following primary fermentation Moondah Brook was treated to malolactic followed by maturation for eighten months in a combination of new and seasoned French and American oak barriques, where the wine developed suppleness and complexity to support the intensely rich fruit.

Deep garnet in colour with crimson hues. A powerful bouquet, redolent Cabernet fruit aromas of blackcurrant, mulberry and red bell peppers, together with an array of spices including sage and bay leaf. A fruit driven wine with subtle vanillin oak spice and underlying earth and tobacco characters. The palate shows elegant structure, with great intensity of varietal characters, the texture is plush with great fruit sweetness. Soft, delicate tannins add finesse and great length. Pair it off with a roasted beef, venison or duck

Cabernet Sauvignon 56% Petit Verdot 33% Malbec 10% Merlot 1%. A description of the 2009 vintage is really quite simple - Margaret River experienced one of its very best. The season gave us consistent warm days, with virtually no extreme heat and not surprisingly, the vines responded to produce fully mature fruit, with classic aromas and flavours and well ripened tannins. If we dare, the only complaint we could make is the yields were well below average but perhaps this was a benefit because it appears to have translated in to significant depth and complexity in the finished wines.

Youthful, deep brick red, in bright condition. Displays the classic ripe fruit aromas of each variety in the blend. The Cabernet Sauvignon is blueberry and cedar; the Petit Verdot is dark jube and confectionery; the Malbec is ripe plum and earth. They combine with a very light oak background to give a perfumed, lifted nose. The quality of the 2009 vintage is very evident here. The different varieties in the blend combine to give lifted, juicy, sweet red and dark fruit flavours, making the wine quite rich and drinkable. However, underneath there are firm tannins, running right along the palate which give the wine a suitably balanced finish. This makes the wine eminently drinkable and we encourage consumers to enjoy its youthful generosity.

Such is the wine’s composition and structure we recommend it for short to medium term cellaring only. Full body and sweet round flavours of cherry and other dark fruits, as well as melted chocolate, make the wine instantly appealing and easy to drink and further complemented by well balanced tannins. The texture is luscious and then malt biscuit and spicy oak flavours on the finish complete a palate of great balance and length.

Amy’s has always been a sly way of drinking a wine like the big boy but for a much more everyday style of price. This tenet still holds true, but is it me or is this wine becoming very serious indeed? The connection between Moss Wood Cab and Amy’s these days is that the Grand Vin is more tannic, more monolithic
and less ready to drink. All good things, but what happens if you are thirsty? I am beginning to really fall for Amy’s - it might just be the best ‘second wine’ in the country! Matthew Jukes 100 Best Australian Wines (UK)

Earlier this year I had the opportunity to look at the next three vintages of Moss Wood Cabernet at the winery; the next release 2008, then the 2009 and finally the 2010 out of barrel. I had no doubt then that I was looking at some of the greatest Cabernets released in this country bar none. A few weeks ago the Moss Wood Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 was officially released and I made a date with this iconic wine from a benchmark vintage in Margaret River. My impressions only served to consolidate my earlier call. The 2010 is a hypothetical blend of the 2009 and 2008. The 2009 is more aligned with the warmer 2007 and the 2008 is a classic Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon vintage. This really is the duck's guts! Prepare for a flurry of journos queuing up to proclaim this the best vintage of Moss Wood ever, indeed allow me to beat them all to the punch that will undoubtedly come.
 
This is really good. No, it s better than that, it is the best young Moss Wood I have tried.
 
The first thing it does is scream Cabernet with varietal aromas of rich cassis, mulberry, dark chocolate, some dried herb and spicy oak. Then longer you sit on this the more you will notice some lifted, almost 'pretty' nuances of violet and sweet leather. The rich, dark fruit flavours then flood the mouth in a textural master class which is balanced by some savoury earthy tones before the wonderfully persistent tannins carry it through on a very long finish. It is one of those rare wines that as you tick the boxes during the sensory appraisal, you start looking for new boxes such is its dice with perfection. Even by Moss Wood standards this is special and I predict by the time this and the next two vintages are released, the bar for Aussie Cab will be raised to unprecedented levels. I would rate it in the ‘Exceptional (95-97)’ zone, a rating I can see going higher in the next decade or so. One may argue that at one hundred bucks (our price $89) it would need to be that good but as I have said before, that money would no longer be a blip on the Bordeaux radar and this wine is so much better than many of those. (Drink: 2010-2025; Quality: Exceptional; BW; WineStar© May 2011)
 
Usually we would wait for the myriad of reviews before going to market, indeed Matthew Jukes (Daily Mail, UK) has already cracked a head gasket over this "I tend to get a little too overexcited every time the new vintage of Moss Wood Cab arrives on my doorstep. This time I tried to keep control of myself, but it was too little too late because from the very moment that this all-pervading wines was poured it transfixed my wife and me and we were powerless to refuse its divine right to a position in this 100. Is this the finest Moss Wood Cabernet ever? Yes".

Best Cabernet Sauvignon for 2011 - The Age/SMH Good Wine Guide by Nick Stock

A blue chip producer in a classic vintage, this oozes breed and class and will be one of the great wines in your cellar in ten or more years, should you tuck some away. A lesson in why Margaret River cabernet is so great...A true piece of regal Margaret River royalty, Moss Wood's flagship is handsomely dressed in well selected new cedary French oak and shows deep concentration of both colour and aroma.  Dark fleshy plum fruits here, cassis, dark cherry, ripe dark roasting herbs, mocha and spice. The palate delivers impressively ripe yet composed fruit flavours -  plums, black fruits and dark cherry - and dark cocoa too. Tannins scoop long and deep, unwavering and seamless from start to flavoursome finish. Price: $95  Alc./Vol: 14.5%  Drink: 2016  Screwcap; Score: 96 Points; The Age/SMH Good Wine Guide by Nick Stock

Long, measured and superbly focused. Lifted by scents of violets, and cherry liqueur, its heady bouquet of violets, cassis, mulberries and dark plums knits tightly with aromatic, fine grained oak and has a wild, earth aspect. Underpinned by fine, crunchy tannins of genuine firmness, it presents an alluringly deep, dark presence of cabernet fruit smoothed out by polished oak and backed by gamey, menthol like nuances, finishing with persistent flavours, fresh acids and faintly minty, herbal notes. Just a fraction confectionary for an even higher score. 95 points, Jeremy Oliver 2012 Wine Annual

Very deep garnet-purple colored, the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon gives a powerful, multi-faceted nose of warm cassis, blackberry preserves, hung meat and violets over damp earth, black olives, black truffles and slightly burnt toast. Rich, full bodied and layered in the mouth, it has a great backbone of medium-high, balanced acid and medium-firm finely grained tannins. The finish is very long. A knock-out year for this benchmark Margaret River Cabernet! Enjoy it now through 2023+ 95+ Points; Lisa Perrotti-Brown; eRobertParker.com

Legendary, crunchy blackcurrant and blackberry fruit is overpowered somewhat by overt dark chocolate and vanilla custard oak. It demands a long time to shake it off. 95 Points; Tyson Stelzer, WBM September 2011

The vineyard is planted to Cabernet sauvignon (46%), Merlot (26%), Cabernet franc (18%), Malbec (5%) and Petit verdot (5%). The percentage of each variety that goes into the final blend changes with the season as factors such as fruitfulness and fruit set. The greatest influence we have over the quality of this wine is deciding when to pick each variety, this determines not only the flavours but the quality of tannins, and the acid and alcohol levels. The fermentation regime is similar to that of the Pinot, although slightly longer fermentations are employed (up to 10 days). This is followed by 22 months on barrel maturation, with 25% of the blend in large format oak (1500L or larger), and 30% in new barriques (225L).

The 2008 is a tighter, more savoury wine than the Quintets from 2003 to 2006, starting with earthy aromas with cedar and raspberry. The palate is structured and linear with flavours of red berries and tobacco. This wine brings back memories of classic vintages such as 1991 and 1995, both drinking exceptionally well now. This wine needs to be cellared for at least 10 years before it will be at its best, unlike over-ripe examples of these varieties which will fall over quickly and rarely pair as well with food. David Middleton; Mount Mary