The near perfect conditions in early summer provided fantastic growing conditions, and while disease pressure was practically not-existent the lack of significant flowering in the Marri gums lead to serious bird pressure that in some cases resulted in crop losses and required carful hand selection of fruit. Brief rains after most of the white varieties had been harvested offered a welcome respite, slowing up the reds and allowing flavour and tannin ripeness to catch up with the sugars. The near perfect finish to the season ensured all of the red farieties were abel to be harvested at optimum maturity, before the season broke well and truly with significant rains in the last half of April
Ripe fruits of the forest, boysen berries and cassis integrated with dark chocolate, cinnamon and spice. Full-bodied yet refined, the plush palate offers ripe, jubey fruits such as blackcurrants, plums and mulberries framed by subtle cedar/spicy oak characters. This dense wine is a well structured, layered with dark fleshy fruit characteristics, rip tannins and a lingering finish. Vibrant and robust in its youth, this is a wine which will certainly benefit from further bottle maturation, and will cellar comfortably for 5-10 years.
Offers a complex, fragrant bouquet of dark berries and quality oak, the layered medium-to full-bodied palate ranging further afield with mulberry and plum coming into the picture, the texture built around fine, ripe cedary tannins. Screwcap. 14% alc. To 2023. $35; 96 Points. James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2012 Edition.
A truly superb rendition of Margaret River cabernet with bright, ripe blackcurrant and plum fruits, gentle leafy notes and classy cedary French oak. The palate’s richly flavoured and framed in elegantly sheeted tannins - it lingers right on point. Balanced so as to drink well now, this should perform nicely in the cellar too. 94 Points; Nick Stock, The Age/SMH Good Wine Guide 2011
Gold Medal - 2010 Wine Show of Western Australia
Another beautifully elegant and regally stylish cabernet from these guys. Has everything in just the right place from the silky smooth intensely concentrated fruit, through the seamless integration of fine grainy tannins and high quality oak. Presents beautifully on the palate. 93 Points; Ray Jordan; 2011 Western Australia Wine Guide
Bay leaf, mulberry and red fruit, cocoa and aniseed. It's a fresh, medium weight wine offering slinky tannins, good length and an all round satisfying regional experience. Not profound or diverting - just a lovely drinking wine with a fair bit of class. 92 Points; Gary Walsh; The Wine Front