Has needed five years to bring all the components together; very stylish, with cedary oak and warm, soft tannins supporting, not threatening, the blackcurrant and plum fruit. 14.5º alc. Drink 2015 $60 Date Tasted Sep 07 Rating: 96 Points; James Halliday Wine Companion 2009

The Gladstones Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon is made from the Houghton Wine Company’s best Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon each vintage, and is consistently a full bodied wine with powerful fruit, rich tannins and matured in only the best French oak in order to further enhance the flavours.
 
2002 was a cooler, dryer year that enabled the fruit to reach full maturity and produce soft tannins with loads of berry flavours. The fruit was fermented in small 2.5 tonne open fermenters, hand plunged and pressed directly into new and one year old French oak barriques, then aged with minimal handling for 21 months prior to assembling, fining and bottling.
 
Deep, rich intense garnet. Full, complex dusty, cigar box, coupled with red currant and lashings of fine French oak. A full, sweet front palate with great fruit intensity. The mid palate is rich and textural with great palate weight. Although the wine is big, the vintage influence shows through as refined elegance. The tannins are full and rich, yet shows a softness and suppleness that is the hallmark of this wine. The balance of fruit, tannin, alcohol and acid, along with the support of the French oak, makes this a wine of class that has the potential for medium to long term cellaring.
 
Gold Medal - Margaret River Wine Show  2006
Gold Medal - Melbourne Wine Show 2006
Gold Medal - Adelaide Wine Show 2005