Cabernet Sauvignon Riserva Magnum

The origins for this wine’s story lie in the amazing Margaret River region and it’s proven history for producing some of the greatest Cabernet based wines in the world. This is the third vintage of our flagship Cabernet Sauvignon Riserva and continues the strong albeit short story of superior quality which is fast becoming a hallmark of this wine. 

The Vineyards:

The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes came from 3 incredible vineyard blocks all in the real ‘Dress Circle’ of Margaret River viticulture in the heart of the Wilyabrup sub-region. The wonderful Forest Grove soils – gravelly/stoney, free-draining loams over moisture holding clay which predominate in the Wilyabrup sub-region and the favourable climatic conditions which occur here result in the production of some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon wines in the world. These qualities have been on show year after year and result in consistently outstanding fruit quality with the finest of our fine wines being produced from grapes grown here.

The Season:

The 2017/18 growing season was a real classic ‘Margaret River’ summer. We had plenty of warm, sunny days, never getting too hot, with characteristically cool, fresh evenings. This lead to a long and slow maturation of the grapes which provides them with the greatest opportunity to develop a wider selection of flavour and aroma compounds. A lack of summer rainfall meant the grapes were in pristine condition and some of the healthiest that I have ever witnessed. 

Winemaking:

All of the grapes for this wine were handpicked into small 8kg crates and immediately transported back to the winery where they were gently de-stemmed and not crushed, directly into their small fermentation vessels, a procedure which allowed the ferment to start with what were almost totally unburst, undamaged individual berries. The wines were fermented on skins utilising the indigenous yeasts, which arrived on the grape skins when the fruit arrived at the winery.

The must underwent a slow, steady ferment with hand plunging twice each day. The fermenting grapes remained on skins for 16-21 followed by gentle basket to French oak barriques, with a small portion (33%) being new. Malolactic fermentation occurred in barrel utilising the activity of indigenous bacteria. The wine was left to mature for 23 months in barrel during which time it was racked via gravity one time and topped regularly.

1 day before bottling the wine was racked out of barrel to tank and was then bottled unfined and unfiltered.

The Wine:

This wine displays a beguiling mix of cassis and dark berry fruit with sweet spice and a savoury hint to temper the youthful fruit profile. Elegant, structured, with great length and complexity, this wine defines the greatness of Cabernet Sauvignon and the Margaret River region. Whilst drinking well upon release it will reward cellaring for 25+ years.

Salutè

Robert Gherardi