• Oaked
• Dark fruit
• Dried herb
• Supple tannins

"Superbly fruited and richly expressed, the wine shows crème de cassis, blackberry, dark cocoa and cigar box characters on the nose, followed by a concentrated palate that is intense and gracefully flowing. A magnificent expression of the variety, offering terrific drinking. At its best: now to 2030" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Oct 2019

"Exuberant dark fruit, such as cassis and dark cherries followed by sage. Fruity and delicious on the palate. Which is bolstered by succulent tannins and juicy acidity. The finish shows welcome grip" James Suckling 

"Ripe and convincing. Violets, blackcurrent, smoked cedarwood and bay leaves. In the groove, in the zone. Nice lick of tannin, pretty good depth of fruit, and a sound, sure-footed finish" Campbell Mattinson

"Loads of Margaret River fruit generosity here black oliveand blackcurrent with chocolatey statement with excellent intergration and balance" Ray Jordan

This Cabernet Sauvignon displays deep red with purple hues, in the glass. A bouquet is present of inky forest fruits, blackcurrants and black plums are complemented by subtle oak characters spiced and hints of dried herb and graphite. The palate showcases a medium to full-bodied Cabernet with plenty of depth offering blackberries, dark chocolate and cassis. The generous fruit and fine, supple tannins combine to produce a very complete wine, distinctly Cabernet with an elegant structure and a wonderful persistence of fruit. Perfectly approachable in its youth, this wine will comfortably cellar for several years.

The majority of blend (53%) was Estate grown on the Boodjudup and Stevens Road vineyards in the Wallcliffe sub-region of Margaret River. The remainder was sourced from mature Margaret River vineyards, owned by longstanding Xanadu Growers.

The growing season began with late budburst after a relatively cold, wet winter. The mild spring which followed ensured that there was good flowering and fruit set, in fact some yields needed to be addressed with crop thinning. Fine, mild conditions prevailed during summer, which ended up being one of the coolest growing seasons in recent years. Harvest commenced late,at the end of February, with abundant M whites were harvested. March was relatively wet with a significant rain event after most of the white fruit had been picked. Fortunately, the April that followed was glorious (the driest April since 1982 in fact) with fine weather and no heat extremes experienced at all. The extended ripening period allowing the reds to attain full physiological maturity and tannin ripeness with a wonderful sense of finesse.

The fruit was crushed and destemmed then fermented in static fermentation at 26.C for 5-7 days. A portion of the blend was left for a period of extended maceration on skins, followed by a gentle pressing adding plushness and a savoury textural element to the wine. The various batches underwent MLF in a combination of tank and barrel before 14 months maturation in a selection French oak barriques (25% new). 

Food Pairing: Pair this wine with all red meat, especially prime rib, New York strip and filet mignon.