Cabernet's from Margaret River and Hawke's Bay

 

It was difficult to come to generalized conclusions in a recent comparison tasting of Cabernet's from Margaret River and Hawke's Bay. The wines varied wildly in age, grape composition, and screw cap vs. cork also made a difference.

The two Gimblett Gravels wines from Hawke's Bay, the 2021 Tom by Church Road, and the 2013 Sophia by Craggy Range, were full-bodied, with the Sophia quite rich and dense, whereas the 2021 Tom was more red fruited with a silky finish. New oak was significant in both wines.

In contrast, the Te Mata Coleraine comes from vineyards near Havelock North, with a different soil profile. This shows in the wine, which is a bit lighter, savoury, and higher levels of acidity. 

The Margaret River wines were very different from each other. The 2014 Woodlands 'Matthew' is quite open and fruit oriented, the 2008 Howard Park 'Abercrombie' was surprisingly sweet and ripe, whereas the 2005 Diana Madeline from Cullen impressed with its complex palate of various fruits, licorice, dark chocolate and earthy notes.

I could not draw any generalizations from this comparison, maybe other than 'when wines come from similar climates, it is down to the winemaker'.

Woodlands 'Margaret' Cabernet Blend

 The 'Margaret' Cabernet Blend comes from the estate block where these vines were planted in 1990. A couple of days ago I tasted the 2019 Woodlands 'Margaret' Cabernet Blend. This wine is always around 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, and so it is in 2019. The rest is Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

The red and blackcurrant fruit is very smooth. It is not overly concentrated, but with enough intensity, leading to an elegant mouthfeel. There is a savoury character to this wine as well, almost like a forest floor Pinot Noir character. The tannins are smooth, and the wine surprises with a long finish.

Score: 94/+++

Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon

                                                          The slightly modernized label

2018 was a relatively mild vintage in Margaret River with a long ripening period. So what is going on with this 2018 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon? It has the usual dark colour, and is black fruited. The wine is very concentrated and ripe, but the soft mulberry flavours are missing; the muskiness is missing. This wine lacks charm.

On the plus side, the wine shows cedar and smoky flavours for complexity, and the wine has a long finish. However, it feels a bit hot and alcoholic (14.5%).

I am not sure if one should drink it now or keep. I do not see much potential for improvement.

Score: 92/0
 

Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay Mini Vertical

 Sorry, I have not posted for a while, as I have mainly been drinking wine I already reviewed, but I experienced a mini vertical of the Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay, which is worth while talking about.

There are not many Australian Chardonnays which age well, but the Leeuwin Art Series is one. This tasting included the years 2020, 2013, and 1999.

The 2020 Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay is pale in colour. It is quite restrained on the nose. On the palate, many flavours reveal themselves: white flower, white peach, lemon curd, white melon, flint, and marzipan. Very high quality French oak is noticeable. The wine is very focused, and reveals its intensity after some time in the glass. Very complex and long on the finish (97 points).

The 2013 Chardonnay is light gold in colour. Flavours of white peach, citrus, nectarine, and some cashew. This is a powerful wine with a luscious mouthfeel. Acidity is more obvious than in the 2020. This wine is obviously more developed than the 2020, probably drinking at its peak now, and certainly proving this label can be aged (97 points).

The 1999 Chardonnay is different. The colour is an intense yellow. It delivers a big mouthfeel of lemon, melon, pineapple, fig, a hint of butterscotch. In comparison to the first two wines, it feels a little worked and heavy. However, it is a great effort to keep a 25 year old Australian Chardonnay alive and well (95 points).

At some point, I think in the early 2000s, the style of the Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay changed. Prior its fruit flavours were tropical, such as pineapple or yellow peach, and the mouthfeel broader. Since then precision on the palate increased, and citrus and white fruit flavours started to dominate, making the wine closer in style to a top level Burgundy. This was certainly brought out in this small tasting.

 

Deep Woods Hillside Chardonnay

                                            

If you have the Fogarty Wine Group as an owner, and Julian Langworthy as the talented wine maker, it is no surprise that Deep Woods made a lot of gains, and is now regarded as one of the top wineries in Western Australia. This can really be put to the test with their entry level Chardonnay, in this case the 2022 Deep Woods Hillside Chardonnay. The fruit comes from a number of vineyards, mostly at somewhat higher elevation. Despite being an entry wine, the wine sees some new oak and is made in a modern style, with indigenous yeast used for wild fermentation and minimal fining.

The wine has a pale, slightly green colour. The clean palate delivers subtle stone fruit, mainly white peach, and also green apple. Fresh acidity delivers good balance in the mouth. This is a well crafted wine, though a little boring. It provides great value at $20-25 per bottle.

I suggest to drink this wine now or within two years.

Score: 90/0

Vasse Felix Filius Cabernet Sauvignon

 Virginia Willcock, the long standing winemaker of Vasse Felix, has been in the top echelon of Australian winemaking for quite some time. She has raised the quality of every wine in the portfolio year after year. This has recently been recognized by Wine Spectator, when the 2021 Vasse Felix Filius Cabernet Sauvignon has been named the second best value wine in the world of last year. This Cabernet, which has some Malbec blended into it to fill out the mid palate, gets the royal treatment, and this for $25-30 per bottle; wild yeast fermentation and 11 months maturation in French oak barrels.

This is a really enjoyable wine. The red currant juicy fruit shows great purity and depth. Some tobacco and herbal flavours lurk in the background. This is a bright and elegant wine saying 'Look at me'. The wine fills the mouth nicely, and the firm tannins suggest good ageability. The finish is medium, not detracting from the vibrant fruit of the wine.

Score: 93/+++

  

Woodlands Tasting

 Woodlands brands can be very confusing, but there is actually quite a simple logic. The original vineyard, now 50 years old, is the Woodlands vineyard or Caves Rd. vineyard. It is the source of the 'Margaret' and the single vineyard Cabernet blend. The second vineyard is the Woodlands Brook or Puzey Rd. vineyard, some 2km away, purchased in 2007. This is the source of Cabernet Franc and younger Cabernet Sauvignon.

All wines are named after family members, the confusing bit is that the single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon has a different name every year. Will they ever run out of names?

The Home Block

The 2021 'Emily' is Cabernet Franc based. The vineyard is south facing, based on fine clay. As a result, this wine is light- to medium-bodied and very pretty. Black cherry is the dominant flavour of this elegant, slightly spiced wine. It is very well made, very charming, and I liked it a lot (93/+++ points). The 2018 Clementine, from the same vineyard is a Cabernet/Merlot. It is darker, still only medium-bodied. The tannins are firmer, but there is a bit of a hole on the mid palate, despite the Merlot component (92/++ points).

The Caves Rd. vineyard is north facing. The wines from here, including the core 'Margaret' are more concentrated. The 2018 'Margaret' is a Cabernet/Merlot matured in 40% new oak. It is noticeably more intense than the previous wine, but still quite elegant (93/++ points).

I tasted three single vineyard Cabernet blends (usually 90+% Cabernet Sauvignon) from three different years. The 2017 'Chloe Anne' is matured in 80% new oak barriques. This wine had a long ripening period. Blackcurrant and mulberry fruit sits on the frame of high quality French oak. Like all previous wines, this wine is elegant, but also quite substantial (95/++ points). The 2018 'Xavier' is a darker wine, yet more fruit forward. It has been aged in larger format oak. It has good depth and a satisfying finish. While different, it is equally appealing to the 2017 (95/++ points). The 2019 'Ruby Jane' has a similar flavour profile, and an elegant mouthfeel, but not the same intensity as the other two wines (93/++ points).  

  

Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon Mini Vertical

This vertical was designed to show off the just released 2020 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon and compare it with the arguably two best wines of the last decade.

So let's start with the 2014 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon. The palate offers rich flavours of mulberry, red- and blackcurrant, cedar and leather. There are musty flavours eminating from the oak. This is a well balanced wine which has started to enter its prime. The subtle structure is supported by concentrated, yet fine tannins. The finish is very long (97/+++ points).

The 2018 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon has a similar profile, but is not quite so far along in the maturing process. This wine is perhaps a bit more concentrated, with blackcurrant and blueberry flavours. Licorice, cedar and chocolate flavours emerge, but are still in the background of this fruit-intense wine. I like the elegance of this wine and the long finish (96/+++).

Obviously, the 2020 Moss Wood is the baby. Was it smart to compare it to two of the great Moss Wood vintages? I think not. This wine is also dark fruited, quite generous, with chocolate, tobacco and oaky flavours (20% new oak). In my assessment, this wine does not have the same complexity as the other two, nor the length in the finish. Will this change over the years? I doubt it. This is a good, but not outstanding wine (94/++).

 

 

Moss Wood Chardonnay

 Moss Wood has not achieved what the other leading Margaret River Cabernet producer, Cullen, has, namely developing a Chardonnay of equal standing, at least not in the public eye. The other day, I managed to drink some 2012 Moss Wood Chardonnay. This should be a good test. 

This 11 year old wine has a light golden colour, not very deep yet (screw cap). The bouquet is a little shy with slight tropical aromas.

On the palate, citrus, and in particular pineapple flavours fill the mouth nicely. This is a medium- to full-bodied wine, which is still fresh. The oak imparts hazelnut flavours and is well integrated. This is a well balanced wine with a satisfying mouthfeel. It could perhaps have a little more energy, but the finish is harmonious, although not overly complex.

Overall, this is a very good wine, drinking well now, but lacking raciness or an x-factor which makes Chardonnay exciting. 

Score: 94/++

Cape Mentelle Trinders Cabernet Merlot

 

Trinders is the second or maybe third level of red wines at Cape Mentelle. Therefore, when the 2017 Cape Mentelle Trinders Cabernet Merlot was opened, I did not expect too much. Indeed, the wine was friendly, easy to drink. I did not think too much about it, but decided to review it on the second day of opening.

And what a revelation it was. The dark fruits on the nose were pure and of medium intensity. This translated perfectly onto the palate. Blackcurrant, blackberry, mulberry notes, tobacco and some gun powder created a great mouthfeel. It is more characteristic of Cabernet Sauvignon than Merlot. This is a medium- to full-bodied wine, very harmonious. The firm tannins lead to a long finish: beautiful.

Score: 93/+++

PS: This wine and a note that a Taylor’s Chardonnay had just won a major competition made me reflect on the show awards system. Here, the first impression counts. This mostly translates into very fruity wines with a lot of oak. The Trinders reviewed above would not have had a chance. Does this mean avoid medal winners like the plague?

Howard Park Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon

 Howard Park uses the best fruit from its holdings in Margaret River and Great Southern to produce the flagship Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon. Last night, I drank some 2007 Howard Park Abercrombie from Magnum.

The flavours were typical Cabernet Sauvignon; red- and blackcurrant, capsicum; also cigarbox and a hint of mint. The wine was still very fresh (screwcap). I found it quite lean for the vintage. The tannins were firm, and the wine finished with medium length.

I expected more generosity.

Score: 93/+

Cloudburst Tasting

 When you have a perfect vineyard site, very small production, and a strong desire to make outstanding wine, you have a good head start. I have described the background of Cloudburst in previous posts. I only mention here that the vineyard is densely planted and bio-dynamically farmed. The focus here is on a rare tasting of a number of these wines.

It started with Chardonnay. First up, the 2020 Cloudburst Chardonnay. I taste Meyer lemon, white peach and wood spice from the very noticeable new French oak. The wine is very clean and fresh, with acidity in good balance. This is typical Chardonnay fruit. All very nice, but not a lot of character (93/+ points). The 2017 is similar. It is a bit more lemon focussed, with the oak even more pronounced (93/+ points). It gets more interesting with the 2014 Chardonnay. This is a more opulent wine with more fruit focus: pineapple, apricot, a bit of lemon. This wine starts to show a bit of age (95/++ points). The wines are closed with screw cap, as opposed to the reds. I ask myself, with the attention to detail, maybe a cork closure would serve these wines better (see Giaconda), as the maturing is very slow.

The labels have golden lettering, only Cloudburst on the front

Now we move to the reds, Malbec first. The 2018 Malbec is quite fruity, but with a lot of energy. Black cherry and plum deliver flavours which are very pure, and the finish is silky and medium to long (95++ points). But this wine is overshadowed by the 2017 Malbec. This is a more complex wine with more savoury notes, such as mushroom, and a very long finish. This wine came close to the wine of the night and was loved by all (96/+++ points). 

The labels are hard to read, and even harder to photograph

The first Cabernet Sauvignon (they include a small Malbec percentage) is the 2019. Red- and blackcurrant deliver a satisfying mouthfeel. There are savoury flavours as well. The tannins are fine and the finish seems to expand (94/++ points). The 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is a darker expression. Blackcurrant and mulberry flavours are balanced by beautifully fine grained, silky and lacey tannins. The finish is very long (97/+++). This was the wine of the night. Finally, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a bigger and more developed wine. Blackcurrant and mulberry flavours are soft, and a little sweet. Meat and charcoal flavours add complexity, but the finish is only medium (95/++). 

The most interesting aspect of the tasting was that not one wine was a disappointment. It is another question if you need to shell out $250/bottle to have this kind of quality experience. 

Premium Cabernets Comparison

 This is a brief review of some Australian premium Cabernets.

The star of this comparison tasting was the highly acclaimed 2020 Cullen Diana Madeline. It is a Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot blend. This was the most elegant wine, red fruited, with some tannin bite at the same time, and a beautiful finish. This is a world class wine (97 points).

The one closest in style to it was the 2019 Grosset Gaia. It had a similar feel, but was a bit broader in the mouth, less detailed, again with firm tannins (94 points).

The other wine from Margaret River was quite different. It was the top of the range 2018 Vasse Felix Tom Cullity Cabernet Malbec. It showed darker fruit, with mulberry flavours. The Malbec influence is strong. This is a bigger wine, quite fruity (93 points).  

An impressive wine was the 2017 Hickinbotham Clarendon Trueman Cabernet Sauvignon. It comes from the Northern, hillier part of McLaren Vale. This is a smooth wine, ripe, but balanced, with a silky mouthfeel and a medium to long finish (95 points).

I was less impressed with the 2016 Yalumba Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon. The redcurrant flavours are big and ripe. Christmas pudding or mud cake deliver quite a fat mouthfeel (92 points). 

There was also a New Zealand wine, the Merlot dominant 2019 Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Te Kahu. This is quite a soft wine, but it lacked sufficient mouthfeel (91 points).

Vasse Felix Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

 The blend of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc is essentially only produced in Bordeaux and Margaret River. White Bordeaux has become quite unpopular, certainly in comparison with White Burgundy or Rhône wine. Yet such a blend has advantages over the world beater of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. The 2021 Vasse Felix Semillon Sauvignon Blanc clearly demonstrates this. 

 

The Semillon component in this wine delivers citrus and green apple flavours on the palate rather than the gooseberry flavours and grassy notes of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. As a result, this wine has a fuller mouthfeel.The Sauvignon Blanc component delivers freshness. Overall, this is a balanced wine. The acidity is high, but not unpleasant.

Score: 89/++

Cape Mentelle Cabernet Sauvignon

 The Cape Mentelle Cabernet Sauvignon lives in the shadow of Cullen and Moss Wood, but in some years it soars to significant heights. The 2014 Cape Mentelle Cabernet Sauvignon is such a wine.

There is a typical style to this wine, which makes it immediately recognizable as Cape Mentelle. It is blackcurrant and mocca. These flavours are beautifully integrated. The wine has elegance, but also grit, with fine grained tannins. The slightly 'dirty' finish does not detract from the overall impression.

At eight years, this wine drinks well now and has many years of satisfying drinking ahead.

Score: 96/+++ 

Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay

 It is not easy, and also not necessary, to say something new about the iconic Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay. That is, unless one opens an older bottle. This is not often talked about. Chardonnay in general does not age well beyond 7 years in Australia. This is a review of the 2011 Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay. 2011 was a poor vintage for red wines in most of Australia. White wines fared a little better. However in Western Australia, vintage conditions were excellent.

The painting for this wine is a little whimsical, but there is nothing whimsical about the content. Citrus and grapefruit still dominate, the vanilla from the new oak is woven in well. There is a hint of honey now, but the wine is still fresh and fruit focused. The fresh acidity drives the great line in this wine. It is perhaps not the most complex Leeuwin, but the long finish is very satisfying.

Score: 95/+++

Cloudburst Cabernet Sauvignon

 When an upstart won best Cabernet Sauvignon and best red wine at the Margaret River wine show in 2013, it created quite a stir. And eyebrows were really raised when this wine was released at three times the price of the Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon or Cullen Diana Madeline. This was of course Cloudburst. It certainly had 'bursted' on the scene. Maybe Will Berliner, the American owner, thought this was still cheap by Napa Valley standards. It has since become clear that something very special was happening here. The vines are still young, but they are grown on an unspoiled piece of land near the ocean. It has never seen any pesticides. Instead the care by Will Berliner is exceptional. This is a review of the 2011 Cloudburst Cabernet Sauvignon.

Only the name on the front, and the back rather translucent

The nose is very intense and perfumed with pure dark fruit aromas. 

On the palate, blackberry rather than blackcurrant opens up, mulberry and black olive flavours take over. The flavours of this elegant and smooth wine are quite layered, revealing new nuances as one ponders the wine. The wine is full-bodied, but not at all fat, with 13.2% alc. There is good fruit weight and great purity. The wine to me feels more like a first class Merlot. It is powerful, but also light-footed. The tannins are very silky. This wine is still a baby, with a beautiful long finish on fine tannins.

So what about the price? Well, it is actually cheaper that Cullen's Vanya or equal to the Tom Cullity by Vasse Felix. Another way to look at it: would you rather drink a bottle of this or two/three bottles of the Cullen Diana Madeline or the Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon? Not sure on an ongoing basis, but I suggest you try a bottle once. Why? This wine is different. It feels very complex and accomplished, yet as the vines are young, it has a different vibrancy to the other wines. 

Score: 96/+++

   

Howard Park Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon

 I commented on the impact of Magnum bottles under cork in my last post. But what about when the closure is a screw cap? To find out, I opened a 2007 Howard Park Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon Magnum.

This wine is still very aromatic, with blackberry, blackcurrant, and mulberry flavours. Mocca notes on the mid palate. The flavours have dried a little, but this Cabernet is fresh for a 13 year old wine. The wine has a balanced and elegant mouthfeel. The tannins are firm, and have mellowed a little. This Abercrombie is drinking beautifully right now. 

What is the Magnum impact? Probably not much. I have certainly had 13 year old Margaret River Cabernet in a standard bottle and under screw cap with similar characteristics. My view is the benefit of the Magnum is not present here. The attraction would be restricted to a dinner party or similar.

Score: 94/+++  

Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay

 

Over the last 10 years, Leeuwin has embraced a slightly leaner, more precise style of Chardonnay. This 2015 Leeuwin Chardonnay, however, is quite big and powerful. The flavours are intense: citrus, pineapple, yellow peach, nectarine deliver a powerful mouthfeel. Biscuit and cashew flavours from the new French oak are well integrated. This is a precise wine despite the many flavour sensations. The fine acidity structure delivers a seamless texture. This Chardonnay has a long finish. It still feels fresh and will live for many years to come. A top Chardonnay

Score: 96/+++  

Are Grape Varieties Really Important?

 Are you serious, I hear you say. Well, this question arose in my mind after a tasting of high quality wines of less prominent grape varieties recently.

The most famous regions in France do not feature grape varieties. The argument there is between terroir and producers. Burgundy features terroir, but there is no doubt, producers make a difference. The famous example is the vineyard of Clos de Vougeot, where different producers produce wines of vastly different quality. In Bordeaux, the chateau reigns supreme, but are the differences between Mouton and Lafite all due to winemaking? In any case, grape varieties may not feature, because it is well known that red wine in Burgundy means Pinot Noir, and on the left bank of Bordeaux it is a Cabernet Sauvignon dominant blend, while on the right bank it is Merlot led. 

Two varieties which were presented at this tasting were Malbec and Blaufraenkisch. The Malbec I want to talk about here was the 2016 Cloudburst Malbec from Margaret River. 

This wine tasted like no Argentinian or French Malbec. The fruit profile went the gamut from red over blue to black, and the tannins were powdery and silky. The vineyard sits between forest and ocean and the soil has never seen any pesticides or chemicals in thousands of years. The vineyard is densely planted like no other Malbec vineyard. Was I drinking Malbec or a particular viticulture? 

Intriguing was the tasting of three Blaufraenkisch wines from Austria. Two were from Moric Lutzmannsburg, 2013 and 2007, one the 2014 Gut Oggau Joschuari. 

My expectation of Blaufraenkisch has been: fruit dominant, easy drinking, a quaffer. This was totally different. The Lutzmannsburg wines showed beautiful perfumed aromas and finesse. The young one tasted like a premier cru Gammay, the older one showed Piedmont like aromas. This tasted of terroir, not the grape. 

The Joschuari is an alternative wine, biodynamic, no fining, no filtering, no sulphur. Here the winemaking 'made' the wine not the grape.

Does this mean the grape variety is irrelevant, no, of course not. But it shows that with special attention and skill, the terroir can define a wine, no matter what the grape, and equally winemaking can define a wine, no matter what grape.