2012 Basket Pressed Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Colour: Brick red.
Aroma: Beautifully developed aromas of tobacco, leather and forest floor, layered with thyme and dried berries.
Palate: Brambly, stewed fruits are complemented by cocoa powder tannins, while bright acidity brings freshness, balance and impressive length.
Harvest: 29 March 2012
Vintage 2012 – 10/10: Arguably one of the finest Margaret River vintages for red wine of the decade. Slightly above-average rainfall was followed by warm, dry conditions from January, allowing the fruit to progress steadily towards full ripeness. The warmer weather brought harvest forward by around two weeks, with tannins achieving excellent ripeness early in the season. Abundant Marri blossom kept bird pressure low, while little to no disease pressure resulted in pristine fruit.
Reviews:
97 Points – Ray Jordan
“A stylish and perfectly poised wine from a single vineyard at Cape Grace. Gorgeous perfumed aromas of leafy black fruits and cedary oak. The palate has been brilliantly created with great fruit concentration supported by fine oak and slightly chalky tannins. The best wine yet from Cape Grace. Best drinking now to 2030.”
97 Points – James Halliday
“Cape Grace has fulfilled its desire to make a Reserve Cabernet, a two-barrel selection from the Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, held for an additional 4 months in barrel after the Estate had been bottled. It is a beautiful wine, graceful and elegant, the balance utterly exceptional.”
2013 Basket Pressed Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Colour: Deep crimson.
Aroma: Beautifully developed, with cedar, cola and dark fruits.
Palate: Dark and brooding, with layers of liquorice, leather and blackcurrant. There is still a lovely sweetness of fruit, framed by an enveloping tannin structure. A Cabernet in its prime.
Harvest: 3 April 2013
Vintage 2013 – 9/10: Margaret River enjoyed an excellent vintage for both reds and whites, with little disease pressure throughout the season. Winter and spring rainfall was below average, while strong winds and hail during flowering contributed to significantly reduced yields.
January and February were hot and dry before cooler conditions arrived in March, allowing tannin ripeness to catch up beautifully with fruit development. Abundant Marri blossom kept bird pressure to a minimum, helping to deliver concentrated, high-quality fruit.
Reviews:
96 Points – Ray Jordan
“This is a small production wine that is the cream of the crop for Cape Grace and introduced to the portfolio a couple of years ago. This is another very good wine. Deep concentrated black fruits on the nose with a perfumed lift creating a beautiful opening. Powdery tannins work into the intense fruit to drive and support through to the long finish. It has the power but it also has the style and graceful lines.”
96 Points – Jane Faulkner, Wine Companion
“As with the inaugural 2012 release, just two barrels make the cut for the reserve. Both 100% new French barriques with the wine aged for 16 months creating an intensely flavoured, full-bodied and sweet fruited cabernet of exceptional length.”
2014 Basket Pressed Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Colour: Crimson.
Aroma: Tar and cedar open to reveal cassis and tobacco.
Palate: Opulent and richly layered, with fruitcake characters alongside vibrant redcurrant. Silky, beautifully integrated tannins carry the palate through to a long finish. A superb Cabernet from an outstanding Margaret River vintage.
Harvest: 16 March 2014
Vintage 2014 – 9/10: The 2014 vintage marked Margaret River’s eighth successive season of favourable growing conditions across all varieties. Summer rainfall was minimal, with warm, sunny days moderated by cooling ocean breezes creating ideal conditions for even ripening and very little disease pressure. Ample Marri blossom also helped keep bird pressure low, resulting in beautifully clean, balanced fruit.
Reviews:
97 Points – Gourmet Traveller Wine, Top Western Australian Cabernet
The 2014 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was awarded 97 points in the Gourmet Traveller Wine Western Stars Panel Tasting, with the panel praising its balance, ripe blackcurrant fruit, acidity and fine, firm tannins.
96 Points – Ray Jordan, The West Australian Wine Guide 2018
“Mighty impressive follow-up to the very good 2013. I reckon this one just shades that wine. It’s a limited production number that’s been given the kid gloves treatment in the winery, with hand plunging and basket pressing. Scented notes of heady blackcurrant and cedary with a palate that is deep concentrated black currants. Grainy tannins and well-weighted oak. Yep, you can drink it now, but really, give it time and you’ll see what a marvellous wine this will become.”
No products in the cart.