2014 Cabernet Sauvignon Museum Release

Production – 470 dozen / 5640 bottles

Colour: Deep crimson. 

 Nose: Lifted aromas of traditional blackcurrant, cassis, hints of ripe raspberry with seductive clove and black olive tapenade and finishing with cedar wood notes.

 Palate: A rich mid palate dominated by blackcurrant and succulent red berry acidity, combine to create an elegant medium bodied wine, finishing with fine silky tannins.  This exceptional wine can be enjoyed now; or will develop more complexity in the bottle, and cellar up to 1 – 15 years.

Harvest: March 16, 2014.

Vilification: The grapes were destemmed and placed in two open fermenters.  Innoculated with a neutral yeast and the cap plunged up to four times a day, by hand for 10 days then left on skins for a further 5 days.  The wine was then drained and the must basket pressed off to tank where it underwent a malolactic fermentation which softens the acid.  The wine was then racked to a mix of 50% new and 50% one and two year old French barriques, then left to mature for 12 months.  Blended and bottled in July 2015.

Technical Data:  Alc. 13.9 %     pH 3.62             TA 6.2 g/L

2014 Vintage :The 2014 vintage represents the regions 8th successive year of favorable weather conditions across all varietals.  There was minimal rain fall in the summer period, less than the average of 4%.  The growing season was very typical of an excellent season, in terms of warm, sunny conditions with a mild ocean breeze, resulting in minimal disease pressure.  There was ample Marri blossom thus bird damage was kept to a minimum, however we still netted the vines.

Vintage Rating: 9/10

Awards and Reviews:

95pts – Ray Jordan

A stylish and expressive cabernet loaded with juicy ripe fruit that gradually releases as it breathes.  When it does, other things emerge, showing a meaty blackcurrant character with leafy black olive and subtle cigar box.  It is so complex.  The textural side is superb.  Smooth and seamless with integrated weave of supple tannins and fine grained oak.  Cellar 12 years.

94+pts –  The Wine Front, Gary Walsh, July 2017

My cup runneth over with wines from Margaret River at present, which suits me fine. And now that I’ve just finished the blind tasting of Harry Potter Jellybeans that my eldest son inflicted on me (earthworm, black pepper, sausage – and I got them all I’m pleased to say, even though I missed the worm in earthworm), I can get back to tasting (wine). My cure was a fine slice of jamon Iberico. Gee, I write some stuff in the introduction to a wine…

Blackcurrant and raspberry, kind of juicy and jubey, with dark chocolate and black olive, and firm charred spiced oak. Medium bodied, spicy toasty oak and raspberry, light grainy tannin, lots of dark spices and earth on the finish. Quite a bit of oak showing, but good fruit, and persistence. It looked better after being open for a day: invariably a good sign.

James Halliday 2018 Wine Companion
There’s a neat interplay of concentrated fruit and savouriness with the blackberries and currants balancing out the cedary oak, warm earth and new leather characters. It’s full-bodied with refreshing acidity and a suppleness to the tannins.   95/100   Cellar 2033  Jane Faulkner –