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2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot

A wine we affectionately called ‘Junior Diana Madeline’ as it is predominantly old vine Cabernet Sauvignon planted on Cullen vineyard in 1971. It is a blend of 63% Cullen Vineyard and 37% Mangan Vineyard.

It has 12 different batches and hence components of the Moon as harvest days; full Moon fruit day, full Moon fruit day perigee, flower day, fruit day, Supermoon fruit day, fruit/leaf day, full Moon, Moon opposite Saturn flower day… wow!!

Vintage Notes

2020

2020 vintage was defined by dry conditions from the onset of budburst through to harvest in 2020.
A lower than average rainfall in 2019, and hot dry weather conditions in January, February and March made for almost drought conditions for harvest 2020.

Bunch numbers were about average, but low berry weights due to the dry conditions produced very low yields and wines which were balanced and pretty in nature. The harvest was unaffected by Covid 19 lockdowns as we had finished harvest and most of the fermentations had also finished, we just had the pressing of the red wines. Chardonnay yields were still affected by the previous year’s frost.

Wines of excellent balance and fruit purity, a vintage similar to 2003 in style.
Best varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.

Winemaker Notes

Vineyard: 63% Cullen Vineyard, 37% Mangan Vineyard

Varieties: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Malbec

Harvest Dates: 8th February – 10th March. 12 different picks on fruit and flower days

Oak: 8 months in 33% new oak

Alcohol:  13%

Tasting Notes

Colour: Dark mulberry Bouquet: Cabernet varietal red fruits, cigar box, chocolate, ironstone, mulberry and plum Food: Margaret River wagyu beef, Akardy lamb, biodynamic roast root vegetables. Palate: Rich dark chocolate and mulberry. Dense, firm tannins that powerfully travel across the front palate screaming quality cabernet pedigree, with young dense forest fruits spiralling around the mid palate crying out for food and time in the bottle.
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Previous Releases

  • 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot

    This wine was produced on a certified Biodynamic, Carbon Neutral and naturally powered estate. This outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot from the 2018 vintage displays densely flavoured ripe dark fruits, complemented by discrete fine-grained tannins. It was matured in French oak barrels for 6 months, of which 25% were new.

    Read more    View Tasting Notes

  • 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot

    This wine was produced on a certified Biodynamic, Carbon Neutral and naturally powered estate.

    Read more    View Tasting Notes