50 Year Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Tasting Notes

Deep magenta in colour with a vibrant nose of dark fruit, chocolate, vanilla and cinnamon aromas. An exotic and full-bodied palate driven by flavours of fruits of the forest, blackcurrant and a hint of savoury spice bound together by succulent fine-grained tannins. A wine of great length which will reward many years in the cellar.

Winemaking

The grapes are destemmed, but not crushed, and spend seven days on their skins in open fermenters with twice daily hand-plunging and pumping over of the cap to more gently extract colour, flavours and tannins.This is followed by careful basket pressing and malolactic fermentation in a combination of new and seasoned French barriques prior to 18 months maturation in our cellars. 

 In keeping with our non-interventionalist winemaking style we neither fine nor filter this wine. 

Vineyard

50 year Old Cabernet Sauvignon Vines represents less than 2% of the region plantings. Our vineyard is from the heart of the Valley Floor in Bethany - where the first village was settled in the Barossa Valley and the first vines in the Barossa Valley were planted. 

Reviews
GOLD MEDAL
Review by: Berlin Wine Trophy 2021
96 Points
Review by: Andrew Caillard MW
Deep crimson. Intense blackcurrant roasted coffee, mocha/ cigar box aromas with herb garden, violet, roasted chestnut notes. Expressive minerally palate with inky blackcurrant mulberry fruits, fine grainy/ graphite textures and underlying roasted chestnut marzipan notes. Finishes cedar firm with a lacy tannin plume and abundant dark fruits. Lovely cabernet definition, vim and vigour. Drink now – 2030 
95 Points
Review by: Jeni Port, Wine Pilot

If only we celebrated old vine Barossa cabernet as much as we do old vine Barossa shiraz. It really is a jewel.

Here, a case in point. Relatively modest in alcohol at 14% and blessed with great balance, all the key regional assets are here – front palate plushness, a solid core of fruit intensity combined with svelte tannins.cThe 2018 vintage was warm and dry. The result is a cabernet full to bursting with black cherry, plum, violet, vanilla aromas, lifted and bright.

Quite a presence in the glass. Succulent fruit meets cocoa powder, dried herbs thyme and oregano with a tapenade-black olive savouriness. Expressive, balanced tannins and cigar oak nicely absorbed, complete this delicious picture.

93 Points
Review by: Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot
Cabernet and Barossa fans will applaud this impressive wine that celebrates the best of both worlds. It’s cabernet all right but also carries with it the generosity of flavour that has gained the Barossa legions of fans both here and abroad. Deeply coloured and it immediately displays inviting and expressive aromatics of mulberry and blackcurrant with a gentle leafiness and mocha notes from extended time in French oak. The palate is then concentrated with great energy and vitality – fruits pastilles and cedar notes on a fleshy and rich palate supported by surprisingly supple tannins. It’s so approachable now but you also know it will kick on over the next decade.
96 Points
Review by: Sam Kim, Wine Orbit
It’s gorgeously ripe and fragrant, showing crème de cassis, hint of tobacco, spicy oak and smoked game aromas on the nose, leading to a concentrated palate offering outstanding weight and density, while remaining silky and supple with a terrific persistent finish. At its best: 2024 to 2038.
91 Points
Review by: James Suckling
Aromas of fresh herbs, chocolate, black licorice and blackcurrants. Full-bodied with a dense bevy of black fruit and ground spice. Elegant...

 

$80.00 per bottle


Other Vintages
2013 |  2016 |  2017 | 
CLOSURE
Cork

WINEMAKER
Neville Rowe
GRAPE VARIETY
Cabernet Sauvignon
GROWING REGION
Barossa Valley - Bethany

 

 

Tasting Notes

Deep magenta in colour with a vibrant nose of dark fruit, chocolate, vanilla and cinnamon aromas. An exotic and full-bodied palate driven by flavours of fruits of the forest, blackcurrant and a hint of savoury spice bound together by succulent fine-grained tannins. A wine of great length which will reward many years in the cellar.

Winemaking

The grapes are destemmed, but not crushed, and spend seven days on their skins in open fermenters with twice daily hand-plunging and pumping over of the cap to more gently extract colour, flavours and tannins.This is followed by careful basket pressing and malolactic fermentation in a combination of new and seasoned French barriques prior to 18 months maturation in our cellars. 

 In keeping with our non-interventionalist winemaking style we neither fine nor filter this wine. 

Vinification

50 year Old Cabernet Sauvignon Vines represents less than 2% of the region plantings. Our vineyard is from the heart of the Valley Floor in Bethany - where the first village was settled in the Barossa Valley and the first vines in the Barossa Valley were planted. 

Reviews
GOLD MEDAL

Score: GOLD MEDAL
Review by: Berlin Wine Trophy 2021

96 Points

Score: 96 Points
Review by: Andrew Caillard MW
Deep crimson. Intense blackcurrant roasted coffee, mocha/ cigar box aromas with herb garden, violet, roasted chestnut notes. Expressive minerally palate with inky blackcurrant mulberry fruits, fine grainy/ graphite textures and underlying roasted chestnut marzipan notes. Finishes cedar firm with a lacy tannin plume and abundant dark fruits. Lovely cabernet definition, vim and vigour. Drink now – 2030 

95 Points

Score: 95 Points
Review by: Jeni Port, Wine Pilot

If only we celebrated old vine Barossa cabernet as much as we do old vine Barossa shiraz. It really is a jewel.

Here, a case in point. Relatively modest in alcohol at 14% and blessed with great balance, all the key regional assets are here – front palate plushness, a solid core of fruit intensity combined with svelte tannins.cThe 2018 vintage was warm and dry. The result is a cabernet full to bursting with black cherry, plum, violet, vanilla aromas, lifted and bright.

Quite a presence in the glass. Succulent fruit meets cocoa powder, dried herbs thyme and oregano with a tapenade-black olive savouriness. Expressive, balanced tannins and cigar oak nicely absorbed, complete this delicious picture.

93 Points

Score: 93 Points
Review by: Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot
Cabernet and Barossa fans will applaud this impressive wine that celebrates the best of both worlds. It’s cabernet all right but also carries with it the generosity of flavour that has gained the Barossa legions of fans both here and abroad. Deeply coloured and it immediately displays inviting and expressive aromatics of mulberry and blackcurrant with a gentle leafiness and mocha notes from extended time in French oak. The palate is then concentrated with great energy and vitality – fruits pastilles and cedar notes on a fleshy and rich palate supported by surprisingly supple tannins. It’s so approachable now but you also know it will kick on over the next decade.

96 Points

Score: 96 Points
Review by: Sam Kim, Wine Orbit
It’s gorgeously ripe and fragrant, showing crème de cassis, hint of tobacco, spicy oak and smoked game aromas on the nose, leading to a concentrated palate offering outstanding weight and density, while remaining silky and supple with a terrific persistent finish. At its best: 2024 to 2038.

91 Points

Score: 91 Points
Review by: James Suckling
Aromas of fresh herbs, chocolate, black licorice and blackcurrants. Full-bodied with a dense bevy of black fruit and ground spice. Elegant...

 

$80.00 per bottle


Other Vintages
2013 |  2016 |  2017 | 
CLOSURE
Cork

WINEMAKER
Neville Rowe
GRAPE VARIETY
Cabernet Sauvignon
GROWING REGION
Barossa Valley - Bethany

 

 

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