2018 Redbrook Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

“Humbled and proud is what our small team at 'E&T' felt when we learnt that our 2018 Redbrook Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon had been awarded Best in Show out of more than 18,250 wines at the 2023 Decanter World Wine Awards – the world’s largest and most influential wine competition no less.

"Our Redbrook Vineyard in the heart of the Wilyabrup area in Margaret River has consistently grown special Cabernet Sauvignon since the 1970’s, so when the extraordinary 2018 vintage came along, we knew we had the potential to elevate this wine into the stratosphere – which the judges at the DWWA also recognised!

"If I could choose any place in the world to grow Cabernet Sauvignon it would be on this small plot of land at Redbrook in Wilyabrup…hands down.”

Senior Winemaker Matt Byrne

colour

Vibrant, deep purple/black with a dense purple rim.

aroma 

A potently perfumed, layered wine that showcases the essence and class of Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon. Cassis, black olive and dried herb with tobacco leaf, redcurrant and floral notes. An underlying nuance of cedar and lightly roasted spices from maturation in well-seasoned French oak hogsheads (300L). 

palate

The palate is seamless and fine with tremendous length and intensity of flavour. It has a lovely savoury tannin grip that Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon is renowned for. 

cellaring

Will continue to develop complexity for up to 15 years from vintage.

vintage

November 2017 was very dry – the driest since 1999 – which provided excellent flowering and fruit set conditions. A rare rain event resulted in the wettest December since 1996, then dry and warm conditions followed, so the event was ideally timed. So too was rain from the tail end of Tropical Cyclone Joyce on 17th January 2018, which saw only 17mm fall in Margaret River. After this mid-January rain event, an extended dry and warm period followed right up to mid-April. Rainfall was well below the long-term average and maximum temperatures were bang on the long-term average (with the return of cool summer nights Margaret River is renowned for and an essential element for exceptional vintages).

Our first pick was on Thursday 8th February and the season 'broke' on Monday 23rd April with our last pick (Cabernet Sauvignon of course!) being Friday 20th April.

Being located in the hallowed Wilyabrup area (which is home to what we believe is Australia’s best Cabernet Sauvignon growing conditions!), the moderating influence of the Indian Ocean coupled with the soil and mesoclimate on our 20-hectare Redbrook Vineyard, make it an extraordinary and inspirational place to grow vines. Redbrook was planted in 1975 and is home to some of the oldest vines in Margaret River. The sheer quality and scarcity of this old vine Cabernet fruit inspires us each year to make wines of the same calibre from this historic piece of land.

winemaking

Our Redbrook Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was picked on 13th April 2018. The cold fruit was transferred to a small fermenter where it was cold soaked for 5 days before the onset of wild fermentation. A yeast culture was then added mid-way through fermentation.  Following pressing, the wine was transferred into a combination of new (21%) and used French oak hogsheads (300L) where they underwent a short malolactic fermentation. After 15 months in barrel, and being topped monthly, each individual barrel was tasted and assessed to determine which barrels were included in the final blend. The wine was then carefully blended and bottled without fining or filtration followed by extended maturation in bottle prior to release.

region

Margaret River 

variety

Cabernet Sauvignon 

analysis

• Alcohol: 14.0%
• pH: 3.54
• Acidity (TA): 6.60 g/L
• Vegan-friendly

Chargrilled hogget backstrap with mint sauce.

Decanter World Wine Awards 2023

Best in Show 

"Made after the warm, Indian-summer vintage of 2018, considered exceptional for Cabernet. The summer warmth is very much apparent in the wine’s aromas, though: a broad, structured upland of currant, plum, black cherry and bramble fruit with just a little menthol to bring freshness and dimension. On the palate, the wine is acid-balanced and smooth, once again throwing a spotlight on to those long, complex fruits. It’s amply accessible already, though its fruit qualities will certainly hold for some years yet."

Perth Royal Wine Awards 2021

Perth Royal Wine Awards 2020

Royal Hobart Wine Show 2021

Margaret River Wine Show 2021

Margaret River Wine Show 2020

Ray Jordan Wine Guide 2024

Okay, here's the thing. I loved this wine when first tasted last year and gave it very high points. But the extra year has revealed even more and has prompted me to add another notch to the score. Most noticeably a glorious, perfumed fragrance has emerged. It's from the wonderful 2018 vintage, which continues to amaze with its red wines in particular. Leafy black fruits on the nose with a trace of brick dust and bay leaf, black olive. The palate is smooth and seamlessly structured with fine minerally tannins. A super wine with years ahead of it.

97

Halliday Wine Companion 2023

Matured for 15 months in French oak (22% new). Potently intense fruit here – the wine enters the mouth with fanfare and pomp; the fruit that gathers there is riddled with cassis, raspberry leaf, black tea, pepper, exotic spice and more. Classical cabernet from Margaret River, from a great vintage. Exactly what we have come to expect from the Redbrook Reserve range.

Ray Jordan Wine Guide 2023

From the wonderful 2018 vintage, which continues to amaze with its red wines in particular. This is a cracking wine. Leafy black fruits on the nose with a trace of brick dust and bay leaf, black olive. The palate is smooth and seamlessly structured with fine minerally tannins. A super wine with years ahead of it.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate 2022

The 2018 vintage was lush and excellent, and this 2018 Redbrook Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is an accurate barometer of what we can expect from both the region and the season. It features abundant fruit wrapped in velvety tannins. This is age-worthy and slowly evolving and hasn't yet approached its first stage of development—it is still ascending.