2019 Single Vineyard Cabernets

The now famed agronomist Dr John Gladstones was first to identify in the mid-60s Margaret River’s unique micro soils and proximity to the ocean as ideal growing conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon and other members of the Bordeaux family. 

There is no other terroir or climate in Australia better suited to growing these varieties, which include Merlot, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and occasionally Carménère.

As ultra-premium cabernet established a linear, elegant style in Australia, Merlot was a bit all over the shop, until Margaret River taught it to behave.

The award-winning 2019 Evans & Tate Single Vineyard Cabernets reflects some of the great  Bordeaux-influenced blends. The region’s Mediterranean climate allows the retention of elegance and lovely levels of perfumed fruit and tannin ripeness in these blends.

Despite the wine's name, this blend is Merlot-driven, with the grape thriving in 2019. Months in a variety of French oak drives the spicy, fresh, lean and focused profile, the palate encompassing hallmark varietal flavours of dark berry, cedar and choc-vanilla

colour

Bright, deep ruby red with a vibrant purple rim.

aroma

Ripe redcurrant with a touch of cassis and mulberry overlaid by leafy, violet aromas and dusty cedar notes.

palate

Mid-palate wine with remarkable dark fruit flavours allowing for the freshness, and acidity to shine through. A true representation of a Margaret River Cabernet.

cellaring

Drinking beautifully now or keep for up to six years from vintage.

vintage

A prolonged cool and wet growing season meant the vines were lush and healthy heading into ripening. This resulted in later harvest dates, accentuated by the cool and wet ripening months; conditions not experienced in Western Australia for more than ten years. These conditions, coupled with the absence of heat events, produced highly aromatic reds with pristine natural acidity. 

winemaking

Restrained winemaking was adopted in the making of this wine from harvest through to bottling. Each variety was cold soaked on skins for five days at ~8C before being partially wild fermented in separate small open fermenters. When the decision was made to press each ferment off skins, the pressings component was included for each to impart body and flavour into the final wine. Each variety was still kept separate at this stage and throughout the entire ten months of maturation in French oak. Hogsheads (300L barrels) were used for the Cabernet Sauvignon component with puncheons (500L barrels) being used on the other varieties and only 10% being new. This oak selection and duration of maturation ensured perfume and freshness were retained whilst also ensuring a silky and refined palate along with evident complexity. 

region

Margaret River

varieties

analysis

• Alcohol: 14.5%
• pH: 3.49
• TA 6.47 g/L

Fabulous with a herb-crusted roast rack of Western Australian lamb. 

margaret river wine show 2020

wine show of western australia 2020

Halliday wine companion 2022

The blend changes depending on the vintage. In 2019, despite the wine's name, it's actually merlot-led. 52/45/1.5/1.5% merlot/cabernet sauvignon/malbec/cabernet franc. ‘Merlot was great in 2019,' says winemaker Matt Byrne. An 80/20% shiraz/cabernet sauvignon blend, from estate vineyards. Matured 18 months in seasoned French oak barrels. Medium, vibrant purple. A soft, fruit-driven and approachable style of dark berry/cherry/plum fruit. Medium persistence and soft tannins make it ready to drink now. An easy-drinking, quaffing style that doesn't call for too much thought. months in a variety of French oak. It leads the charge in this spicy, succulent wine which offers up a balanced feast of fine tannins, plush (but also lean and focused) fruit and salty acid. Cracking value.