Vintage Conditions

The Maritime climate of the Margaret River and surrounding areas makes grape growing a pleasure. The warm dry summers and cool wet winters allow vines to prosper in relatively low disease pressure conditions. The ideal scenario is for plentiful winter rains to leave the soils with good levels of stored moisture which can then be drawn on as required by the actively growing vines, with the occasional summer rains to wash dust from the leaves and top up the soil profile. The extended ripening period for red wine varieties in 2015, due to the low weather pattern of Cyclone Olwyn rolling into the region in early March, enhanced fruit flavour profiles and allowed for softer tannin levels. Quality for the 2015 vintage was high, however yields were down across the region.

Winemaking Note

The fruit is harvested, de-stemmed and crushed, so that each berry is just split. This is to ensure minimal berry degradation during the fermentation process and to promote fresh, clean flavour production by our very specifically selected yeast strain. Our ferments are, by industry standards, cool and gentle, allowing slower, more controlled extraction of tannin and flavour. The wine is pumped over three times a day and then judiciously backed off as the wine develops. This wine was on skins in the fermenter for 14 days, before gentle pressing and barrelling down. The result is clean, pure fruit flavours, boasting supple yet powerful tannin. The wine was aged in French oak barriques for 18 months before the wine was removed from barrels, clarified and bottled.

Tasting Notes

At 40 years of age, the 'A-block' Cabernet Sauvignon is the oldest planting in the Clairault vineyard. Hand-picked and with a lyre trellis system, each vintage yields fruit of exceptional quality. Our winemaking practices have moved it into a contemporary Margaret River style, focused on vineyard expression and finesse.

Accolades

94/100 - James Halliday Wine Companion 2020
93/100 - Ray Jordan's WA Wine Guide 2019

Cellaring

This wine has been cellared for you to enjoy now, or will continue to evolve under suitable cellaring conditions.