Gourmet Traveller Wine Western Australian Cabernets

First time back with Peter Bourne tasting wines in what feels like ages…it's WA Cabernet - including Margaret River which is, pound for pound, probably my favourite Australian Cabernet region.

Probably the Howard Park was the pick for me of this batch...

• 2013 Forest Hill Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Block 5

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Mount Barker

  Slightly dusty pencil shavings, alcohol heat, red currant, plentiful oak spice. Initially sweet fruit married to slight herbaceous and astringent notes followed by front of mouth grip. Hmm

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• 2011 Kerrigan and Berry Cabernet Sauvignon

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Mount Barker

  Perfumed, cream, over pencil shavings, dusty notes as well, slightly sour blackcurrant. Juicy, slightly sour blackcurrant, hmm.

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• 2010 Alkoomi Blackbutt

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Frankland River

  Concentrated, savoury blackcurrant with pencil shavings and graphite, spice. Slight flabby initially, broad, beamed and, for me, perhaps a little anonymous. Finishes warm.

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• 2014 West Cape Howe Cabernet Sauvignon Book Ends

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Mount Barker

  Cream, slight vanilla, dusty spices, graphite, black currant, slightly earthy with some alcohol heat. Juicy, slightly sharp in fact with hard, and a touch unripe, tannins leaving a sense of dry bitter extract on the finish.

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• 2015 Houghton Jack Mann

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Frankland River

  Polished oak, cedar, vanilla, touches of cream, even a little toast and chocolate, spiced blackcurrant. Juicy, tight tannins, more oak than fruit at the moment. Perhaps fruit too muted for longevity. Hmm

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• 2013 Howard Park Cabernet Sauvignon Abercrombie

  Australia, Western Australia

  Blackcurrant, slight plum, herbaceous notes, sweet spice and cedar. Nice, juicy, spice, fleshy tannins are soft but long. Fruit a little muted on long finish but nice.

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Just the one wine in this bracket - I think the region might be a little marginal for straight Cab Sav?

• 2015 Willow Bridge Estate Coat of Arms

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Geographe

  red currant, earthy spice, bit of alcohol heat, woody notes. In the mouth it's juicy with big chewy tannins, slight dust and spice and the red fruit carries long. Hmm.

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A lot of these wines were on the young side - I was pleasantly surprised by the Brash and the Brooklands...and that Cape Mentelle is kicking goals...

• 2015 Woodlands Margaret

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Fresh blackcurrant, spice, slight cedar and herbaceous notes. Tastes like a muted version of the nose. A decant would probably help this open up - it's a little reticent at the moment.

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• 2015 Cullen Wines Diana Madeline

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  muted blackcurrant and berry, spice, cedar, a little mint. Juicy, slightly sharp black fruits backed by tannins that demand attention and prove drying and flour textured upon examination. Hmm. Very young

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• 2014 Deep Woods Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Pencil shavings, slight wood glue, spicy, peppery with touches of Ribena. More of the same on the palate with juicy acidity and extremely drying talc textured tannins. The impression of the muted fruit carries long with peppery notes. Bit too much structure around the fruit at this juncture for me. Time?

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• 2013 Amelia Park Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  herbaceous and meaty over peppery red currant and plenty of savoury spice…tight tannins, red currant fruit, peppery spice. Perhaps harvested a little young? Meh

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• 2013 Voyager Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Project U12 North Block

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Polished and slightly candied black fruits and touches of briny salinity, a little sweet spice and earth. Juicy, cream joins the jubey fruit, tannins are restrained but the fruit doesn't carry under their drying influence. Drink now with a decant and a good lump of protein. Hmm.

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• 2013 Juniper Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Slightly unripe blackcurrant, spice, cedar, slightly herbaceous with briny notes. It's a touch broader and fatter on the palate than I would have expected - I wonder if there is a little merlot here - tannins are restrained. Mmm

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• 2013 Vasse Felix Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Muted cherry and black currant, sweet spice, slight cream and vanilla, chamois tannins but the fruit is muted on the palate and it's a bit out of whack. Nah

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• 2012 Capel Vale Cabernet Sauvignon Single Vineyard Series The Scholar

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Ribena concentrate, sweet spice, a little toast…this concentrated juice note translates to the palate and it's a bit flabby. Ugh

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• 2016 Windance Cabernet Sauvignon

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Pencil shavings cedar, red currant, a little cream and spice over slightly meaty notes. Tight tannins close most of the palate down very quickly and this finishes a touch warm. A lot of time or a long decant might help but this is quite closed.

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• 2014 Cape Mentelle Cabernet Sauvignon

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Ripe blackcurrant, pencil shavings, sweet spice, touches of salinity. Juicy, spicy, blackcurrant, chamois soft tannins are bold but integrated. Very nice.

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• 2013 Leeuwin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Art Series

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  tight, slightly ripe, blackcurrant, herbaceous, spice, cedar, quote 'broad' smelling nose. Touch of peppery meatiness here. Tight though quite silky textured tannins close things down. A bit on the young side for me.

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• 2015 Sittella Cabernet Sauvignon Berns Reserve

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Medium plus intensity aromas of herbaceous, earthy meaty, slight funky notes over blackcurrant, spice a little cream and tiny amounts of vanilla. Similar on the palate with tongue coating tannins. Feels a little odd in this line up. But also strangely compelling. Hmm.

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• 2012 Forester Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Yelverton Reserve

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Polished oak, Ribena, touches of kerosene, meaty and herby underpinnings. Nice nose. Juicy black over red currant finishes with a medium plus length tannins are integrated and controlled. Nice.

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• 2016 Nocturne Cabernet Sauvignon

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Almost touches of marijuana on the nose backed by meaty spice herbs and cassis. Tight taninns rather close the palate down. Hmm. Time will help I'd hope…

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• 2015 Brash Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Single Vineyard

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Blackcurrant, spice, graphite, cedar, slightly salty herbaceousness. Fresh, juicy, savoury blackcurrant, then tight but flour textured tannins. Long. Good.

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• 2014 Houghton Cabernet Sauvignon Gladstones

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Pencil shavings, blackcurrant, spice, young smelling but quite good typicity on the nose. Tight tannins, juicy, lots of time for me…

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• 2014 Woodlands Cabernet Sauvignon Matthew

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Ripe blackcurrant, sweet and savoury spice almost peppery, pencil shavings, slight cedar. Juicy, blackcurrant, savoury spice. Fleshy.

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• 2014 Devil's Lair Cabernet Sauvignon

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Medium minus intensity aromas of peppery spice, a little meatiness and herbaceousness. With extreme agitation reveals polished oak and blackcurrant but with a fair whack of alcohol heat. Better on the palate just the wrong side of the juicy/flabby line for me but good fruit, controlled tannins, all carry long. Rather pleasant. Hmm

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• 2010 Watershed Cabernet Sauvignon Awakening

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Eucalyptus, leather, savoury spice, slight cassis and almost red currant (oddly enough). Very pencil shavings and red currant in the palate. Tight but controlled tannins. Hmm

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• 2014 Brookland Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Winemaker's Release

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  A little ripe blackcurrant, herbaceous, a little cedar as well and little earth. Juicy, herbaceous, blackcurrant then tight tannins close things down. Nice but young.

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• 2014 Oates Ends Cabernet Sauvignon

  Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River

  Slightly jubey red and blackcurrant backed by spicy, cedar and herbaceous notes. There is something a little off on the nose for me though. Juicy, soft, integrated tannins, fruit carries but it's a little <shrugs> for me.

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A lot of fun…it could be argued that a lot of these wines were too young but it was still an enjoyable experience. Quite a few producers who should go on my list of 'visits' next time I'm over the other side of the country...