Magpie Hill Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Appearance: medium deep crimson, magenta edges

Aroma: dark forest berries of cassis, blackberry, bramble smoked cedar, baking spices, preserved orange, milk chocolate, dark molasses, kalamata olive, salted plum, pot pourri, black truffle 

Palate: refined long silky and complete, juicy red currant and cassis, mineral core, umami, star anise, salt bush, black truffle, salted caramel licorice, cocoa powder, liqueur cherries

Cool, wet winter with a very high rainfall followed by a warm to hot and dry summer. The vines grew quickly, developing excellent canopies. Delayed bud burst which affected flowering and gave lower yields. Good tannin ripeness (physiological ripeness) with deep colours in red grapes. This was a cool vintage, which allowed slow development of complex characters and beautiful acidities within the grapes.

Selectively harvested early morning in late April, the fruit was cool when it arrived at the winery. It was destemmed into a closed top fermenter and allowed to cold soak naturally before the ferment was allowed to proceed, followed by gentle pumping over daily from 1-3 times. Some post-ferment maceration ensued for complexity and structure, building complete tannins with intense colours for a total of 21 days on skins; the skins were then pressed gently, creating a wonderfully silky complex blend of classic cabernet charm.

Aged in 100% French oak (51% new) in 225L barriques and 300L hogsheads for 17 months on fine lees. Longer oak aging was sought to build complexity. Blending occurred with no fining and minimal filtration. Bottled in February 2023, released March 2024.

Grilled rib-eye with hoisin reduction, sweet gorgonzola and walnut and radicchio salad