HOUGHTON C.W. Ferguson Cabernet Malbec, Great Southern

Beautiful fruit sourced from Mount Barker has gone into this excellent stylish and elegant cabernet. Deep, dark and inky; a complex black olive bouquet, with a very rich, powerful and heady mix of cassis, cedar and a little violet thrown in for good measure. Excellent firm structure threads through the controlled intense and balanced palate. A little astringency on the finish. Plenty of blackcurrant and savoury plum flavours with a touch of cedary oak. Cellar 6 years.

This Cabernet Merlot exhibits ripe cassis, dark chocolate and licorice aromas. High notes of cedary oak and bay leaf add further complexity. The palate unfolds in a myriad of layers of ripe blackcurrant and red fruit interwoven with savoury oak. The long and flavoursome finish is well supported by dry and fine grained tannins.

'There's some pretty exciting wine coming from the Frankland River region in Great Southern. Not only are there some fine wineries and winemakers in the region, the climate seems to be well suited to growing premium wines. Not a bad combination, in my view. The establishment up the road in Margaret River should be very proud to see another WA region making such fantastic wines, but it should also be wary of complacency. Singlefile has been on my radar for a while and it seldom puts a foot wrong. This cabernet from the Riversdale Vineyard is further proof of its credentials. It's got just the right amount of fruit, balanced with some more complex savoury characters and a palate that has the tension between tannin, acid and fruit in complete harmony. This is a wine of style and grown-up grace and confidence from a relatively young region...' - Canberra Times, 31 May 2014, by Fergus McGhie.

Quality Margaret River Cabernet at an affordable price! Ringbolt Cabernet Sauvignon has rich fruit with overtones of mulberries, chocolate and a hint of violets. It is well balanced with subtle oak, some cedary, herbal notes and fine tannins on the finish.

Houghton Gladstones Cabernet Sauvignon is a wonderful example of well established wineries in the Western Australian wine scene with access to some amazing vineyards sites within the Margaret River. On show here are marvelous aromas and flavours of bay leaf, black tea and some spicy mocha notes. Excitingly dense on palate with harmonious oak balance and impressive acidity. A brilliant wine.

In the glass: Medium to deep red black. On the nose: Full of bright red cherry with hints of red olive and fine oak spice. On the palate: Quite a jubey and appealing red fruit core giving long and silken flavours that are generous and classy. Fine oak gives subtle support throughout. Lovely now yet with good mid-term potential.