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HIGHBANK VINEYARDS Single Vineyard Cabernet Merlot Cabernet Franc, Coonawarra

The Menzies Vineyard, Yalumba's premium Cabernet Sauvignon Estate, was established in the world famous region of Coonawarra in 1975. Just 2 kilometres wide and 20 kilometres long, the Coonawarra terroir is defined by a long, narrow strip of terra rossa soil over limestone - perfect for growing full-bodied, structured Cabernet. Grapes were selected from vines planted between 1975 and 2010.

Lifted aromas of blueberries and ripe forest fruits jumping from the glass with hints of herb and eucalypt. A fresh palate with abundant juicy blue fruits and classy acid and tannins. The rich taste slides through the mouth with a delicate balance of spice and mulberry which hold on leaving you savouring for the next glass. The Story Behind the Name... Summer ’73 and a rusty bulldozer rumbled into life, signalling the end of “The colony” and a distinct lowering of the Coonawarra skyline. For almost 90 years, families had flocked to Coonawarra to collect the bountiful fruits which grew on the famed red Terra Rossa soil. But as the favour of wine grew, the last fruit trees were felled and on a summer’s day in ’73, the last orchard was demolished. The end of an era, the last of the blockers and the last Sunday drive.

Pete Bissell from Balnaves consistently produces Cabernet of highest order and this little beauty that falls under the $20 mark is just perfect as a cellar starter. Gentle mintiness on the nose. Dusty tannins frame a fantastic medium weighted structured wine. Lovely fruit intensity terrific with BBQ lamb or all on its own.

Cabernet’s dark and brooding deeply delved impenetrable black purple.Classic cabernet again: blackberries and cassis, a distant waft of tomato foliage and of green tobacco leaf; duxelle mushrooms and a sawdusted butcher’s shop floor. A seamless olfactory journey from primary fruit aromatics to secondary and subtle oak underlay. The complete package. Ripe blackberry fruits held in assured check by a neat acid tension. The berry flavours still sweep through the palate, but as quickly as they do the innate tannins of cabernet dry every aspect of your mouth out, and that returning acidity makes everything then taste as fresh and new as the first day of Spring. Definitive cabernet sauvignon flavours and structure, but all too approachable. And that approachability makes this red wine too moreish. The tannins want foods with fat and or a pleasant oiliness. Lamb chops cooked over charcoal. A slowly roasted shoulder of lamb. Kebab and falafel. We would. Oh, and this bottle requires four like or even dis like minded people with four appetites and four correct attitudes towards luncheon.

With four years of cellaring, this Cabernet has matured into a beautifully composed and expressive wine, retaining its elegance while gaining depth and complexity. The once-bright, plush texture has softened into a smooth, refined mouthfeel. Dark berry flavours now unfold alongside savoury cedar, earthy undertones and gently warming spice. The classic Cabernet structure remains, with tannins now silkier and more integrated, guiding a seamless palate. Balanced acidity keeps the wine fresh and vibrant, offering a graceful, layered expression with a long, polished finish.