This beautiful wine displays an attractive ruby red colour in a glass. The well balanced bouquet emits medium intensity fragrances of blackberry, dried herbs and earth. It offers coffee, toasted oak and vanilla characters towards the end. The nose smoothly makes way for a lush palate, filled with flavours of juicy forest fruits and soft vanilla, leading to savoury notes. Together with palate coating tannins, these characters culminate in a cocoa and coffee dominated finish.

Berton Vineyard had a humble start in 1996, but through the years set its own imprint in the Australian wine scene. Emphasizing more on the "beauty of simplicity" , like The Berton Vineyard Metal labels, we have great examples of single varietal wines attributing the classic characteristics of single varietal wines with a delicate twist. The Berton Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from the Metal Labels collection is deep in colour and violet hues, intense aromas of red berry fruits, sweet blueberry jam and a gentle touch of vanilla delivers from the oak treatment. On the palate, subtle fine tannins blend gracefully with the distinct flavours black currant, smoky liquorice and well-integrated oak.

This comes from Wrattonbully, north of Coonawarra in South Australia, where Cabernet Franc is emerging as the regions number one red grape variety.

Penfolds Max’s Cabernet Sauvignon is a tribute to former Chief Winemaker, Max Schubert 1948- 1975, a legend in Penfolds history. Max’s constant pursuit of excellence paved the way for those who followed in his footsteps and also allowed the status and heritage of Penfolds to grow. Max’s Cabernet Sauvignon displays the Penfolds ‘stamp’ inspired by Max Schubert.

The Langmeil Blacksmith Cabernet Sauvignon is all about varietal definition. Blackcurrant, blueberries as well as herbaceousness and briary spice, plus a couple of years in good French oak to help drinkability as a youngster.

Langmeil Jackamans Cabernet Sauvignon has developed a deliciously intense perfume of blackcurrants and mulberry with rich dark chocolates after two years in new and seasoned French oak hogsheads. A powerful wine from mature vines.

The domain traces its beginning to the founding in 1984 of Harlan Estate, located in the western hills of Oakville and conceived as a “first growth of California.” In 1996, the family established BOND, a portfolio of “Grand Cru” vineyards whose wines showcase the range of expression of cabernet sauvignon across distinct geographical sites within the Napa Valley. As these varied sites were gradually replanted, many of the young vines contributed to my project. Yet, despite these distinguished origins, my early endeavour could only hint at the individual character embodied by each of our grands vins. The Mascot is a Cabernet Sauvignon predominant blend alongside a balance of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot & Malbec. It started out as a small project shared among the family, winemaking team and close friends .The wine showed charm and over time drew an affectionate following - so enthusiastic a following that they felt this intimate bottling deserved to have an identity of its own. The team took a little convincing, as the wine existed at first in very small quantities. But as more of the newer vines reached an age appropriate to warrant inclusion in the blend (typically 7 - 12 years) a certain number of barrels could be set aside for this project on an annual basis. Drawing fruit from blocks of recently replanted vineyards, The Mascot shares a glimpse into the evolution of its parent estates: a youthful snapshot of their future. The vineyard’s Harlan, BOND and Promontory are part of a yearly replanting program, albeit a very small percentage of the overall size of the vineyards to maintain vine health. This of course means each estate has a small evolving parcel of younger vines which when ready are selected for The Mascot. Each parcel is made separately at its respective wineries then blended during the middle to later stages of the barrel aging. At the core of the philosophy of The Mascot is the family’s passion to ensure the wine is ready for enjoyment immediately on release, hence its aged for a significant time in barrel and bottle before being made available to purchase. From the start, the principal characteristic of The Mascot was vigor tempered by approachability. We decided to mature the wine a little longer, so that, upon release, it was delicious to drink and intensely vibrant, with the force and depth that enabled extended aging, a wine to enjoy viscerally and without excessive reverence. In short, the wonderful wine to share among friends and family. Following a vintage full of changing conditions and demanding decision points, the steady and pleasant progress of the 2018 vintage left the team, at times, in limbo. Contradictory as it may seem, the dramas that sometimes punctuate the definitive months for the growing season help to frame the winegrowing team’s course of action; yet the tranquil succession of weeks that emerged between spring and fall in 2018 left almost entirely open the question of when to harvest. Healthy rainfall in March and April preceded a benevolent summer, whose mildness was interrupted only briefly by a few warming periods. The fruit of the young vines maintained a measured balance that gave the team little indication that harvest was imminent. Fog and temperate days followed in September, when relying more on instinct than empirical cues they began to pick. This judgment, as well as the gentle nature of the season, is confirmed in the subtle, ethereal power of the vintage, which reveals itself first in the deep, brooding aromas of dark fruit, black tea, and herbal notes. The texture expands around a lifted structure, as powdery tannins gently resolve. This diffused, enigmatic softness is anchored on the mid-palate by a gratifying density, which prepares the senses for a flourish of hidden energy and vivid detail that illuminates the finish.

Henschke's flagship Cabernet is named after the late Cyril Henschke who purchased the Eden Valley property in the 1960s. Stephen and Prue Henschke then established the vineyard with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc vines which produces this intensely perfumed Cabernet. Matured in 100% new French oak for 18 months, this exceptional wine shows blackcurrant and cedar characters balanced with superb fine grained tannin.

This wine shows the style of the vintage and quite likely the impact of the small crop. In such years, Cabernet Sauvignon in particular, has a complex but somewhat subdued nose, where the wine hints of the underlying power and complexity but takes years to reveal its true colours. So here we see smouldering red currant, black currant and mulberry, with a floral, violet lift, sitting over cedar and tar. On the palate there is concentration and length - dark fruits combining with firm tannin and leather and tarry notes.