PANEL TASTING Margaret River Cabernet With climate and soils similar to Bordeaux, it’s unsurprising these Western Australian Cabs share the refined tannins and classic lines of the Médoc, says Anthony Rose DRAWN TO A more leisurely way of life in the late 1960s 0 10 20 as an antidote to the hurly-burly of their professional Cape kilometres practices, it was mainly doctors who heeded the Naturaliste pioneering advice of Dr John Gladstones and discovered 1 Geographe Bay Margaret River that, with its maritime climate and gravelly sandy loams, Bussell Busselton proposed sub-regions Margaret River held the key to making fine wine. Highway 1 Yallingup 4 Treeton As the earliest pioneers (Vasse Felix, Moss Wood, 2 2 Carbunup 5 Wallcliffe Evans & Tate, Cape Mentelle and Cullen) discovered, not E G 3 Wilyabrup 6 Karridale only could they make quality wine with red and white D 3 I Bordeaux varieties, but in an altogether different style R 4 WESTERN from anything that had gone before in Australia. E T Indian Ocean AUSTRALIA Thanks to the influence of the Indian Ocean, the S I Margaret River climate is essentially maritime L A Perth 5 Perth 1 Mediterranean. Within the region there are noticeable Prevelly R WESTERN U 2 AUSTRALIA differences in soils and vineyard topography, and Margaret T A WINE REGIONS temperatures vary during the growing season from River N 1 Swan District north to south. In the case of Cabernet Sauvignon, - 3 2 Perth Hills N I 3 Peel Yallingup tends to produce lighter, cherry-strawberry 4 Geographie W Indian Ocean Bunbury 5 wines with fine tannins, Wilyabrup more violets U Margaret River E 6 Blackwood Valley N 6 4 blackcurrant, dark chocolate, ironstone and silky E 7 Manjimup tannins, and Wallcliffe and Karridale more savoury L 6 8 Pemberton 9 Great Southern Bussell 5 blueberry sage flavours with stronger tannins. Highway 7 9 Elegant, balanced style 8 Denmark Albany Similar in climate to Bordeaux and with the same deep, Cape 0 50 100 free-draining gravels that suit Cabernet Sauvignon, it Leeuwin kilometres can be difficult to tell the wines of these two regions Nelson Maggie Map: apart in blind tastings. The Margaret River style of Cabernet tends to be elegantly balanced compared to Margaret most other Australian and New World regions. Margaret River Cabernet: River: the facts Comparing it with Bordeaux and the more elegant side know your vintages of Napa Valley, there is a similarity of the fine, powdery, Wineries 155 structured and refined tannins. 2015 A mirror of then warm dry weather Area under vine 4,870ha, Blends are not necessarily better in themselves, and 2014, with yields down throughout harvest for producing 25,410 tonnes there is perhaps not the same requirement in Margaret but extended ripening concentrated flavours. (compared to 13,041 River as in Bordeaux to use the full range of Bordeaux period for reds. tonnes in 1999) varieties to guard against the vagaries of the season. 2011 Warmer and Unofficial sub-regions Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc work well, while 2014 Warm and dry, drier than average with There are six localities earlier-ripening Merlot, depending on site and vintage, with perfect ripening good yields and good based on climate and soil: often adds mid-palate softening to the more structured and low yields, giving flavour and aromas. Yallingup, Carbunup, Cabernet Sauvignon. Of late there has been interest in reds of weight, density Wilyabrup, Treeton, Malbec for blending into Cabernet for its fragrance and and texture. 2010 Good winter Wallcliffe and Karridale ability to deal with warmer seasons. In great years, rains then hot January; Top 5 grape varieties by Cabernet Sauvignon will generally outshine the blend. 2013 Steady good yields with pretty share of production Alcohol levels seem to be falling, often from 14.5% to ripening of Cabernet wines of great ageing. Sauvignon Blanc 21%, 14% or 13.5%. There is growing interest in organic and Sauvignon; lower yields Cabernet Sauvignon 19%, biodynamic wine and more wineries look set to certify. with great wines picked 2009 Textbook Semillon 17%, Chardonnay Margaret River is at the forefront of the elegant, early and some rain harvest. Yields low but 15%, Shiraz 14% ➢ balanced style, with a move away from the more dilution in the south. balanced, intense reds. Source: Wine Australia, September alcoholic, oaky, extracted wines of the past. If you like 2016 your Cabernet Sauvignon classic, mid-bodied and with 2012 One of the best 2008 Classic good ageing potential, this is the region for you. Cabernet Sauvignon conditions. Good yields. vintages. Healthy vines Balanced, soft tannins in Anthony Rose is the Decanter World Wine Awards from good rains and Cabernet Sauvignon. Regional co-Chair for Australia DECANTER • January 2017 | 87 PANEL TASTING MARGARET RIVER CABERNET The results Outstanding 95–97pts A good standard of winemaking, especially from the standout enclave of Wilyabrup, property comprises several vineyards with one of the highest grades of was the highlight, with judges critical of price versus quality. Christelle Guibert reports biodiversity in the Wilyabrup area. Sarah Ahmed Sweet ripe raspberry and cassis aromas with a flash of WHEN GIVEN THE opportunity to taste 80 wines from ‘They have an Old World feel in eucalyptus. There is an alluring fluidity and fruit concentration on the one of the world’s top Cabernet Sauvignon regions, it The scores palate, with ripe and seamless tannins. Dignified and handsome, with a was not surprising that our judges’ expectations were terms of their acid and tannin 80 wines tasted Clairault, Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, perfumed finish tinged with earth and kelp, lending a sense of place very high. They were anticipating stylish, classy reds, Exceptional structure’ Sarah Ahmed Wilyabrup 2012 and real character. however left the tasting feeling rather underwhelmed. 0 Justin Knock MW questioned whether producers Decanter average score: 95/100pts Individual judges’ scores: Justin Knock MW Dark and cedary, with cola and berry fruit. Really were resting on their laurels a bit: ‘Margaret River has It is the Bordeaux style, so obviously oak and Cabernet Outstanding Sarah Ahmed 94 Justin Knock MW 97 Anthony Rose 94 lovely balance and purity, with complex graphite tones, an underlying had a great run of vintages and I wonder if that has had are made for each other, and you don’t really need to be 1 N/A UK www.clairaultstreickerwines.com.au sweetness, succulent blueberry fruit and white chocolate oak. Superb! a negative impact on style and quality. Are producers shy when using oak in Margaret River.’ Rose enjoyed the 2012 was a showstopper of a vintage for Margaret River Cabernet and it Highly Anthony Rose Seductively spicy blackcurrant fruit quality that is nicely really going to the ultimate extreme to make the best ‘mintiness and leafiness you expect from Margaret River’ shows in this wine. The grapes were hand-harvested from the oldest Recommended ripe and juicy with a fresh cassis and cherry fruit sweetness. This is wines they can? They are both blessed and cursed by but felt many wines ‘lacked the satisfying flesh and vines on the Clairault Vineyard (planted in 1976) and fermented on skins well-crafted and admirably balanced, finishing on a bittersweet the ease of their climate and I don’t think they’ve had to concentration that made me want to drink more’. 16 for 10 days before pressing by winemaker Bruce Dukes. The wine was chocolatey note that adds a new dimension to an engaging style. work as hard as other Cabernet regions.’ The judges found some sub-regional individuality, Recommended matured in both new and used French oak for 10 months for textured Anthony Rose agreed. ‘Coonawarra, Australia’s other with Wilyabrup excelling. Ahmed felt those were: 38 finesse and subtle rather than overt cedary aromas. The Clairault Drink 2017-2023 Alcohol 14.5% top Cabernet region, has reinvented itself in a way, but ‘polished and structured with a good depth of fruit’ Margaret River has not had to do that. But it will have to while the wines from Yallingup were ‘denser, sturdier Commended at some stage and should do so sooner rather than later and chunkier, with sweet ripe fruit’. For Knock, the wines 15 Highly Recommended 90–94pts because the wines we tasted were not good enough for from Wallcliffe were a mixed bag. ‘It’s cooler down there Fair the prices they are asking. Margaret River producers are so the wines are more herbal. Some were more savoury living a charmed life, but that charm is in doubt.’ and bretty but that actually suited their character.’ 10 Sarah Ahmed notes a stylistic change in the wines: Ahmed felt these Margaret River Cabernets offered a Poor ‘The younger wines are moving towards a fresher style great alternative to Bordeaux or California: ‘They are 0 with good structure and bright fruit, with the best wines restrained, medium-bodied, food-friendly wines. And Faulty showing fine but firm tannins.’ For Knock, the best wines aside from their menthol character, they have an Old Amelia Park, Reserve Cabernet Ringbolt, Cabernet Sauvignon Xanadu, Cabernet Sauvignon were those that showed ‘charm, softness and ease of World feel in terms of their acid and tannin structure, with 0 Sauvignon 2013 94 SA 92 JK 95 AR 94 2013 94 SA 96 JK 94 AR 92 2013 94 SA 95 JK 95 AR 92 access’. He said: ‘I don’t want to feel like I need to not such overt cassis fruit as you find in Coonawarra.’ £39.50 New Generation McKinley, St Andrews Wine £14 AC Gallie, Flagship Wines, Love Wine, Tesco, £18 Cru arm-wrestle a Margaret River Cabernet to the ground.