Technical Analysis
Grapes for this wine have been sourced from the same vineyard (the 1.2 ha Fruit Trees block in Langhorne Creek) since the first Reserve Cabernet in 1996.
Tasting note
Clear Cabernet fruit aroma, intense and pure. The palate is splendidly full bodied and mouth filling, without being heavy. Elegant and cool despite the depth and complexity of flavour present. Plenty of nice firm tannin adds length and suggests a long cellaring life ahead if desired.
Vintage conditions
A great vintage, delivering very high quality grapes which ripened at a steady pace, allowing for picking at the optimum time and making the cellar work a pleasure. An outstanding year for the wines.
Vinification details
Constant hand plunging throughout the fermentation is used to assist with colour and tannin extraction from the grape seeds and skins. At the end of ferment, the wine is pressed using manual basket presses. Maturation takes place in French oak barriques (225l barrels) for 18 months; approximately 40% new barrels are used. The wine is crushed, fermented, matured and bottled on the property.
Technical Analysis
Grapes for this wine have been sourced from the same vineyard (the 1.2 ha Fruit Trees block in Langhorne Creek) since the first Reserve Cabernet in 1996.
Tasting note
Packed with varietal flavour. Full bodied and pure, with abundant ripe tannin for balance, this is a delicious wine to drink now or cellar for the long term.
Vintage conditions
Production was smaller than usual but the mild dry conditions which prevailed in early autumn 2018 were ideal for ripening the Cabernet to perfection.
Vinification details
Constant hand plunging throughout the fermentation is used to assist with colour and tannin extraction from the grape seeds and skins. At the end of ferment, the wine is pressed using manual basket presses. Maturation takes place in French oak barriques (225l barrels) for 18 months; approximately 40% new barrels are used. The wine is crushed, fermented, matured and bottled on the property.
Technical Analysis
Grapes for this wine have been sourced from the same vineyard (the 1.2 ha Fruit Trees block in Langhorne Creek) since the first Reserve Cabernet in 1996.
Tasting note
Plenty of fresh red berry and cedar/tobacco aromas. The palate is full bodied without being heavy, with a very open personality and a lovely soft texture. The long finish features good tannin grip for balance.
Vintage conditions
The growing season was very dry and warm, producing an early harvest – but with cooler weather during the final stages of ripening distinguishing it from the preceding vintage and lending a degree of elegance to the wines. Winter and spring rainfall was well below average, with June, July, September and October unusually dry. Suddenly in October (the middle month of spring and a period of rapid growth for the vines) it turned very warm. December was also well above average in temperature, with 10 days through the month over 36°C. Temperatures eased after New Year and then significant rain (58mm at McLaren Vale) at the end of January and early February heralded a change in the season. Fortunately there was no further rain, which could have caused problems. Conditions were then close to ideal for the final stages of ripening in February and March, with mild sunny days and cool nights, maintaining a lovely freshness in the wines of this vintage.
Vinification details
Constant hand plunging throughout the fermentation is used to assist with colour and tannin extraction from the grape seeds and skins. At the end of ferment, the wine is pressed using manual basket presses. Maturation takes place in French oak barriques (225l barrels) for 18 months; approximately 40% new barrels are used. The wine is crushed, fermented, matured and bottled on the property.
Technical Analysis
Grapes for this wine have been sourced from the same vineyard (the 1.2 ha Fruit Trees block in Langhorne Creek) since the first Reserve Cabernet in 1996.
Tasting note
The wine has sweet red berry and cedar aromas, along with earthy, mineral notes. The palate delivers on this promise, with a full body and purity of flavour along with firm tannins which make their presence felt on the long finish.
Vintage conditions
A dry winter and especially dry spring combined with well above average temperatures to have the vines growing very rapidly and advanced in their maturity at all stages following budburst. Even so, the speed of the final stages of ripening caught everyone by surprise. The temperature dropped for the first month of summer and everything slowed down, then a very hot first week of January (reaching 42°C on January 2nd) was followed by an unusually cool and cloudy one, along with 46mm of rainfall. Noon’s Cabernet vines ripened later than Shiraz, with harvest taking place in April 2015.
Vinification details
Constant hand plunging throughout the fermentation is used to assist with colour and tannin extraction from the grape seeds and skins. At the end of ferment, the wine is pressed using manual basket presses. Maturation takes place in French oak barriques (225l barrels) for 18 months, of which approximately 40% are new. The wine is crushed, fermented, matured and bottled on the property.
