D’Arenberg The High Trellis Cabernet Sauvignon

This is a wine of great presence, loaded with classic Cabernet Sauvignon characters of cassis, plums, cedar, red capsicum and violets. Despite the depth and complexity of the fruit, the palate remains true to Cabernet form, providing a sleek mouthfeel framed by a long line of fine, chalky tannins. Powerful, aromatic, persistent and charming all at once. While this wine offers enough fruit to be enjoyed in youth, expect 5-8 further years of careful cellaring to enhance its overall quality and enjoyment.

A warm and dry spring and summer followed by further dry conditions throughout harvest meant a number of things. Firstly disease pressure was negligible, the vast majority of fruit being very clean. Secondly yields were down. Finally ripening happened relatively quickly. From a quality perspective in regards to reds, these conditions produced wines of incredible colour and flavour. Dark, brooding wines with great volumes of fruit and layers of chewy, velvety tannin structure. Big, concentrated wines but beautifully balanced.

Small batches of grapes are gently crushed and then transferred to five tonne headed down open fermenters. These batches remain separate until final blending. Foot treading is undertaken two thirds of the way through fermentation. The wine is then basket pressed and transferred to old American oak barriques to complete fermentation. The barrel ferments are aged on lees, and there is no racking until final blending. This wine does not undertake fining or filtration prior to bottling.

Perfect with steak, game birds, goulash, lamb.