2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River
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Tasting notes
90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot. Aged for 18 months in French oak (58% new). Oxidative edge to the fruit, not entirely fresh on the nose although the palate is more complete. Dry, fibrous and full on the finish, but not especially lengthy and limited complexity with that fruit somewhat tiring in this bottle, at least. (RH)
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 4% Merlot. Aged 18–20 months in oak (55% new). Sweetly oaked, blackcurrant and tomato leaf, reasonably light on the palate, with semi-firm tannins and moderate acid. Accessibility is the watchword here. There's a type of medicinal complexity on the finish. Easy-going, but not showing a huge amount of complexity for its five years' age yet. (RH)
Full bottle 1,440 g (cf 1,250 g for the 1983). Cork stopper. 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Petit Verdot, 4% Merlot. Good winter rains, warm spring, good mild flowering conditions, mild breezy conditions, generally dry season with warmer January and February. Replenishing rain event in late January meant the fruit was dry-grown. Average mild temperatures through March and April, low disease pressure year of high quality with average yields. Fruit was hand-harvested by block and kept separate, destemmed, berry sorted, lightly crushed, fermented on skins for 34 to 35 days on average. Basket-pressed, hard pressings separated, racked to barrel for malolactic conversion on lees in bordeaux barrels (55% new) and aged for 18–20 months and then blended before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. Very dark crimson. Reserved nose with marked acidity – and some of that balsam. This is a youthful wine that reminds me, unlike the other vintages in this collection, rather of en primeur tastings. Though to be fair, the tannins have been very well worked and it's certainly not painful to taste now. It's just a bit embryonic. Much riper than the 1983 and 1992. Promising but … still a bit callow and simple. On the basis of the older vintages, I'm sure it'll get there but it seems more than two years younger than the 2014. (JR)
Cape Mentelle's 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon boasts traditional claret-styled notes of cigar box (cedar and tobacco), alongside earth, cola and cassis. It's medium to full-bodied, with a smooth, silky feel on the palate and hints of raspberries and tea on the long, gently tannic finish. Looking at my notes and scores for previous vintages, I can't help but wonder if I'm being too tough on this admittedly excellent wine, or if it's maybe just too elegant for my personal tastes.