Ashbrook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot 2015
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Winemaker Notes
Staggered hand-picking over several days the berries are cold soaked, gently plunged and temperature controlled in 4 tonne parcels in open fermenters for gentle and full extraction. The wine is matured in 100% French oak barriques for 2 years, then further stored in our underground climate controlled cellar for 18 months before release. The inviting nose bursts with raspberry jelly crystal and sweet violet aromas. Ripe red berries, cherry plum fruit leather and hints of cassis saturate the palate with fine grained tannins creating a succulent, velvety mouthfeel. The extended maturation in super premium French oak barriques imparts an elegant spiciness and the subtle, leafy nuances typical of old vine Wilyabrup Cabernet which adds to the wines complexity. Ashbrook Estate has made this traditional Bordeaux-style blend since 1984.
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Wine Enthusiast
From one of Margaret River’s early estates, this wine has spent two years in barrel and then another two in bottle before release, which makes a refreshing change from the often-too-young releases from Australia. It’s still tightly wound, however. The classic regional notes of red fruit, pencil lead, black olives and dried herbs are all there, wound by granular drying tannins and a good lick of oak. There’s a little astringency on the finish but overall this neatly achieves the power and grace combo Margaret River is so renowned for.
Other Vintages
2014-
Parker
Robert
Australia’s pre-eminent wine authority and critic, James Halliday, has awarded Ashbrook Estate a five star rating, an accolade afforded to only Australia’s top wineries. He describes the meaning of his five star rating as "Outstanding winery capable of producing wines of very high quality and, did so this year. Also will usually have at least two wines rated at 95 points or above."
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Home to some of Australia’s most elegant and long-lived red and white wines, Margaret River is situated in the farthest reaches of Western Australia. Relatively warm and dry, the region is cooled by breezes from the Indian Ocean. Margaret River takes some inspiration from Bordeaux, producing top-quality Cabernet Sauvignons and Bordeaux Blends with firm structure, mouthwatering acidity, balanced alcohol and notes of herbs and spice. For white wines, refreshing blends of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon as well as complex, age-worthy Chardonnays are regional specialties.