Leeuwin Estate Prelude Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
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James
Suckling -
Wine &
Spirits
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Lifted and elegant, the nose is a myriad of red cherries, currants, boysenberries and plums. Cumin, dried sage and star anise combine with subtle oak characters. The palate full of energy with bright and balanced acidity. Currants and red cherries are prominent throughout with hints of clove and mocha present on the mid palate. There is a mineral line towards the fi nish that meets gently structured talc-like tannins.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Lots of plum and berry character with hints of rose petals and stems, too. Medium body, firm and lightly chewy tannins and a flavorful finish. Drink in 2021.
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Wine & Spirits
It’s a tight, smooth and supple run from this wine’s sweet blueberry richness to its dark, tobacco-scented tannins. Give it a day of air and the finish opens up, the flavors banking into a long gentle curve. For braised beef or meat pies.
Other Vintages
2020-
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling -
Wine
Enthusiast
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Australian Wine
Companion -
James
Suckling -
Wine
Enthusiast
- Vinous
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Wine
Spectator
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James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker
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Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine &
Spirits
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Wine
Spectator -
Wine
Enthusiast -
James
Suckling
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James
Suckling -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Wilfred
Wong
In 1972, legendary Napa Valley winemaker, Robert Mondavi, first identified the future site of the Leeuwin vineyard as being ideal for the production of premium wine and provided early mentorship to owners, Denis and Tricia Horgan in the establishment of Leeuwin Estate. The first vines were planted by hand over a five year period from 1973.
Featuring state-of-the art facilities, the winery building was opened in 1978, celebrating with a trial vintage. Leeuwin enjoyed its first commercial vintage in 1979, and was thrust into the international spotlight when Decanter Magazine gave its highest recommendation to the 1980 "Art Series" Chardonnay in an international blind tasting.
Maintaining a team of highly skilled and dedicated winemakers, Leeuwin Estate is now under the direction of two generations of the founding family.
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.