April 3rd, 2024Wine notes with Clive Hartley
Cool local cabernet
Cool climate cabernet sauvignon can be a disaster. It is a late ripening grape variety, so to grow it successfully the vintage needs to be a long one with a warm sunny autumn.
If it fails to ripen sufficiently you get an abundance of obnoxious green herbaceous characters driven by a compound called methoxypyrazine.
This compound is more commonly found in sauvignon blanc and can be attractive, in moderation. The two grapes are related as cabernet sauvignon is the offspring of cabernet franc and sauvignon blanc, so it is not surprising they can share some traits.
In the Macedon Ranges we have a small band of producers who persist in growing cabernet sauvignon, even though the climate could be considered too cool. Why?
The answer lies in the different sub-regional climates that exist, and there are pockets of vineyards that achieve enough warmth to ripen the grapes, sometimes.
There is a history of cabernet in the region with Tom Lazar planting it in 1968, alongside other reds, at Virgin Hills at Lauriston West.
At Drummond North, Zig Zag Road has some 50-year-old cabernet vines that were nearly pulled out in 2019. They have been retained and the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon ($55) is leafy, herbaceous, minty and earthy with touches of red cherry fruit.
Medium bodied at the most, this is a classic example of cool climate cabernet. Another local example can be found down the road at Wombat Forest Vineyard.
Its 2019 ($35) is a light and leafy medium bodied wine with smoky, tobacco and menthol notes. It’s a bit too oak-driven in style, but there is an elegance to the palate that I liked about this wine. The sad news is that the vines have been grafted over.
Blends do seem a more successful option in the region with Glenhope Vineyard’s Gervergizian Cabernet Merlot Shiraz 2022 ($65) showing plenty of pepper, spice and black fruits.
At Granite Hills, vigneron Llew Knight does a couple of red blends involving cabernet. I particularly like his 2017 MCC ($30) which is a classic ‘right bank’ Bordeaux blend of merlot (57%), cabernet sauvignon (28%) and cabernet franc (15%).
It has lovely, sweet plum aromas with floral and peppery undercurrents. The palate displays ripe red fruits on an elegant, medium bodied structure with soft tannins and a long finish. A wonderful cool climate red drinking extremely well.
Clive Hartley is an award-winning wine writer, educator and consultant. His 305 page full colour book Australian Wine Guide (7th ed) is available for purchase from Paradise Books in Daylesford or via his website – www.australianwineguide.com.au
