Cabernet has its origins in the Médoc, Graves, and Gironde region of South-West France. It was possibly known in Roman times, but was certainly recognised by the beginning of the eighteenth century.
Cabernet probably arrived in Australia in 1832 in the collection of James Busby, but it is possible that it may have been brought in with the First Fleet by Governor Arthur Phillip, and it is mentioned by Sir William Macarthur in his description of varieties recommended for cultivation in Australia. It was introduced into South Australia by Joseph Gilbert in the 1840s for plantings at Pewsey Vale.
Wine styles produced from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes will vary according to the climate, soil and winemaking techniques. The wine usually has a complex bouquet and a perfumed, rich, capsicum, multi-berry fruit palate which is often astringent, possessing tannin and needing slow maturation. The juice from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape may be used in the production of rosé wine, as in the famous Anjou Rosé of France, it may be made into a sparkling red wine and it is often blended with other grape varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot in the great wines of Bordeaux in South-Western France and especially with Shiraz in Australia.
World Wine – One of the best examples of this wine we have shipped. Nothing like the stereotype of Bordeaux, this is fresh, vibrant and medium bodied. Lovely purity, the red cherry, blackberry, iodine and subtle spice aromatics leading to a pretty, juicy and energetic palate with plenty of pulpy fruit and round tannins and a lip-smacking, tangy close. Another bargain.
James Halliday – 86/6/4/3/1% cabernet sauvignon/petit verdot/malbec/merlot/cabernet franc. Reaching heights of near perfection, '18 was a vintage responsible for wines just like this. Supple intensity, concentration of flavour without a gram of weight, the length of flavour possessed only by very healthy, perfectly ripe and balanced grapes. What a gloriously seamless wine, continuing the proud legacy of Parterre. Drink by 2041.
96 points
Erin Larkin – James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion
World Wine – The wine offers splendid juicy fruit attack on the nose, showing dark plum and raspberry coulis characters with nuances of toasted almond, thyme and mixed spice. The palate is succulent and beautifully rounded, offering lovely flow and supple texture.Wonderfully composed and elegantly expressed with loads of delectable flavours, superbly structured by polished tannins. Delicious already with a potential to evolve gracefully. 56% cabernet sauvignon, 39% merlot and 5% cabernet franc.
Sam Kim, Wine Orbit
World Wine – “The 2015 Bernadotte shoots above my expectation. It has a clean and fresh bouquet with plenty of appealing graphite notes. The palate is medium-bodied with dusky black fruit sprinkled with black pepper, good length and nicely focused. Tasted blind at the Southwold 2015 Bordeaux tasting.” Neal Martin
Robert Parker/Wine Advocate – “The 2015 Bernadotte has a lovely, lilting redcurrant and cranberry-scented bouquet, the oak nicely integrated, fresh and lively with tobacco coming through with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin, quite light for this vintage, but balanced, with a "breezy" brambly red berry finish. Easy-going Haut-Médoc.”
Wine Enthusiast – Made with the involvement of Hubert de Bouärd of Château Angélus as consultant, this wine is superrich and packed with dark fruit. Despite its high alcohol for a Bordeaux, it is balanced and fruity with tannins the are comfortably cushioned by the fruit and freshened by acidity. Drink from 2021.
The Wine Front – Well flavoured and well put together. Blackcurrant, gum leaf, a light spray of herbs and a chocolate-like note. The mid palate has a roundness to it, somewhat unusually for cabernet, but that will only please most red wine drinkers. Good volume. Good mouthfeel. Tick.
James Halliday – Deep colour; a distinguished, full-bodied
Bordeaux blend with blackcurrant, mulberry, black olive, briar and French
oak all in play. Has the length and balance to repay extended cellaring."
Halliday Wine Companion '17
The Wine Front – Immediately appealing for its perfume, a lock in through choc-mint, sage, dark berry, violet and liquorice
(raspberry and salted) scents. Yum. The palate is supple, finely wrought, just juicy but shaded with very
fine tannins. Flavours roll long, fine, floating on sweet fruit, cool acidity, sleek line of oak and a web of
building tannin firmness. It’s a beautiful young wine but should mature with complete grace. Just so
charming, and great drinking. 94 points. Mike Bennie, The Wine Front
James Halliday – All cabernet, and it's marching to its own tune. Hum along to the chorus of pristine flavours of blackberries, mulberries, juniper and baking spices, plus some chocolate flecked with mint. The palate is well contained, with sweet fruit and oak neatly played out. Tannins are lovely – grainy and textural.
The Wine Front – 'It's the blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (56%) and shiraz (44%) that could take on all-comers.Stand aside. There's a freight train of flavour here and while its brakes are hydraulic its momentum is enormous. For the love of grapes. A huge swerve and plum and blackcurrant flavour comes drenched in cedar wood, mocha and vanilla, though its top notes of tobacco and bay shine throughout like the top edge of wave. Will you take a look at the nut-like tannin on this job. This has more texture than a biscuit, more common than a keyboard. It's sheer old-new-school Aussie red wine brilliance. Rated: 97 Points Tasted: August 2021 Alcohol: 14.5% Drink: 2026 - 2044+' - Campbell Mattinson, Winefront
Huon Hooke – Very deep, dark, youthful purple/red colour with a rich, complex, profound bouquet that has a substantial oak input but not overdone—given the concentration of flavour. The palate flavour persists a very long time. It’s firm and youthful, needs more time, and promises much for the future. Dark berries galore: rich and ripe and very, very attractive. The Real Review, 23 March, 2021
James Suckling – Very charming and precocious with ripe-redcurrant character and a lovely combination of delicate sweetness and supple tannins on the palate, the finish long and silky. Drink or hold.
Decanter – From the Bignon-Cordier family, this is a sleek, sexy Médoc with good chewy tannins and a lovely rich texture to the blackberry fruit. It has a serious edge, showing some menthol notes on the finish and a feeling of freshness that accompanies the entire experience beginning to end. Good persistency. A successful vintage here. Drinking Window 2023 - 2040.
James Halliday – 70% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot, the remainder cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec, 18
months in French barriques (60% new). Bright, clear colour; a remarkably elegant, juicy red and
black berry fruit-filled wine, neither oak or tannins seeking to interfere with the fruit. One of those
rare wines to be drunk now or in 20+ years. Rating 96”
Halliday Wine Companion 2017
James Suckling – Very deep and dark with enormous concentration but also a lot of finesse. There’s some toast and chocolate from oak, as well as great freshness. Stunning harmony and a very long finish that tells a totally fascinating story. A blend of 73% cabernet sauvignon and 27% malbec. Drink in 2020.
Decanter – Made with the fruit from three vineyards: La Pirámide in Agrelo, Adrianna in Gualtallary, and Nicasia in Altamira. It has a ripe nose of black cherry and dark chocolate, with fine-grained tannins on a mineral-drenched mid-palate and notes of cocoa nib and violets. An elegant finish. Drinking Window 2021 - 2035
TA94Tim Atkin
Robert Parker/Wine Advocate – Named after the winery's owner, the 2014 Nicolas Catena Zapata is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec that has been produced since 1997. They use grapes from Nicasia, Adrianna and La Piramide vineyards, mixing grapes from Valle de Uco and Lujan de Cuyo. The blend varies slightly with the year, and in 2014 it is 73% Cabernet and 27% Malbec. It fermented in 225- and 500-liter oak barrels and saw 24 months in barrique. It has developed aromas and feels polished while showing elegance and very classical proportions.
The Wine Front – 70/30 blend of Clare Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. All into French oak.
Most of us would be familiar with the red wines of Tim Adams. If you’ve liked any of his reds in the past, you will enjoy this release plenty. It’s absolutely typical, in a good way. Plenty of dark berried fruit, not too complicated, not simple either. Supple but a firm frame. Feels like cabernet, complete with herbal edges, but feels ripe and generous too. Minty. Floral. Clean. In a very good place.
Wine Spectator – Wine Spectator 90: Layered, with plush flavors of plum, blackberry and black currant preserves offset by firmer charcoal, black tea leaf and warm stone notes. Approachable now but should mellow with mid-term cellaring. Drink now through 2020.
James Halliday – 84/16% shiraz/cabernet sauvignon from Ebenezer; 30–100yo shiraz; 30–130yo cabernet sauvignon. Matured 16 months in new (92% French and 8% American) oak hogsheads; unfiltered. Ben Glaetzer's superpower is upholding glossy brightness and freshness even in the wake of considerable ripeness, all the more impressive in warm drought seasons in the generous northern Barossa. Anaperenna is a showpiece for the modern great Australian blend, brimming in bountiful red and black fruits, backed generously with dark chocolate and coffee-bean new oak. It holds its proportions and considerable alcohol with astonishing confidence, thanks most of all to a bright flash of pure, fresh acidity.
Tyson Stelzer
Published 13 August 2021
All wines over $25 per bottle will be vintage specific. In the case the listed vintage is out of stock, we will inform you via email for approval to go ahead.
Delivery Times
To be able to supply such a unique & extensive range of boutique wines, we don't hold much of the inventory. So with us, there is the added step of receiving the wine from our local suppliers before it is dispatched to you. Most orders are dispatched within 5-10 working days.
Quality Guarantee
Replacement or refund offered if bottles are faulty or damaged. All our deliveries are insured against loss, however you must notify us in a reasonable amount of time.
Sending a Gift
If you would like to include a gift message with your order, please enter that in the order instructions section. We'll print your message in a lovely font on A5 paper. We also won't include the invoice. Tracking will be sent to the email on file.
All wines over $25 per bottle will be vintage specific. In the case the listed vintage is out of stock, we will inform you via email for approval to go ahead.
To be able to supply such a unique & extensive range of boutique wines, we don't hold much of the inventory. So with us, there is the added step of receiving the wine from our local suppliers before it is dispatched to you. Most orders are dispatched within 5-10 working days.
Replacement or refund offered if bottles are faulty or damaged. All our deliveries are insured against loss, however you must notify us in a reasonable amount of time.
If you would like to include a gift message with your order, please enter that in the order instructions section. We'll print your message in a lovely font on A5 paper. We also won't include the invoice. Tracking will be sent to the email on file.
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