Dalwhinnie ‘Moonambel’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

96 POINTS - Toni Paterson, Halliday Wine Companion
"Harvested from the original contour and front gate vineyard on the Dalwhinnie estate. Open-top fermentation was followed by pressing directly to French oak barriques for 20 months' maturation. This is a beautifully complete wine, not overdone in any way. It has brightness and depth without overt fruitiness, with ripe, graphite-like tannins seamlessly integrated into the body of the wine. Elegant cassis notes shine alongside attractive flecks of crushed herbs. Beautifully proportioned, cleansing, savoury and structural, with impressive length and a long life ahead."

The 2022 vintage was mild and extended, allowing the fruit to be harvested at optimal ripeness. An excellent vintage overall, it performed particularly well for Cabernet Sauvignon, enabling the fruit character and fine structure that define the greatest examples of the variety to shine through.

The fruit for this wine was sourced predominantly from the Cellar Door Block on the Dalwhinnie estate, where it was fermented for 14 days in open-top fermenters. As fermentation approached dryness, the wine was pressed directly to French oak barriques for 18 months of maturation. Careful barrel selection was undertaken to highlight the lift and length of flavour.

Dark purple in colour with red-black hues. Compelling and elegant aromas of cassis, fresh plum and bay leaf rise from the glass, mingling with classic Cabernet Sauvignon notes of cedar pencil shavings and freshly cut grass. The palate delivers intense cassis, sour cherry and savoury dried herbs, supported by a powder-fine tannin structure that carries blackcurrant flavours long across the palate. A wine of finesse and elegance, it is a superb expression of Dalwhinnie Cabernet Sauvignon and, as always, promises to age beautifully. – Julian Langworthy, Dalwhinnie