2015 Passel Estate Lot 71 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon MUSEUM

Wine Details

• Region Margaret River
• Vintage 2015
• Type Red Wine
• Variety Cabernet Sauvignon
• Volume 750ml
• Vintage Notes

  Margaret River experienced moderate to high rainfall throughout Winter, which continued moisture into Spring and early Summer restricting flowering and fruitset, in the 2015 Vintage. Sporadic rains in mid to late Summer slowed red ripening and led to slightly longer hang-times. It was a challenging year in terms of bird pressure, owing to a lack of marri blossom in surrounding bushland; this was kept under control with well-timed bird netting. Quality was high overall, with whites and reds displaying super-fine structure, impressive elegance and minerality. Very low yields make this a vintage to be valued.

• Vineyard Notes

  Our old-vine Houghton clone Cabernet Sauvignon is planted north-south, thus benefitting from even sunlight and warmth on either side of the canopy throughout the growing season. The vines are minimally irrigated, with special attention paid to achieving full solarisation and fruit exposure on each vine through rigorous canopy management and leaf removal. Each vine is then fine-tuned via the removal of excess and green bunches, resulting in perfectly uniform development of opulent tannin with intense fruit flavour and aromatics throughout the block.

• Winemaking

  Fruit from a single block on the estate was harvested and berries crushed (just split) and sent to a fermentor. A regime of cool fermentation on skins for 14 days with multiple, yet gentle daily pump overs was employed in order to extract every morsel of luxury tannin and flavour from each berry. When peak concentration was achieved the wine was separated from the skins directly to a special selection of the finest French Oak barriques, 50% of which were new. The wine was matured in oak for 18 months, before being lightly fined, filtered and bottled.

• Tasting Notes

  Brooding aromas of graphite, blueberries, anise and red currant are flecked with hints of bay leaf, boysenberry and dried herbs. An effortless entry and primal blue and black fruit flavours introduce a coating palate of cocoa-nib, gravel and liquorice, guided by a tensile core of super-fine-grained tannin and poised fruit textures. A tactile ascent to the finish leaves the palate firm, engaged and vital, drenched in fruit and saturated in bristling cherry skin texture.

• Peak Drinking / Cellaring Potential

  This wine will continue to mature gracefully and can be cellared for 10+ years. Only 130 cases were produced.