Wattle Valley Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Both our 2019 and 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon are sourced from the Wattle Valley Vineyard. This vineyard is no stranger to Alkimi lovers, as it is where the Marsanne is grown. The vineyard was planted in 1994 in Mount Evelyn. which is an unheard of location for a vineyard in the Yarra Valley. The interesting fact is the area has an amazing symbiosis of soil and climate for growing grapes.

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the original pillars of the Yarra Valley. Historically, it was significantly different to the modern style of today where elegant and ethereal wines had been made from picking Cabernet Sauvignon at lower ripeness. These produced perfumed wines that had discernible “claret” notes of black fruits, silky tannin and tomato leaf.​

Our 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon is a tilt toward the claret styles of old, with the aim of the wine to be elegant, ethereal and perfumed.
Following a reasonably warm 2018 vintage, 2019 was no different. The season was warm with modest rainfall. Harvest was predictably early and reasonably hard and fast. We entered 2019 full of energy and focus to tackle the vintage; certainly a “head down” kind of vintage where artistic considerations came second to making sure things moved along nicely.
 
The Cabernet Sauvignon was picked on 25th March, being a warmer year, flavour and maturity came on early and the earlier picks were conducted to retain the freshness in the wines. Once handpicked, this wine was fermented in a small open vat with regular pump-overs. After 21 days on the skins, the wine was pressed and run to a second use barrique for maturation. One rack and return was conducted after malolactic conversion was complete, and the wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered in January 2020.
 
There are aromas of blueberry, hints of choc-mint iodine and graphite. Notes of vanilla, cola, blackcurrant and liquorice are wrapped around Davidson’s plum.
The palate is elegant, cool and fresh. Notes of blackcurrant, subtle leather and floral tones of lavender blossom. The wine finishes with hints of blueberry, blood orange and tomato leaf. Lacy tannin and acid gives length and a cool, refreshing finish to this claret-style Cabernet Sauvignon.

2021 will go down as a very special vintage. The season will be marked with a nod to the vintages of old in the Yarra Valley where cooler conditions allowed for a long ripening window, giving rise to elegance and intense flavour development.
In the winery it was a vintage to soak up and enjoy. The cooler conditions and low yields combined to allow us to feather the fermentations into their most idyllic spot prior to winter. Overall, vintage was a pleasure.
 
The Cabernet Sauvignon was picked on 7th April at moderate ripeness. Once handpicked, this wine was fermented in a small open vat with regular pump-overs. After 23 days on the skins, the wine was pressed and run to an old barrique for maturation. One rack and return was conducted after malolactic conversion was complete, and the wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered in January 2022.
 
The aroma shows a core of red plum, blueberry and blackberry. Tones of cured meats are followed by notes of vanilla, cola and tobacco leaf.
The palate shows subtle fruit notes with earth and dried tree bark characters. Faint spice notes layer under vanilla and choc-mint tones. The tannins are lacy which dance around the luscious and rounded texture, leading into a graphite and blue-fruited finish.