Dukes Single Vineyard Cabernet 2022

Tasting Notes

The 2022 Duke’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon presents a deep ruby red colour with dark cherry edges, inviting you to dive into its complex bouquet. The nose is an elegant medley of red currant, cassis, mulberry, dark chocolate, and cinnamon stick, with layers of fresh tobacco, dark earth, forest floor, dried sage, violets, and raspberry cane. The aroma is beautifully layered, giving way to a wonderfully complex palate.

On the palate, the wine reveals a deep profile of red and black currants, black cherry, and dark, moist earth. There’s a hint of tar and toasted baking spices, with tight, fine-grained tannins that give the wine a chewy, sinewy texture. The finish is long and refined, carrying the fruit to a firm and focused conclusion, with subtle notes of cured black olives and smoked bresaola.

Vintage Conditions

The 2022 vintage was shaped by a cool, wet winter followed by a hot, dry summer that accelerated vine growth and led to lower yields of smaller, more concentrated fruit. A cool autumn followed, allowing for slow development of flavours and a longer hang time for the grapes. The erratic weather in the season didn’t deter the vines from producing exceptional fruit, which is reflected in the wine’s fine tannins, vibrant acidity, and concentrated flavours.

Winemaking

The fruit for the 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon was handpicked in mid-April, once the optimal ripeness was reached. It was destemmed into a closed-top fermenter, where the juice was drained at the crusher to concentrate the must. After several days of cold soaking, fermentation took place with a selected yeast, and the wine was pumped over 1-3 times daily. A post-ferment maceration of another week helped develop a complete tannin structure. The wine was then pressed using a tank press with a basket press program to minimize over-extraction. It was aged for 14 months in French oak barriques and Hogsheads (12% new oak), before being bottled unfined with minimal filtration.

Wine Specs

• Vintage: 2022
• Alcohol: 13.7%
• Residual Sugar: 0.08 g/L
• pH: 3.67
• Acidity: 5.7 g/L
• Vineyard: 100% Estate Grown
• Region: Great Southern, Western Australia
• Sub-region: Porongurup
• Bottling Date: August 2023

Pairing

• Grilled Rib-eye with Balsamic Reduction: The richness of the grilled meat pairs beautifully with the wine’s dark fruit and spice, while the balsamic reduction adds a sweet tang that complements the tannins.
• Ripe Epoisses Cheese with Marinated Pear: The creamy and pungent cheese pairs wonderfully with the wine’s earthy qualities, while the sweet marinated pear adds a refreshing contrast to the depth of the Cabernet.

Best Serving Temperature

Serve the Duke’s Vineyard Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon at 16°C to 18°C to enhance its complex tannin structure and concentrated fruit flavours. This temperature will allow the wine’s depth and subtle spice to shine, offering a well-rounded, smooth finish.

If storing at room temperature (22°C): Place the bottle in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before serving to bring it to the ideal temperature.

FAQ Wine Terms

• Tannins: These are compounds found in grape skins, seeds, and stems that contribute to the wine’s structure. They give the wine a dry, astringent feeling in your mouth, similar to the sensation you get from strong tea. The fine, “sandy” tannins in this wine help it feel smooth and refined.
• Cold soaking: This process involves chilling the grape must (the juice, skins, and seeds) before fermentation to extract more colour and flavour from the skins without extracting too many tannins. It helps to enhance the aromatic qualities of the wine.
• Maceration: This is the process of soaking the grape skins in the juice to extract colour, flavour, and tannins. Post-ferment maceration, in this case, helps develop a fuller tannin structure and adds complexity to the wine.
• French oak barriques and Hogsheads: These are types of oak barrels used for aging wine. “Barriques” are small, 225-litre barrels, while “Hogsheads” are larger barrels (300-500 litres). The oak imparts flavours like vanilla, spice, and toast to the wine, adding complexity.
• Unfined and minimal filtration: These terms refer to the winemaking practices that avoid adding any clarifying agents (like egg whites) or overly filtering the wine. This results in a more natural, expressive wine that retains more of its character and texture.
• Residual sugar: This is the sugar left in the wine after fermentation. The very low residual sugar in this Cabernet Sauvignon (0.08 g/L) means it is very dry, allowing the focus to remain on the fruit and tannin structure.

• Acidity and pH: Acidity in wine gives it a crisp, refreshing quality. The pH level (3.67 in this wine) measures how acidic the wine is. A lower pH means higher acidity, which helps preserve the wine and gives it a fresh, vibrant character.