Fuddling Cup Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Awards and Accolades

94 Points Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

Sam Kim found a complex and seductive Cabernet combining cassis with cedar, cigar box, dried flowers and warm spice.

The palate showed excellent weight and a fleshy texture, leading into a persistent and highly enjoyable finish. Importantly for a 2019 release, he considered the wine beautifully harmonious and developing very well.

93 Points Ken Gargett, Winepilot

Ken Gargett highlighted the wine’s richer and more powerful side, with blackcurrant, mulberry, chocolate and truffle characters.

Graphite and liquorice emerge as the wine opens, while silky tannins provide balance and focus. His review particularly praised the wine’s concentration and the consistency of its flavour across the palate.

92 Points Ray Jordan

Ray Jordan found the influence of the cooler 2019 season in the wine’s controlled and focused structure.

Blackcurrant fruit is complemented by bay leaf and black olive, producing a savoury expression of Wilyabrup Cabernet that should continue evolving with further bottle age.

Silver Medal 2024 Wine Show of Western Australia

Awarded a Silver Medal when judged five years after vintage, demonstrating that the wine had retained its fruit, balance and structure as it developed in bottle.

Silver Medal 2024 Halliday Australian Chardonnay & Cabernet Challenge

A second Silver Medal from a specialist competition focused on two of Australia’s most important premium varieties.

The result provides further confirmation of the quality and longevity of this mature Margaret River Cabernet.

Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Vibrant crimson moving towards deep garnet as the wine develops.
• Aromatics: Cassis, blackcurrant and black cherry are layered with violet, bay leaf and black olive.
• Mature characters: Cedar, cigar box, dried flowers and gentle earthy notes are beginning to emerge with bottle age.
• Palate: A powerful core of red and black berries fills the palate without becoming heavy or excessively ripe.
• Oak: French oak contributes subtle vanilla, cedar, dark chocolate and warm spice.
• Savoury character: Bay leaf, olive, graphite and liquorice balance the wine’s concentrated berry fruit.
• Structure: Ripe, persistent tannins provide shape and length, becoming increasingly silky as the wine matures.
• Finish: Long, focused and savoury, with lingering blackcurrant, cedar, chocolate and dried herbs.

Wine Details

• Vintage: 2019
• Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
• Region: Margaret River, Western Australia
• Subregion: Wilyabrup
• Soil: Gravelly loam over clay subsoil
• Vineyard management: Hand-pruned and bunch-thinned to control yields
• Oak: French oak barriques
• Maturation: 12 months
• Alcohol: 14.2%
• Residual sugar: 0.36 g/L
• pH: 3.55
• Style: Dry red wine
• Bottle size: 750 mL
• Serving temperature: Approximately 16 to 18°C
• Decanting: Approximately 30 to 45 minutes
• Cellaring: Enjoy now or continue cellaring into the early 2030s

Wilyabrup Cabernet Sauvignon

Wilyabrup sits near the heart of the Margaret River wine region and has developed an outstanding reputation for Cabernet Sauvignon.

The area’s gravelly loam soils drain freely, while the underlying clay retains enough moisture to support the vines through the dry summer. This combination naturally moderates vine growth and encourages the production of smaller quantities of concentrated fruit.

Cabernet from Wilyabrup commonly displays blackcurrant and cassis alongside bay leaf, olive, violet and firmly structured tannins. These characteristics are clearly expressed in the Fuddling Cup Cabernet Sauvignon 2019.

The region’s maritime influence also helps prevent extreme temperatures, giving Cabernet time to develop flavour and tannin ripeness while maintaining freshness and aromatic detail.

The Cooler 2019 Vintage

The 2019 season followed the warmer, more powerful and highly celebrated 2018 Margaret River vintage.

Cooler conditions shaped a more restrained and savoury style of Cabernet. Rather than relying solely on ripe dark fruit, the wine carries additional notes of bay leaf, black olive, violet and dried herbs.

This cooler-season influence has given the wine excellent definition. Blackcurrant and black cherry remain at its centre, but the fruit is framed by controlled tannins, savoury complexity and balanced acidity.

After several years in bottle, these elements are beginning to merge, creating a Cabernet that feels complete and harmonious while retaining the structure to develop further.

Vineyard and Winemaking

The Cabernet vines are hand-pruned and the bunches are thinned to control yields.

Reducing the amount of fruit carried by each vine allows more of the plant’s energy to be directed into the remaining grapes. This can result in greater concentration, stronger varietal character and more consistent ripening.

Following fermentation, the wine was matured for 12 months in French oak barriques.

French oak provides gentle oxygen exposure during maturation, helping soften the tannins and integrate the wine’s powerful fruit. It also contributes subtle cedar, vanilla, dark chocolate and spice.

The oak has been carefully judged. It provides structure and complexity without covering the cassis, black cherry, bay leaf and violet characters that define Wilyabrup Cabernet.

The Story Behind Fuddling Cup

A fuddling cup is a historic drinking vessel formed from several interconnected cups.

The challenge was to drink from one section without spilling the contents of the others. Those unfamiliar with the hidden connections would frequently make a mess, much to the amusement of everyone who already knew the secret.

Once the trick was revealed, it became a shared joke and a way of strengthening the bond between people around the table.

It is a fitting name for a wine intended to be opened, shared and enjoyed over a meal with good company.

Serving and Cellaring

Serve Fuddling Cup Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 at approximately 16°C.

If the bottle has been stored in a warm Perth room, place it in the refrigerator for approximately 45 minutes before serving. Cabernet served too warm can feel heavier and more alcoholic, while a slightly cooler temperature helps define its blackcurrant fruit and savoury characters.

Stand the bottle upright for several hours before opening, particularly if it has been stored on its side. This allows any natural sediment to settle at the bottom.

Decant gently for approximately 15 minutes, as the wine has already matured a long decant is not required. The wine already has several years of bottle age, so it does not require the extended decanting that might benefit a very young Cabernet.

It is drinking beautifully now, but its fruit concentration, acidity and persistent tannins suggest it can continue developing into the early 2030s when stored somewhere cool, dark and temperature stable.

Food Pairing Suggestions

• Roast lamb: Cabernet’s cassis, bay leaf and cedar characters are a natural match for lamb, particularly when cooked with rosemary and garlic.
• Grilled steak: The wine’s ripe tannins and concentrated fruit balance the richness of sirloin, rib eye or scotch fillet.
• Slow-cooked beef cheeks: Dark fruit, chocolate and savoury complexity complement the deep flavours of slow-cooked beef.
• Venison: The wine has enough concentration for game meats, while its violet, olive and dried-herb notes add complexity.
• Mushroom dishes: Mushroom risotto or roasted field mushrooms complement its earthy, cedar and cigar-box characters.
• Roast vegetables: Eggplant, beetroot and roasted root vegetables work well with its savoury flavour profile.
• Hard cheese: Mature cheddar, aged Gouda and firm farmhouse cheeses suit its blackcurrant fruit and integrated tannins.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Fuddling Cup Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 ready to drink?

Yes. The wine has developed beautifully and is now entering an excellent drinking window.

Its primary cassis and black-cherry fruit remains vibrant, while cedar, cigar box, dried flowers, chocolate and savoury spice are beginning to emerge.

Why did a 2019 wine receive medals in 2024?

Some wine shows include classes for mature or older-vintage wines.

Judging the wine five years after vintage allowed the panels to assess how successfully it had developed in bottle. Receiving two Silver Medals at this stage confirms that the wine retained its fruit, structure, balance and length.

What makes Wilyabrup Cabernet special?

Wilyabrup is one of Margaret River’s most highly regarded areas for Cabernet Sauvignon.

Its free-draining gravelly soils and maritime climate can produce wines with concentrated blackcurrant fruit, violet, bay leaf, olive and fine but persistent tannins.

What effect did the cooler 2019 vintage have?

The cooler season produced a more controlled and savoury style than the powerful 2018 vintage.

There is still generous blackcurrant and black-cherry fruit, but it is joined by more noticeable bay leaf, black olive, violet and dried-herb characters.

Should I decant it?

Yes, but it does not need an extremely long decant.

Stand the bottle upright before opening and decant gently for approximately 15 minutes. This will help the aromas open and separate the clear wine from any natural sediment.

Does mature Cabernet contain sediment?

It can. Sediment is a natural result of pigments and tannins slowly combining as red wine ages.

It is not a fault and does not affect the wine’s quality. Standing the bottle upright and pouring it carefully into a decanter will leave most sediment behind.

How long can I cellar it?

The wine is ready to enjoy now, further bottle age is not required.

What does 12 months in French oak contribute?

French oak provides structure and subtle flavours of cedar, vanilla, dark chocolate and warm spice.

It also allows a small amount of oxygen to interact with the wine during maturation, helping integrate its fruit and tannins without making the oak excessively obvious.

 
 
 
 
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