House Of Cards Kings In The Corner Cabernet Merlot 2024

Awards and Accolades

Gold Medal and 95 Points 2026 International Wine & Spirit Competition

House of Cards Kings in the Corner Cabernet Merlot 2024 received 95 points and a Gold Medal at the IWSC’s 2026 Global Judging in Margaret River. The international judging panel found a vibrant nose filled with cassis and toasted characters. The judges also identified excellent ageing potential, reflecting the wine’s combination of fruit concentration, natural acidity, tannin structure and integrated French oak.

Western Australian Wine Producer Trophy

House of Cards was named the 2026 IWSC Western Australian Wine Producer of the Year following an exceptional performance across its range.

Kings in the Corner Cabernet Merlot 2024 was one of the winery’s three Gold Medal wines:

• Ace High Chardonnay 2025: 100 points and Gold Medal
• The Royals Chardonnay 2025: 98 points and Gold Medal
• Kings in the Corner Cabernet Merlot 2024: 95 points and Gold Medal

This was the second time House of Cards had received the IWSC Western Australian Wine Producer Trophy, following its first win in 2024.

Why the 95-Point IWSC Gold Medal Matters

The International Wine & Spirit Competition assesses wines through panels of experienced international judges, including Masters of Wine, sommeliers and specialist wine buyers. Kings in the Corner Cabernet Merlot was assessed by a five-member panel that included Andrew Caillard MW.

A score of 95 points places the wine within the IWSC Gold Medal category. This recognises an exceptional level of fruit, balance, complexity, structure and overall quality. The result is particularly impressive for a wine positioned as a more accessible member of the House of Cards range. Its Gold Medal shows that careful organic viticulture, traditional winemaking and experienced oak maturation can produce an internationally recognised Cabernet Merlot without requiring the price of a flagship release.

Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Deep ruby red with youthful purple highlights.
• Aromatics: Vibrant cassis and blackcurrant are supported by toasted oak and savoury herbal notes.
• Fruit: Concentrated blackcurrant sits at the centre, with dark plum, mulberry and red-berry characters providing additional layers.
• Savoury character: Leafy herbs, black olive and subtle earthy notes balance the ripe fruit.
• Oak and spice: Seasoned French oak contributes gentle toast, cedar, nutmeg and clove without overwhelming the wine.
• Palate: Medium-bodied and focused, with concentrated fruit carried by lively natural acidity.
• Tannins: Fine but structured tannins provide shape and long-term potential.
• Balance: Merlot brings softness and generosity through the middle, balancing Cabernet’s firmer structure.
• Finish: Structured and persistent, with lingering cassis, savoury herbs, fine tannins and gentle toasted oak.

Wine Details

• Vintage: 2024
• Blend: 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot
• Region: Margaret River, Western Australia
• Vineyard: House of Cards’ single vineyard in Yallingup
• Vineyard certification: Certified organic by Southern Cross Organics
• Body: Medium-bodied
• Fermentation: Open-top fermentation
• Extraction: Hand plunged during fermentation
• Oak: Seasoned French oak barriques
• Maturation: 14 months
• Alcohol: 14.5%
• Closure: Screwcap
• Bottle size: 750 mL
• Cellaring: Approximately eight to ten years
• Serving temperature: Approximately 16 to 18°C
• Decanting: Approximately 45 to 60 minutes when young

The 2024 Margaret River Vintage

The 2024 Margaret River vintage was early, warm and dry, with grapes ripening more quickly than usual across the region. These conditions required careful vineyard management and precise harvesting decisions. Fruit needed to be picked when flavours and tannins were ripe but before freshness and acidity began to fall.

For Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the warm season encouraged concentrated colour and ripe cassis, plum and dark-fruit flavours. The coastal influence around Yallingup helped moderate the warmth, while careful picking preserved the lively acidity and herbal detail identified by the IWSC judges. The finished wine reflects the season through its concentrated fruit and 14.5% alcohol, but it remains balanced and medium-bodied rather than excessively heavy.

Winemaking

The Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot underwent fermentation in open-top vessels. Open-top fermentation allows the winemaker to see and work directly with the layer of grape skins that rises to the surface. This layer is known as the cap. The cap was regularly hand plunged back into the fermenting juice. This extracted colour, flavour and tannins gradually while allowing the winemaker to monitor each batch closely.

After fermentation, the wine was matured for 14 months in seasoned French oak barriques. Seasoned barrels have previously held wine, so they contribute less obvious oak flavour than newly made barrels. They still allow a small amount of oxygen to interact with the wine, helping soften the tannins and integrate the Cabernet and Merlot components.

The finished wine retains its cassis and herbal identity, with the oak appearing as a supporting layer of toast, cedar and spice.

Serving and Cellaring

• Serve House of Cards Kings in the Corner Cabernet Merlot at approximately 16 to 18°C. The traditional advice to serve red wine at room temperature does not work particularly well during much of the year in Perth. At 22 to 24°C, this wine may taste heavier, warmer and less clearly defined. If the bottle has been stored in a warm room, place it in the refrigerator for approximately 30 to 45 minutes before serving.
• When drinking the wine young, decant it for approximately 45 to 60 minutes. This will help the cassis and dark fruit open while allowing the tannins, herbs and oak to integrate. The wine is already approachable because of its Merlot component, but the IWSC judges found sufficient structure and freshness for excellent ageing potential.
• Stored somewhere cool, dark and temperature stable, it should develop for approximately eight to ten years. Over time, the fresh cassis and dark fruit should evolve towards cedar, dried herbs, tobacco, earth and more complex savoury flavours.

Food Pairing 

• Roast lamb: Cabernet’s cassis and herbal characters work naturally with lamb, particularly when seasoned with rosemary or thyme.
• Grilled steak: The wine’s tannins and acidity balance the richness of sirloin, rump or rib eye.
• Slow-cooked beef: Beef cheeks, short ribs and casseroles complement its dark fruit and savoury structure.
• Beef or mushroom pie: The wine’s cassis, toast and earthy characters suit a rich pastry-based dish.
• Roast pork: The softer Merlot component works well with pork, particularly when served with plum or red-wine sauce.
• Lamb burgers: Try it with caramelised onions, mature cheddar and a herb-based sauce.
• Roast vegetables: Mushroom, eggplant, beetroot and roasted root vegetables complement its savoury and herbal notes.
• Hard cheese: Mature cheddar, aged Gouda or farmhouse cheeses suit the wine’s fruit, tannins and toasted oak.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a 95-point IWSC Gold Medal mean?

The International Wine & Spirit Competition assesses wines through panels of experienced international judges. A score of 95 points places this wine within the IWSC Gold Medal category. It recognises an exceptional combination of fruit, balance, complexity, structure and length. For the drinker, it provides independent confirmation that this is a very high-quality Margaret River Cabernet Merlot.

Why blend Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot?

Cabernet Sauvignon provides cassis, herbal complexity, acidity and tannin structure. Merlot is generally softer and brings plum, red fruit and additional generosity through the middle of the palate. Blending the two produces a wine with Cabernet’s structure and length but a rounder, more approachable texture.

What is cassis?

Cassis is the French word for blackcurrant. Wine reviewers use the term to describe a particularly concentrated and sometimes slightly liqueur-like blackcurrant aroma or flavour. In this wine, cassis is the central fruit character identified by the IWSC judges.

Is this mostly Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot?

The blend contains 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot, so Cabernet remains the dominant variety. The wine’s cassis, herbal character, structure and ageing potential primarily come from Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot contributes softness and additional fruit through the middle of the palate without changing its fundamental Cabernet character.

What does open-top fermentation mean?

Open-top fermenters are vessels without permanently sealed tops. During fermentation, the grape skins rise and form a cap on the surface. The open design allows the winemaker to manage this cap directly through hand plunging. This traditional approach provides close control over the extraction of colour, flavour and tannin.

What is hand plunging?

Hand plunging involves manually pushing the floating grape skins back into the fermenting wine. This helps extract colour, flavour and tannin from the skins. Because it is performed manually, the winemaker can adjust how often and how firmly each batch is plunged according to how the wine is developing.

What does seasoned French oak mean?

Seasoned oak barrels have previously been used to mature wine. They add less obvious oak flavour than newly made barrels but still provide gentle oxygen exposure. This helps the wine’s tannins soften and its flavours integrate. For this Cabernet Merlot, the oak supports the cassis and herbal characters with subtle toast, cedar and spice.

What does medium-bodied mean?

Body describes how heavy or substantial a wine feels in the mouth. A medium-bodied wine has noticeable flavour and structure but does not feel as dense or heavy as a full-bodied red. Despite containing 14.5% alcohol, this wine’s lively acidity and controlled tannins help it retain balance and definition.