Lenton Brae Cabernet Merlot 2023

Awards and Reviews

93 Points and Ray Jordan’s Top 100 Reds

“One of the longest-running Cabernet Merlots from Margaret River, and it always produces an excellent wine suitable for current drinking through to medium-term cellaring. This one is another vintage that really captures what it’s all about. It’s smooth and textured, with plush, controlled fruit presented on the palate. A fine powdery tannin influence gives it definition, and it is sustained through to a long finish.”

93 Points Barry Weinman, Weinman on Wine

Weinman praised the wine’s supple texture, balanced acidity and tannins, describing it as a remarkably enjoyable, food-friendly red made for early drinking. He considered it a bargain at its price and noted that it still possesses genuine depth and interest.

92 Points Cyndal Petty, Winepilot

“Lenton Brae have a consistent style across the reds. From entry to the top. Plummy and generous. That’s the common string. Ripe dark fruits and bramble. Blackberry compote, lead pencil and slate. An enjoyable wine. The palate is medium-bodied and once again fruit-focused. This is a safe wine in shelves full of wild cards. A go-to. Enjoyable. Drink on a Wednesday after a hard day at work. It’s sure to wash away the blues.”

Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Deep ruby red with youthful crimson and purple hues.
• Aromatics: Ripe plum, mulberry, blackberry and bramble are joined by red fruits, graphite and a subtle leafy fragrance.
• Palate: Smooth, medium-bodied and generously fruited, with plum, blackberry compote and red berries flowing across the palate.
• Savoury character: Lead pencil, slate, gentle spice and restrained French oak provide contrast to the ripe fruit.
• Structure: Fine powdery tannins give the wine definition while remaining soft enough for immediate enjoyment.
• Finish: Long and balanced, with lingering dark fruit, graphite, subtle oak and finely textured tannins.

Wine Details

• Vintage: 2023
• Blend: 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot
• Region: Margaret River, Western Australia
• Subregion: Wilyabrup
• Fermentation: Open static stainless-steel fermenters
• Time on skins: 10 days
• Oak maturation: 15 months in new and older French oak barriques
• Alcohol: 13.5%
• Acidity: 5.99 g/L
• Residual sugar: 0.74 g/L
• Cellaring: Drink now or cellar for at least five years
• Serving temperature: 16 to 18°C

A Five-Variety Bordeaux-Style Blend

Although the wine is named Cabernet Merlot, it is actually a carefully assembled blend of five traditional Bordeaux varieties.

Cabernet Sauvignon forms the backbone, bringing black fruit, tannin structure and length. Merlot softens the Cabernet and adds plum, mulberry and generosity through the middle of the palate.

Cabernet Franc contributes fragrance and fresh red-fruit character, while Malbec adds colour and flesh. The small amount of Petit Verdot provides additional depth, spice and structure.

Together, these varieties create a more complete and layered wine than Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot might produce alone.

Fifteen Months in French Oak

Following fermentation, the wine matured for 15 months in a combination of new and older French oak barriques.

New oak can contribute spice, structure and subtle cedar or graphite-like characters. Older barrels allow the wine to mature gradually without adding as much obvious oak flavour.

Using a mixture of both allows the oak to support the wine’s plum, blackberry and red-fruit flavours rather than covering them.

Serving and Cellaring

Serve Lenton Brae Cabernet Merlot at approximately 16 to 18°C.

If the bottle has been stored in a warm room, place it in the refrigerator for around 30 minutes before serving. A slightly cooler serving temperature will keep its fruit fresh and its tannins clearly defined.

The wine is deliberately made to be enjoyed in its youth. Opening it 20 to 30 minutes before serving will help reveal more of its plum, blackberry, graphite and subtle oak characters.

It can also be cellared for five years or longer. With time, the fresh fruit should soften and develop towards cedar, dried herbs, earth and savoury complexity.

Food Pairing 

• Parmesan and herb-crusted lamb chops: The winery’s suggested pairing complements the wine’s ripe fruit, savoury detail and fine tannins.
• Roast lamb: A classic partner for Cabernet-based wines, particularly when served with rosemary, garlic and roasted vegetables.
• Beef dishes: Try it with grilled steak, beef burgers, slow-cooked beef cheeks or a rich cottage pie.
• Mushroom dishes: Mushroom risotto, grilled portobello mushrooms or a mushroom ragu will complement its earthy and graphite-like characters.
• Midweek favourites: Its soft texture makes it an easy match for pizza, pasta with tomato and beef, or sausages with mashed potato.
• Firm cheeses: Mature cheddar, Gouda and farmhouse cheeses suit its generous fruit and powdery tannins.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cabernet Merlot a single grape variety?

No. Cabernet Merlot is a blend led by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

This wine also contains smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, making it a five-variety Bordeaux-style blend.

What does Merlot add to Cabernet Sauvignon?

Merlot adds softness, plum fruit and generosity through the middle of the palate.

Cabernet Sauvignon contributes the wine’s structure and length, while Merlot makes the blend rounder and more approachable when young.

Is this a heavy red wine?

No. It is medium-bodied, smooth and fruit-focused rather than especially heavy or powerful.

It has enough tannin and structure to accompany food, but the tannins are fine and powdery rather than hard or aggressive.

Can I drink it now?

Yes. The wine was specifically made to provide pleasure in its youth.

Opening the bottle approximately 20 to 30 minutes before serving will help its plum, blackberry and savoury characters become more expressive.

How long can I cellar it?

The winery recommends drinking it now or cellaring it for at least five years.

Winepilot suggests a drinking window extending through 2029. Under suitable storage conditions, well-kept bottles may continue developing beyond that point.

What is an open fermenter?

An open fermenter is a fermentation vessel without a sealed top.

It gives the winemaking team easy access to the fermenting wine, allowing them to gently move the juice over the grape skins and carefully manage the extraction of colour, flavour and tannin.

What is a pumpover?

During fermentation, the grape skins naturally rise and form a layer at the top of the vessel.

A pumpover takes juice from below this layer and gently moves it back over the skins. This extracts colour and flavour while allowing the winemaker to control how much tannin enters the wine.

What is a French oak barrique?

A barrique is a relatively small oak barrel, traditionally holding approximately 225 litres.

The wine’s 15 months in new and older French oak helped soften its texture while adding subtle structure, spice and savoury complexity.

 
 
 
 
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