LS Merchants Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Accolades 

96 Points, Halliday Wine Companion

“This is the style of cabernet that offers plenty of detail and complexity, but, more importantly, you just want to crack open the bottle and drink it with food and with friends. It’s composed with such a fragrance and lift, all cassis and just-ripe raspberries, a dusting of spices and some cedary oak, not much, just a seasoning. The fuller-bodied palate is supple with textured tannins and freshness throughout, so it’s drinking beautifully today.”

Tasting Notes 

• Colour: Deep crimson with vibrant purple hues and excellent concentration.
• Aromatics: Fragrant cassis and just-ripe raspberry with blackberry, mulberry and dark forest fruits. Baking spices, dried herbs and a subtle touch of cedary oak add detail without masking the fruit.
• Palate: Fuller-bodied, supple and finely composed. Concentrated blackcurrant and dark berry flavours are brightened by juicy red-fruit acidity, while ripe, textural tannins provide structure and length.
• Finish: Long, fresh and persistent, with lingering cassis, raspberry, savoury spice and fine cedar.

Vineyard and Vintage

Fruit was drawn from two distinct Margaret River vineyards, bringing together complementary expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Treeton Estate: Managed by LS Merchants and home to its cellar door. The vineyard is planted on gravel and loam soils over a clay base in the Treeton subregion.

Jolliffe Vineyard: Selected barrels from this premium vineyard were included to add further depth, structure and regional complexity.

The 2023 Margaret River vintage was warm and dry. Fruit was picked slightly earlier than usual to retain freshness, while the conditions delivered excellent colour, concentration and tannin structure. Dark forest fruits and baking spice reflect the season’s generosity, balanced by lively red-fruit acidity.

Viticulture and Winemaking

Region: Margaret River, Western Australia
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Fruit sources: Treeton Estate and Jolliffe Vineyard

Winemaking:

• Machine harvested directly into one-tonne open fermenters
• Hand plunged two to three times daily during fermentation
• Approximately two weeks of active fermentation and extraction
• A further two weeks of extended maceration on skins
• Extended skin contact builds colour, flavour and fine tannin structure
• Oak influence kept measured, adding gentle cedar and spice rather than overt sweetness

Alcohol: 14.3%
Closure: Screw cap

Serving and Cellaring 

Serve: 16 to 18°C

Decant: Give it 60 minutes in a decanter while young. This will allow the cassis, raspberry and spice aromatics to open while softening the tannin structure.

Cellaring: Drinking beautifully now, particularly with food, or cellar for five to eight years as the fruit and tannins become more integrated and savoury complexity develops.

Food Pairing 

• Chargrilled rib-eye with rosemary butter
• Roast lamb shoulder with garlic and herbs
• Slow-cooked beef cheek or Cabernet-braised short ribs
• Mushroom and thyme ragu with pappardelle
• Aged cheddar, manchego or Comté
• Woodfired pizza with mushrooms, olives and prosciutto

FAQ 🧐

Is LS Merchants Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 ready to drink now?
Yes. Despite its concentration and structure, the palate is supple and fresh enough to enjoy immediately. A decant and a hearty meal will show it at its best.

Is this a heavy Margaret River Cabernet?
It is fuller-bodied, but not cumbersome. Fresh acidity, fragrant fruit and finely textured tannins keep it balanced and energetic.

Where is the fruit grown?
The wine combines Cabernet Sauvignon from Treeton Estate and the Jolliffe Vineyard in Margaret River. The two sites bring depth, perfume and structural complexity to the final wine.

What does extended maceration do?
Leaving the wine on its grape skins after fermentation helps extract additional colour, flavour and tannin. Careful handling creates a deeper, more structured Cabernet without making the tannins feel coarse.

How long can I cellar it?
LS Merchants recommends drinking it now or ageing it for approximately five to eight years. Over time, expect the fresh berry fruit to develop more cedar, dried herb and savoury complexity.

What makes the 2023 vintage special?
Warm, dry conditions produced deeply coloured, concentrated Cabernet fruit. Earlier picking helped preserve freshness and red-fruit acidity, balancing the vintage’s natural power and tannin.