Frequently Asked Questions
Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon typically commands premium prices due to the region's exceptional reputation for producing some of Australia's finest examples of this varietal. This 2016 vintage offers all the hallmarks of premium Margaret River Cabernet - silky tannins, French oak integration, and complex layering - but at a fraction of the usual cost. The wine has had seven years to develop those coveted tertiary characteristics that collectors usually pay top dollar for.
Margaret River's Mediterranean climate, with its warm dry summers and cool wet winters, creates perfect conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon to ripen slowly and develop complexity. The region's unique terroir, influenced by ocean breezes and ancient granite soils, produces wines with exceptional balance between power and elegance. This particular 2016 showcases the region's ability to create medium-to-full bodied wines with vibrant natural acidity that ages beautifully.
These distinctive tertiary aromas emerge through bottle ageing as the wine's primary fruit flavours evolve and integrate with oak compounds. The cigarbox character comes from the interaction between tannins, oak, and time, while tobacco notes develop as the wine's phenolic compounds mature. At seven years old, this 2016 is entering its prime drinking window where these sophisticated savoury notes complement rather than overpower the dark chocolate and raspberry fruit core.
Complexity in wine refers to the multiple flavour and aroma compounds that reveal themselves at different stages of tasting and as the wine opens up in the glass. This Cabernet displays primary fruit notes (raspberry), secondary characteristics from winemaking (charred French oak, dark chocolate), and tertiary development from ageing (cigarbox, tobacco). Each sip reveals new nuances, creating a dynamic tasting experience that evolves throughout the evening.
This 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon is beautifully positioned in its drinking window right now, having developed those desirable tertiary characteristics while retaining excellent fruit vibrancy. The vibrant natural acidity and well-integrated tannins suggest it will continue to evolve gracefully for several more years. You can enjoy it immediately to experience its current complexity, or cellar it for 3-5 more years to see how the tobacco and cigarbox notes further develop.
