Clairault Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Vintage Conditions
The Maritime climate of the Margaret River and surrounding areas makes grape growing a pleasure. The warm dry summers and cool wet winters allow vines to prosper in relatively low disease pressure conditions. The ideal scenario is for plentiful winter rains to leave the soils with good levels of stored moisture which can then be drawn on as required by the actively growing vines, with the occasional summer rains to wash dust from the leaves and top up the soil profile. The warmer weather conditions of 2012 brought forward vintage by between 2 to 3 weeks ahead of the regional average for both whites and reds. 2012 whites and reds are rated as outstanding, universally declared as show stopping brilliant.
Winemaking Note
The fruit is harvested, de-stemmed and crushed, so that each berry is just split. This is to ensure minimal berry degradation during the fermentation process and to promote fresh, clean flavour production by our very specifically selected yeast strain. Our ferments are, by industry standards, cool and gentle, allowing slower, more controlled extraction of tannin and flavour. The wine is pumped over three times a day and then judiciously backed off as the wine develops. This wine was on skins in the fermenter for 14 days, before gentle pressing and barrelling down. The result is clean, pure fruit flavours, boasting supple yet powerful tannin. The wine was aged in French oak barriques for 18 months before the wine was removed from barrels, clarified and bottled.
Tasting Notes
At 40 years of age, the 'A-block' Cabernet Sauvignon is the oldest planting in the Clairault vineyard. Hand-picked and with a lyre trellis system, each vintage yields fruit of exceptional quality. Our winemaking practices have moved it into a contemporary Margaret River style, focussed on vineyard expression and finesse.
Accolades
95/100 - Decanter Magazine 2016
95/100 - Halliday Wine Companion 2017
93/100 - The Real Review, Huon Hooke, 2017
Cellaring
This wine has been cellared for you to enjoy now, or will continue to evolve under suitable cellaring conditions.