TAMING THE TANNINS: after a lost decade, Cabernet comes in from the cold

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the most widely planted grape varieties in the world, and yet its popularity is waning as other varieties are continuing to generate more interest.

Coonawarra Cabernet has suffered as much as anywhere, often requiring a long time to knit together and become harmonious as the tannins in Coonawarra Cabernet can be particularly aggressive, if not tamed. Pair that with somewhat of a lost identity as many producers chased the big, bold styles of the 90’s showing high alcohol, lavished with too much (new) oak and often also appearing too astringent and even bitter through excessive extraction. After a bit of a lost decade or so, we are starting to see some excellent examples produced, both young and with a little bit of bottle age.

This is after all one of the great regions in the world to grow Cabernet; the maritime influence helps to moderate temperatures, the famous Terra Rossa soil is free-draining and allows moderate, but not extreme stress. A few examples worth exploring:

Hesketh Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 $19.99

While this is a relatively young example, it has been made with a clear intention of early drinking. Winemaker Phil Lehmann (son of winemaking legend Peter Lehmann) has managed to tame Cabernet’s imposing tannins, highlighting the blackcurrant and blackberry fruits typical of the variety. The fruit feels rich and plush with a hint of mint and savoury character to give it a touch of complexity. Tannins are firm, yet fine, just bringing some structure and shape to the wine.

Ladbroke Grove Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 $25

It takes some courage and financial skill to be able to hold back several vintages of wine before release, but that is often what Cabernet needs and Ladbroke are certainly aware of that, releasing many wines with five-10 years of bottle age. This wine certainly needed the time in bottle to settle down as the extended maceration and nearly two years in oak would likely have seen an imposing wine in its youth. It’s in a great spot now though, the fruit and oak flavours have integrated nicely, balancing some primary flavours of blackcurrant, mulberry and mint with the oak characters of cedar and cigar box. The texture is becoming softer and velvety as the tannins continue to resolve.

Ottelia Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 $30

John Innes spent 20 years working in Coonawarra before taking on Ottelia with his family. He has brought all that
experience into the vineyard and the winery, working to minimise the use of chemicals and sprays, approaching organic principles although they have not pursued certification. This is an elegant, refined example of Coonawarra Cabernet. You see the rich, ripe fruit spectrum of Cabernet; blackcurrants, dark berries with minimal green or herbaceous characters. However, the frame remains medium to full-bodied at most with a polished quality to the tannins, a splash of Merlot that give it some flesh and subtle notes of Chocolate and cedar lending complexity and depth.