Past Vintages

Technical Details

“Bright, full colour; an extremely distinguished cabernet hides behind its price tag, don't be fooled, this could easily justify a far higher price, its blackcurrant fruit filling the medium-bodied palate with flavour, savoury tannins providing structure and length allied with French oak. 96 pts.”

Reprinted with permission from the 2015 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion

"It's dark, tannic, well-mannered and for all its  mellow chocolatey flavour/texture, it feels built to last. Dark blackberry, some herb and brine, and a well-integrated coating of chocolatey oak. Balance is its middle name. 93 pts."

Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front, November 2014

“Deep garnet – purple in color & intensely scented of blackcurrant cordial, warm plums & eucalyptus with hints of cedar, toast & cloves, the medium-full bodied 2012 Davey Estate Cabernet Sauvignon gives loads of clove-laced, cassis flavor wrapped around a solid frame of medium level grainy tannins and balanced acidity. It finishes with good persistence. 90 pts.”

Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate #211, February 2014

WINEMAKING

Only select parcels of Cabernet Sauvignon, grown on both red and black soils over limestone on the Davey Estate vineyard, qualify for this reserve wine. Partial cold soaking prior to fermentation maximises the fragrance of the finished wine. Extended fermentation time on skins helps to capture the essence of the fruit and gives a silky but firm tannin finish. Maturation for an average of 14 months in fine-grained French (90%) and Central European (10%) oak hogsheads, softens, enhances and integrates the fruit and structural components of the wine.

TASTING NOTE

Deep red. Cassis, violet and blueberry aromas seduce, enhanced by attractive notes of cedar, bay leaf and wet slate. An explosion of bright and pretty berry fruit flavours flow over the palate, guided by chewy tannins, mineral elements and a balanced acidity. A full-bodied, varietal Cabernet Sauvignon, with the richness of fruit to satisfy now and the structure that will reward the patient with the complexity that careful cellaring brings.

ACCOLADES

• Champion Cabernet Sauvignon - 2014 Winewise Championships (entries by invitation from panel, must have won at least one Gold medal from a list of 12 Australian Wine Shows)
• Gold medal - 2013 National Wine Show of Australia, class 21
• Gold medal - 2014 International Wine Challenge, UK
• Gold medal - 2014 Concours International des Cabernets, France
• Gold medal - 2014 China Wine & Spirit Best Value Awards, Hong Kong
• Gold medal - 2014 New World Wine Awards, NZ
• Gold medal - 2014 International Wine Challenge, Vienna
• Gold medal - 2015 Sydney Royal Wine Show, class 28
• Gold medal / Top 50 - 2015 New World Wine Awards, NZ
• Silver medal - 2014 Royal Melbourne Wine Awards, class 93
• Silver medal - 2014 Royal Adelaide Wine Show, class 25
• Silver medal - 2014 Royal Hobart International Wine Show, class 22
• Silver medal - 2014 Decanter World Wine Awards, UK
• Silver medal - 2014 Selections Mondiales des Vins, Canada
• Silver medal - 2014 Los Angeles International Wine Competition, USA
• Silver medal - 2013 Royal Melbourne Wine Show, class 45
• Silver medal - 2013 Royal Adelaide Wine Show, class 24
• Silver medal - 2013 Royal Hobart Wine Show, class 46
• Silver medal - 2014 Royal Queensland Wine Show, class 41
• Silver medal - 2014 McLaren Vale Wine Show, class 16
• Silver medal - 2013 McLaren Vale Wine Show, class 15
• Silver medal - 2014 Mundus Vini Great International Wine Awards, Germany
• Silver medal - 2014 NZ international Wine Show, class 15a
• 96 pts - 2015 James Halliday Australian Wine Companion
• 90 pts - The Wine Advocate #211, February 2014, USA
• 4 stars - Winestate magazine, McLaren Vale Tasting, July / August 2015