Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

Dry Grown Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Alcohol 14.5% a/v, 

Huon Hooke 91/100
The bouquet is tobacco leafy, forward, and more like merlot than cabernet. Earthy, mushroom, vanilla and chocolate notes all combine in an appealing way, if rather developed. The palate is fleshy and full-bodied, the tannins supple and smooth across the palate. A delicious wine, already drinking well. 

TASTING NOTES
Deep red in colour it exudes excitement from the glass. Violets, cassis, and hints of dark chocolate from the nose. It shows all the classic cool climate characteristic of vegetable draw, earthy and mulberry leaves. On the palate it has dry elegant tannins nicely integrated with fresh sweet berry fruit. Wow!! One of the best Cabernet Galafrey has produced. I expect good reviews and more importantly good times when people drink this wine!

VINEYARD

Fruit sourced from our 41 year old 12 hectare Dry Grown Vineyard. Our old vines are not irrigated; something quite unusual in these days of mass commercial production. Having smaller fruit fosters an intensity of the flavour, with most of the colour and tannin of the grape being concentrated in or near the skin. The characteristically cool climate of the district ensures slow ripening of the grapes, which also allows for the development of rich flavour and quality grape juice. Grown on ancient gravely loams, our old vines are all cane pruned and yield 2 tonne per hectare. Galafrey harvest their grapes from mid-March to late April depending on the season.

VINTAGE COMMENTS

While a later than normal start to vintage it was reminiscent of vintages 10 years ago. It has been so dry in previous years I think we all forgot what it was like to have a wet year! A solid vintage with later ripening than recent years. Low Baume with intense flavours shows promise for the whites and softness for the reds, with high quality fruit being produced. A hard but exciting vintage. Galafrey celebrates with their 40th Vintage this year.

WINEMAKING
Mechanically harvested these dry, cool to mild climate grapes of the Great Southern region will produce classic Cabernet Sauvignon, wines with great depth of flavour and structure. We endeavour through meticulous viticulture and wine production sympathetic to the vintage conditions to produce a Cabernet Sauvignon that will express varietal characters in tune with its sense of place. Left of Skins as long as possible to ensure depth of colour and flavour our winemaking is geared toward producing a wine that is harmonious, interesting, well-structured and most importantly drinkable, with a minimum of two years in quality French oak.