2022 Cabernet Sauvignon
The fruit for the Hedonist Cabernet is estate grown on our certified organic and biodynamic vineyard situated in the Willunga foothills of McLaren Vale. The idyllic St Vincent’s Gulf lies 10km to the West. The soil is rich loam over clay with patches of underlying limestone.
- Single estate vineyard in the Willunga foothills: rich loam over clay, limestone beneath, 10 km from the gulf.
- Destemmed whole berries, wild yeast, 11 days on skins; 15 months in a 6,000 L foudre and 15% new puncheons.
- Wild blackberry, olive, dark chocolate and clove, with ripe tannins from the mild 2022 season.
- Variety
- Cabernet Sauvignon 100%
- Harvest date
- 8 April 2022
- Oak treatment
- French Oak foudre (4-year-old) and 15% new French oak puncheons for 15 months
- Bottled
- 10 August 2024
- Alc
- 14% vol
- pH
- 3.60
- TA
- 6.0g/L
- GF
- 0.66g/L
Winemaking
Vintage
McLaren Vale experienced a wet winter, but also a mild spring and summer. This created superb ripening conditions from fruit set and flowering through version and ripening. Yields, however, were slightly down across the board. 2021 was touted ‘the best quality vintage so far this century’, but 2022 will give it a run for its money. A civilised vintage created a relaxed picking environment and enabled an ideal balance of sugar ripeness, natural acidity and texture in the resulting wines.
Vinification
Harvested in early April from our estate vineyard. Destemmed and fermented without crushing, maintaining some whole berry fermentation. A cool ferment was maintained utilising indigenous yeast for 11 days on skins. After malolactic fermentation completed, it was racked into a 4-year-old French Oak foudre (6000L) and 15% new French oak puncheons (500L) for 15 months to mature prior to bottling. No fining.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Deep red with purple hues
Bouquet: Briary notes of wild blackberries and rich truffles are complemented by a delicate hint of clove
Palate: Spanish olives interlace beautifully with dark chocolate, while subtle notes of clove and anise undertones add dimension. A generous middle palate, where the flavours unite is reinforced by ripe tannins, which both enhances the structure and builds texture.
Distributed in Australia by Principal Wine.