Highbow Hill Cabernet Sauvignon

A classic Yarra Valley Cabernet Sauvignon – medium weight with intense fruit flavours across the spectrum of red and black berries. This wine has a captivating nose of blackberry, cassis and black cherry with vanilla oak. The palate is medium weight with concentrated fruit, fine tannin and leafy freshness.

SERVING TEMPERATURE | 13 - 18°
CELLAR POTENTIAL | Up to 20 years

REGION
There is much variation in soils, elevation and weather in the Yarra Valley, so several grape varieties can be grown successfully. The valley has a long and distinguished history in rare and refined Cabernet wines.
Highbow Hill Vineyard is planted on rolling hills just north of Yarra Glen township, on the valley floor. At the apex of the vineyard there are panoramic pastoral views to the south and east through the Yarra Valley.
Highbow’s two blocks of Cabernet are planted on slopes leading down to a large dam. One is a gentle north-facing slope; the other is steep and faces east. The soils are loam over clay with decomposed siltstone; the steeper slope is shallower and has more rock. The Yarra Valley has a long history of making Cabernet wines of rare refinement.

SEASON
There were no big heat spikes in the 2018 season, but it was a warm season overall and the harvest was a little early. Cool weather and regular rain up until Christmas made a slow start to the season, setting up good ground moisture and vine health coming into summer. Extended dry, mild weather over January and February maintained steady, healthy fruit development a warm and still “Indian summer” was experienced well into autumn, providing perfect conditions for Cabernet fruit of full ripeness.

The fruit was handpicked in cool conditions to ensure it reached the winery in perfect condition. It was destemmed then fermented in open fermenters with wild yeasts. Hand plunging and pump overs were used to encourage extraction of flavour and colour. The wine was matured in a mix of old and new French oak for 18 months before blending.