Cabernet – often labelled the ‘king of grapes’ is a wine of power, poise, length and when done well one of the greatest red wines in the world.

Margaret River has long held the reputation for producing some of Australia’s, if not the world’s, best Cabernet – and has held this status for about as long as this region has been growing and making wine.

Margaret River Cabernet sports 6 Jimmy Watson trophies and a plethora of 5 red star wineries rated by James Halliday – so if you are looking for a great example of this varietal to try – you could do worse than to pick one from this beautiful region. 

Cabernet Sauvignon – so lauded as a variety – of course has its very own day to celebrate it! This Thursday, 3 September is International Cabernet Day and below are a selection of Cabernet’s from Margaret River that would be worth filling your glass to raise a toast to the ‘king of grapes’. 

UMAMU’s 2011 Ann’s Cabernet Sauvignon

A  wine with rich, powerful dark fruits has soft smooth integrated tannins with good length and delicious layers of complexity; UMAMU tend to release their wines with a bit of age on them – so no need to cellar this one drinking very well right now!

Howard Park 2016 Howard Park Leston Cabernet Sauvignon

Aromas of red berry and black currant seasoned with dry savoury herbs and vanilla spice. The palate is layered with rich blueberry and plum fruits, hints of spice and long, fine guiding tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon thrives in this vineyard in the heart of Margaret River – and this is a wonderful example of why Cabernet is truly at home in this beautiful region.

Voyager Estate 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon 

Another classic example of why Margaret River suits this variety so well! Sweet black fruits, graphite, mocha and dusty oak; fine firm tannins – and a wine that will age beautifully (if you can bear to keep it that long)!

Vasse Felix  2017 Filius Cabernet Sauvignon

‘Son of’ the Vasse Felix Cabernet Sauvignon. It carries the structure, power and tannins of classic Cabernet in an earlier drinking, more forward style from fruit sourced from each of the
Vasse Felix vineyards.

Snake + Herring 2017 ‘Dirty Boots’ Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2017 Dirty Boots Cabernet Sauvignon is a medium to full bodied wine with great depth of colour. It has great ripe primary fruit with blackberry, dark cherry and perhaps more savoury elements: herbs olives earth and leather. The sweet fruited palate is balanced with subtle oak (16% new) providing layers of texture and a finely structured finish.

Swings & Roundabouts 2017 Backyard Stories Cabernet Sauvignon

Backyard Stories represents the premium wine range from Swings & Roundabouts. This wine is medium bodied, tightly wound with fine layers of oak overlaying dark Cabernet fruits. It is clearly varietal with finely polished, persistent tannins and savoury fruit sweetness to resolve the finish. Another brilliant Margaret River Cabernet that is set to age well in the long term.

Clairault Streicker: Clairault Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

The hand picked cabernet fruit for this special wine comes from Clairault’s oldest vines, planted by Ani & Ian Lewis in 1976. The site on the Clairault Vineyard is ideally suited to cabernet varieties, sitting atop a hill with well-drained loamy gravel and granite soils. The wine shows ripe cassis, berries and lifted notes of violets and cedary oak are intertwined with a herbal underlay. The palate shows sweet fruit married with fine grained tannins.

Capel Vale 2018 Black Label Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon

This outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon from Capel Vale’s Scholar Vineyard in Wilyabrup Margaret River displays distinctive regional characteristics. This cabernet displaying delicious primary fruit characteristics drinks well now but will reward those who choose to cellar it with increased smoothness and complexity.