This Cabernet Sauvignon is dark red-purple in colour. On the nose, aromas of forest fruits and blackcurrant mingle with typical herbal, and bramble notes with a polished oak edge. The palate shows definitive red and blackcurrant fruit with delightful leafy herbal notes. The oak is retrained and well integrated, delivering structure rather than weight.

Mount Horrocks Wines, in Clare Valley, is owned by winemaker Stephanie Toole, who purchased the estate in 1993 after a career selling fine wines in Perth. By April 1998, she had renovated the historic Auburn Railway station as her cellar door and by 2000 she had acquired land in Watervale to plant her own vineyards. The grape varieties are carefully matched to each site's soil and microclimate. These include the 'Cordon Cut' vineyard, close to the cellar door, which has been planted only with Riesling. The 'Alexander' vineyard at Watervale is planted with just Shiraz, while the ‘Watervale’ vineyard boasts Riesling, SemiIIon, Nero d'Avola and Cabernet Sauvignon. With this level of care, and attention to detail, it is unsurprising that Stephanie’s wines are now regarded as among Clare Valley’s finest. To quote James Halliday’s 2023 Wine Companion, “Stephanie Toole has never deviated from the pursuit of excellence in the vineyard and winery. The attention to detail and refusal to cut corners are obvious in all her wines.”

Mount Horrocks are now ‘A grade certified’ organic and biodynamic, one of only two wineries locally to do so. As all fruit is hand-picked and gently handled, fining is unnecessary, meaning all the wines are suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Having overseen the regeneration of the land, Stephanie believes this involves more than certification; it requires a different way of thinking. Classic, no-compromise winemaking combined with a fully integrated organic and biodynamic approach to growing and making sets Mount Horrocks Wines apart from the status quo.

Cabernet Sauvignon (100%)

South Australia