Windows Estate- Petit Lot Cabernet 2019

The oldest Cabernet vines were planted in Home Block in 1999 on a small ridge with the soil comprised mainly of gravelly loam. The vines are planted in a North South row orientation allowing for optimal sunlight and ripening time, they are also dry farmed. These are combined with Cabernet from Lucas Block to make the wine.

Soil Type(s): Ancient laterite, clay and granite soils

Great care is taken to handle the fruit as gently as possible throughout all the processing stages. Handpicked in the early hours of the morning, the grapes are sorted, crushed and destemmed before being fermented in small open fermenters. The ferments are regularly plunged by hand ensuring optimum color and tannin extraction, and the wine is given extended maceration once fermented dry. Basket pressed, matured in the finest quality French barriques for 18 months and rounded out by a small addition of Petit Verdot (3%) prior to bottling this is a smooth and stylish wine that displays all the hallmarks of a classic Margaret River Cabernet.

2019 in Margaret River recorded slightly cooler than average temperatures in the beginning months, certainly in contrast to the previous year. This led to a later harvest, which, similarly to 2017, didn’t commence until early March and continued for many until late April. Chris had also spent many hours in the vineyard focusing on canopy management, ensuring good airflow and consistent sun exposure among the vines. This meant a healthy vineyard with very little disease pressure, and grapes in perfect balance. Fortunately, because of Chris’ hard work in the vineyard, and lower than average crops, the whites had all been handpicked prior to the heavy rain which the region experienced. As a result, the rain energized the soil for the red varieties that ripened slowly in moderate temperatures over the following month/s. There have naturally been some comparisons to the 2017 vintage, given there are some similarities, however the yield from 2019 was inevitably lower. Struggles with both bird and bee pressure were present due to a complete absence of Marri blossom in the region. 2019 is a year where it will become apparent as to the work that was put into the vineyard, Chris has never spent so much time in the vineyard throughout harvest as he did this year, it was however necessary to ensure that only pristine quality fruit was handpicked. Despite the challenges the wines are showing qualities well known in Margaret River with whites showing a fresh acidity and good fruit intensity, and reds having a full rounded flavor, due to their ripeness before picking, and the fact they were able to wallow in the extended warm weather before picking.

Ribeye, Roasted Beets, Venison, Shepherd's Pie, Grilled Shishito Peppers, Stuffed Peppers, Chimichurri, Churruscarria

• American, Vegetarian, Brazilian