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Sensational quality wine from the Orange, NSW wine growing region.
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon (12 bottle case)
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon (12 bottle case)
Dark carmine plum in colour, a complex bouquet of cedary dark fruits and vanillan char announce this wine’s balanced, black-currant infused palate supported by integrated, very fine-grained French oak tannins. The perfectly poised mouth-feel and structure of this finely textured Cabernet Sauvignon suggests medium term cellaring will only add to your immediate enjoyment of this fine wine.
13.5% Al/Vol
Vineyard
The fruit for this wine is sourced from SA125 clone in the House Block at front of the cellar door and the G9V3 component comes from the mid-slopes of the Maurice vineyard between the Pinot Noir and the Merlot Noir. This gives us two different aspects and two different clones with which to play, and as you all know, we like playing. The soils are slightly different with the SA125 planted over deeper red friable clay loams and the G9V3 on better drained gravely Easterly traprocks and limestone lenses. The G9V3 seems to add high fruit notes to the structure colour and presence of the SA 125 clone. It all adds interest to this wine which will continue to surprise for many years as it matures in your cellar.
Vintage Conditions
The Weather At Bloodwood is always the same; It's Different!
Winter rainfall was 33% of the long term average and a dry Spring meant the annual rainfall was only 73% of the average. As the Orange area is a winter dominant rainfall area, we entered the growing season with moderate to severe moisture deficits. Irrigation was critical for success in season 2018. The bright spot was that we enjoyed very warm and generally stable weather through to the end of vintage. Average maximum temperatures from October to March were 0.3C warmer than season 2017. Except for a smattering of annoying hail storms and a major bushfire across the week of the 12th to 20th February causing isolated smoke taint damage, it was a rushed and straightforward disease-free affair. We enjoyed moderate yields across the board; about 20% down on 2017; a reflection of the droughty winter and spring conditions. Dry-land vineyards really suffered this year. As far as quality goes, Chardonnay in well managed vineyards was exceptional and the general consensus is that the reds, Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon are very promising in terms of colour and depth of varietal flavour this year. Pinot Noir, although on the richer side, may be the long term surprise. Even though it was very warm and dry, I would not have liked to have been a tartaric acid salesman in Orange this vintage. pH's and T/A's were naturally wonderfully balanced across the board. It has to be a +8 vintage or better for both reds and whites.
Winemaking
As I’ve outlined elsewhere, we believe in macro oxygenation during the early fermentation process and extended cold soaking on skins here at Bloodwood. And this wine is no exception. The home vineyard fruit was hand plunged with plenty of air in an open fermenter, whilst the G9V3 vineyard in the Maurice block was treated in the usual manner. A high proportion of whole berries are a constant in all our red ferments, and regular splash pumping-over helps bring the tannins into shape early in the wine making process. The wine spent 30 months in a mix of 5% new and the balance older French oak hogsheads followed by 12 months in stainless before sterile filtration and bottling in January 2021.
Wine Analysis
pH 3.52
Acidity 5.5 g/l
Alc/Vol 13.5%
Price $480
“2018 Boodwood Cabernet Sauvignon
This is a nice place, although the oak bridling will meld with a little more age. Finely tuned scents of
mulch, Cuban cigar, graphite, currant and a whisper of menthol. Mid weighted, immensely savoury and
sleek, but for the bristle of oak around the seams. Shapely tannins make this. Finishes with a waft of sage
and green olive. Sophisticated cool-climate Cabernet, here. Excellent drinking now and onwards for close
to a decade. 95 points.”
“2017 Boodwood Cabernet Sauvignon
Hand-picked, destemmed, 3 day actively worked cold soak, 11 days on skins; matured 30 months in used
French oak; bottled Jan ‘21. Has the presence and detail of cool-grown cabernet that has achieved
phenolic ripeness. Blackcurrant, bay leaf and cigar box oak are fused with fine tannins on a long palate.
95 points, drink to 2037”