Gralyn Reserve Cabernet 2023
G 94
The estate’s flagship Cabernet comes from unirrigated vines planted back in 1975 in the subregion of Wilyabrup, which is, for many, the heart of Margaret River. The wine spent a year and a half in French oak for maturation. Everything comes together with this example from a superb vintage. A maroon/purple hue, this wine is a little more reticent than its sibling Shiraz, at this early stage. A little earthy, quite spicy and with notes of chocolate, mushrooms, blackberries, coffee grinds and dried herbs, it is a wine of great promise. Still building in length, with seemingly endless underlying power, it offers excellent balance, right through to its fine tannins. It will drink beautifully for the next decade, longer if you wish. Drink 2030–2045 Howard Park Fiano 2025 G 94 We tend to think of our best Fiano coming from regions like the McLaren Vale, but this wine would suggest it will have competition in the coming years. We should not be surprised; after all, what can’t Margaret River do? This is the first vintage from the team and it has already picked up a trophy. Apparently, I am not the only one enamoured of it. Pale yellow, fermentation was in old oak puncheons with three months on lees. There are intense aromatics here, with notes of cracked almonds, stone fruits, minerals, pears and limes. The wine is well balanced with good concentration and a gorgeously textured palate. There is a line of fine acidity and a lingering finish. A majestic Fiano which should drink beautifully for at least the next four to six years. Drink now–2027 Howard Park Miamup Cabernet 2023 G 94 Bottom line first, we are talking serious value for cracking Margaret River Cabernet. The quality of the 2023 vintage continues to provide wines right out of the box. In the early days, there was some debate as to whether 2022 or 2023 would eventually reign supreme. As good as 2022 is, I think the debate is over. I’m not sure that, even in a region where top-notch vintages are the norm rather than the exception, we have ever seen anything quite as good as 2023. In any event, it will be a fun debate for the next decade or two. The wine spent nine months in French oak barriques. Magenta/maroon in hue, the nose ranges through chocolate, graphite, plums, spices, cassis, cloves and coffee beans with hints of vanilla oak. There is a line of juicy acidity, along with a lingering persistence here, but the wine is well balanced and showing the refinement which seems a hallmark of the Howard Park wines from this vintage. It finishes with fine if slightly furry tannins and should provide superb drinking for the next ten to fifteen years. Drink now–2029
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The Vintage Journal – Regional Focus
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