Wakefield Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 (Australia) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is the latest vintage of a delicious and consistently well-made Cabernet Sauvignon from Australia that arrived at the LCBO just over a week ago as part of the recent LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection on January 6th.

It is produced by the renowned and well-respected Wakefield Wines, a winery that is also known in its home market of Australia as Taylors Wines. The estate winery was established by Bill Taylor Sr. and his sons in 1969 in the Clare Valley, South Australia. At the time, Bill Sr. was already an experienced wine merchant with a deep passion for the wine industry. However, he wanted to create his own exceptional wines bearing the family name and sought out a parcel of land to make this dream come true. Bill Sr. established the estate after acquiring a parcel of land by the Wakefield River in Clare Valley.

Today, Wakefield Wines is run by the third generation of the Taylor family - brothers Mitchell, Justin, and Clinton. Together, they carry on their grandfather's tradition of staying true to their core values of quality, authenticity, and craftsmanship. As stewards of the land, the Taylor family is also committed to sustainability. With a passion for winemaking using innovative techniques, attention to detail, and dedication to quality, the Taylor family continues to craft exceptional wines and are one of the most respected wine producers around the globe.

With several ranges in the Wakefield portfolio, this particular red wine is from their Estate Label range, which celebrates the family's wine business that was established in 1969 after they decided to create a proper "old world" style estate in the Clare Valley. The term "Estate", in the language of wine, means that the vineyards and the winery are in the same location. The Taylor family was inspired by the great producers of Bordeaux, in particular Chateaux Mouton Rothschild, and gave the family ultimate control over the vineyards, winery, and bottling. These days, all the wines are crafted and bottled at the estate, but not all the fruit for Estate Label wines are grown at the property. This Cabernet Sauvignon (and a Shiraz) were the first wines the family released and are the heart and soul of the business.

Like recent vintages, including the 2020 Wakefield Estate Cabernet Sauvignon that I enjoyed last year, this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is crafted using fruit from both the Limestone Coast and Clare Valley, with the percentage of fruit from each region almost equal this time around with 52% coming from Limestone Coast and 48% from Clare Valley. The grapes from the two regions were kept separate during vinification, and matured for up to 10 months in used French oak barrels, with half in 2-year-old oak and the other half in 3-year-old oak. After maturation, it was then finally blended and bottled.

The 2021 vintage growing conditions across most of Australia were idyllic, with slightly warmer than average temperatures. The season was markedly calm, with a near perfect ratio between warm, sunny days and intermittent rain. In the Limestone Coast sub-regions of Coonawarra, Wrattonbully, and Padthaway, the warm conditions during flowering locked in big yields, followed by much colder than normal conditions. A long, cool, and dry ripening season made for a late harvest, reminiscent of the late 1980s and 1990s. In the Clare Valley, the high-quality grapes produced wines of excellent quality and high acidity. Let's see how this 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon from South Australia is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

WAKEFIELD ESTATE CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2021 - Limestone Coast / Clare Valley, South Australia (#744235) (XD) - $19.95
Screw cap. The fragrant, medium-high intensity nose offers a perfumed bouquet of black & red fruit, currant, cassis, grilled herbs, tomato leaf, mint, and gentle oak spice aromas. It's full-bodied and quite salty on the well-structured palate with currant, cassis, cranberry, tomato leaf, mint, herbal, cocoa, and mild oak spice flavours. Tangy acids are juicy and succulent, while the smooth, refined tannins have a lightly chalky textured grip. Earthy and cocoa notes, with smoky overtones linger on the long, savoury finish. Another solid, recommended buy! Score: 89 pts

A broad selection of fine wines by Wakefield Wines are available both at the LCBO and through their Agent - Profile Wine Group.