Introduction

A couple of years ago, I served as an international judge at the Limestone Coast Wine Show. Despite a small contretemps with James Halliday on our first meeting (tip…never bring up the issue of TCA and corks in bibulous conversation) I cannot have upset too many Antipodeans because my palate was invited back, this time, to Margaret River. To be honest if I could have chosen just one Australian wine region to judge, then it would be here. As someone suckled on a regimen of austere, Old World Claret and of course, being of English descent, my palate is attuned to the lighter, less bombastic style of Cabernet that Margaret River fashions with such panache. Previous experiences have led me to believe that its best wines are a succinct marriage of Old and New World, harnessing the virtues of each. And when it comes to price?

Well, I can no longer afford Bordeaux.
Margaret River, I can afford.
Bring it on.

I resided in the region for about one week, of which two days were spent in a white lab coat judging the wine blind with the likes of Huon Hooke, Vanya Cullen, “Burgundyben” and Nick Stock. The remainder of the time I visited growers and familiarized myself with the sub-regions, the terroir, the styles of wine and of course, the lifeblood of any wine region, the personalities. It was an enlightening week, one where I came with high expectations and I am pleased to report that I departed with them intact. Margaret River has already achieved great things, but not as great as what will follow.

Names like Moss Wood, Vasse Felix, Cullen’s and Leeuwin are now globally recognized names. Yet just 40 years ago the landscape was completely different. Back then, if you had told a Margaret River farmer toiling away on this unforgiving land, that one day this landscape would be a feted wine region, where land prices are at a premium, they would have laughed incredulously. Of course, that is assuming you could actually find someone in this isolated, sparsely populated neck of the woods…

Marching To Its Own Rhythm: Margaret River

The Cabernet Masterclass

Enough statistics. They count for nothing if the wine fails to make the grade. So just how good is Margaret River’s wines? Do their highly touted Cabernets really rank alongside the best in the world?

Let us cut to the chase and find out, because part of my duty as “international sex god”…sorry, judge…was to tutor a blind tasting that was basically Margaret River vs. The World. The tasting was held at Xanadu estate for winemakers and paying members of the public and I selected the order, which is why I mischievously placed the Ornellaia as the very first wine! Although I was not tasting blind, it was interesting to gauge the reaction from the audience, to see whether some winemakers could pick out their own wines and whether they could match up to a First Growth Bordeaux? Every bottle was born in the same year 2004 so that they could show a bit of age, although of course, growing seasons vary from one to another.

The first thing to say is that the Margaret River Cabernets more than held their own against the likes of Château Margaux and Montrose. If this blind tasting was designed to confirm Margaret River as a world-class wine, then it more than fulfilled its purpose. Whilst you could argue that it is far too young for a First Growth to compete against a New World Cabernet, then I would retort that these Margaret River wines demonstrated the equal structure and tantalizing promise of longevity.

It was Cullen’s Diane Madeline 2004 that was pitched against the Château Margaux 2004 and when I took a straw-poll of preferences between the two, it was split between the pair, both of them great in their own way (if you take price out of the equation!) As one would expect, the young Margaux was rather austere and tannic, yet there was undeniably exquisite delineation and there is that beguiling sense of “controlled power” that Bordeaux carries off so effortlessly. The Margaret River wine was similarly beautifully delineated on the nose, more plum and dark cherries indicative of the New World, but nodding to the Old with a touch of tobacco. Its freshness and vivacity is stupendous, one of those finishes that demur you from progressing onto the next wine…you just want to linger on beauty.

Then I awarded higher scores to the Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 and Woodlands Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 over Château Léoville Barton and Château Montrose respectively. This is not meant to disparage either Bordeaux, for as you can see my appraisals are both glowing in what was a challenging growing season. But it is more to assert just how fine the best Margaret River wines are, perhaps re-affirming Tim Atkin MW’s recent comment that the somewhat blinkered definition of “fine wine” should not be restricted to Bordeaux.

I will not comment on every wine here, but it was amusing (and I must say, predictable) that the two South African wines were deemed faulty by the Australian winemakers, who baulked at their smoky, beefy aromas that must come across as an anathema to them. For me, both the Rust en Verde Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 and Meerlust Rubicon 2004 were typical of their styles, though I must admit that I found the latter rather bretty. After the opprobrium, I was just glad I am not responsible for marketing South African wines Down Under!

Over the next few articles, I will add more Margaret River producers who I believe are currently producing world class Cabernet Sauvignon wines and I will be starting with the Francophile of Willyabrup…

Bibliography

“A Vision of Fine Wine” – Margaret River Wine Industry Association
Growing Season Reports -  Margaret River Wine Industry Association

Tasting Notes

2004 Cullen Diane Madeline 94
Tasted at the Margaret River Cabernet tutorial. A deep black/garnet core. The nose is tight at first, gaining in power, the fruit more forward than the Château Margaux poured alongside, with raspberry, dark cherry and plum, touches of tobacco and a touch of fresh dates. The palate has a sweet entry, good acidity, very well balanced with lovely pure damson tinged black fruit. Fleshy towards the finish with touches of fig and that thread of acidity enlivening the palate, that instantly begs another sip. Drink 2012-2025. Tasted November 2009.

2004 Leeuwin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Art Series 89
Tasted at the Margaret River Cabernet tutorial. A dark garnet core.  The nose is clean and crisp with black summer fruits, black cherries, damson and blueberry. Good definition although not quite as complex. The palate is full-bodied, sharp acidity here, blackberry, raising, fig and allspice. Sharp on the finish and lacking a little length. Drink now-2016. Tasted November 2009.