1997 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon

Notes sourced from Leeuwin Estate

Very cold weather with hail soon after bud burst and leading up to flowering kept yields of most varieties low. As the year progressed the rain kept coming and the vines grew with exceptional vigour. It dried up around Christmas and finished in ideal conditions with reasonable crops for Cabernet.
Fermentation took place in the normal fashion in closed fermenters at temperatures up to 30 C with extraction gently attuned to each individual lot. After fermentation the wine was left on skins for up to three weeks before pressing. After Molo Lactic fermentation the components from different parts of the vineyard were blended and put into barrel for ageing. 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot, 7% Merlot
Vibrant red ruby colour. This wine is showing its Cabernet Sauvignon dominated heritage. The spice, cedar and roasted coffee aromas are lifted and complexed with the rich curranty fruit possible from a fully ripe year. The palate also has those same fruit characters with elegance and plenty of length. It is well balanced and rich with lovely medium weight mouth feel. The persistent flavours of ripe plums stays with you on the finish. This wine is a real pleasure at the moment but will round out more so in a year or two and will live on for 7-10 years.
Alcohol: 14.5%