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St. Andrews

Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

Complex and elegant, offering rich fruit characters of cassis and blackcurrant with earthy nuances. French oak giving hints of cedar and tobacco to finish.

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Reviews

  • Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot

    1 Nov 2020
    94 Points
    ...Australia’s most ageworthy Cabernet Sauvignon ...impressively elegant wine… bright acidity… tannins that drive a very long and fine finish...
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More Information
Previous Vintages 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016
Region Clare Valley
Colour At release, the wine is an intense red colour with a vibrant purple hue to the edge.
Nose The wine has an enticing, lifted aroma of ripe blackcurrants, choc mint, subtle spice and a hint of dried tomato leaf. The overall nose character is one of richness and elegance.
Palate On the palate it is a very well-balanced wine with ripe blackcurrant characters, along with chocolate and mint intermingling harmoniously with oak characters of cedar and subtle tobacco. There is an understated power to the wine, with layers of complexity building across the palate and then finishing elegantly with long, fine tannins. It is a generous wine yet retains poise and the elegance of great Cabernet Sauvignon.
Vintage Conditions In the growing season leading up to vintage 2017, winter rainfall was above average and the corresponding low soil temperatures resulted in budburst occurring up to a month later than in recent years. Weather conditions during flowering were favourable and fruit set was good across all varieties. Harvest began in late February and picking continued at a slow and steady rate until early May due to the prevailing mild conditions. Overall, or winemakers have declared the vintage to be above average in terms of quantity and fruit quality.
Oak Maturation The wine had a period of extended skin contact before being pressed and transferred to fine-grained French oak barrels (40% new, 60% 2 - 3 year old) for a period of 18 months maturation prior to being bottled.
Cellaring Notes Crafted for immediate enjoyment but will cellar over a long term under ideal conditions.
Alc%: 14.5
Acid: 7.28
PH: 3.40
Residual Sugar: 0.70
Wine Type: Red
Wine Body: Full
Blend or Single Variety: Single Variety
Pack Size: Single: 750ml bottle Case: 6 x 750ml bottle
  • 2019
  • China Wine & Spirits Awards
  • Double Gold
  • 2019
  • International Wine & Spirit Competition
  • Gold
  • 2020
  • Vinalies Internationales
  • Gold
  • 2020
  • The Global Cabernet Sauvignon Masters
  • Gold
  • 2020
  • Concours Mondial de Bruxelles
  • Gold
  • 2020
  • Decanter World Wine Awards
  • Gold
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  • Huon Hooke, The Real Review

    Sep 2021
    94 Points
    Deep red colour with the faintest of purple tints in the rim. The bouquet is pepperminty, fresh and vibrant—but the mint dominates to the exclusion of almost anything else, although there's undoubted depth of fruit hiding beneath. In the mouth, it's intense and bright, dark-berry fruit flavours and fresh acidity driving it, oak happily tucked into the background, and the tannins supple and balanced, albeit abundant. Oak flavour and tannins are less evident than usual in this wine. A high-quality wine, and those who enjoy a lot of mint will inevitably rate it higher than those who don't.
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  • Angus Hughson, Wine Pilot

    Nov 2020
    94 Points
    The Clare Valley does make some of Australia’s most ageworthy Cabernet Sauvignon with warm dry summers helping to bring out the beast within – chunky tannins plus rich and ripe fruits. The 2017 vintage has helped to tame the beast somewhat and Adam Eggins... has managed to craft an impressively elegant wine that is also built to last – a classic cabernet. Deeply coloured, it bursts with crystal clear and focussed red and blackcurrant fruits lifted by touches of dry and green herb complexity. The wine is then dry and mid-weight – bright acidity is well matched to sinewy tannins that drive a very long and fine finish. Put it away for a couple of years and then bring it out to match a Spring leg of lamb with rosemary.
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  • Ned Goodwin MW, James Halliday Wine Companion

    Aug 2020
    93 Points
    I like this. Clare does this unbridled mesh of old school after-dinner-mintiness, sapid blackcurrant, olive, bitter chocolate and sage notes, very well. Especially when in the right hands. As at this address. Highly dependable.
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  • Huon Hooke, The Real Review

    Mar 2021
    92 Points
    Deep, bright purple/red colour. The bouquet is brightly berry-like and pepperminty, fresh and clean, the palate taut and brightly composed: a more elegant vintage of this wine I feel. The mintiness gives that cleansing feeling, like toothpaste does. A full-bodied, solidly-structured red that will reward cellaring.
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  • Andrew Graham, Australian Wine Review

    Nov 2020
    90 Points
    Robust is putting it mildly – this St. Andrews Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 is a beast. Minty, firm and uncompromising, with oak lifting up the palate, but tannins squaring it off again. Very Taylor Family, very Clare Valley. Wine for the future, no doubt, but it feels tough and ungenerous now. Length is great, so really the future is assured, but gee it’s a raw wine now. Best drinking: come back in 5 years and drink over the next 20.
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  • Simon Hughes (Max Crus), The Daily Examiner, Border Mail

    Sep 2020
    9.7/10
    St. Andrew, the patron saint of cabernet, has blessed the Clare Valley and we are happy to kneel at his altar.
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  • Roger Jones, The Buyer

    Jan 2022
    This was more ‘masculine’, tasted of age, mahogany on nose, bright fresh confectionery, French jam, bright acidity, some depth then a black/red juicy fresh hit, a touch of offal, bacon, but then a brightness to balance and uplift the deep texture. Blackberries, redcurrants, pan-fried lambs kidneys with mustard cream… age this for up to 15 years, but also enjoy now.
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