Balgownie Cabernet Sauvignon always attracts attention, displaying the elusive holy grail of exemplary varietal definition with distinctive Bendigo regionality, a tradition which has positioned Balgownie as one of Victoria's most cherished Cabernet wines. Balgownie have established a reputation for being long lived whilst offering the ripeness of fruit to provide immense drinking pleasure on release. All grapes are from estate vines well over twenty five years of age, the earliest planted in 1969, grown to rich Bendigo soils, the secret of Balgownie's success.

$3999each $479DOZEN EACH DOZEN Balgownie's Bendigo property was originally planted by local pharmacist Stuart Anderson in 1969. The initial plantings consisted of five acres each Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, they remain the mainstay until today. The vineyard is planted on alluvial clay soils that are low in fertility but provide good moisture retention. These soils naturally limit yields and produce grapes with depth and intensity. Traditional open concrete fermenters are employed to ensure a gentle extraction of colour and tannins. A portion of the wine remains on skins to macerate, building palate structure and firming up the tannins. The final wine is treated to an extended maturation in a selection of seasoned and new French oak barriques.

Deep red purple in colour. Bouquet displays lifted blackberry fruit with tobacco leaf aromas and cedar oak. The palate exhibits concentrated blueberry and blackcurrant flavours, violets, dutch chocolate and cassis, backed by fine persistent tannins and supple, fragrant vanilla/ cedar oak characters which support the fruit and provide solid structure. The defining characteristics of Balgownie are elegance, balance and intensity.

The Balnave vineyards are divided into small blocks of between one and two hectares, the character of each can be quite unique. The final assemblage of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon is a compilation of selected rows off the estate's Walker, Quarry and Dead Morris blocks, treated to varying regimens of oak barrel ferments and extended macerations. Fragrant of cassis, blueberry fruit and fine cedary oak, the finished Balnave Cabernet Merlot has spent sixteen months maturing in a luxuriously high proportion of tight grain French oak barrels from Seguin Moreau and St Martin cooperages.

$2899each $347DOZEN EACH DOZEN

Vintages of Balnaves have been selected on five occasions at the prestigious Coonawarra Barrel Series, the region's most eminent, industry insider's wine taste off. There's a strong synergy between grazing and viticulture, Doug Balnaves knows about both. He managed sheep before taking up a career as a grower, he now plays a senior role in many of South Australia's principal wine industry associations. His vineyards yield the finest Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon and his fruit is crafted by one of the nation's most peer respected winemakers.

$3799each $455DOZEN EACH DOZEN

Deep rich red in colour. Intense nose with aromas of cassis, liquorice and elderberry/ blue berry notes over subtle vanillan oak, showing cooler, more savoury characters. The palate is quite fine and elegant with ripe cassis/ seaweed fruit before a long and fine tannin finish. A deeply satisfying Coonawarra Cabernet upon release, Balnave will also reward careful cellaring. In either case a decant is recommended before service.

Assembled from wines across several vintages, a selection of well aged stocks matured in seasoned casks, topped up and rotated according to the ancient Solera system. Fermented in own bottle and tiraged for optimal effervescence before release, an immensely satisfying style of redolent red sparkling, decidedly rich and complex, proffering cassis, blackberry and violet fruits. Balnave practice the high art of Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, its ribald pink mousse, blooming with moreish wine jube characters within a cosset of smooth milk chocolate tannins.

$3699each $443DOZEN EACH DOZEN

Doug Balnaves was a shearer of Merino sheep, recording his count in the tally book to be paid by the number he had sheared. He now counts down the days until vintage, as with all releases of Tally Cabernet Sauvignon, it is the harmony and fine balance which are the outstanding features. A perfectly perfumed Coonawarra bouquet, brambleberry and dark cassis, elderberry, violets and mint. Its unbridled elegance and extraordinary length of palate, fragrant of coffee and oreo oak, supported by the finest grain tannins. Opulent yet refined, be advised, decant the Tally and breathe before service.

$9499each $1139DOZEN EACH DOZEN After spells of winemaking at Mountadam, Lindemans, Leo Buring, Pipers Brook and Wynns, winemaking supremo Peter Bissell teamed up with Doug Balnaves, one of the Coonawarra's most experienced viticulturalists. Doug Balnave has been involved in various industry bodies including the SA Wine & Brandy Association, Limestone Coast Wine Industry Council and Coonawarra Vignerons Association. The Tally is assembled from grapes hand picked off Dead Morris Vineyard. The finest bunches are set aside for twenty six days maceration on skins. The Tally was matured sixteen months in completely new Taransaud and Seguin Moreau Chateau barriques before a light egg fining and bottling under procork.

From the slower ripening blocks at Beresford Estate vineyard in the premier viticultural precincts of Blewitt Springs. A week of vinification in small open top fermenters, hand plunged, rack and returned for optimal extractions, gently basket pressed into a selection of seasoned and new French and American oak hogsheads for a year's maturation. A lifted nose of blackcurrants and violet, raspberries and vanilla, plum fruits, cherry and a sprinkle of milled spice, its fine tannins and fragrant cedar oak bring Beresford to a balanced, savoury finish.

$2499each $299DOZEN EACH DOZEN

The pick of estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon from the Beresford property at Blewitt Springs, each parcel of fruit is separately vinified in a selection of traditional two and four tonne open top fermenters, followed by an extravagent three years maturation in a mix of seasoned and new French and American oak hogsheads. The signature softness of McLaren Vale Cabernet, blackberries and currant, mulberry and raspberry fruits, supported by tobacco leaf oak and the herbaceousness of bay leaf and mint, a well proportioned wine of seamless tannins, structure and length.

$4799each $575DOZEN EACH DOZEN

$7999each $959DOZEN EACH DOZEN

A dry grown, single vineyard, hand crafted Pyrenees Cabernet Sauvignon. George Berry started his vineyard and orchard in 1862 on the banks of Carapooee Creek. Whilst some rootstock 110 to 140 years old can still be found, today's Berry Bridge are the fruit of plantings by Jane Holt and Roger Milner. Milner developed his passion for viticulture after several vintages at Chateau Reynella in the 1970s. He joined forces with Holt BAppSc(WineSc) & AssocDegAppSc(Wine-growing), and happily took on the challenge of re-developing the site.

$3299each $395DOZEN EACH DOZEN Berrys Bridge has a very limited production of three super premium editions annually. The 6½ hectare vineyard and winery at the northern foothills of the Victorian Pyrenees, was first planted to vines in 1990 Rich red clay soils, warm summer days and cool nights provide lush ripe berries with intense colour, concentrated flavour and complex tannin structure. The area enjoys good winter/spring rainfalls and relatively dry summers. Good canopy management generally minimises disease. The hand picked fruit is treated to a small batch open fermentation, hand plunged and baskert basket pressed. Matured in fine grained oak barriques under temperature controlled conditions until bottling without filtration.

Deep crimson colour. The nose displays aromas of violets, cedar and luscious sweet cassis fruits. The full bodied palate is crammed with fruit, cedar, hints of olive and gorgeous fine, silky tannins that hold the finish for a considerable time. Despite its weight, this wine is surprisingly soft and supple at the finish with moderate acidity that balances the abundant tannin and fruit.

There are few Victorian grown Cabernet Sauvignon as imposing and statuesque as those of Great Western. The parched, ruddy soils and brisk arid climes breed a style of Cabernet as gallant and ornate as the distinguished growths of Tuscany and Bordeaux. Small yields from gnarled old vines, a precious harvest of desiccated little berries, defined by a concentration and intensity of flavour. Its vivid varietal elements of black brambles, currant and cassis, supported by a tapestry of tannins and scented with the exuberant perfumes of violet blossoms, mocha and leaf.

$2699each $323DOZEN EACH DOZEN

A compilation of bespoke parcels Cabernet, hand chosen off a tally of superior, limited yield sites across the premier viticultural precincts of Adelaide Hills, Macclesfield, Birdwood and Kersbrook. Bunches are crushed into fermenters for a week on skins, followed by transfer to a luxuriously high proportion of new French oak barriques for eighteen months maturation before assemblage. Full bodied, fleshy, long silky tannins in support of the defined Cabernet muscularity, its cassis, cedar and black bramble opulence to match with entrecote, Jus and shallot.

$3999each $479DOZEN EACH DOZEN

Bleasdale are Australia's second oldest family owned winery, established 1850 by English migrant Frank Potts. Potts built much of Adelaide's early colonial works before settling down to his homestead at Langhorne Creek. A prolific accumulator of trophys and gold medals, Bleasdale has claimed Best Australian Red Trophy at the prestigious London International Wine Challenge. An excruciatingly limited release Cabernet Sauvignon, assembled around a core of elite parcels picked off the Bleasdale estate Mullianna and Reed Patch Blocks.

$7999each $959DOZEN EACH DOZEN The Bleasdale vineyards are fortuitously planted on the fertile flood plains of Bremer River, a confluence of auspicious terroirs and clime which yield the most superlative wines year after year. Conditions encourage the impart of exceptional regional characters and development of excellent tannins in the grapes. The finest bunches of vintage are de stemmed and crushed into open vinification vats, pumped over several times daily, drained upon completion and pressed after eight to twelve days on skins, into a selection of seasoned and new French oak puncheons and hogsheads for malolactic and a year's maturation. Alcohol 14.0%