Hay Shed Hill|Margaret River|Premium Wines

Vintage:	2005
Growing Region:	Margaret River 100%
Grape Varieties:	Cabernet Sauvignon 100%

Block 2 Cabernet Sauvignon is part of the original plantings on the Hay Shed Hill property. Running up a steep slope with a north facing aspect maximizing the sunlight interception on well drained gravely loam this dry grown block of the old ‘Houghtons’ clone Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the benchmark blocks of this variety in the Willyabrup Triangle – the sub region from which Margaret River has earned it’s world wide reputation for outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon based wines.

These old vines are bent and crooked with thick gnarly trunks but they produce some of the most flavoursome fruit I have tasted. Low yielding due to a combination of vine age, no irrigation, hard soil and the genetics of the original vines the fruit has great depth of flavour and ripeness of tannin. The grapes achieved full flavour and tannin ripeness in the outstanding 2005 growing season harvested in March 2005.

Winemaking

The grapes were de-stemmed and fermented in open topped tanks with twice daily pump overs to maximize the extraction of flavour, colour and tannin. After pressing, the wine was matured in French oak barriques; 40% new, for 18 months prior to bottling. The wine was kept in bottle 10 months prior to release.

Nose

Top Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon is noted for its powerful elegance, rich mid palate and ripe tannin texture. The 2005 Hay Shed Hill ‘Block 2’ Cabernet sauvignon is a fine example of why Margaret River has established a global reputation for this wine style. Ripe cassis black berry aromas with not a hint of the minty eucalypt ‘green’ characters seen in many examples of this variety. Background cedary oak complements this complex bouquet.

Palate

The palate is medium bodied but with great flavour depth and ripeness. Black berries and plum fruit flavours with a fleshiness of mid palate this wine is subtle and complex. Ripe supple tannin gives a richness and depth of mouthfeel and an extension of the palate. This wine has all the attributes to reward careful cellaring with increased complexity.

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