2019 Block 3 Cabernet Sauvignon

Blocks 3 & 9 Cabernet are the same clone, planted at the same time on the highest/leanest (Block 3) and lowest/richest (Block 9) soils. Flavours are similar, but the structure and weight of the wine is completely different. 9 brings mid-palate and richness, while 3 brings drive, length and elegance. The Special Reserve has always been a blend of the two blocks. but in 2005, Tim made a flagship wine only from Block 3. These wines have won great critical acclaim (including our highest ever score 98/100 - the 2012) and become a firm favourite in the portfolio. The 2017 is an excellent example of what Block 3 can do, and one of Tim's favourites to date. Block 3 is a really interesting barometer for a season - more than any other of our wines, it changes to express the vintage conditions. Colder years ('08, '11 & '12) are very different to warmer years ('16 & '17), and in very hot years the wine tends not to quite make the Grand Reserve grade ('07 & '14).

04/03/2019 - 2.9 tonnes of fruit received from Block 3 at 13.7Bé. Crushed to OF3. Eight days on skins. Racked to 30% new French oak on 29/04/2019 for 19 months. Bottled 16/10/2020 at 13.5% alc/vol.

The last of the recent drought years, 2019 was hot and dry and the vines were tired. We deployed irrigation and organic fertilisers to mitigate stress. Canopy was modest but adequate to provide fuel for ripening and shield the grapes from the sun. Yields were lower than average.

2029+