Sandalford Margaret River Cabernet Merlot 2017 (Australia)

Sandalford Margaret River Cabernet Merlot 2017 (Australia)Dark cherry red colour in the glass. Up front dusty plums evolving into blackberries, cassis and mocha notes. Blue and black berries mix with bay leaves, rosemary and sweet olive flavours. A complex blend of sweet and savoury. The oak adds notes of cedar and spices particularly fresh nutmeg and cinnamon. Silky smooth tannins give a luxurious texture on the palate. This is a rich blend that will continually open up and evolve in the glass. Medium term

Dark cherry red colour in the glass. Up front dusty plums evolving into blackberries, cassis and mocha notes. Blue and black berries mix with bay leaves, rosemary and sweet olive flavours. A complex blend of sweet and savoury. The oak adds notes of cedar and spices – particularly fresh nutmeg and cinnamon. Silky smooth tannins give a luxurious texture on the palate. This is a rich blend that will continually open up and evolve in the glass. Medium term cellaring will only add to the wine’s complexity.

From the Summer rainfall & river flooding in the Swan Valley, to the threat of not ripening any of the red grapes in Margaret River, the 2017 vintage will be remembered as one of the most nerve-racking and anxious seasons. It certainly beats all of the last 10 vintages I’ve seen at Sandalford.

Overall, the whole growing season, from Spring through to Summer / Autumn was much cooler than average. There were no heat extremes this year. This delayed the ripening of all varieties by at least 3-4 weeks compared to normal. At the start of April, all of the red grapes were still on the vine, several blocks still needing a good 4-5 weeks to fully ripen. With April normally the change in season, there were many hours spent watching the weather forecast, waiting for the rain to start. Unbelievably Mother Nature was on the winemaking teams side, April was one of the driest on record. The winemakers latest season ever, with the last of the Cabernet being harvested in early May. The wines produced this season are elegant, showing more flavour complexity and concentration.