PROMISED LAND CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Background

After four decades in the Clare Valley, Wakefield Wines remains proudly family-owned and run (and a founding member of Australia’s First Families of Wine). The vision to build Australia’s most successful family owned wine company was set by Bill Taylor who, in 1969, purchased land with his brother John and father Bill Taylor senior by the Wakefield River in Auburn, situated in the Clare Valley wine region in South Australia. Launched in 1998 in Australia and New Zealand, the Promised Land range pays homage to the discovery of fossilized seahorses on the family’s estate, and the promise of its rich fertile soils. The wines are designed to be full of robust flavor accessible to any wine lover. The fruit is sourced from premium South Australian regions but is still typically Taylors; award winning quality, smooth, easy drinking and amazing value. Now for its 20th anniversary we’ve given this iconic range a contemporary and striking new design, painted by Australian artist Catherine Abel.

Winemaking

50% of the wine comes from a the dry warm climate area known as the Riverland in South Australia along the Murray River. A great deal of these vineyards are on sandy soils. They tend to produce a softer style of wine that is fruit driven. The remainder of this wine comes from the cooler regions of Padthaway and Wrattonbully, located in the South Eastern South Australia. These vineyards ripen fairly late and have a deep concentration of tannin and tend to make very varietal wines. Padthaway tends more to sandy loam soils, where as Wrattonbully is clay over limestone.
The grapes were destemmed but not crushed then placed in stainless steel vessels which are cooled for ferment to 25°C (77°F). Innoculated with select yeast strains for varietal characteristics. Select tanks were held for extended skin contact for an additional 3 weeks after primary fermentation was finished to increase mouthfeel and complexity. The grapes are then pressed using a pnumatic airbag press that extracts a great deal of the wine that is trapped within the skins to increase tannin but, leaving the seeds unbroken which reduces bitterness. The wine was then blended and aged with the aid of French oak.

Tasting Notes

Crimson red. Vibrant spicy aromas of red currant, plum and a touch of spice. Juicy blackcurrant fruits along with subtle coffee and savory cedar flavors and a smooth gentle finish. Distinctly flavorsome and true to its varietal origins – but at once soft and approachable. This is the sort of wine you know you should share but just want to keep to yourself.