Apparently, 95% of the fruit comes from Margaret River and 5% from McLaren Vale – why bother? No information as to how this wine comes together, where it was made, who tinkered with it or who put it in a ridiculously heavy bottle. Details folks, all important. There’s no denying this is polished and richly flavoured with mulberries and blackberries, cassis and some tangy/tart pomegranate and loads of new oak – cedary sweet and spicy. The persuasive tannins, plenty of them, flood the full-bodied palate. In a way it’s stately and so far removed from the elegance Margaret River achieves seemingly effortlessly with this variety. It’s constructed and yet, some will go for this despite the eye-watering price.

Under screw cap, this is a Cabernet incorporating fruit from Margaret River (88%), McLaren Vale (10%) and Frankland River (2%). Deep garnet hue, we have aromas of chocolate, coffee beans, soy, cigar box notes, blackberries, dry herbs, licorice, dry herbs, bergamot, spices and leather. The wine has notable savoury notes along with a line of fine acidity, through to very fine tannins. Good focus here, balance and concentration, and the palate moves to notes of cassis, tobacco leaves and graphite. This will drink well for the next ten to twelve years.