2017 Peel Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River

Peel Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a quietly classic expression of Margaret River Cabernet, shaped by one of the region’s original vineyards and a philosophy rooted firmly in tradition and restraint. Peel Estate was established in the late 1970s at Wilyabrup, right at the heart of Margaret River, with vineyards planted on gravelly loam soils over clay that naturally limit vigour and favour small berries with thick skins. Combined with warm days, cooling Indian Ocean breezes and long, even ripening, these conditions consistently deliver Cabernet Sauvignon with purity, fine tannin structure and natural balance rather than excess weight.

Peel Estate is very much a grower focused, old school Margaret River producer, best known for allowing vineyard and vintage to speak without heavy winemaking intervention. Cabernet Sauvignon has always been the backbone of the estate, and the vines are now well established, producing fruit with depth, line and regional definition. Winemaking is deliberately restrained, with careful extraction and measured oak use designed to frame the fruit rather than dominate it. This approach results in Cabernet that reflects classic Margaret River traits of cassis, bay leaf and graphite rather than overt ripeness or sweetness.

In the glass the wine shows a deep ruby to crimson colour. Aromas open with blackcurrant, red plum and mulberry, layered with bay leaf, cedar, subtle tobacco and a faint earthy note. The palate is medium to full bodied and beautifully composed, delivering dark berry fruit, fine grained tannins and a long, savoury finish driven by fresh acidity. It pairs naturally with roast beef, lamb, grilled meats and hearty vegetable dishes, and it rewards time in the cellar, evolving gracefully over ten to fifteen years as notes of leather, dried herbs and forest floor emerge.

Peel Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is a benchmark traditional Margaret River red, offering elegance, structure and authenticity, and a reminder of why the region is so highly regarded for Cabernet Sauvignon.