2018 Cherubino Budworth Cabernet Sauvignon, Frankland River

Red plums and mulberries are delivered in bright, pure style here with dark, violet florals with savoury notes, such as cedar, gun flint and cloves. The palate delivers a very convincing array of purple-berry and plum flavours that completely coat the mouth. So harmonious, the resolve, depth and purity this wields is so impressive. Long and pure dark-berry flavours abound. 

James Suckling Top 100 of 2020 99 points
James Halliday Ten Great Reds
2021 WA Wine Guide, Ray Jordan 98 points
 
Such impressive red plums and mulberries are delivered in bright, pure style here with dark, violet florals. Then there’s a wealth of savory notes, such as cedar, gun flint and cloves. It is so complex already. The palate delivers a very convincing array of purple-berry and plum flavors that completely coat the mouth. So harmonious, the resolve, depth and purity this wields is so impressive. Long and pure dark-berry flavors abound. Like a great young Cos d’Estournel! Drink or cellar for 15 plus years. Screw cap. 200 dozen made.

99 points James Suckling

Hand picked, crushed/destemmed and held on skins for 2 months. Great colour, deep but vivid crimson/purple. Cedary French oak and blackcurrant fruit are joined at the hip by superb tannins that reflect the day-by-day assessment of the must during the latter weeks of maceration. The mouth-watering savoury aftertaste is the coup de grace for this great cabernet.

98 points James Halliday winecompanion.com.au 12 August 2021 

Larry Cherubino has been one of the driving forces behind modern Western Australian wine, with a particular talent for uncovering vineyards that deserve far more attention than they receive. Budworth comes from Frankland River in the Great Southern, where Cabernet thrives in a distinctly continental climate of warm days, cold nights and ancient, gravelly soils. It’s a fascinating counterpoint to Margaret River Cabernet — darker, more savoury and often carrying a beautiful herbal, graphite-like edge.

The 2018 vintage was an outstanding one across much of Western Australia, delivering Cabernet with excellent ripeness, concentration and natural freshness. Frankland River’s inland elevation and dramatic day-to-night temperature swings encourage slow flavour development while preserving acidity. Now with several years in bottle, the wine is beginning to move from youthful black fruit towards the cedar, tobacco and earthy complexity that makes mature Cabernet so rewarding.

Deep garnet with crimson still holding at the rim, the nose opens with cassis, blackberry and dark plum alongside violet, bay leaf and dried mint. With air come graphite, cedar, tobacco leaf and dark chocolate, plus a subtle waft of eucalyptus and warm earth. The palate is beautifully structured, with concentrated dark fruit framed by fine, savoury tannins and fresh acidity. Blackcurrant, cocoa and dried herbs build through the middle before a long finish of graphite, cedar and earthy spice.

This deserves something with smoke and char: rosemary lamb cutlets straight from the barbecue, slow-braised beef cheeks, venison with juniper, charcoal-grilled rib eye or a mushroom and thyme pie with properly buttery pastry. Go for the rib eye — plenty of crust, pink in the middle, mustard on the side and absolutely no parsley garnish pretending to be dinner.

Cellaring: Drink now to 2038.