2018 Zema Family Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra

Curls of flavour-soaked tannin. Currants with clear inlays of dry tobacco, herbs, aniseed and dust. A general juiciness to the flow and yet it still feels as though it's a wine to be taken seriously. All the angles and characters of this wine are positive. It's a very good release, with an excellent future ahead.

95 points Special Value Campbell Mattinson winecompanion.com.au

Zema Family Selection Cabernet Sauvignon from Coonawarra is a benchmark example of what makes this South Australian region world-class for Cabernet. It's bold, structured, and built to age, but also layered, polished, and unmistakably elegant. This flagship wine reflects both the Zema family’s deep roots in the region and their unwavering focus on producing wines of substance and regional identity.

The Zema Estate story begins in 1982, when Demetrio and Francesca Zema—originally from Calabria, Italy—purchased a small vineyard in the heart of Coonawarra. What started as a humble family venture has become one of the region’s most respected producers, known for their hands-on approach, attention to detail, and classic Coonawarra style: power and finesse, framed by the region’s famed terra rossa soils.

The Family Selection Cabernet Sauvignon is crafted only in outstanding vintages, using the best parcels of estate-grown fruit. Winemaker Nick Zema (second generation of the family) oversees the process, which includes open fermentation, extended skin contact, and maturation in a mix of new and seasoned French oak for up to two years.

It opens with intense aromas of blackcurrant, dark cherry, cedar, tobacco and dried herbs. The palate is full bodied and structured, with fine-grained tannins, vibrant acidity, and concentrated dark fruit layered with mocha, spice and earthy complexity. It’s a wine that balances richness and restraint, and one that can easily evolve over a decade or more.

Pair it with roast lamb, beef Wellington, aged cheddar or hearty mushroom dishes. Decant it now for a special meal, or cellar it for a future celebration.