2021 Bremerton Walter's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Langhorne Creek

Deep, dark and inky red in the glass. Heady aromas of stewed plum, blackberry, pudding spice, sweet oak and a menthol, woodsy lift. Dense, dark and full-bodied, with lashings of dark fruits, oak and tannin all at play. Smart drinking now, but will reward cellaring. Drink to 2041.

91 points Aaron Brasher for The Real Review, January 2026

If you can, pop this in the cellar for another year or two as it needs more time to amalgamate. If you open it today, decant and serve it with robust fare. It’s still in a primary phase, all blackberry and blackcurrants, mint and fresh herbs, with choc-mint and oak spices. The full-bodied palate is coated with sinewy, astringent tannins and brisk acidity. All pointing to more time in bottle. Drink to 2034.

90 points Jane Faulkner Jane Faulkner for Halliday Wine Companion, June 2025

The family vineyards of Bremerton sit in the rich soil of the Bremer River flood plain in the Langhorne Creek region of South Australia. Known for its high and consistent quality of fruit, the region enjoys long growing seasons thanks to the moderating effects of Lake Alexandrina. Long sought after for blending, increasing amounts of the region’s wine is now bottled by family estates like that run by the Willson sisters, Rebecca and Lucy. They have built Bremerton over the last three decades from an old lucerne farm to a 120-ha vineyard, producing up to 40,000 cases per year and exporting to numerous overseas markets.

Walter’s Reserve is the flagship Cabernet Sauvignon for Bremerton and honours the sisters’ grandfather. The wine is a result of a selection process that starts with vineyard parcels and continues through several stages at the winery. Vinified in open fermenters and matured for a total of 22 months in new and seasoned fine grain American and French Oak.  A subsequent 12-month maturation in bottle allows the wine to integrate further. 2021 vintage in Langhorne Creek was of excellent quality, with, for the region, unusually firm tannins.

Gorgeous aromas of black berries, chocolate, mint, cedar and warm baking spice. The abundant fruit is dark and concentrated, with firm support from tannins.

This is a rare bottle among Langhorne Creek wines: a genuine cellaring prospect. Decant well ahead of dinner featuring game and salty flavours if patience is not your virtue. Slow-roasted wild boar with juniper and cocoa, or saltbush and pepperberry crusted kangaroo fillet.