2022 Dukes Vineyard Magpie Hill Reserve Cabernet, Porongurup

The wine spends 17 months in French oak of two sizes, with 51% of that oak being new barrels. This is a poised and refined cabernet, finely tuned with lacy, silty tannins and showing off cassis, salt bush, white pepper, just-ripe plum and minty elements between the bouquet and palate. It's quite refreshing in acidity, if not a little zesty through the finish, though overall the wine finds good balance. It delivers a pleasing, 'luncheon claret' kind of expression that favours early drinkability, freshness, and yet a turn in a cellar wouldn't be untoward. Well done, all up.

93 points Mike Bennie winecompanion.com.au

Duke’s Vineyard Magpie Hill Reserve Cabernet from Porongurup is a strikingly elegant and powerful cool-climate Cabernet Sauvignon, crafted with precision by winemaker Ben Cane. Sourced from a single block of low-yielding vines on the slopes of the Porongurup Range in Western Australia's Great Southern region, this is a flagship wine that combines intensity, structure, and a deep sense of place.

Porongurup’s ancient granite soils and elevated position create ideal conditions for Cabernet. Warm days promote flavour development, while the cool nights retain acidity and finesse—essential ingredients for long-lived, finely detailed wines. The Magpie Hill block is the jewel of the estate, producing fruit with concentration, aromatic lift, and natural balance.

Ben Cane, known for his refined, terroir-driven style honed over years in Australia, the US, and France, approaches winemaking at Duke’s with a light touch and an intuitive feel for the vineyard. Grapes are hand harvested, gently destemmed, and fermented in small batches. The wine is then aged in a mix of new and seasoned French oak for 18 to 24 months, allowing it to gain depth, polish, and complexity while maintaining its varietal purity.

In the glass, Magpie Hill Reserve Cabernet offers classic aromas of cassis, blackberry, bay leaf, and cedar, with hints of graphite and crushed herbs. The palate is full-bodied yet elegant, with ripe black fruit, fine-grained tannins, vibrant acidity, and a long, savoury finish touched by spice and mineral nuance.

This is a world-class Cabernet Sauvignon that speaks clearly of its Porongurup origins. Profound, cellar-worthy, and beautifully made.