2022 Suckfizzle Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River

What a colour – dark purple dazzled by garnet; I spent a long time staring at the wine in the glass. On with it. It’s also incredibly dense, awash with sweet mulberries, cassis and currants, laden with spices yet really savoury characters of nori, black olives and Dutch licorice, plus no shortage of cedary oak. Full-bodied, voluptuous, even, with smooth, supple tannins and lots of them. This is no wallflower and leaves a lasting impression.

95 points Jane Faulkner winecompanion.com.au

Suckfizzle Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaret River is a bold, brooding, and beautifully structured red that reflects the raw power and maritime elegance of the region’s southern edge. Sourced exclusively from the windswept Suckfizzle vineyard near Augusta — one of the most isolated and southernmost Cabernet sites in Margaret River — this wine delivers intensity, minerality and cool-climate definition in equal measure.

The vineyard’s gravelly loam soils and proximity to the Southern Ocean create a long, even growing season, allowing Cabernet Sauvignon to ripen slowly with fine tannins, deep colour and aromatic lift. Fermentation is wild and small-scale, followed by maturation in a mix of new and seasoned French oak barriques for 18 months. The result is a Cabernet of concentration and restraint, with a savoury, graphite-driven character that sets it apart from more plush Margaret River styles.

On the nose it offers cassis, black cherry, cedar, crushed herbs, graphite and a subtle earthy note. The palate is full bodied and tightly wound, with dark fruit, cocoa, dried bay leaf and tobacco leaf supported by firm, fine-grained tannins. There’s a mineral thread and bright acidity that bring length and definition to a dry, structured finish.

Food pairing: excellent with dry-aged ribeye, roast lamb with rosemary, mushroom and thyme pie or aged hard cheeses. Also a great match for charred eggplant or beef bourguignon.

Cellar potential: built to go the distance. Best from 2026 onward, with 15 to 20 years of ageing potential, evolving savoury and graphite complexity over time.