Inspired by the iconic jet that took it to the world. The rich and powerful Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon, our first commercial release of a single cabernet-based wine, is linked to Max Schubert’s dream of making a great Australian red wine that could last at least 20 years. During the ‘50s and early ‘60s cabernet sauvignon was mostly used for blending, but Schubert’s breakthrough with the varietal as a stand-alone wine came in 1964 with inaugural vintage. Early Bin 707s were typically open fermented under wax-lined header boards and matured in seasoned old oak (rather than new oak). The wine was not made from 1970 to 1975 (when fruit was directed to other wines) nor in 1981, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2011 or 2017 (when fruit of the required style and quality was not available).
Drinking Window: 2014 - 2035
Vineyard Notes
Coonawarra, Barossa, Wrattonbully, Padthaway, South Australia.
Vintage Notes
Adequate winter rains across most parts of South Australia offered good soil moisture levels for budburst, which was followed by a dry, warm and early spring. Climatic conditions favoured flowering and set with mild and calm weather. Minimal frost and disease pressures allowed for excellent vine canopy development. Early heat may have accompanied veraison but even ripening followed for those vines that had been through veraison and had adequate canopy. Harvest extended over a long period optimising colour, flavour and tannin development. The long and late South East harvest was particularly conducive to excellent flavour development in Cabernet whilst the vintage heatwave in the Barossa and McLaren Vale stalled ripening, inducing a lag period before harvest. Temperatures cooled off towards March.
Ageing
Matured for 13 months in 100% new American oak hogsheads.
Producer Tasting Notes
COLOUR Deep dark core, purple edge retained in February 2012. NOSE Instantly recognisable—unabashed and unmistakably 707—no pretence, no mistaking. Dark berry coulis, spiced dates and pecan-shortcrust aromas hover above. Suggestive notes of ironstone, ferrous assortments and soy simmer below. Irrationally, but a silhouette of nutty, chocolate/ malty oak... PALATE Full-bodied, rich and even. Varietal fruits have a role, but not a major part of this flavoursome production. Texturally, more muscular, defined and assertive, than mouth-coating or viscous. Prominent tannins are firm, ripe and malleable. Creamy/nougat oak in no way shying away— contentedly at one with the blend.
