2021 Clarendon Hills Sandown Cabernet Sauvignon 750ml

Overview

Clarendon Hills Sandown Cabernet Sauvignon is a powerful yet refined single-vineyard Cabernet from Blewitt Springs in McLaren Vale. Produced from low-yielding, dry-grown old vines, the 2021 combines concentrated black fruit, graphite and savoury complexity with detailed structure, fine tannins and excellent ageing potential.

Vineyard

The Sandown vineyard is situated on a west-facing hillside in Blewitt Springs, approximately 10 kilometres northeast of McLaren Vale. The old-vine parcel was planted in the 1930s to a rare pre-phylloxera Chateau Reynella Cabernet Sauvignon clone. Deep sand and ironstone-rich soils contribute to the vineyard’s distinctive aromatic and mineral character.

Vintage

Following three dry and warm-to-hot vintages, the 2021 season brought welcome early rainfall and healthier yields. Cooler conditions from December helped avoid significant heat spikes, allowing gradual ripening and contributing elegance and generous fruit to the finished wine.

Winemaking

The low-yielding, dry-grown fruit was hand-picked and 100% destemmed before wild yeast fermentation. All pressings were returned to barrel, and the wine matured for 18 months in tightly grained French oak between one and five years old. It was bottled at the winery without fining or filtration.

Critic Reviews

96/100 — Marcus Ellis, Halliday Wine Companion
“Composed, deep and linear, this should age very nicely indeed.”
Tasted 04 March 2024
Published 08 May 2024

96/100 — Ned Goodwin MW, JamesSuckling.com
“A plush cabernet that is nevertheless detailed, refined and taut… Dried sage, black olives, graphite, anise and currants run long across a detailed structure.”
Tasted February 2024

96/100 — The Wine Front
Tasted March 2024

Specifications

• Vintage: 2021
• Producer: Clarendon Hills
• Country: Australia
• Region: Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale, South Australia
• Grape Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon
• Vineyard: Sandown
• Vineyard Attribute: Single vineyard, old vines
• Vine Planting: 1930s
• Clone: Pre-phylloxera Chateau Reynella Cabernet Sauvignon
• Viticulture: Low yielding, dry grown
• Harvest: Hand picked
• Fermentation: 100% destemmed, wild yeast fermentation
• Maturation: 18 months in 1–5 year old tightly grained French oak
• Fining: None
• Filtration: Unfiltered
• Alcohol: 14.0%
• Production: 3,000 bottles
• Winemaker: Roman Bratasiuk
• Drinking Window: 2025–2036