Description
Crawford River wines from Henty in South Western Victoria are crafted exclusively from hand-picked and selected fruit grown at their estate vineyard, whereupon they are vinified and bottled on site. The fruit is brought to the winery in small parcels, where meticulous attention is paid to detail. Patience and time are of the essence in their winery. Leading light in terms of quality estate grown fruit and premium wines of top notch caliber.
About this wine from the winemaker, Belinda Thomson: A blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Cabernet Franc. “The 2024 Cabernets shows everything I want to see in this wine, earlier than usual. There’s generosity of fruit, soft tannins and pure drinkability.”
“We have 3 Cabernet Sauvignon blocks and 1 Cabernet Franc block. A combination of sandy loam over limestone, with sections of ironstone-rich soils creates a wine of bright fruit purity, with supple tannic qualities. With all red blocks situated at the top of our slopes, the vines see plentiful warmth. The cool nights throughout most of the ripening period ensures acids remain bright and fresh.
“2023/24 was a dream vintage, minimal disease pressure providing immaculate fruit in plentiful quantity. A somewhat dry start to the Spring was alleviated by lovely rainfall at the end of November, which helped push through a fabulous flowering across the vineyard – the Riesling in particular. Short, heavy rainfall at the end of December and first week of January set the vineyard up nicely for the dry 6 weeks that followed. Veraison in mid-February progressed without issue and nets went on a little earlier than usual. Picking started on March 21, the earliest year for some time.
“Hand-picked fruit taken directly to the winery was destemmed to open fermenters. A cold soak of around five days preceded some carbonic fermentation, then natural, alcoholic fermentation. All blocks remained separate and were hand plunged throughout a moderate fermentation. Pressed when dry, the wine settled for around 4 weeks in tank, prior to barrelling down to French Oak, less than 10% new. After about 12 months, the wine was blended 2 months prior to bottling in September 2025.
“Fabulous depth of purple colour and vibrant freshness. There is plenty of Mulberry, together with a wonderful juxtaposition of dark berries and savoury qualities. Edges of dark chocolate. It shows a delicious, earthy sweetness, underpinned by rhubarb, beetroot and spice. A soft, generous palate is immediately appealing, the medium frame supporting its elegance, with supple acidity completing the picture. Dangerously good drinking.”
91 points, Stuart Knox, The Real Review “Rich ruby red colour with a full nose of cassis, clove and wood oil. Good weight and power, dark berry fruits balanced by floral lift and dark spice notes of clove and cardamom. Tannins have drive without being overbearing and it finishes long and lingering. Cellaring will see further complexity build.”
93 points, Philip Rich for Halliday Wine Companion “A medium, bright crimson purple. A lovely, fragrant cool-climate cabernet featuring aromas of sour cherry, blackberry and both dried roses and herbs. This is medium bodied, with good depth of fruit together with firm, chalky tannins that, while balanced, will need some time to ameliorate.”
RRP $43 Our Special Price $37.50 when you buy 6 or more of this wine
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