Description
“The sheer quality of the wines he makes is equalled only by his consistency” James Halliday.
BEST VALUE WINERY OF THE YEAR IN JAMES HALLIDAY’S AUSTRALIAN WINE COMPANION 2020
When I met winemaker Bruce Dukes from Domaine Naturaliste I was bowled over by how striking every wine was that I tasted in his lineup … A rare occurrence when you’re tasting wines every day. The success did not happen by accident. He has an intimate knowledge of all the terroirs of Margaret River after spending 25 years honing his craft with leading Margaret River producers such as Pierro wines. He is a trained agronomist and has a Masters in viticulture and Oenology from U.C. Davis … he also worked for 4 years at Neibaum Coppola in Napa, USA. Bruce seeks freshness of fruit, perfume, texture, overall balance, restraint with low to moderate alcohol in all his beautiful wines. Domaine Naturaliste is named after the northern most Cape of Margaret River, Cape Naturaliste, where the winery is situated. Minuscule production of top shelf wines across the board.
The Flagship series is Bruce Dukes’ finest expression of the iconic Margaret River varietals. “Flagship is our passion and inspiration, the reason we make wine.” From terroir and fruit selection, to palate and aroma, Bruce Dukes expertly balances these variables, resulting in wines that are complex and ultimately delicious.
From the winery about this vintage: “Our finest cuvee of Cabernet Sauvignon from the heart of Margaret River. A single vineyard selection of the prized “Roche clone” with plantings in 1978 and 1982. These fully mature and majestic vines are some of the oldest in the region, planted by the second wave of winegrowing pioneers. The gravelly soils of the vineyard are flanked by the dominant native hard wood trees named Jarrah. Jarrah trees are a favourable and exact biological indicator that the site is ideally matched to Cabernet Sauvignon.
“Fruit expression from this site includes violets, cassis, and mulberry. Indeed, mulberry is a very attractive fruit character which is a unique part of the terroir expression of Margaret River Cabernet. This cuvee is named to reflect this unique mulberry character – Morus australis being the genus and species name for the mulberry tree.
“The fruit was harvested based on achieving a balance of tannin and flavour ripeness while maintaining fruit freshness. 55% new barrels until the wine has achieved its own harmony, which was 14 months. The barriques are primarily from forests in the Center of France, Troncais and a touch of Bertrange. The wine then enjoys another year in bottle before release.”
Gold Medal – 2023 Decanter World Wine Awards.
Trophy – 2023 Global Fine Wine Challenge.
97 points, Jane Skilton MW “Lifted aroma with fresh sage and thyme alongside black fruits. Black olive. Palate has degree of freshness despite powerful fruit characters. Tannins fine and ripe. A very pretty wine”
97 points, Ray Jordan “I’m increasingly thinking that 2019 is one of the great sleeper vintages for red wine in Margaret River. Case in point; this beauty which bridges the divide between power and elegance. It’s cabernet through and through with a graphite over blackcurrant aroma and a trace of black olive. The palate is firmly defined and structured with tannins and fine-grained oak commanding but still allowing the velvety smooth fruit to reveal its qualities.”
96 points, Erin Larkin for Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate “It has cassis bramble, pomegrante molasses, cocoa nib and mulberry The acid has a juiciness that offsets the supple, ductile tannin.”
96 points, Cassandra Charlick, Wine Pilot “Classic Margaret River Cabernet and the only wine under cork in the portfolio. Ripe yet compressed fruit sings from the glass with lovely purity. I had to check my hands for juice stains, as the nose is resplendent of freshly picked mulberries: ripe and delicate and oh-so-heady. Blackcurrant, native violet, cassis, mocha, and the tell-tale Margaret River hint of menthol Aussie bush. Tannins are fine, chewy and tightly packed, the acid line provides evenly spaced movement through the mouth. Raspberry and layered red fruits, hints of cedar, an ocean spray of salinity and almost bonfire-like savoury notes finish long on the palate. This wine straddles elegance, skill, style and complexity with pure joie de Vivre. If this was on the silver screen, it would undoubtedly be a Wes Anderson creation.”
95 points, JamesSuckling “ “Aromas of black and red currants, fresh coffee, bark and pine needle. Medium-bodied with bright acidity. Fresh and red fruit with some savory undertones. Leafy herbs and pipe tobacco. Complex. Drink now.”
95 points, Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion “Morus as in mulberries, so expect plenty to feature here. The wine is stately, full of dark ripe fruit, bitter chocolate studded with raisins and nuts, woodsy spices and savoury meaty notes. It’s full bodied and dense with expansive tannins and fans of such styles will be pleased.”
95 points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review
RRP $102 **Our Special Price only $82.99 when you buy 6 or more of this wine**
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