Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2006: the best 2006 Margaret River Cabernet I’ve tasted?

This year, I’ve shown Leeuwin Estate’s Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 twice.  It was a big hit at a London International Wine Fair masterclass I presented on behalf of Margaret River Wine Industry Association in May and, in June, was one of my Wines of the Month (see here).  (Coincidentally, with Vasse Felix Chardonnay which is back on deal at Majestic at £9.99 – a great buy).

Last week, I had the great pleasure to present it again as I quizzed the teams during a semi-final of Wine Australia’s University Wine Champions.  Swirling and savouring it in and from the glass, it was all I could do to keep concentrated on the questions!  So when I received a sample of the 2006 vintage, it wasn’t long before I lifted the lid. 

It may not be as powerful as the 2005, but it didn’t disappoint.  Far from it.  I reckon this poised and perfumed beauty is one of the best, if not the best, Margaret River Cabernet I’ve tasted from the difficult (late and wet) 2006 vintage (see vintage notes below).  Leeuwin Estate’s red wine programme and their strategy of bottle ageing the wine for three years before release has certainly paid off.  Here are my notes:

Leeuwin Estate’s Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

This is a strikingly perfumed, vibrant Cabernet, as befits a cool vintage; winningly, without a scintilla of green.  No mean feat given the vintage and Leeuwin Estate’s relatively southerly location within Margaret River.  Its bright crimson hue signposts the vivacity of the palate.  Well-defined, concentrated jewel bright blackcurrant, red cherry and plum fruit is ever so dexterously seasoned with cedar.  A long, scented finish, supremely poised, is gently ruffled by cocoa fine tannins.   Terrific.  Just about broachable now, but will benefit from time to unwind. RRP £34-38. 

London stockists include importer, Domaine Direct (minimum order of one case, which can be mixed), Uncorked, Fortnum & Mason, Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges.  Other UK stockists: House of Menzies, The Sommelier Wine Company, Four Walls Wine, L’Assemblage Fine Wine Traders and Beaconsfield Wine Cellars.

Vintage report

Here’s some background provided by Leeuwin Estate about the vintage and winemaking:

At Leeuwin Estate in Margaret River cool conditions in the 2005/2006 growing season delayed both bud burst and flowering, and affected berry set. As a result bunches were significantly smaller than usual and yields were lower. “The summer of 2006 was the coolest on record. Picking in small lots was the key to maximising quality. In order that our Cabernet Sauvignon was at optimum sugar, flavour and physiological ripeness when harvested, grapes from discrete areas of blocks, or even single rows of vineyards were both picked and vinified separately,” said David Winstanley, Leeuwin’s viticulturist.

Leeuwin’s Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are sourced from two unirrigated vineyards in the Witchcliffe and Willyabrup sub-regions of Margaret River. The vineyards are north and west facing and are planted at around 70 metres above sea level on free draining lateritic soils with granite-gneiss sub-soils. “Grapes from Leeuwin’s 33 year old Witchcliffe vineyard provide the core backbone that gives the wines great length and structure,” according to Winstanley.   “By contrast, fruit from an 11 year old vineyard in the north of Willyabrup provides ripe berry aromatics and generous sweet fruit on the middle palate.”

Vinification took place in both open and closed-top fermenters, and the malolactic fermentation took place in barrel. The base wines were then matured in French oak barrels for nine months. The base wines for the final blend were then selected. The resulting wine was matured in French oak barrels for a further fourteen months.  The 2006 Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 87% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot.”