2019 Corymbia Calgardup Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Corymbia

Australia / Swan Valley / Corymbia

IDEA
This wine is the realisation of a dream seeded by Rob’s grandfather, Jack Mann, a departure from the orthodox, to achieve a unique expression of Margaret River Cabernet. Variety, place and experience are woven together to redefine what’s possible.

FRUIT
Our second release from our dry-grown, organically farmed Calgardup vineyard. Located just 2km inland from the famous Redgate Beach in Margaret River, we have continued to revitalise this vineyard with acute attention to detail. The fruit was harvested on two picking dates in April; individually berry sorted prior to natural, whole-berry fermentation in a single French oak vat. Maturation followed in four seasoned barriques for 10 months.

FACTS
100% Cabernet Sauvignon (126 clone planted in 2002) from the Calgardup vineyard in Redgate, Margaret River. Planting density is 1785 vines per hectare on Keenan gravelly loam. The fruit was picked on 8th and 18th April 2019. Alcohol 13.3%; pH 3.61; total acidity 5.32 g/L. Bottled 7th February 2020.

WINE
We have made a wine that tastes as fresh and vibrant as the pristine coastal location of its origin. It tastes of the grape, the dirt and the sea without pretention and exudes all the characters of Margaret River Cabernet that the world admires. Perfumed and aromatic with violets, deep redcurrants, and coastal herbs complement a palate that is intense, vibrant and medium bodied with nori and satsuma plums framed by the vineyard’s typical graphite-like structure. – Rob & Gen Mann

January, 2021

Erin Larkin

Halliday Wine Companion

97 points.

The 2nd vintage from the organically farmed Calgardup vineyard. Hand picked over 2 dates, berry sorted, wild whole-berry ferment in a single French oak vat, matured 10 months in 4 seasoned barriques. Luminescent ruby with glints of purple and black. It shines as if with its own dense internal light. The telltale ripe and chewy tannin profile handled masterfully by Rob Mann, with pristine fruit and great length of flavour. An exceptionally elegant, powder-fine cabernet, part of the new Margaret River breed. A massive, resounding, YES.

August, 2020

Max Allen

Australian Financial Review

Deceptively pure, juicy and oh-so-easy to drink: essence of blackcurrant and fine, powdery tannins. Don’t be fooled, though: this also has enough depth and concentration for long-term cellaring.

June, 2020

Gary Walsh

The Wine Front

93+ points.

Nutty, charry, black olive, samphire, floral perfume, umeboshi plum and blackberry. It’s medium-bodied, saline and dark, with a smooth web of graphite tannin, subdued acidity, and a fairly long fine perfumed finish. Needs a little while to come up, slightly sullen as at now, but with more to come, I suspect.

October, 2020

Nick Stock

jamessuckling.com

93 points

Very attractive red-plum, redcurrant and light herbal notes to this youthful cabernet with a focused and very pure delivery of fruit. The palate has supple and attractive tannins and carries elegant yet quite concentrated fruit. Medium body. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Standard Bottle Out of Stock

About Corymbia

Corymbia is the deep-rooted, far-sighted vision of husband-and wife-team, Rob and Genevieve Mann. The Mann name is synonymous with Western Australia’s Swan Valley, where Rob’s pioneering grandfather Jack worked a remarkable 51 consecutive vintages for Houghton. Rob was just a boy when he joined his father - former Australian test cricketer Tony - in planting the vines on what is now the dry-grown, organically farmed Corymbia vineyard.
After building an exceptional reputation in their own right, the couple kicked off their homecoming dream, Corymbia, with the 2013 vintage, during Rob’s tenure as estate director at Newton Vineyard in Napa Valley. Now firmly ensconced back in the Swan Valley, Rob and Gen’s Chenin Blanc and Tempranillo-dominant red blend sit at the heart of a bright future for this brilliant duo. And their Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon, from their beautiful Calgardup Vineyard, is a new milestone for this region.

About

Rob was one of the crop of hotshots at Hardys during the reign of Stephen Pannell, before Rob himself took the mantle of senior winemaker at Hardys Tintara. From there he established a name for himself as one of the great talents of his generation during his time at the helm of Cape Mentelle - eventually being handpicked to radically ramp up quality at LVMH's Napa estate Newton Vineyard. Genevieve, meanwhile, worked in South Africa, France, California and South Australia prior to moving to Margaret River in 2007 in the role of winemaker for Howard Park.