2017 Hazels Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

Fragrant and lifted, with red currants, violets, and cedar leading the way. Layers of black olive, tobacco leaf, and gravel dust add complexity and classic regional character.

The palate is velvety and composed, showing cassis, cocoa, and graphite. Fine-grained tannins provide length and detail, offering a balance of restraint and quiet power. A beautifully aged expression of Margaret River Cabernet from a distinctive single vineyard.

Vineyard: Hazel’s Vineyard is McHenry Hohnen’s southernmost site, located near Witchcliffe in the headwaters of Chapman Brook. With ironstone gravel loam soils over a clay base, and a strong maritime influence from the Southern Ocean, the site produces structured, expressive red wines with purity and power. This block was farmed with a deep commitment to soil health and sustainability prior to biodynamic certification in 2021, and remains a vital source of our most site-driven expressions.

A warm spring and full water table ensured excellent flowering and fruit set. The summer was moderate, with a significant mid-vintage rain event alleviating vine stress and supporting even ripening. Picking dates were in line with historical averages, and fruit was hand-picked during the cooler morning hours. The resulting wines show balance, freshness, and fine-grained structure—hallmarks of a classic Margaret River vintage.

Sourced from a single gravelly block at Hazel’s Vineyard, the fruit was hand-picked and gravity-fed into vertical 4-tonne open stone fermenters with no temperature control. Fermentation was wild, led by the vineyard’s native yeast. Soft extraction was maintained throughout two weeks on skins before the wine was pressed to French oak barriques (40% new). It was matured in our underground cellars for 16 months, then racked and bottled after a coarse filtration. Unfined and expressive of place.