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Dear UMAMU family,
Something very unique in the world of Australian wines online – a vertical & horizontal tasting pack of six Cabernet Sauvignon from the Margaret River:
- 2014 (Red Seal) Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2011 (Ann's) Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2011 (Red Seal) Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2010 (Red Seal) Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2009 (Red Seal) Cabernet Sauvignon
- 2008 (Red Seal) Cabernet Sauvignon
Vertical tastings are one of our greatest, greatest (did I say greatest?) pleasures in the winemaking industry.
Each vintage in the Margaret River wine region, where we are based in Western Australia, can be a different tasting experience due to:
- degree days
- acidity
- alcohol content
- weather
- rain
- disease risk
- harvest dates
- so much more
The 2008 (Red Seal) Cabernet Sauvignon was my family's first Cab Sauv from one of three plantings we have at our UMAMU Estate: 1978; 1982 and 1997.
When a parcel of fruit in a particular vintage shines and really "talks to us", we must listen. In 2008, we listened to the 1982 parcel of vines.
Every year since, we have strived to make each vintage as balanced as possible. It was such a treat to appreciate the incredible and diverse bounty of flavours, side-by-side, in this vertical & horizontal tasting.
In the old days we would sit in Margaret River to conduct the tastings. But I was excited to Zoom through these wines with my former wine lecturer the wonderful Lindsay Corby (ex La Trobe University), of Cosmo Wines in the Yarra Valley, Australia.
Now with Covid, we Connect Our Vertical Inspired Drinking virtually!
Watch the vertical tasting video, read a transcript of our hilarious back-and-forth & then read on for some of our notes and actual reviews of each wine from the respected reviewers.
Enjoy wine pairing? Why not try our lamb stew with Cabernet Sauvignon?
If you would like a combination of our wines that is not listed on our cart or for delivery outside Australia, please contact us on umamu@umamuestate.com.
Cheers!
Reviews & Notes
2014 UMAMU Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
"Very interesting herbal, fresh with a titch of tobacco coming through, this wine has so much to talk about! Youthful, amazing length and thus the conversation continues with dried herbs and palate richness. Rich, full and yet more length delivered. Each mouthful brings a new dimension. Produced from 1982 & 1978 vines." UMAMU
96 points James Halliday drink till 2034
"This is the king of grapes speaking, a full-bodied cabernet with blackcurrant, dried bay leaf, black olive and earth all in perfect agreement, tannins as they should be, giving savoury nuances to the finish, French oak likewise." James Halliday
2011 UMAMU Estate Ann's Cabernet Sauvignon
"Produced from our 1997 vines. This parcel was part of a Jimmy Watson winner, the Holy Grail of Cabernet Awards, for one of our grape clients. As I walk the vines during vintage to sample the grapes, you can taste the difference in tannins from the younger vines to the the older vines. So we had to include this in the pack for you to taste this with the red seal 2011 to see how the tannins from the different aged vines show." UMAMU
Gourmet Traveller WINE New Release Wines Apr May 2020
The Sydney Morning Herald & The Age 21 Apr 2020
95 points James Halliday drink till 2031
93 points Huon Hooke drink till 2031
"With the bonus of nine years of age, this has developed into a remarkable Bordeaux look-alike. Excellent colour and the bouquet a smoky, warm-earth patina overlying raspberry and rhubarb. It's medium-full bodied, rich and fleshy, rounded and smooth." Gourmet Traveller WINE
"UMAMU release all their wines, even whites, with extra age. This has mellowed into a wine of uncanny Bordeaux-like character. Warm-earth, smoky overtones intermingle with raspberry and rhubarb notes. It's medium-bodied, smoothly-rounded and textually appealing, with ample fleshy extract." The Sydney Morning Herald & The Age, Huon Hooke
2011 UMAMU Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
"This is seriously the most serious Cabernet we have produced. It is powerful, juicy, big dried fruit and welcoming. Warmest year out of the pack and you can taste the difference. Medium plus plus body. This is the highest score we have received from James Halliday with 97 points. Produced from 1982 & 1978 vines." UMAMU
97 points James Halliday drink till 2041
92 points Huon Hooke drink till 2029
"Vivid crimson-purple; a cabernet that exemplifies Umamu: it brings together cassis, quality French oak, and perfect cabernet tannins. Taken together you end up with aromas and flavours as complex as the texture and tannin structure. Right up there with the very best, and a long life ahead." James Halliday
"Deep, dark red colour with a faint tint of purple; the bouquet shows cedar, cigarbox and showing attractively developed aromas. The tobacco notes remind of crushed-leafy regional aromas which have mellowed and morphed with age. The tannins are bold and firm, and must have been rugged when the wine was young. It's a wine that would drink superbly with meat or cheese, and will continue to reward cellaring." Huon Hooke
2010 UMAMU Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
"Aged leaves with herbal hints and something clean and fresh about it. Medium plus and balanced, fills the mouth with leafiness dry plum and solid elegant good length. Each mouthful invites me to get to know it more. Produced from 1982 & 1978 vines." UMAMU
96 points James Halliday drink till 2035
95 points Huon Hooke drink till 2035
91 points The Wine Advocate Robert Parker drink to 2020+
"Strong purple-crimson; a high-quality, classic cabernet, with blackcurrant fruit on the one hand, fine-grained, ripe tannins and quality French oak on the other. A faultless, perfectly balanced, wine." James Halliday
"Good, deep red colour with a tinge of purple. The bouquet is marvellously full, ripe, rich and deep, loaded with classic blackberry cabernet and soy sauce aromas, the palate rich and profound, with abundant soft tannins and great structure without sacrificing softness and drinkability. A hint of coffee grounds and a lovely core of sweet cassisy fruit. This is young for its age, and will come into its own with further time in the cellar." Huon Hooke
2009 UMAMU Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
"This is plummy jammy and fresh and when I try it, all I want to do is drink it. Smooth and tannins are resolved, not jumping out at me. Produced from 1982 & 1978 vines." UMAMU
Gold Medal China World Awards
96 points Ray Jordan
95 points James Halliday
"The cabernets from this small maker have been outstanding and this one from this great vintage is superb. Lifted cedar and cigar box with traces of blackcurrant and black olive. A touch of leafy varietal cabernet is thrown in for good measure. Beautiful seamless and elegant palate structure with silky fine tannin and fine grained oak. Lingering finish." Ray Jordan
"Deep garnet, purple hue; lifted and perfumed bouquet showing florals, red fruits and some leafy complexity; the palate is fine and detailed, with ample fine-grained tannins and polished fruit a feature; lovely balance and very long." James Halliday2008 UMAMU Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
"This is the first Cabernet Sauvignon we produced from our 1982 planted vines. This wine was a runner up to the Jimmy Watson. It is drinking beautifully, smoothly, like an elegant surround sound with gentle long notes, serenading you." UMAMU
Top Gold Melbourne Wine Show
95 points James Halliday
Gold Scoop Magazine
"Vivid purple-crimson; sumptuous black fruits on the bouquet are given free rein on the velvety, bordering juicy, mid-palate; fine but firm tannins and quality oak provide balance and length." James Halliday
"One of Umamu's two gold-medal winners at the Scoop tasting was this sexy, supple number. There's a European-ness to this wine, but with an unmistakable Margaret River stamp. 2008 was a great vintage, and its fabulous to see what a bit of age does to these rich reds. Once ripe, the red fruit is more like potpourri, yet the Margs signature mint and olive savouriness, and oaky toastiness is still apparent. This beauty is ageing gracefully and slowly, still showing plenty of signs of youth. A fantastic splurge wine." Scoop Magazine