2006 The High Trellis

© Andrew Weldon

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“Projects aromas of chocolate, licorice and blackberries. Complex flavour profile on the palate- it has sweet black currants, spices and licorice and is well padded with ripe, chewy tannins”

The High Trellis vineyard has been producing grapes since the late 19th century. It was nicknamed ‘The High Trellis’ as its vines were first at d’Arenberg to be trained above knee height in the 1890’s. Over the past four decades, Cabernet Sauvignon from the High Trellis vineyard has been released under the d’Arenberg label to consistent critical acclaim. Indeed the first to be exhibited, won the coveted Jimmy Watson trophy at the 1969 Melbourne Wine Show.

As a young wine, this cabernet has a dense, dark appearance with an almost ruby red edge.
The aroma is intense with ripe, black fruit characters suggesting mulberries, black currant and plumy mulberry cherry notes mixed with notes of cedar and developing a sooty mineral edge. As the wine continues to open up further, earthy notes appear.

The palate has a surprising lightness about it and is very spritely and taut, suggesting it needs time to develop. Lovely ripe, savoury blackcurrant, cassis, mulberry fruit characters dominate the palate with edgy but ripe tannins and a refreshing note of acidity. Oak is perfectly balanced with the overall fruit sweetness of this wine. Lingering fruit flavours of blackcurrant leaf, cassis and black olives suggest there is plenty of hidden fruit concentration that will develop and show itself over time.

This wine shows great potential to bottle age for those that like to see their Cabernets with more secondary savoury characters. We feel optimum drinking will range over the next 10 to 15 years. The palate will become soft and juicy with classical, elegant cigar-box characters of tobacco, coffee and mocha with notes of spearmint characters and violets evolving.

2006 vintage is regarded as one of our largest vintages ever despite starting and finishing early. Overall quality was excellent for whites and reds. Cabernet Sauvignon was a particular highlight as flavours developed at a lower than normal beaume giving complexity and depth to the flavour profile.
A dry winter followed by heavy rains in spring resulted in vines with healthy, balanced canopies on most soils. A mild, early summer leading into a warmer period during veraison stopped vegetative growth allowing vines to channel energy into the fruit. Cooler ripening condition followed veraison were ideal for ripening Cabernet Sauvignon. Warmer conditions returned late February, early March which increased baumes and colour without eroding the wonderful fragrant fruit characters and levels of natural acidity.

Each year, Chester Osborn guides the small berries and bunches through the gentle, open-mouthed rubber-toothed ‘Demoisy’ crusher and then into the traditional ‘headed down’ open fermenters. The fermented must is pressed by our 19th century ‘Coq’ and ‘Bromley & Tregoning’ basket presses and then maturation takes place in American and French oak barriques and large casks for 18 months prior to the final blending and bottling.
This wine will benefit from further cellaring and decanting. Natural minimal processing ensures maximum flavour, which may result in a harmless deposit in and adhering to the bottle.