2001 MadFish Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Tasting Notes

This traditional blend of three classic grape varieties is designed to produce a wine with a complete palate profile. Cabernet Sauvignon is the structurally strongest variety with good flavour in the early and late part of the taste spectrum backed up by fine tannin. Merlot has less flavour persistence than Cabernet Sauvignon but has wonderful mid palate fleshiness giving a sweet fruit centre to the wine. Cabernet Franc is highly aromatic providing a very attractive addition to the bouquet as well as contributing to the flavour early in the palate profile.
The 2001 growing season was outstanding throughout the South-West of Western Australia with virtually no summer rainfall, moderate temperatures producing fruit with full physiological ripeness, rich flavour characteristics and soft mature tannin structure.
The grapes were sourced from the top three grape growing regions in Western Australia giving a complex array of regional characters; fermentation in open topped vessels with traditional pump over cap management produced a wine with loads of fruit flavours and background tannin providing structure without astringency. Maturation in French oak barriques for 10 months adds further complexity and structure without dominating the fruit.

This wine reflects the quality of the vintage. The Cabernet family of varieties from 2001 all reached full physiological ripeness in relatively mild conditions thereby preserving the delicate aromas and flavours and avoiding any of the jammy fruit characters that can be produced in overly warm conditions. Berry fruits predominate with some spicy notes; the palate shows the benefit of ripe Merlot and Cabernet Franc with wonderful mid palate fleshiness given structure by the more austere Cabernet Sauvignon. The power of the fruit is emphasized by the way the oak has been absorbed seamlessly into the matrix of the wine. This is the most complete Madfish Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Cabernet Franc produced to date and should reward both the casual and serious drinker.

The wine will benefit from 6 to 8 months maturation to allow the fruit to emerge; secondary characters will develop over a 2 to 5 year period.