Hewitson The Dorrien Bank Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Dorrien Cabernet Sauvignon has always had a touch of class, a memory first planted by the great Cabernets produced in the Barossa sub-region by Seppelt. The Dorrien Bank vineyard – situated on the sandy loam bank of the Para River – doesn’t disappoint in producing an engaging, flavoursome Cabernet that sings. Black as night in hue. Graphite, pencil lead oak notes combine with loganberry, blackberry, crushed herbs, mint and spice aromas. There’s no denying that Dorrien Bank is big in personality, full-on in the richness and oak stakes, but it handles it so well. The winemaker’s hand has constructed one smart Cabernet full of flavour, structure and interest. Chocolate, liquorice, earth, leather, nutmeg and a whisper of gentle leafiness join forces with woodsy oak spice to command the drinker’s attention. And then it keeps it. Bravo.

Jeni Port

Wine critic at Winepilot

Jeni Port is one of Australia’s top wine communicators. Based in Melbourne, Jeni created the first wine column in the (then) Sun News-Pictorial before moving over to The Age and becoming that paper’s longest-serving wine writer. Over the years she has written for most Australian wine magazines and these days calls WinePilot home. She is also a Tasting Panel member on the Halliday Wine Companion. She was named Wine Communicator of the Year and Legend of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2014 and in 2018 Legend of the Vine. She is a founding board member of Australian Women In Wine and is the co-deputy chair of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and China’s Wine List of the Year Awards.

Wine writer and critic