Oates Ends Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

This is the first release of wines from Cath Oates – a single vineyard Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon. Cath has a long and distinguished winemaking history stretching from Mud House in Central Otago to Great Southern’s Plantagenet. But she is a Margaret River girl at heart, so very happy to be back on home soil.

This wine is actually made from her family’s Wilyabrup vineyard, which also happens to supply fruit for one of Margaret River’s top Cabernets. Cath takes fruit from the ends of the rows, so they are the Oates Ends. It is a couple of years since I first saw this wine and it has not changed much, with just a touch of development. It’s deeply coloured, perfumed and understated with cedary, bay leaf, red currant and cassis fruits. It has filled out a bit too on a bone dry palate which is fleshy and dense, but with a line of sinewy tannins to keep it in shape. Fine and detailed it has a long seamless finish with plenty of tannins too making for a very pure expression of Margaret River Cabernet that is delicious. You can find all the current releases from Oates Ends here.