Pertaringa Understudy Cabernet Sauvignon 2024

This is fabulous value for a warm climate Cabernet. The fruit is sourced from three vineyards – the Picnic Ground vineyard, which is on Kay’s Road (so called because back in the day when it was owned by Thomas Hardy, this was where they held picnics); the Osmond’s “Leslie” block just outside McLaren Flat; and the Tintookie Vineyard, which is located in the Blewitt Springs sub-region, even if it does sound more like something from Star Wars. Picnic Ground and Tintookie are on Maslin Sands, aged between 34 and 56 million years, while the Leslie Block is just an almost embarrassing (in this company) 11,700 years of age. Each parcel was matured separately in a mix of new and older French oak for a period of fifteen months. Deep maroon with a vibrant crimson edge, there are notes of creamy vanillin oak immediately evident along with blackberries, mulberries, plums, tobacco leaves, boysenberries and dried herbs. There is also a rather pleasing hint of florals just edging through. The wine is finely structured with very good length through to sleek tannins. An impressive warm climate Cabernet, full of flavour which should drink well for the next ten to fifteen years.

Ken Gargett

Contributor at Winepilot

Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.

Wine writer and critic