Pikes The Hill Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

One of the debates that wine geeks will indulge in, late at night with a glass or two of top red, is to argue over just which is the Clare’s best variety. Well, Riesling surely, so perhaps best red variety. There is a lot of support for Shiraz, the most widely planted grape, Cabernet is second. But Cabernet has a lot of support and many believe it, at its best, exceeds Shiraz – the only way to make an informed decision is to keep drinking lots of both. The team at Pikes believe that when it is at its best, Cabernet ‘is easily the region’s best red variety’. For me, line ball stuff.

Wherever you land, this is a cracker. Opaque maroon in colour, we have aromas of plums, chocolate, truffles, fleshy notes, bergamot and coffee grinds. Still very young and it really does need time. The palate is seductive and seamless with very fine tannins and juicy acidity. I’d be putting this aside for the next three to four years and then enjoying it over the following decade, over which period it will surely continue to improve.