The Good Luck Club Cabernet Sauvignon

Smalltown is a joint venture between noted Barossa winemaker Rolf Binder and Cambridge-based wine merchant Noel Young. Both Rolf and Noel have a passion for Rhône varietals and this comes through in their wines, which use fruit from 15 long-favoured sites in the premium northern Barossa, drawing on Rolf's deep understanding of the area.

Smalltown Vineyards is based on 42 hectares of prime sandy loam in the Barossa Valley's premium Ebenezer District, specifically the highly sought-after Kalimna blocks producing world class reds. Working with other vineyard sites in the Barossa and Eden Valleys to express this uniquely magical corner of the world. Winemakers Rolf Binder and Christa Deans craft superb expressions of the region in their small, hands-on winery in Tanunda.

Vineyards

The Smalltown block was purchased in 2016, 40 hectares of 28 year old Shiraz and Cabernet in the premium Ebenezer District of the Barossa Valley.

Vinification

This wine was aged in new and tertiary French oak for 24 months. The oak lends a subtle texture and structure to the fruit leaving the palate fresh so this is a bright, varietal Cab that wears its oak lightly as a structural veil rather than anything more monstrous.

Tasting notes

Summer pudding reaches from the glass, there is an abundance of blackberry and cassis fruit with a naughty creaminess of oak that marries on the palate for a bold pastiche of old vine Barossa Cabernet. It's a big glass of juicy theatre.

This is lovely with steak tartare, seared tuna, roast Mediterranean veg and some crunchy, matured hard cheese.