The second coming of Rob and Gen’s Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon
Visceral Margaret River energy: crunchy, minimalist and natural of feel. Cabernet done deftly. Light of touch. Lovely drink. Kudos, Corymbia.
Ned Goodwin MW
The inaugural release of this wine, from the 2018 vintage, was one of those jaw-dropping moments for the CellarHand team. There was no doubting the pedigree. But it was released so darn young. And though Rob and Gen believed in the site and had worked their socks off to bring it up to scratch, the question remained: How much could you really expect from a first attempt?
The answer was right there in the glass. The aroma itself was all nature and purity – flowers, vivid berries and the sea-spray freshness and tang of Redgate Beach. Then on the palate, succulent, sleek, graceful and energetic. The bright fruit shimmered with immaculate, gravel-flecked tannin.
So it was proven beyond doubt, then, the Calgardup Vineyard was ready to take on the world, and Rob and Gen had truly found a home that would allow their prodigious talent to flourish.
And now we have the follow up, from the quieter but equally auspicious 2019 vintage. “We really wanted to make a wine that tastes as fresh and vibrant as this pristine coastal location in which it’s grown,” says Gen. “It’s a wine that exudes perfumed floral characters. It has beautiful saltbush salinity. And for me it has some beautiful pliable, velvety tannins that also exude a typical vineyard characteristic of graphite-like structure.”
Rob and Gen are a dazzlingly brilliant duo and this vineyard in Calgardup has confirmed its status as a rare and distinctive treasure. We’re extremely excited to present to you its second coming.
2019 Corymbia Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon $64
Nutty, charry, black olive, samphire, floral perfume, umeboshi plum and blackberry. It’s medium-bodied, saline and dark, with a smooth web of graphite tannin, subdued acidity, and a fairly long fine perfumed finish. Needs a little while to come up, slightly sullen as at now, but with more to come, I suspect. 93+ points.
Gary Walsh, The Wine Front June 2020
2019 Corymbia Chenin Blanc $32
It’s gently spiced with pepper and cinnamon quills. It’s floral with some fresh herbs, poached apple, bees wax and refreshing lemon barley water flavours. The palate is altogether racier, almost Riesling-like acidity keeping this long and pure with the right amount of phenolics adding that extra layer.
95 points. James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion July 2020
2018 Corymbia Tempranillo / Malbec / Cabernet Sauvignon $43
Highly perfumed, pretty almost floral scents, violets come to mind, whiffs of blueberry/mulberry, green olive, a touch of clove woody spice, sarsaparilla and anise. Just lovely. Medium weight, sinewy feel, succulent and beautiful, fine web of clove-licked tannins, great energy here, bright and lengthy, fine, tight finish here. Has a ‘serious’ feel but also deliciousness. 95 points.
Mike Bennie, The Wine Front November 2019