A tale of two Cabernets
Australia might be best-known for Shiraz, but that hasn’t stopped one of its most famous winemaking families from championing another great full-bodied red, as Joelle Thomson explains...
“I often tell people on my wine travels that we’re a Cabernet house that sells more Shiraz because we’re Australian and that’s what people expect,” says Justin Taylor, of South Australia’s Taylors Wines.
It was his father, Bill, and uncles who fell in love with Cabernet Sauvignon in the late 1960s, inspired by the great reds of Bordeaux. This passion led to Bill Taylor planting 230 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon in Clare Valley in 1969.
It was the biggest planting of Cabernet in the Southern Hemisphere at the time and a moment that has made a significant impression on the Taylor family in the years since.
Twice a year, Justin Taylor and Taylors chief winemaker Adam Eggins invite me to taste their latest releases with them, the majority of which are, unsurprisingly, red. While my favourites depend on
the vintage, the styles of wine we’re tasting, and how the wines show on the day, for Justin the answer is usually: “Cabernet Sauvignon”.
“Taylors is best-known today for Shiraz, Chardonnay and dry Rieslings – but it’s two full-bodied reds that are stealing the spotlight this winter.”
It’s often said as though it’s a bit of a guilty secret, justified by his family’s deep affection for this late ripening grape variety. But given that Cabernet formed the solid foundations on which Taylors of Clare Valley was founded, it seems like a logical choice. And it begged the question: do we need to be apologetic for our wine choices?
Like many wine producers (and some wine writers) Justin and Adam are extremely curious to know which wines hit the highest mark with their audience, but when it comes to their own choices
they stand by what they enjoy – admitting to reaching for some of the humbler wines for everyday drinking because these bottles are more approachable as young wines.
Taylors is best-known today for Shiraz, Chardonnay and dry Rieslings – but it’s two full-bodied reds that are stealing the spotlight this winter.
Wherever there’s Cabernet, there’s Merlot. Its role is to add flesh to Cabernet’s staunch tannic bones, bringing softness and smooth drinkability. This inspired a new Reserve Merlot to be added to the Taylors range this year. It’s from the 2024 vintage and has been crafted especially for the New Zealand market.
The 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon release has defied the odds in a vintage that winemaker Adam describes as a tough year. “Many parts of Australia got hammered in 2023 with rain and the wines ended up being stylistically very different to usual. Cabernet is the last grape we pick each year and we were trying to get to flavours of violets and blue fruit, which we’re happy with, thanks to being able to give them longer to ripen.”
Try these...
2024 Taylors Reserve Parcel Merlot
RRP $25
Taylor Brown
This Merlot is matured in aged French oak and has appealing aromas of juicy smooth dark blackberries and nuances of ripe plum, along with a spicy touch. It’s drinking smoothly now and will evolve favourably for at least five years.
2023 Taylors Cabernet Sauvignon
RRP $24
Taylor Brown
This wine has aromas of dark berry with hints of mocha sweet-savoury notes, which underpin its firm, powerful structure and full body. It’s a blend of 58% Clare Valley with the balance being from McLaren Vale, south of Adelaide.
Joelle Thomson is a journalist, wine writer and author.
