2024-varietal-winners

Top Rated: Cabernet and Family

By The Tasting Team

This is a category for ‘Bordeaux’ varieties, blends or varietal wines, excluding wines made of cabernet sauvignon only (which has its own category). Houghton C. W. Ferguson Cabernet Malbec 2020, from Frankland River, won the category for its sheer undeniable, plush loveliness, though Grosset’s exquisitely elegant Gaia 2020 (not in the list below), come a very close second. The wines listed below often don’t attract a lot of fuss (with exceptions), but true beauty resides here.

2024 Cabernet and Family of the Year

Houghton C.W. Ferguson Cabernet Malbec 2020, Frankland River

98 points (PD*) | Price when tasted $78


Houghton C.W. Ferguson Cabernet Malbec 2020, Frankland River

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From the plainly named Justin vineyard. A mellow, medium- to fuller-weight expression rippling with choc-raspberry, forest berry coulis, clove, dark chocolate, mint and eucalyptus. All nicely played, balanced and even. A potent flow on the palate, so inky and rich, and a chewy corset of silty, crushed rock tannins. It's a bold strike of cab malbec but finds judicious balance and a sense of vibrancy. It speaks fluently of quality fruit and the finesse of winemaking. – Mike Bennie

The 2024 Halliday Wine Companion is available now. Secure your copy of Australia's most comprehensive wine guide here – and at all good bookstores.

Learn more about cabernet and family.

This is an edited extract from the 2024 Halliday Wine Companion, with reviews by James Halliday, Campbell Mattinson, Dave Brookes, Jane Faulkner, Jeni Port, Mike Bennie, Ned Goodwin MW, Philip Rich and Shanteh Wale. Cover art by Ka Mo.

*Panel decision – score awarded by the Halliday Tasting Team at the annual Awards judging.