The release of Houghton’s premium icon wine, Jack Mann Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, marks a milestone for this remarkable wine that was originally created as a tribute to its most famous winemaker and his enormous passion for the varietal.
No other winemaker in the history of Western Australia has done more for the evolution of the state’s wine industry than Jack Mann. His creative genius and unrelenting search for great flavour and character are unsurpassed by any person, at any time, in Australian winemaking.
Last Wednesday, a dinner was held to launch the wine to WA trade and media at Wildflower restaurant -a premium venue in Perth.
Hosted by Senior Winemaker Ross Pamment and the rest of the winemaking team, the 18 guests enjoyed a five-course dinner matched to a selection of wines. The highlight of the night was a Jack Mann tasting flight including a Museum 1998, Museum 2008 and the 2015.
Ross Pamment said he still finds the production of this great wine to be a highlight every year.
“The 2015 vintage was characterised by warm and dry growing conditions during the ripening period, but then we saw the season cool during the later stages. This resulted in what can be described as a more ‘elegant’ wine relative to previous years.
“Since its inception, we have seen the style of Jack Mann evolve to become a more refined and stylish Cabernet. This wine is an expression of the vintage conditions and specific to the single vineyard site that the fruit is sourced from,” said Pamment.
That site is the Justin Vineyard in the Frankland River region of Western Australia, which is characterised by cool winters, warm summer days and cool summer nights.
The soils at Frankland River are degraded granite gravels that are some of the oldest in the world. The Cabernet grapes for Jack Mann are hand harvested from a small patch of 46 year-old vines. The particular clone of Cabernet Sauvignon is an original Houghton clone selected by Jack Mann.
To create further awareness of the release of Jack Mann, Ross will host a series of one-on-one tastings with other key media in Sydney and WA.
HOUGHTON JACK MANN 2015 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
RRP $139.99
Available at leading liquor retailers nationwide
The wine is opaque in colour, showing a deep purple-red core with a bright, scarlet hue. The bouquet displays vibrant, lively scented red fruits with crushed leaf, wild mint, cassis, tobacco leaf and blackcurrant aromas with a subtle overlay of chocolate box and cedar oak.
The palate is full-flavoured with rich and sumptuous layers resulting in a wine with intensity, power and elegance. The dense, firm, fine grained tannin is beautifully integrated with the fruit and oak. Outstanding structure and balance will ensure great ageing potential. The final blend composition is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec, and 1% Shiraz.
With careful cellaring, this wine will continue to develop in complexity over the next fifteen to twenty years.
Jack Mann Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 is the perfect wine to drink
