2021 Corymbia Calgardup Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon
Culinary Suggestions: Beef and venison
Vineyard Practice: Organic (Vegan)
About
Corymbia is the deep-rooted, far-sighted vision of husband-and wife-team, Rob and Genevieve Mann. The Mann name is synonymous with Western Australia’s Swan Valley, where Rob’s pioneering grandfather Jack worked a remarkable 51 consecutive vintages for Houghton. Rob was just a boy when he joined his father - former Australian test cricketer Tony – in planting the vines on what is now the dry-grown, organically farmed Corymbia vineyard.
Rob was one of the crop of hotshots at Hardys during the reign of Stephen Pannell, before Rob himself took the mantle of senior winemaker at Hardys Tintara. From there he established a name for himself as one of the great talents of his generation during his time at the helm of Cape Mentelle. Genevieve, meanwhile, worked in South Africa, France, California and South Australia prior to moving to Margaret River in 2007 in the role of winemaker for Howard Park. The two of them kicked off their homecoming dream, Corymbia, with the 2013 vintage, during Rob’s tenure as estate director at Newton Vineyards in Napa Valley. Now firmly ensconced back in the Swan Valley, Rob and Gen’s Chenin Blanc and Tempranillo-dominant red blend were the start of the story and sit at the heart of the story. But in 2019 they added a dazzlingly pure, elegant single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon from Margaret River. With typical pluck and nous, the Manns have revitalised with acute attention to detail the Calgardup Vineyard, just 2km inland from the famous Redgate Beach. The result is a crystal-clear signal of the bright future that lies ahead for this brilliant duo. - Distributor Note
Tasting Notes
It’s a graceful style of Cabernet, fine boned and fresh. Blackberry, strawberry, redcurrant, potpourri, slight smoky bacon bone character, and a sea spray/brine kind of thing. Tannin is tight with an emery board texture, subtle tobacco/leafy perfume, and a cool red fruited finish of excellent length, those high quality tannins really stretching it out. Subtle. Lovely.
95 points – Gary Walsh, The Wine Front July 2022
Drink: 2024 - 2033+
This is a routinely beautiful wine and a difficult wine to describe: they (Rob and Gen Mann) really make us work for it... The 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon has notes of rose petals, lead pencil shavings, cassis, red apple skins, lavender on the breeze, saltbush, kalamata olives and iodine on the nose. In the mouth, the wine is a spicy, ever-evolving, supple Cabernet from the Mann's Calgardup vineyard. There is a harmony and peace in this wine that remains through each of the vintages. Modern and a little bit thrilling.
94 points - Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate July 2022
Drink: 2022 - 2037
We love wines with spine and structure that comes from the grape and not from an oak tree grown on the other side of the world. No fancy winemaking or oak influence, just a relentless pursuit of perfection in the vineyard. This wine tastes of the grape, the dirt and the season without pretention, which is exactly what we want. Crème de cassis, Kalamata olives, dried thyme and salt bush excite the senses while the characteristic spine of fine tannins underpin the luminous, expressive fruit flavours that linger against a backdrop of briny, savoury and mouth-filling texture. – Rob & Gen Mann