Pertaringa Understudy Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
Region: McLaren Vale
Story: This wine is a long-standing family favourite. An ‘understudy’ to our Rifle & Hunt Cabernet Sauvignon but certainly no second fiddle!
Vinyard: This Cabernet Sauvignon fruit is sourced from two vineyards, the Picnic Ground vineyard (once owned by Thomas Hardy and named after the picnics they used to hold there) located in Blewitt Springs and the Klaveniek vineyard on McMurtrie Road.
Soil: The Picnic Ground vineyard is on Maslin Sands, aged between 34 and 56 million years old, and the Klaveniek vineyard is on Ngaltinga Formation (10,000 to 2.6 million years old).
Harvest Date: 21 March (Picnic Grounds), 23 March (Klaveniek)
Nose: Aromatic varietal nose of cassis and spice.
Palate: Blackcurrent fruits fill the palate. Structured tannins provide elegence and length. Understudy is a sophisticated Cabernet but still offers the fruit generosity and weight that is hallmark of all Pertaringa wines.
Winemaking: All parcels of Cabernet Sauvignon were fermented and matured in seasoned French oak for 15 months separately.
Cellaring: Drink now to 2032
| Alc: 14.5% | TA: 6.92g/L |
| pH: 3.52 | RS: 0.6g/L |
Tasting notes: 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2010 | 2009
94 points - Wine Orbit, 2024
“Gorgeously styled and expressed with cassis, subtle tobacco, star anise and cedar characters on the nose. The palate delivers terrific weight and silky flow, beautifully complemented by graceful mouthfeel and chalky tannins. Wonderfully structured and harmonious with a sustained sturdy finish. At its best: now to 2037”
94 points - Wine Showcase Magazine, 2023
93 points - Wine Pilot, 2022
"I love everything about this wine. The fruit comes from the Picnic Grounds and Klaveniek vineyards in McLaren Vale ... An inky maroon colour, we have notes of dry herbs, blackcurrants, olives and bay leaves. There is even a whiff of orange rind apparent, all underpinned by good structure and even better length. Thanks to firm tannins, this wine will improve over time and easily handle six to ten years in a good cellar. A wine ready to take centre stage any time you like."