Keeping the Legend Alive

It made its debut only in 1994, yet in it’s short lifetime it’s become as legendary as the winemaker it’s named after, garnering 22 two Show Trophies, 67 Gold Medals and countless Silvers and Bronze from only seven vintages, and has already become a benchmark of Australian wine investment.

We’re talking about Houghton’s Jack Mann Cabernet Sauvignon, a stellar wine from low-yielding, single-vineyard fruit off Houghton’s Justin Vineyard in the Frankland River area of Western Australia’s Great Southern Region.

The latest release, the 2001, once again epitomises Houghton’s philosophy with this label: to lend it only to their very best Cabernet Sauvignon.

The dry 2001 Spring, and even drier Summer, produced luscious-textured fruit of intense flavour that enabled Senior Winemaker, Rob Bowen to craft a wine with an enormous bouquet of blackberry, plum and mulberry, and a few hints of liquorice, truffle and bramble, plus a palate that’s opulent and concentrated.

At $100 from fine wine outlets, this is one to share with special-occasion guests over roast beef, baked Winter vegies and garlic gravy. (And while at it, raise a glass to Jack Mann, one of Australia’s most-visionary winemakers who steered Houghton’s through 51 consecutive vintages from 1922 to 1973