2021 Mac Forbes Hugh Cabernet Sauvignon, Yarra Valley, Australia

This is cool‑climate Cabernet at its most elegant: mid‑weight, perfumed, savoury, and built on tension rather than sheer power. The “Hugh” bottling sits above the village wines, showing more depth, more precision, and a more serious structural frame.

Aromatics - Blackcurrant and mulberry purity. Dried bay leaf, sage, and tobacco leaf. A subtle violet and lavender floral note. Gentle cedar from restrained oak. The aromatic profile is more Bordeaux‑Left‑Bank‑meets‑Yarra than Napa richness.

Palate - The palate is defined by precision, freshness, and linearity: Medium body, beautifully weighted. Blackcurrant, black cherry, and redcurrant fruit. A cool, savoury core: herbs, earth, and mineral tension. Fine, chalky tannins—long, persistent, and architectural. Bright acidity giving lift and drive. Oak is subtle.