Blind Corner Wilyabrup Bernard 2019

Biodynamic. Employing elements of ripasso and appassimentoinspired by the wines of Valpolicellathis is a fascinating Cabernet, totally different to anything we know of on the market. It comes from a blend of 20-plus-year-old Cabernet Sauvignon vines in both the Quindalup and Wilyabrup sub regions of the Margaret River.

The fruit was foot-crushed and fermented wild before maturation in used oak. In ripasso style, these ferments included some of the Cabernet skins from Blind Corners Amarone-styled Bernard cuve (Wilyabrup) from the same year. These latter grapes (10% of the blend) were first air-dried before fermentation (appassimento)a process intended to simultaneously soften and lengthen the wines tannic frame while adding layers of flavour complexity. Then, theres a glug of Merlot judiciously blended in. Finally, the wine was raised in old wood and bottled without filtration.