2022 Mac Forbes Hugh Cabernets

Highly Rated
Mac Forbes' flagship Cabernet blend, a tribute to his father Hugh. A velvet beauty.
3.7
Rated 3.7 out of 5 stars
3 Reviews

Price:
Sale price$80.00
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Description

The 2022 Mac Forbes Hugh Cabernets, named after Mac's father, is a gorgeously elegant example of why Yarra Vallery Cabernet blends are so unique, and so cherished.

Sourced from premium vineyards across the Valley floor, the blend is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, with components of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot. It underwent 10% whole bunch fermentation and was matured for 13 months in just older oak. As usual, it was made using indigenous yeast and with no fining.

The 2022 vintage delivered perfect growing conditions for these varieties, resulting in a wine with deliciously ripe flavours but still fresh and balanced. On the nose it's full of cranberry, dark cherry, and crushed herbs, while the palate is long and medium-bodied, with pure red fruits, silky tannins and a fresh, lingering finish.

Hugh is always a wine that Mac Forbes lovers collect, and the 2022 is one of the best releases in years.  Enjoy it now or cellar it for years to come—this wine is all about harmony, elegance, and a true sense of place.

96 points
"A blend of cabernet sauvignon/merlot/cabernet franc/petit verdot; three weeks on skins then pressed to seasoned barriques for 16 months. A bright, medium ruby crimson. Quite a step up on the 2021. An attractive and fragrant melange of dark cherries, blackcurrant and cedar with a touch of violet. Medium bodied and elegant with fine-grained and persistent tannins that are in perfect harmony with the fruit. Bravo."
- Philip Rich (Halliday Wine Companion)

94 points
"Dark, leathery, wet bark, soft palate, spiced, green tobacco leaves grip, hints of blue fruit, a bit of animal meaty start and then a pretty turn on violet pastille/liquorice. It’s dark in profile, textural, but all in all elegant and svelte with firm plummy flow and curious lightness. It opens up in the glass, gives away cloves, dried peppermint, lavender and a little toasty/hazelnut husk note. Yarra claret, why not, fresh, max medium-bodied red at your (daily) service."
- Kasia Sobiesiak (The Wine Front)

2021 HUGH CABERNETS

The Bordeaux blend is still arguably the most successful of all grapes or blends fromvthe Yarra Valley. At relatively low alcohols, the wines are elegant, perfumed and ripe. While approachable as a young wine, Hugh will age gracefully for twenty plus years. In this wine, Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant variety and is complimented by Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot.

TASTING NOTE

A vibrant nose of fresh cranberry, dark cherry and crushed herbs with a hint of coriander seed and baking spice. Palate is long and luscious with silky elegant tannins, pure red fruits and a sinewy freshness that draws the wine all the way back. All varieties working in perfect harmony. Delicious now, but will reward careful cellaring. We recommend serving this wine between 14-16 degrees.

VINTAGE CONDITIONS

A stunning vintage with near perfect conditions during flowering and fruit set. Good rainfall over winter built strong reserves of soil moisture, and the long cool growing season allowed for slow and evening ripening across key varieties. The 2021 vintage was one of the very rare years where we saw both quality and quantity of fruit.

WINE ANALYSIS

Alc/Vol: 11.5%
Acidity: 5.9 g/L
pH: 3.69

VINEYARD

A classic blend coming from a number of premium vineyards across the Valley floor. Some fruit coming from the decomposed granitic soils in Yarra Glen, and other parcels sourced from vineyards on clay loam around Yering and Coldstream.

WINEMAKING

Fruit: 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc, 15% Merlot & 5% Petit Verdot

Fermentation: 10% whole bunch, open fermenters on skins for 16 days

Maturation: 13 months in old large and small format oak

Yeast: Indigenous

Fining: None
Filtration: Sterile

96 points - "A blend of cabernet sauvignon/merlot/cabernet franc/petit verdot; three weeks on skins then pressed to seasoned barriques for 16 months. A bright, medium ruby crimson. Quite a step up on the 2021. An attractive and fragrant melange of dark cherries, blackcurrant and cedar with a touch of violet. Medium bodied and elegant with fine-grained and persistent tannins that are in perfect harmony with the fruit. Bravo." - Philip Rich (Halliday Wine Companion)

94 points - "Dark, leathery, wet bark, soft palate, spiced, green tobacco leaves grip, hints of blue fruit, a bit of animal meaty start and then a pretty turn on violet pastille/liquorice. It’s dark in profile, textural, but all in all elegant and svelte with firm plummy flow and curious lightness. It opens up in the glass, gives away cloves, dried peppermint, lavender and a little toasty/hazelnut husk note. Yarra claret, why not, fresh, max medium-bodied red at your (daily) service." - Kasia Sobiesiak (The Wine Front)

Customer Reviews

3.7
Rated 3.7 out of 5 stars
Based on 3 reviews
Total 5 star reviews: 1 Total 4 star reviews: 1 Total 3 star reviews: 0 Total 2 star reviews: 1 Total 1 star reviews: 0
3 reviews
  • RV
    Robbie V.
    Verified Reviewer
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    2 years ago
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    2019 Mac Forbes Hugh Cabernets
    Reviewing
    2019 Mac Forbes Hugh Cabernets
    Rated 2 out of 5 stars
    Needed more time cellaring

    Admittedly I had high hopes for this but was disappointed. Felt very fresh & undeveloped. Even harsh. I'm sure with a few more years of cellaring it would be come out nicely, but at 3 years I wouldn't open another.

  • HH
    Hugh H.
    Verified Buyer
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    2 years ago
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    2019 Mac Forbes Hugh Cabernets
    Reviewing
    2019 Mac Forbes Hugh Cabernets
    Rated 4 out of 5 stars
    Quality for a young vintage

    I was initially attracted by the name of this cabernet blend but found it to be very good quality.

    Hugh.

  • SD Profile picture for Steve D.facebook logo
    Steve D.
    Verified Buyer
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    5 years ago
    Wine Knowledge Level Enthusiast
    2019 Mac Forbes Hugh Cabernets
    Reviewing
    2019 Mac Forbes Hugh Cabernets
    Rated 5 out of 5 stars
    Awesome red

    Beautiful wine that is worth every cent.

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Mac Forbes

If you love premium and artisanal Australian wine, Mac Forbes is a name you need to know. He’s not only one of the country’s most talented winemakers, but he’s one of the most influential spokesmen for promoting the concept of Australian ‘terroir’, believing that wine should represent a time and a place.

Mac specialises in single vineyard Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah and Cabernet from the Yarra Valley. His wines are delicate and finely etched, characterised by subtlety and grace.

His Pinot Noirs are fine-boned, the Chardonnays are adored by lovers of fruit purity rather than winemaking artifice, and his array of off-dry Rieslings from the Strathbogie Ranges are among the country's most interesting. Additionally, his ever-expanding range of experimental wines is a treasure trove for the curious drinker.

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