The 1996 Lake’s Folly Cabernets Magnum is a rare and beautifully mature example of one of Australia’s most iconic Bordeaux-style blends. Produced by Lake’s Folly, this historic wine is regarded as a benchmark for elegant, long-lived Australian Cabernet blends, combining Hunter Valley finesse with remarkable bottle-aged complexity.
Lake’s Folly Cabernets is traditionally a blend led by Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, and occasionally small portions of Petit Verdot or Shiraz depending on the vintage. The Hunter Valley’s warm climate and unique growing conditions produce wines with moderate alcohol, savoury structure, and exceptional ageing capability rather than sheer power.
The excellent 1996 vintage delivered fruit with superb balance and longevity, and the large-format 1.5L Magnum has allowed the wine to evolve particularly slowly and gracefully over nearly three decades. Magnum formats are highly prized among collectors for their superior ageing characteristics and rarity.
Now fully mature, the wine reveals an elegant and deeply layered bouquet of blackcurrant, dried plum, cedar, cigar box, tobacco leaf, leather, and earthy spice. Tertiary nuances of forest floor, old wood, dried herbs, and savoury undergrowth continue to emerge with air, highlighting the complexity that only extended bottle age can provide.
The palate is medium-bodied and harmonious, with resolved tannins, integrated acidity, and a long, savoury finish. Unlike more powerful modern Cabernet blends, Lake’s Folly prioritises balance, finesse, and graceful evolution, qualities that are beautifully expressed in this mature Magnum release.
Drinking exceptionally well now with careful decanting, this is a rare opportunity to experience mature Australian Cabernet blend at an ideal stage of evolution.
A highly collectible Australian classic presented in rare Magnum format.
