The 2012 Dalwhinnie Moonambel Cabernet Sauvignon is an elegant, finely structured expression from one of the Pyrenees region’s most celebrated cool-climate vineyards. Dalwhinnie’s high-altitude amphitheatre site in Moonambel delivers naturally low yields, pristine fruit, and wines of purity and precision. The estate is known for crafting Cabernet Sauvignon that emphasises refinement, balance, and long-term ageing potential rather than sheer power.
The 2012 vintage was exceptional across Victoria, offering ideal conditions for Cabernet: a warm, even summer followed by a dry, extended autumn. These conditions ensured slow, steady ripening, excellent flavour development, and beautifully defined tannins. In the glass, the wine opens with lifted aromas of blackcurrant, redcurrant, mulberry, bay leaf, dried herbs, cedar, and subtle graphite. Hints of tobacco leaf, cocoa, savoury spice, and dusty earth bring further complexity.
On the palate, the 2012 Moonambel Cabernet is medium-bodied, poised, and beautifully composed. The fruit is pure and focused, supported by fine, chalky tannins and bright acidity that give the wine drive and freshness. French oak maturation is seamlessly integrated, adding subtle notes of cedar and spice without overshadowing the vineyard’s mineral, cool-climate character. The finish is long, graceful, and savoury, with classic Cabernet flavours persisting alongside the earthy, ironstone nuances typical of Moonambel’s soils.
Now over a decade old, the wine is entering a lovely stage of maturity, revealing softened tannins, layered secondary complexity, and superb harmony. It remains one of Dalwhinnie’s most elegant and age-worthy Cabernet vintages of the decade.
Region: Pyrenees, Victoria
Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol: ~14%
Drinking Window: Now – 2032+
A refined, beautifully matured Cabernet for collectors who value purity, balance, and cool-climate expression.
