The High Trellis paddock has been producing grapes since the late 19th century, and was nicknamed the High Trellis as its vines were the first to be trained above knee-height in the 1890’s. Over the last 4 decades or so the High Trellis Cabernet has been released to almost constant critical acclaim. Indeed, the first release of this wine, the 1968 wine won one of Australia’s most coveted wine show awards, the Jimmy Watson Trophy, at the 1969 Royal Melbourne Wine Show.
As a young wine, the High Trellis Cabernet has a dense crimson red colour with purple tinges. The High Trellis has a typical young Cabernet Sauvignon attack on the nose; lifted violets, mint and capsicum Cabernet edges above a rich, ripe blackberry, plum and liquorice ash base. Typical cassis and blackcurrant aromas are also evident. A little smoky vanillin oak and cinnamon smells help to give the wine great complexity and longevity.
As a young wine, ‘The High Trellis’ has a dense, crimson-red colour with purple tinges. The aroma starts with a big bang of cassis/blackcurrant characters with edges of cranberry, plum, and mint. The well-integrated subtle oak adds spice and liquorice. On the tongue, mouth-filling sweet blackberries, plum and blackcurrant flavours are highlighted by the rich, strong mid-palate. Mulberry-like fruit continues from the mid-palate, balanced by finely structured firm fruit and oak tannin on the typically long, fresh, young, vibrant, mint and spice, grippy finish.
After time in bottle, a brick, red-brown colour develops along with classical, elegant cigar-box, tobacco, coffee and mocha smells. With significant bottle age, ‘The High Trellis’ displays aromas of violets, truffles, cooked beetroot, toffee and stewed rhubarb. These continue onto the palate and are woven with cashewy, black olive, liquorice and earthy, chocolate flavours. The oak evolves into a consistent, evenly weighted, cedary, coffee-bean, mocha length, followed by a fresh acid-tannin finish. D’Arenberg
