Wendouree Cabernet Malbec 2017

Wendouree has remained one of the quiet benchmarks of Australian wine since the vineyard was first planted in 1893 by Alfred Percy Birks. Today, Tony and Lita Brady continue the estate’s deeply traditional approach, preserving a style shaped by old vines, low-intervention viticulture, and an unwavering connection to place. Situated on an easterly ridge on the northern edge of South Australia’s Clare Valley, the unirrigated vineyards are rooted in shallow red loam over limestone, conditions that naturally limit yields and intensify concentration.

The estate’s oldest Shiraz vines, many dating back to the original 1893 plantings, are believed to contain genetic material linked to the historic James Busby collection. These low-yielding vines produce small berries with thick skins and high seed content, giving Wendouree wines their structure, depth, and longevity. In the winery, the approach remains deliberately restrained and largely laissez-faire, allowing vineyard character and seasonal variation to define each release rather than heavy-handed winemaking.

Despite the estate’s standing among Australia’s most revered producers, older bottles remain remarkably scarce. Until 1974, Wendouree wines were sold in bulk to merchants for bottling and distribution, meaning many early wines were blended or released without estate labelling. That rarity has only deepened the reputation of Wendouree Shiraz, now regarded as one of the country’s most distinctive and enduring expressions of old-vine Australian Shiraz.