98 points - "Never has a new release Cabernet Sauvignon captivated me as much as this First Growth from Parker Coonawarra Estate. Elegance, detail and supreme sophistication, this 2021 release is exceptional. Measured and balanced to every degree, its class seeps from every pore…Blackcurrants, blackberries and blackberry pastilles drive the fruit profile as mint, bay leaf and olive leaf play excellent support roles. Dried herbs and soft spices emerge with time in the glass but the delicately fluent and silky shape cannot be outdone. The oak is handled perfectly and melts into the frame with sheer ease, leaving enough savoury delight to muse over. A wine that has been harpooned back to the top tier where it belongs, this is winemaker Ox Hardy at his best." - Steve Lescynski (Q Wine)

97 points - "100% Abbey vineyard. Maturation occurred in 75% new barriques for 16 months. Just as the '20 vintage hinted at its future potential, with subtle yet distinctive signs, the soon-to-be-released '21 vintage remains intriguingly reserved, keeping its secrets close in this exceptional year. A beautifully fruit-focused wine beginning with rosella and persimmon, following up with ruby figs and just-picked blackberries. There are coffee grinds, sansho pepper and paprika spice. A spider’s web of intricate tannin ensures this wine will age gracefully, unfolding at its own unhurried pace. The prestige it carries makes this a vintage you won’t want to miss. While already drinking beautifully, its true character will emerge between 10 and 18 years from now. I quiver at the thought of how sensationally this wine will evolve." - Shanteh Wale (Halliday Wine Companion)

96 points - "This is another Do I? or Don’t I? Kind of wine from Parker Estate. To open now is to enjoy a Cabernet Sauvignon already in balance early in its life. It’s slow moving, building with time in the glass and with contact with air, but once it’s ready to go, it’s got it, looking very much in the regional zone. Enticing black fruits to the fore, crushed herbs and leaves, red earth with blackstrap liquorice which takes the wine long into the finish. Thoroughly ripened, fruit is well supported by oak and woody spices which remain a background note that sits comfortably with the wine, another layer to explore in what is a complex young beauty. Even tannins seal the deal. Yes, you can drink now. You can also drink later." - Jeni Port (Wine Pilot)

95 points - "A youthful plum red and vibrant in the glass. Complex and lifted aromas of cassis, cedar, nutty oak, bramble, ferrous earth and dark cherry. Structured, long, layered and with plenty of grip and presence. Dark fruits, serious tannins and acidity are all doing their thing and shape a classic Coonawarra cabernet that is built for the long haul." - Aaron Brasher (The Real Review)

95 points - "The 2021 vintage is said to have reflected the great years of a time gone by with its classically long and dry ripening period with mild conditions. The First Growth is primarily composed of Cabernet Sauvignon and is only crafted in exceptional years when the fruit is of outstanding quality, capable of producing a wine that will age for 15 years or more. This wine spent 16 months in French barriques with 75% of the final blend new. Ripe plum, vanilla bean and savoury, dusty cedar open proceedings before a cascading of blackcurrant, black cherry, tobacco, charred wood and mint. It’s alluring in its quiet poise and restraint, drawing you into the glass. A good swirl brings out graphite, mocha and red earth, too. The palate is equally cool and poised on first look – plum, blackberry, black cherry, cedar, vanilla and earth sit at the fore, with gentle chocolate and coffee notes beneath. Grainy tannins are elegant and integrated, providing ample frame and carry with lovely minty acidity rolling through the back palate. Good even length here. This is a classy release of balance and elegance that will age nicely in the cellar but is also approachable now." - Tom Kline (Wine Pilot)

As the name suggests, this wine is crafted from the best grapes the estate has to offer. John Parker believed it could rival the First Growths of Bordeaux, and from its first release it did—and continues to do so. First Growth is only produced in vintages where fruit quality and varietal typicity are deemed exceptional.

VITICULTURE
The Parker Estate ‘Abbey’ vineyard is located on the southern end of the region’s famous strip of terra rossa soil and is predominantly planted to Reynell Selection Cabernet Sauvignon—original cuttings from Bordeaux. These vines, first planted in 1985, are the backbone of our First Growth. The region benefits from the cooling influence of the Southern Ocean, providing an extended ripening period and resulting in exceptional fruit expression, depth and complexity.

WINEMAKING
The fruit for First Growth was fermented in a 9-tonne closed static fermenter for 41 days (13 days active fermentation followed by 28 days sealed maceration). This extended maceration builds tannin structure and increases ageing potential. The wine was then pressed to 75% new French oak barriques from Taransaud and Seguin Moreau cooperages and matured for 16 months. This process develops fine-grained tannins and produces a tightly structured wine capable of ageing for over 20 years under proper cellaring conditions.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon.

TASTING NOTES
Colour: Deep, dense red with a hint of purple
Aromas: Cassis, mulberry, and cedar spice
Palate: A fine and elegant wine. Rich cassis and subtle cigar box spice, supported by fine-grained tannins

ANALYSIS
Alcohol: 14.5%
TA: 5.7 g/L
pH: 3.41
Residual Sugar: 0.58 g/L
Vegan