2024 Bicknell FC Lance Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon

96 pts
Classic Yarra Claret from 50 year old vines in the hands of Dave Bicknell.

Price:
Sale price$90.00
Stock:
In stock, ready to ship
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Description

This is proper old-school Yarra Cabernet. Sourced from the original 1976 plantings at the Lance vineyard in St Andrews, these vines have been in the ground for nearly 50 years. That kind of vine age brings a natural balance and intensity to the fruit that you just can't manufacture in the winery.

Dave Bicknell’s approach here was all about respect for the raw material. He used 100% whole berries in the ferment to keep the fruit bright and lifted, leaving it on skins for three weeks to gently extract the structure. It was then pressed to barriques where it rested for 11 months with just a couple of rackings. It’s Cabernet stripped back to its essentials - no tricks, just great fruit.

The result is a wine that captures the classic, medium-bodied elegance the Yarra is famous for. It has the depth of flavour you expect from low-yielding old vines, but it remains fresh and lively on the palate. It is savoury, structural and driven by fine-grained tannins that will see it age gracefully for years to come.

Just 142 dozen made.

Erin Larkin

Erin Larkin

The Wine Advocate 95 Points

The 2024 Lance Close Planted Pinot Noir hails from the Lance vineyard in St. Andrews in the Yarra Valley. MV6 clone was closely planted to 8,300 vines per hectare in 1989. On the nose, the oak is more evident here than in the Applecross Pinot Noir from the same vintage, yet the fruit here wears it with ease, rising up above it on the palate. Profoundly pretty, pure and elegant, this is a wine of ethereal grace and yet power. I like it so much, for different reasons than the Applecross—a wine for each mood. This is awesome. 12.7% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

Philip Rich

Philip Rich

Halliday Wine Companion 96 Points

From the Lance vineyard in St. Andrews and off a block planted in 1976. 100% whole berries and matured in older barriques for 11 months. A medium deep, bright crimson purple. On the bouquet there's an exotic array of black cherry, blackcurrant pastilles, violets, lavender and dried herbs. This is medium bodied, the palate crunchy and saline, before finishing with gently ripe, persistent fruit tannins and very bright acidity. An elegant, medium-bodied wine that will be a joy to drink now and over the next decade.

From the original 1976 plantains of SA125 and cropped at 4.1 t/Ha. Hand picked on the 18th of March with 100% whole berries sorted to fermenter. After 3 weeks fermenting on skins it was pressed to a mixture of 225 Lt barriques where it completed malo. Over the next 11 months it was racked twice before blending and bottling in late February 2025. 142 dozen bottles made.

Price Bracket $51 to $100
Type Red
Body Medium Bodied
Variety Cabernet Sauvignon
Country Australia
Region Yarra Valley
Australian State VIC
Feature High Score
Reviewed By Halliday Wine Companion
Critic Score 96
Size 750ml
Vintage 2024
Closure Screw Cap

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