Description
This is almost certainly the last we'll see of this wine. Balgownie Vineyard, one of the real icons of Victorian Cabernet, has been sold to property developers, and Josh Cooper reckons 2025 will be his final vintage off its original 1970 plantings in Maiden Gully, Bendigo.
Josh is one of the most exciting young winemakers in the country, and Cabernet is where his heart lies. He's spent more than a decade collecting old Balgownie bottles, so getting a parcel of these vines through winemaker Tony Winspear meant a lot. The vines sit near Myers Creek on Ordovician shale, quartz and ironstone rubble, and at this age the fruit comes in with serious concentration.
The winemaking is hands-on and simple. Hand-picked, destemmed, partly foot crushed and left to start fermenting on its own in open vats for three weeks, then basket pressed and given 12 months in barrel (30% new Stockinger 300L, the rest seasoned Bordeaux barriques). Only 375 dozen were made.
Josh calls it the most age-worthy vintage yet from the site, with a bit more depth and structure than the brilliant 2024. Think cassis, graphite, violet and cedar, a savoury, almost briny edge and fine, gritty tannins that carry a long, perfumed finish. Give it a good decant and pour it with a slow-roasted lamb shoulder, or tuck a few away for the long haul.
A final chapter from a legendary vineyard, made by a Cabernet-obsessed winemaker at the top of his game. Not one to miss.
95 points
"This could be the last we see of this wine and site? Maybe. It’s a substantial and quietly powerful wine... There’s a distinct kind of old school, good school feel here, perhaps pushed through a modern lens"
- Mike Bennie (The Wine Front)
| Price Bracket | $51 to $100 |
| Type | Red |
| Body | Medium Bodied |
| Variety | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Country | Australia |
| Region | Bendigo |
| Australian State | VIC |
| Feature |
High Score |
| Reviewed By |
The Wine Front |
| Critic Score |
95 |
| Alcohol | 13.5% |
| Size | 750ml |
| Vintage | 2025 |
| Closure | DIAM Cork |
Joshua Cooper
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