Former Chef Duncan Cook is based on the slopes of Mount Canobolas in Orange. The ‘Allotment’ range is the starting point for the wines. Cabernet is potentially the unsung hero of the Orange region, this one sees French oak maturation for 12 months.

Cooks Lot, Allotment 8888, Cabernet Sauvignon  Orange, 2021

Opaque garnet with a ruby rim. Varietal nose: Cassis, bramble, cedar, spearmint, charry roast burnt ends and pencil shavings. Orange cool climate helps with a herbal freshness. Drying, dusty and elegant (if a little loose knit) tannins. Core of light cassis and cedar with a lightness of structure. Ready to drink now.

RRP: $25
Alc: 13.5%
Rating: 89/100

Wine sample courtesy of Cook’s Lot and Define Wine