2012 Mandala Butterfly Dixons Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 750ml

This wine is a heartfelt tribute to Charles’ late sister Vanessa, whose Greek name means “butterfly.” Vanessa had a fondness for robust red wines, particularly Cabernet Sauvignon.

Tasting Notes
This wine showcases flavors of blackberries, dark cherries, and subtle hints of raspberries and summer pudding, complemented by toasted coconut. The tannins are finely textured, juicy, and long-lasting, with notes of olive tapenade, red-skin cranberry, and spices.

The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes were de-stemmed and crushed into open-top vats for fermentation on the skins. The must was plunged daily and left to macerate for a total of 30 days before being gently pressed in an open screen press. The wine matured for 22 months in French oak before blending and bottling. It has an alcohol content of 14.4% alc/vol.

Reviews

96 Points – Gold – Philip Rich – Halliday Wine Companion 2024

“This single-vineyard wine is crafted from 34-year-old vines at Dixon’s Creek. After fermenting for 12 days, it remained on skins for an additional 30 days. It matured in French barriques (50% new) for 22 months, resulting in a deep ruby garnet color. This classic cool-climate Cabernet offers aromas of pure blackcurrant, delicate cedar, freshly crushed black pepper, and jasmine. It is medium-bodied and impeccably balanced, with ultra-fine, persistent tannins that make it approachable now, promising even more complexity over the next decade.”