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95 Points

Lake's Folly Cabernets 2013

Name: Lake's Folly Cabernets 2013
Brand: Lake's Folly
SKU: LFC13
Price: 198.00 NZD
Availability: OutOfStock

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$198.00

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Lake's Folly Cabernets is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Shiraz made from low-yielding, estate-grown, hand-picked fruit. The fruit is open-fermented producing softer, more subtle tannins, and then transferred to large format casks for six months for settling, and then into small French oak barriques (new, one-year-old and two-year-old) for approximately one year before bottling. Excellent long-term cellaring potential of up to 20 years, depending on the vintage.

Maker

Lake's Folly

Varietal

Cabernet Sauvignon 60%, Shiraz 22%, Petit Verdot 12%, Merlot 6%

Country

Australia

Region

Hunter Valley, New South Wales

Vintage

2013

ABV

12.6%

Bottle size

750ml

A 60/22/12/6% blend of cabernet, shiraz, petit verdot and merlot, open fermented and matured in French oak. A typically elegant Folly, and has taken full advantage of the vintage; cassis, redcurrant, cedar and wisp of earth typical of the Hunter Valley are all to be had.

— James Halliday, 95 Points

A classical modern Folly red that does take time to flesh out in the glass. Initially dusty, faintly herbal aromas of cassis, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries are backed by nuances of underbrush and lifted by a sweet floral perfume. Medium to full-bodied, with a supple, elegant palate of vibrant black, red and blue berries tightly knit with sweet cedary oak and underpinned by fine, silky tannins, its long and superbly controlled. As it breathes it reveals more mouthfilling but finely balanced fruit sweetness, intensity and lusciousness, finishing with typically bright acids and length of flavour.

— Jeremy Oliver, 95 Points

Lake’s Folly is a testament to the visionary spirit and dedication of its founders. Established in 1963 by Dr. Max Lake, the winery was the first boutique vineyard in the Hunter Valley and remains one of the most respected names in Australian winemaking. Today, under the stewardship of Peter and Lee Fogarty, and with the expertise of winemaker Rodney Kempe, Lake’s Folly continues to craft its two flagship wines—Cabernet blend and Chardonnay—with unwavering attention to detail. The focus on producing small quantities of premium, estate-grown fruit reflects the estate’s commitment to quality over quantity, allowing each wine to showcase the unique terroir of the region.

The philosophy behind Lake’s Folly is simple yet profound: great wines come from great vineyards. With over 50-year-old vines, the estate’s terroir—characterised by a rare combination of volcanic hill, alluvial creek flat, and south-easterly aspect—provides the ideal conditions for growing world-class wine grapes. The philosophy also embraces sustainability, ensuring that every step of the winemaking process, from vineyard management to bottling, is done on-site to express the true character of the land. Through traditional winemaking techniques, including handpicking, open fermentation, and French oak maturation, Lake’s Folly wines are crafted to be elegant, complex, and capable of aging gracefully. This approach results in wines with clarity of structure, finesse, and the hallmark length and persistence that Lake’s Folly wines are renowned for.

There is an old saying that the wine is made in the vineyard (good fruit makes good wine). Most of the Lakes Folly Cabernet vines are now more than 50 years old. This means that over the years, the vines have ‘self-regulated’. This natural low cropping gives the grapes better consistency of flavour. The terroir, which is a rare combination of volcanic hill, alluvial creek flat and south-easterly aspect, is ideal for the production of fine wines. The vines are pruned heavily for low production high quality fruit, and trellised with vertical shoot positioning, which gives more reliable flavour even in difficult years. Maintaining a true ‘estate’ philosophy allows Lakes Folly to fully express the terroir of this particular site.

Crop levels are also critical in achieving complexity. Needless to say, growing all their own fruit at the Folly enables them to be super diligent in achieving these goals, the weather having the last say on the fruit intensity for a particular year. With the old vines, low crop levels, and good canopy management, we are consistently presented with above average fruit. Throw in some traditional winemaking, French oak and you have a unique distinguished single site wine. Their two flagship wines, a Cabernet blend and a Chardonnay, are made in limited quantities and are grown, vintaged, and made on the estate. The wine styles are restrained and elegant, showing finesse and complexity. They have clarity of structure and great length of flavour.

Tasting notes

NOSE
Dusty, Herbal, Redcurrant

Initially dusty, faintly herbal aromas of cassis, blackberries, blueberries and raspberries are backed by nuances of underbrush and lifted by a sweet floral perfume.

PALATE
Elegant, Tightly Knit, Vibrant Forest Fruit

Medium to full-bodied, with a supple, elegant palate of vibrant black, red and blue berries tightly knit with sweet cedary oak and underpinned by fine, silky tannins, its long and superbly controlled

FINISH
Fine, Luscious, Bright Acids

As it breathes it reveals more mouthfilling but finely balanced fruit sweetness, intensity and lusciousness, finishing with typically bright acids and length of flavour

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