Fermoy Reserve Cabernet 3 Pack Vertical 2018 / 2019 / 2020

Fermoy Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Mixed 3 Pack, containing - 
1x 2020 Fermoy Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 
1x 2019 Fermoy Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 
1x 2018 Fermoy Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 

1x 2020 Fermoy Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 
Stuart McCloskey, tasted May 2025 “I will come clean – I failed to understand all the hype when I first sampled the wine. I found it a tad tough and angular. Today, this feels rested and a giver of joy. The perfume exudes Margaret River charm and is awash with blackcurrant, cassis, violet, sea spray, peppermint, white pepper, fresh sage along with a waft of sweet, piping tobacco. The palate radiates elegance and charm, but not at the expense of the fruit, which flows in a stream of ripe blue and black berries. The interplay with the tannins is genius. Structured, sculptured, seductive, and delivered by a winemaker wearing velvet gloves. The length is mightily impressive – I do like the sorbet-esque tang to the acidity. The wine’s x-factor is noticeable however, and what I find most attractive, it’s not a showy style of wine. A fine, regal, sophisticated and a flawless expression of its region. In the context of today’s article - this is not inexpensive, but I will argue that it is worth every penny and better than many of its more expensive neighbours. A wine of charming beauty that will continue to provide a decade or more of pleasure. Rather addictive, too. Sample number three and it’s only 11:30am! Served using Zalto Bordeaux glassware. I am really looking forward to enjoying the remainder tonight (using Burgundy stemware, which could be the better choice). Decant for an hour… Praise be.”

Jane Faulkner, James Halliday.com “It might be a reserve wine, but there’s no need to wait. It would be hard to, anyway, as this is gorgeous. Superfine and long with powdery tannins; there’s latent power almost within yet it hovers around medium bodied. It’s structured and detailed, laden with flavour and the oak makes its presence known but not overtly so – it adds cedar and antique wood aromas plus another layer of tannins. There are also mulberries and blueberries and a kitchen cupboard full of spices. Take it all in. Slowly.”

1x 2019 Fermoy Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 

Stuart McCloskey, tasted 19th February 2026 "Inescapably Margaret River. The marine signature is immediate and unmistakable - black nori, crushed oyster shell, the oceanic scent of the tide retreating over warm sand. Beneath the saline inflection lies a core of pure cassis, mulberry, blueberry and blackcurrant, all framed by cooling graphite. It’s a brooding, intensely perfumed Cabernet that requires time; a few hours in the decanter are essential. With significant airtime, the wine unfurls into something deeper and more savoury - resting beef juices, woodsmoke, Mediterranean herbs (bay leaf) and a pinch of sea salt. The elements knit together seamlessly. This is Margaret River at its most atmospheric and complete. The palate is sublime - silken in texture, yet architecturally precise. Graphite-laced tannins weave through ripe blue and black fruits effortlessly. A tangible savouriness emerges - tobacco leaf and dried herbs which add to the complexity. I’ve come to the view that Fermoy Estate Reserve Cabernet now sits comfortably among the region’s elite. While showing beautifully today, its structure and composure suggest a wine destined for three decades in the cellar, and likely beyond. Magnificent."

Erin Larkin, James Halliday.com “100% Houghton clone from Wilyabrup. Hand picked from 35yo vines, partial wild ferment, 3 weeks on skins, matured in French oak for 18 months (57% new). Houghton clone + Wilyabrup = a great match. Somehow the dirt and sky here combine with the clone to produce a decidedly red, supple, succulent style of cabernet. Also, it must be said here, Fermoy is on the up: watch this star rise. This is precisely as we hope: bright, spicy, layered with raspberry, pomegranate, red licorice and pink peppercorn. In the mouth it is exactly thus, with the added bonus of spring flowers, crushed graphite and Pink Lady Apples. Gold medal Royal Adelaide Wine Show 2021.”

1x 2018 Fermoy Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 

Stuart McCloskey, tasted 19th February 2026 "A profound and complete Cabernet that transcends expectation and speaks with absolute clarity of place. The bouquet is immediately arresting - a fleeting suggestion of mature Pinot-like lift gives way to unmistakable Cabernet authority. Layers unfold with calm precision: forest floor, wild mushroom, damp cellar, juniper and bay leaf, all threaded with an enduring saline minerality.  There is something paradoxical here — the aromatics are potent yet calming. A distinct seashore character pervades, an iodine-laced ocean breeze carrying through darker fruits and earthy complexity. It is evocative and contemplative rather than forceful. One of my favourite perfumes. With more air, saddle leather and iodine complexity rise seamlessly from the glass. The aromatics are commanding in depth, composed and addictive.  The palate is nothing short of sublime. Silken - cashmere and velvet in texture, yet structurally perfect. Graphite-fine tannins are perfectly integrated, carrying a core of blue and black fruits that move effortlessly toward tertiary nuance. There is extraordinary harmony between fruit density, savoury detail, and acidity - nothing protrudes, nothing is forced.  The finish lingers for minutes.  Decant for an hour if drinking now. While already magnificent, the balance and tannin architecture indicate a wine destined for its apogee in 8–10 years. I bet this could be something very, very special. Possibly my favourite vintage."

Erin Larkin, Robert Parker.com July 2023 “The 2018 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is forthright, full-bodied and complex, shaped by a savory skein of tannin that thrusts through the mouth. There are notes of tobacco leaf, blackberry bramble, cassis and raspberry. This shows a balance and power that feels naturally inherent in the wine. The season was excellent, unmarred by heat spikes or weather events, the seemingly unending hunger of the silvereyes (birds) sated by the profusion of marri blossom during that summer. You can drink the 2018s now; they are plush and full of pleasure, but they are at the beginning of a very long road and are only just starting to hint at the potential to come. 14.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
I specifically requested a vertical of both the Reserve Chardonnay and Reserve Cabernet, as I have been repeatedly impressed by both of these wines over the past several years. They show up extremely well in masked lineups (tastings, wine shows and the like) and did not let me down in this tasting. The Cabernets seem to be built around a core of pure cassis fruit and have a flow and clarity in the mouth that is most beguiling. The 2018 and 2019 wines are astoundingly good, and I am very excited to see these wines in a decade or more. Winemaker Jeremy "Jez" Hodgson is doing brilliant things here.

98 Points - Ray Jordan “Pure and powerful Margaret River cabernet from right in the Wilyabrup dress circle. Opens with a salvo of fruit nuances on the nose. Blackcurrant and blackberry with some interesting blue fruit touches. Then there is the lifted bay leaf and minerally oyster shell. It is so classically cabernet. The palate is elegantly presented but deeply intense with dark fruits lifted by that bay leaf and slightly graphite edge. Fine grained oak and fine firmish tannins hold the line to focus on a long finish”

Erin Larkin, James Halliday.com “Supple, briny cassis rises up to greet you on first sniff. In a word, pretty. Vibrant. Also joyful. The wine takes a very serious turn on the palate. This is finely structured, shaped by chalky tannins that carry ripe, medium-weight fruit over the tongue and through to the finish. Caresses more than it asserts, making it a subtly spicy, elegant and willowy cabernet, capable of years of grace in the cellar. Brilliant fruit”.