2021 Brash Higgins 'CBSV' Cabernet Sauvignon

About The Wine

The 2021 CBSV was hand selected at the Organic Brash Higgins estate Omensetter Vineyard. The vines were planted in 1997 into a unique, shallow sandstone shift in the predominately clay over limestone vineyard. 2021 was a superb year, lovely warm days and cool nights yielded grapes of excellent balance and freshness. A touch longer elevage than usual, 20 months, allowed the tannins to soften and the wine is ultra juicy as a result. 

Reviews

“A fulsome wine to chew on. Contemplative as much for its thrilling complexity, as for its capacity to eclipse preconceptions of warmer climate cabernet with energy and guile, shot across the floral attack, evergreen mid-palate and toothsome wet tannin finish. This transcends obvious varietal traits with a long drag on sea spray and dried kelp, a stone’s throw away on the Vale shore. A prodigious licorice strap finale. Excellent wine, moreish and nourishing. From organically grown grapes.” 95 pts, Ned Goodwin, MW, JamesSuckling.com

“This is lovely stuff. Blue fruited, herb laced, minerally, gently toasty with woody spices, married all just-so and with a drawl of earthy, ripe and shapely tannins. It’s got lift and get up and go while dragging out fruit and spice characters beautifully. It does medium to fuller weight but with good energy. Quite a lush number, but that tension in its tannin fringe stays refreshing in the more bold, muscular feel. It’s so honest and good and, importantly, feels unforced and yet regional. I went back for more."  94 pts, Mike Bennie, Wine Front, Aug 2024.

 About Brash Higgins

Brad Hickey, the American winemaker behind the Brash Higgins label, is a Chicago native whose extensive journey through the food and wine industry took him from New York to Paris before landing in Australia's McLaren Vale in 2007. Originally one of America's top sommeliers, crafting some of New York's finest wine lists.

Hickey arrived in Australia to work a vintage with renowned winemaker Chris Ringland, where locals nicknamed him "Brash Higgins." He fell in love with the country's wine culture immediately and never left, establishing his wine label in 2008 alongside his partner Nicole Thorpe, a local vigneron whose family has deep roots in the region. Together, they farm organically on the distinctive red clay and limestone soils of McLaren Vale, producing minimal intervention wines that capture the essence of the terroir while reflecting Hickey's restless creative spirit and extensive culinary background.

Region: McLaren Vale, SA

Country: Australia

Alcohol: 14.8%

Vintage: 2021

Size: 750ml

Closure: Screwcap

Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon