Lakes Folly Reserve Cabernets 1993

Lake’s Folly, founded in 1963 in the Hunter Valley, holds the distinction of being Australia’s first boutique winery. Established by Dr Max Lake, the estate has long been revered for its small-batch, estate-grown wines crafted with a strong emphasis on traditional techniques and vintage transparency. The winery is particularly celebrated for its Cabernet-based blends, which age with elegance and restraint.

The Reserve Cabernets 1993 is a limited release, produced from select parcels of fruit including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Shiraz. The vintage was marked by a long, dry season that yielded fruit of exceptional clarity and balance. Fermentation and ageing took place with a light touch, allowing the purity of the fruit and the subtle influence of the Hunter’s unique terroir to shine through.

Now fully mature, the 1993 Reserve shows a deep brick-red hue with fading edges. The bouquet is lifted and savoury, offering notes of tomato leaf, dried herbs, leather and forest floor, with a subtle echo of sweet spice and aged cedar. The palate is graceful and restrained, carrying flavours of redcurrant, tobacco and dried cherry with soft, resolved tannins and a lingering, mineral-accented finish. A wine of quiet complexity and refined charm, best enjoyed now with simply roasted meats, game or aged hard cheeses.