2025 Joshua Cooper Balgownie Cabernet Sauvignon – 98 Points

🏆 98 POINTS JAMES SUCKLING. 95+ POINTS THE WINE FRONT. THE END OF AN ERA. ONE OF AUSTRALIA'S GREAT HISTORIC CABERNET VINEYARDS IS DISAPPEARING FOREVER.

98 Points — JamesSuckling.com | 95+ Points — Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

 

2025 JOSHUA COOPER BALGOWNIE VINEYARD 1970 BLOCK CABERNET SAUVIGNON — BENDIGO, VICTORIA

98 Points — JamesSuckling.com

95+ Points — Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

RRP $99 | ONLY 375 DOZEN PRODUCED | FINAL VINTAGE

Every so often, a wine comes along with a story that makes you stop and think.

And this is one of them.

THE 2025 JOSHUA COOPER BALGOWNIE CABERNET SAUVIGNON IS THE FINAL VINTAGE FROM ONE OF VICTORIA'S MOST HISTORIC CABERNET VINEYARDS.

The original vines were planted in 1970.

They've produced some of the most celebrated mature Cabernet Sauvignons in Australian wine history.

They've survived more than half a century.

And now they're being removed to make way for housing.

It's an absolute tragedy.

But fortunately, Joshua Cooper has produced something extraordinary for their final chapter.

98 POINTS JAMES SUCKLING.

95+ POINTS THE WINE FRONT.

Just 375 dozen produced.

And once these bottles are gone, there will never be another vintage from these historic vines.

THIS IS MORE THAN AN EXCEPTIONAL CABERNET SAUVIGNON. IT'S A PIECE OF AUSTRALIAN WINE HISTORY.

Balgownie Vineyard — One of Australia's Great Forgotten Cabernet Icons

Here's something many wine lovers wouldn't know.

Long before the modern explosion of boutique Australian wineries, Balgownie Vineyard was producing some of the country's most extraordinary Cabernet Sauvignon.

The vineyard was established by Stuart Anderson in 1969 at Maiden Gully, near Bendigo.

Its earliest Cabernet vines were planted in 1970.

And through the 1970s and 1980s, Balgownie established an extraordinary reputation for wines of structure, perfume, complexity and remarkable longevity.

These were serious, age-worthy Australian reds.

Wines that could develop beautifully over decades.

And the best bottles became legendary among collectors of mature Australian Cabernet.

BALGOWNIE WAS ONE OF THE GREAT NAMES IN VICTORIAN CABERNET SAUVIGNON.

But unlike some of Australia's more commercially prominent wine estates, its extraordinary history remained something of an insider's secret.

A vineyard revered by serious wine collectors and people who understood just how beautifully great Victorian Cabernet could age.

Here's Something Most People Wouldn't Know — Joshua Cooper Has Been Collecting Balgownie for Years

This is the part of the story I particularly love.

Joshua Cooper didn't simply discover Balgownie because he needed another vineyard for his wine range.

He was already fascinated by it.

JOSH HAD SPENT MORE THAN A DECADE COLLECTING OLD BALGOWNIE WINES.

He understood the vineyard's history.

He knew how extraordinary the mature wines could become.

And he recognised the importance of those original Cabernet plantings.

Through Balgownie's winemaker Tony Winspear, Josh eventually secured a small parcel of fruit from the historic 1970 vines.

For a winemaker with a passion for Cabernet Sauvignon, it was an extraordinary opportunity.

A chance to work with fruit from a vineyard he'd admired for years.

And to create his own interpretation of one of Victoria's most remarkable Cabernet sites.

Joshua Cooper — One of Australia's Most Exciting Young Winemakers

Joshua Cooper comes from serious winemaking pedigree.

His parents, Alan and Nelly Cooper, established Cobaw Ridge in Victoria's Macedon Ranges.

Josh grew up surrounded by vineyards and exceptional cool-climate wines.

He subsequently gained experience across Australia and overseas before establishing his own label in 2012.

And his reputation has grown enormously.

2020 GOURMET TRAVELLER WINE YOUNG WINEMAKER OF THE YEAR.

2024 HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION BEST NEW WINERY.

But here's something I find particularly interesting.

Although Josh produces exceptional Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon is one of his great passions.

He has become fascinated by the great old Cabernet vineyards scattered throughout Central Victoria.

Places with extraordinary histories.

Mature vines.

And the ability to produce wines with perfume, finesse and genuine cellaring potential.

His approach is deliberately restrained.

Rather than producing enormous, heavily extracted Cabernet, he focuses on balance, elegance and vineyard expression.

CLASSIC CABERNET SAUVIGNON WITH POWER, BUT WITHOUT EXCESSIVE WEIGHT.

And Balgownie is perhaps the greatest expression of that philosophy.

The Vineyard — 1970 Vines, Ordovician Shale, Quartz and Ironstone

The Balgownie vineyard is situated near Myers Creek at Maiden Gully, approximately 200 metres above sea level.

And the geology is fascinating.

ANCIENT ORDOVICIAN SHALE.

QUARTZ.

IRONSTONE RUBBLE.

These soils are part of the extraordinary geological history of Central Victoria.

They're very different from the gravelly soils of Coonawarra or the maritime vineyards of Margaret River.

And they contribute to a distinctive expression of Cabernet Sauvignon.

Dark berries.

Violets.

Graphite.

Cedar.

Fine, persistent tannins.

And beautiful savoury complexity.

But perhaps the most important factor is the age of the vines.

PLANTED IN 1970.

That makes them approximately 55 years old at the time of the 2025 harvest.

More than five decades of producing Cabernet Sauvignon from one remarkable site.

The 2025 Vintage — A Fitting Farewell

The 2025 vintage was warm and dry across much of Central Victoria.

Those conditions helped produce fruit with excellent concentration and definition.

And Josh believes this is his most age-worthy Balgownie Cabernet yet.

There's an additional layer of depth and structure compared with the previous vintage.

But importantly, the wine retains the refinement and elegance that makes great Balgownie Cabernet so compelling.

Dark cassis.

Graphite.

Cedar.

Violet.

Rose petals.

And an intriguing savoury, almost marine-like complexity.

POWERFUL, YET BEAUTIFULLY CONTROLLED.

It's exactly the sort of Cabernet that reminds you why the great old Victorian vineyards are so important.

The Winemaking — Traditional Techniques, Extraordinary Fruit

The winemaking is beautifully considered.

The fruit was hand-harvested and entirely destemmed.

A portion was then foot-crushed before being transferred to open fermenters.

The grapes remained in contact with their skins for approximately three weeks.

Fermentation began naturally, without the need for an inoculated commercial yeast culture.

Extraction involved a combination of pumping over, rack-and-return and plunging.

The wine was then basket pressed.

And here's another interesting detail.

30% NEW STOCKINGER 300-LITRE BARRELS.

The remainder was matured in seasoned Bordeaux-style French oak barriques.

The wine spent twelve months in oak, followed by four months in stainless steel after blending.

This approach gives the wine the structure required for long-term cellaring without allowing the oak to overwhelm the fruit.

THE VINEYARD REMAINS THE STAR.

98 Points — James Suckling

98 POINTS FOR A CABERNET FROM VINES THAT WILL NEVER PRODUCE ANOTHER VINTAGE.

That is something very special.

95+ Points — Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

A SERIOUS CABERNET SAUVIGNON WITH EXTRAORDINARY CELLARING POTENTIAL.

Tasting Notes — Cassis, Graphite, Violet and Cedar

Appearance: Deep, inky garnet with remarkable concentration.

Aromas: Blackcurrant, cassis, wild berries, violets, rose petals, graphite, cedar, mint and dark chocolate.

Palate: Deeply concentrated yet beautifully refined, with layers of dark Cabernet fruit, savoury spice and mineral complexity.

Texture: Silky through the middle palate, with impressive depth and structure.

Tannins: Fine, persistent and beautifully integrated, with a distinctive powdery, graphite-like grip.

Acidity: Fresh and beautifully balanced, providing energy and length.

Complexity: Cedar, coal, dark chocolate, subtle briny notes and delicate floral perfume.

Finish: Exceptionally long, savoury and persistent, with lingering cassis, violets and fine tannins.

POWERFUL. REFINED. COMPLEX. EXTRAORDINARILY AGE-WORTHY.

Cellaring Potential — This Is a Wine Worth Putting Away

Mike Bennie recommends drinking from 2027 to 2038 and beyond.

And Josh considers this his most age-worthy vintage from Balgownie.

The combination of concentrated fruit, fine tannins and beautifully balanced acidity should reward careful cellaring.

For anyone collecting great Australian Cabernet Sauvignon, this is a particularly compelling opportunity.

Not simply because of the reviews.

But because of the vineyard's history.

THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER VINTAGE FROM THESE ORIGINAL 1970 VINES.

Food Pairing

This is a Cabernet that deserves something substantial.

Slow-roasted lamb shoulder.

Grass-fed ribeye.

Beef Wellington.

Roast duck.

Wild mushroom dishes.

Or aged hard cheeses.

My choice?

SLOW-ROASTED LAMB SHOULDER WITH ROSEMARY, GARLIC AND RED WINE JUS.

The wine's concentrated dark fruit and beautifully structured tannins would make a magnificent pairing.

Why You'll Love It

• 98 points — JamesSuckling.com

• 95+ points — Mike Bennie, The Wine Front

• Final vintage from the historic Balgownie 1970 Cabernet vines

• Only 375 dozen produced

• Vineyard established by Stuart Anderson in 1969

• Original Cabernet plantings from 1970

• Approximately 55-year-old vines

• One of Victoria's most historically important Cabernet vineyards

• Situated at Maiden Gully near Bendigo

• Ancient Ordovician shale, quartz and ironstone soils

• Crafted by acclaimed winemaker Joshua Cooper

• 2020 Gourmet Traveller Wine Young Winemaker of the Year

• 2024 Halliday Best New Winery

• Hand-harvested fruit

• Natural fermentation in open fermenters

• Traditional basket pressing

• 12 months in French oak

• 30% new Stockinger 300-litre barrels

• Four additional months in stainless steel

• Cassis, graphite, cedar, violets and dark chocolate

• Remarkable structure and cellaring potential

• 13.5% alcohol according to retailer technical specifications

• RRP $99

The Liquid Vibe Verdict

I find this wine genuinely extraordinary.

Not just because it has received 98 points from James Suckling.

And not simply because Joshua Cooper is one of Australia's most exciting winemakers.

But because of what this wine represents.

A vineyard established in 1969.

Cabernet vines planted in 1970.

More than fifty years of extraordinary Australian wine history.

And now the site is being lost to housing.

There are hundreds of vineyards across Australia that could disappear without anyone noticing.

BUT BALGOWNIE SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN ONE OF THEM.

Fortunately, Joshua Cooper has produced an extraordinary final vintage.

A wine with remarkable concentration, beautiful perfume, fine tannins and genuine long-term cellaring potential.

98 POINTS JAMES SUCKLING.

95+ POINTS THE WINE FRONT.

ONLY 375 DOZEN PRODUCED.

THE FINAL VINTAGE.

2025 JOSHUA COOPER BALGOWNIE VINEYARD 1970 BLOCK CABERNET SAUVIGNON.

BENDIGO, VICTORIA.

RRP $99.

A PIECE OF AUSTRALIAN WINE HISTORY THAT WILL NEVER BE REPEATED.