Ever since the inaugural and rather rustic 1994 Houghton Jack Mann red, this label has been doing some special things. The 1996 wine is one of the best Western Australian reds of that vintage, while I rate the newly released 1998 wine just as highly. While previous releases have been blends of cabernet sauvignon with significant amounts of either shiraz or malbec, there is only a 4% inclusion of shiraz in the 1998 Jack Mann (18.7, drink 2010-2018+). It’s entirely sourced from the Great Southern region, with 85% of the fruit coming from Frankland River, the remaining 15% from Mount Barker. The wine was permitted to cool its heels in cooperage for 22 months, but against the prevailing trend for such ‘icon’ wines, Larry Cherubino managed to restrained himself to using only 70% new French oak, the rest being third use. At around $90 per bottle you’d want something fairly special, and I reckon you get it. Waiting, however should be mandatory for this slightly old-fashioned and leathery expression of cool climate/warm year cabernet, whose deeply concentrated cassis and plum fruit is ably countered by some pretty snappy smoky chocolate/vanilla/mocha oak influence. The wine has a vibrant perfume of mint and violets, excellent length and taut, powdery tannins. Despite its intensity it’s still tight and fine in structure, showing exemplary balance.
