Fans of Voyager Estate's The Modern Cabernet Sauvignon will be in familiar territory here: this is chief winemaker Tim Shand's post-Modern, so to speak. The blend comprises Cabernet Sauvignon (63%), Merlot (23%), Petit Verdot (7%), Malbec (5%) and Cabernet Franc (2%). The backbone of this wine comes from three of Voyager's most impressive Cabernet Sauvignon blocks — two planted to the Houghton clone, one to the 125 clone — all on gravelly soils and farmed under a full organic regime. The Houghton clone contributes fruit from the darker end of the spectrum, while the 125 clone is prized for its perfumed aromatics, fine soft tannins and elegant, lighter red-fruited profile. A parcel of Q45 and 181 clone Merlot adds mid-palate flesh and sweetness, while the remaining varieties bolster structure, perfume and depth. It's a delicious combination.
The 2024 season followed reasonable winter rains and an early bud burst, then settled into an extended warm, dry stretch that promoted even, early ripening — harvest started early and wrapped up before Easter. Parcels were destemmed while retaining a large proportion of whole berries, then fermented separately across a mix of open fermenters and concrete vats, with most batches cold-soaked. Post-ferment, the wine macerated on skins for 10–15 days before pressing to a combination of French oak barriques (20% new) and concrete. It was racked from barrel in January 2025 and spent a further six months in tank prior to bottling.