Davey & Browne McLaren Vale Cabernet: Two Vintages, One Great Deal

If you missed Reverse Wine Snob’s mini-vertical of Davey & Browne’s Gordon + Bitner Block Cabernet Sauvignon—yeah, it sold out fast—you still get something valuable: a clear picture of what modern McLaren Vale Cabernet can deliver when it’s nurtured from top estate blocks and given time in fine-grained French oak. Two vintages (2018 and 2019), same vineyard parcels, same winemaking bones—different personality beats.

Style snapshot

Grape variety: Cabernet Sauvignon (100%)
Region/appellation: McLaren Vale, South Australia (Davey Estate, Gordon + Bitner blocks)
Style: Dry, medium to full-bodied red with dark-fruit core, integrated oak, and structured tannins
Vintages discussed: 2018 and 2019
Oak regime: Very fine-grained French hogsheads; mix of new and seasoned barrels
Winemaking: Open fermentation with gentle cap management

Best occasion: A hearty weekend dinner, celebratory cookout, or a blind-tasting flex for your Cabernet crew.
Best pairing direction: Classic Cabernet terrain—grilled beef or lamb, porcini-rubbed anything, hard aged cheeses; if veg, think charred eggplant and mushroom umami.

Why McLaren Vale Cabernet deserves your radar

McLaren Vale is usually first in line for its plush, sun-kissed Shiraz, but the region’s Mediterranean climate and varied soils also grow Cabernet that balances ripe fruit with savory edges. You’ll often see mint, cassis, graphite, and a juicy mid-palate—less eucalyptus-drive than Coonawarra, more generosity than many Margaret River bottlings, yet capable of real structure. Davey & Browne’s Gordon + Bitner bottling pulls from two distinct Cabernet clones (Reynella and CW44) on loam and red clay—combine that with open-top fermentation and slow maturation in French hogsheads, and you’re looking at texture, polish, and age-friendly tannin without lumberyard oak.

Reverse Wine Snob reviewed both vintages and underscored the quality across the mini-vertical. On the 2018, they call it “big and delicious but still balanced Cab” —Reverse Wine Snob. The 2019 shows similar DNA but asks for more air and patience.

2018 vs. 2019: same blocks, different rhythm

According to the winery, the 2018 shows “fragrant cassis … mint chocolate, olive, and graphite” with a medium to full-bodied palate and fine-grained tannins—very much the Cabernet greatest-hits playlist, but with McLaren Vale’s darker berry tilt. Reverse Wine Snob highlights a “lovely cab aroma full of dark fruit, lots of cedar, vanilla … touches of licorice and chocolate,” noting the wine stays smooth, balanced, and long on the finish. Their verdict? “We love it!” —Reverse Wine Snob.

The 2019 keeps that house style but comes off a notch younger and chewier at pop-and-pour—no surprise for a structured Cabernet meant to stretch its legs. The source review suggests giving it time to breathe: once it opens, the fruit turns bright and juicy with more licorice and spice, finishing dry and persistent. Both vintages land at 92–93 points from Reverse Wine Snob, but the path there is different: 2018 is immediate pleasure; 2019 leans into decant-and-chill patience.

How the winemaking shows up in the glass

Open fermentation with gentle cap management is a classic red-winemaking move when you’re chasing aromatic purity and tannin finesse rather than extraction-for-extraction’s sake. Pair that with fine-grained French hogsheads (larger barrels that favor slow, subtle oak exchange), and you get oak as a frame rather than a headline. The result aligns with the source notes: dark berry fruit, cedar and baking-spice inflections, plus that graphite/olive/mint shimmer that keeps Cabernet interesting beyond the fruit.

Context check: Cabernet from warm climates can drift into jammy or overtly sweet territory; what’s notable here is the balance—dry, structured, and long. That’s not hype; it’s grounded in clone selection, block choice, and the decision to let the tannins stay present. You want that grip if you’re cellaring—or if you’re working a ribeye over open flame.

Buy intent: who should be hunting bottles like these?

If you’re Cabernet-curious beyond Napa, this duo is a fun calibration tool. It’s also catnip for collectors who like verticals: same vineyard and élevage, different vintage energy. For drink-now satisfaction, 2018 is your friend—no need to over-decant. For the lay-down crowd, 2019 has the bones to go the distance and should reward 30–60 minutes of air today.

Bottom line: This mini-vertical made a compelling case for McLaren Vale Cabernet as a sweet spot for value and verve. Even though the deal is gone (RIP to those Add to Cart dreams), keep your eyes peeled for Gordon + Bitner bottles in the wild. Same terroir, same winemaking philosophy, and—judging by these notes—plenty of payoff.

Pro tip: If you do snag a bottle of the 2019, decant while your grill preheats. If it’s the 2018, a quick splash and you’re surfing in the pocket.

Source: https://www.reversewinesnob.com/insider-deal-davey-browne-gordon-bitner-cabernet/