Pikes "Homage" Cabernet Malbec 2022 750ml (6 Bottle Pack)

Brand: Pikes

Release Name: "Homage" Cabernet Malbec

Wine Style / Type: Medium-Bodied Red Wine, Bordeaux-Style Blend

Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec (Approximate Blend Based on Recent Vintages: 70–88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12–30% Malbec)

Age: 2022 Vintage

Volume: 750ml Bottle

Alc / Vol (%): 13.5%

Country: Australia

Region: Clare Valley, South Australia (Fruit from Two Adjacent Blocks Planted in 2008)

Cask Type: French Oak (Judicious Use, Contributing Cigar Box and Cedar Character)

Limited Edition: No (Pikes' Standing Annual Homage Release)

Award Winner: Not independently confirmed for the 2022 vintage specifically — a previous vintage (2020) won 3 trophies at the Clare Valley Wine Show 2021

Pikes Wines, established in 1984 by brothers Neil and Andrew Pike in the Polish Hill River sub-region of the Clare Valley, stands as a premier institution of family-led Australian winemaking craftsmanship. Transforming a historic stone shearing shed into their flagship winery, the family combines Neil’s veteran winemaking insight with Andrew’s deep viticultural experience to cultivate varieties that mirror their unique terroir. Heavily celebrated for their wood mastery, pristine estate management, and refusal to cut corner processes, the house holds massive critical acclaim. Having secured prestigious show medals and multiple back-to-back people's choice awards, Pikes remains a highly sought-after brand among world wine historians and discerning collectors alike.

Homage pays deliberate tribute to a Cabernet-Malbec blending style with a long history in the Clare Valley, sourced from two small blocks planted adjacent to one another back in 2008 — giving the wine real site consistency rather than fruit pulled from scattered vineyard sources. Cabernet Sauvignon provides the structure and power, while Malbec contributes plushness and blue fruit character, a pairing Pikes describes as "perfect companions" in the blend. The 2022 vintage benefited from good winter rain and a remarkably cool summer, giving the fruit a long, even ripening period with strong natural acidity and concentrated flavour — conditions reviewers have specifically praised for producing a generous yet savoury-driven wine that balances ripeness with genuine earthy complexity. It's an excellent match for grilled rib-eye, slow-braised beef cheeks, wild mushroom tagliatelle or vintage cheddar, and a smart pick for Cabernet drinkers wanting a distinctive Clare Valley alternative to more common Cabernet-Merlot or Cabernet-Shiraz blends.