Farm Hand Organic Cabernet Sauvignon 2024: Tasting Notes

WINE STYLE → Cedar, Cigar Box & Classic

This is Cabernet in its most crowd-pleasing, weeknight-friendly mode: lifted red and black fruit up front, a dusty herbal perfume, and just enough mocha oak to add warmth without getting in the way. On the palate it lands medium-bodied and dry, with blackcurrant, olive and mulberry flavours, a gentle mid-palate generosity, th:contentReference[oaicite:24]{index=24}idity that keep everything neat and moreish.

Highlights

• Certified organic
• Vegan friendly
• Blackcurrant, olive and mulberry with a mocha-oak edge
• From the Monash Valley (Riverland), SA
• 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Shiraz
• 14.0% ABV

Tasting Notes

Lifted and expressive on the nose, this wine opens with mellow red fruits and a dusty herbal perfume, followed by a gentle mocha-oak note. The palate stays fresh and medium-bodied, layering blackcurrant, olive and mulberry flavours through the middle. Soft tannins and bright acidity pull it long and dry, making it an easy “one more glass” Cabernet that still feels properly varietal.

Winemaking

Fruit is fully de-stemmed, then fermented across a mix of open and closed tanks to build flavour while keeping things clean and vibrant. It’s made mostly without oak influence for pure fruit expression, then blended with a component aged in older French oak (three- and four-year-old barrels) for subtle shape and a mocha-savoury edge rather than overt woodiness.

Vineyard & Vintage

Grown in the Monash Valley (Riverland), South Australia, the fruit comes from certified organic vineyards farmed by the Grigoriou family. The blend is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon with a small Shiraz component (90/10), adding a little extra plushness around the edges while keeping Cabernet’s classic herbal lift and structure.

Why We Love It

It’s the kind of Cabernet that suits real life: flavour-packed, dry, and genuinely food-friendly, with enough freshness to keep it bright. You get all the comforting Cabernet cues—blackcurrant, olive, a hint of tobacco—without heavy oak or heaviness. Also: organic, vegan, and priced for pouring midweek without overthinking.

Food Pairing

Cabernet loves protein and savoury herbs, and this one also shines with slow-cooked dishes thanks to its soft tannins and bright finish. The olive-and-herb notes make it especially good with Mediterranean flavours, while the mocha-oak nuance plays nicely with browned, roasted edges.

Try matching this wine with →

• Slow-braised lamb shanks with olive mash — Find a Recipe
• BBQ steak with chimichurri (or herby salsa verde) — Find a Recipe
• Mushroom & lentil pie (cosy veg option) — Find a Recipe

Mood or occasion to match this wine…

Perfect for “I want a proper red, but I still need to cook dinner” nights—playlist on, something slow-simmering, and a generous pour that doesn’t demand ceremony.

Cellaring

Drinks beautifully now for its fruit purity and freshness. If you like a little more mellow, you can comfortably cellar it for around 3–6 years; it should move toward softer fruit, gentle tobacco notes and a more integrated finish.

Producer

Farm Hand is grown by the Grigoriou family—fourth-generation wine growers farming close to one hundred acres of certified organic vineyards in the Monash Valley of South Australia. Their style is all about delivering honest, varietal wines at an easy-to-love price point, with organic farming as the baseline rather than a talking point. For this Cabernet, the approach keeps the fruit front and centre, with a light touch of older French oak for shape. Winemaker Con-Greg Grigoriou leads the detail, keeping the wines clean, vibrant and consistently food-friendly.

Related Wines To Try →

If you love this Cabernet style, these are worth adding to your next mixed dozen:

• Richer, brooding Cab with cedar-and-chocolate depth — Angove Naturalis Organic Cabernet Sauvignon
• No added preservatives option with bright currant lift — Organic Hill Preservative Free Cabernet Sauvignon
• Premium Australian Cab with serious cellar potential — Paxton Cabernet Sauvignon

FAQ

What does Farm Hand Organic Cabernet Sauvignon 2024 taste like?

Expect lifted red and black fruits, a dusty herbal perfume and a gentle mocha-oak note. The palate is medium-bodied and dry, with blackcurrant, olive and mulberry, finishing long and tidy with soft tannins and bright acidity.

Is this Cabernet sweet or dry?

It’s firmly dry, with low residual sugar (around 2 g/L). What you’ll notice is ripe fruit flavour rather than sweetness, kept in check by freshness and a savoury, Cabernet-style finish.

How full-bodied is it?

This sits in the medium-bodied zone—flavourful without being heavy. If you like Cabernet that tastes classic but still feels approachable, this is right in that sweet spot (even though it’s dry).

Does it have much oak?

Oak is present, but it’s not the headline. Most of the wine is made for pure fruit expression, then blended with a portion matured in older French oak, which adds a subtle mocha-savoury edge rather than vanilla or toast overload.

Should I decant it?

It’s very drinkable straight from the bottle, especially with food. If you have time, a quick 15–20 minutes in a decanter (or even a big glass) will let the herbal notes and fruit open up a little more.

What’s the best serving temperature and glass?

Aim for 16–18°C—slightly cool room temp is ideal for keeping the fruit bright. A standard red wine glass works well; a Cabernet/Bordeaux-style glass will emphasise structure and aromatics if you have one.

Does this wine contain preservatives (sulphites)?

Most wines contain some naturally occurring sulphites, even when made organically. This bottle is certified organic and vegan friendly, but it isn’t a No Added Preservative wine.

Is it vegan friendly?

Yes—this wine is listed as vegan suitable. That usually means no animal-derived fining agents were used, which is handy if you’re pairing it with a fully plant-based meal.

What food pairs best with this wine?

Cabernet loves savoury, protein-rich dishes: think grilled steak, lamb shanks, roast veg with herbs, or anything with olives and rosemary. For a vegetarian match, mushroom-based dishes (or lentil pies) work brilliantly with the wine’s savoury edge.

How long will it last once opened?

Recork and pop it in the fridge; it should drink well over 3–4 days. Let your glass warm slightly after pouring to bring the aromatics back to life.

Who will love it most?

If you enjoy classic Cabernet flavours—blackcurrant, herbal lift, gentle oak—this is an easy yes. It’s also a great pick if you normally reach for Shiraz but want something a touch more savoury and structured (the small Shiraz component keeps it friendly).

(SKU: FH_CAB_CV)