Dr Gladstones was a long time friend of the late Jack Mann, pioneer of the West Australian wine industry and mentor of Houghton wines. Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from the Batley vineyard in the Wilyabrup sub region of Margaret River. The red granite gravel loam soils, maritime climate and twenty year old vines contribute to producing wines with richness, structure and intensity. Fruit is hand picked, crushed and vinified in small 2T and 5T open fermenters, hand plunged then pressed to tank, settled and racked directly to a selection of new and one year old Bordeaux coopered French oak barriques. Gladstones is minimally handled throughout its life in oak, until assemblage, sixteen months after vintage.