Our flagship wine, The Investigator, embodies Jacques’ vision for a wine that sits among the great wines of the world, building Kangaroo Island wines' reputation. 

Made from one of the greatest grape varieties, Cabernet Franc, this wine has been crafted from vineyard to bottle to reflect the marriage of old and new worlds, strength and delicacy, power and elegance.

This special vertical flight celebrates the release of our vintage 2019 The Investigator, featuring a bottle each of vintages 2005, 2012, and 2019.  A rare opportunity to experience the development of this Flagship wine over fourteen years.

2005: The Cool Dry Vintage

The second vintage from our Kohinoor Hills estate, the weather was warm but very dry & cool. Grapes ripened in perfect condition with lower yields & small berries. Wine from this vintage was concentrated, full of fruit, and rich in tannins. We were very pleased with the quality & ageing potential. 

"Hand-picked and sorted on a vibrating table, it is cold-soaked for a week before fermentation, and then spends three years in 600-litre oak vats, followed by another two years in bottle prior to release. The colour is still bright, fine and clear, the fragrant bouquet a mix of small berry fruits with nuances of earth, cedar and spice; fine, savoury tannins support the long finish. Includes 6% Sangiovese." 95/100 Halliday Wine Companion

2012: The Ideal Vintage

Our 2012 vintage was the result of an ideal growing season, characterised by cool weather during ripeness and a beautiful Indian summer, which led to an amazing harvest.

The balance between tannins, acidity & sugar provided the perfect components to make the best wines possible. The wine was left on skins for an extended period, and thanks to an excellent acidic balance, the wine aged in barrel for 3 years without losing any freshness. The wine is drinking very well now & will remain great for a long time to come.

"Quite superb. Aristocratic. Luscious with both fruit and tannin, if a wine can boast such a thing, and as a direct result it feels impeccably well balanced. Grassy, licoricey tones to dark, curranty fruit. Pure power. Crackerjack." 96/100 Halliday Wine Companion

2019:  The Last Pre-Fire Vintage

Little did we know that vintage 2019 would be the last before bushfires would devastate half of Kangaroo Island, including The Islander Estate Vineyards' home property in the Kohinoor Hills.

The growing season for Vintage 2019 was a challengingly hot and the driest on summer record for South Australia. No rain fell from late December until April 13. Temperatures were high until late February with 10 days over 40 °C

On the positive side, conditions mean disease pressure was very low for this vintage. Harvest had lower-than-average yields, but with an intense varietal character.

Our handpicked Cabernet Franc for 2019 The Investigator had intense varietal character, creating a small batch of high quality wine crafted and aged for five years before release.

“Winemaker Jacques Lurton has just recently returned to Bordeaux after being passed the baton from his father to take over duties at the family business, Château Bonnet. I like to think that lessons learned, heritage and wisdom shared are found here, in this wine. This is an outstanding example of varietal cabernet franc, rich in red plum, raspberry and strawberry with a strewing of crushed gravel. The palate yields more of these splendidly consolidated flavours, in the manner of silk. Optimal balance, it washes over glossy with some dried chilli spice contributing to the structural integrity, harmonious but powerful. A very beautiful wine.” Katrina Butler, Wine Companion, 96 points GOLD