Some wines begin with a grape variety.
Others begin with a vineyard.
Isabelle began with a person.
Our Isabelle Cabernet Merlot is named after Rob Gibson's mother, Isabel Hossack Souter. Born in Melbourne, Isabelle trained as a midwife at The Alfred Hospital before choosing a life far removed from the city. Drawn by adventure, she ventured north to Normanton in Queensland's Gulf Country as a bush nurse, where she met a young jackaroo named Keith Gibson. It was the beginning of a remarkable family story that would eventually lead to the next generation of Gibsons and, many years later, to a wine carrying her name.
Rob often smiles at the irony that Isabelle herself preferred a glass of sherry. Yet naming this wine after his mother was never about what she drank. It was about honouring someone whose warmth, quiet strength and vibrant personality left a lasting impression.
"The special name both honours my mother and enlists real commitment to make good wine... even though she was a 'sherry' lady." — Rob Gibson
That sentiment still defines Isabelle today. It is a wine built on character, integrity and a quiet confidence that reveals itself over time. The 2023 vintage describes it as a tribute to "a lady of warm heart, underlying strength, and a touch of vibrant eccentricity," a fitting reflection of both the woman and the wine.
Choosing the Right Place
Every Gibson wine begins with the vineyard.
For Rob, great wine has never been about following trends or planting what everyone else is growing. It starts with understanding the land and matching the variety to the site.
"I've always believed in selecting the right variety for the place it is to perform." — Rob Gibson
When Gibson established its Light Pass vineyard in 1995 and 1996, there was an opportunity to do something a little different from the region's celebrated Shiraz. Rather than following convention, Rob looked closely at the site itself.
The home vineyard sits at the cooler end of the Barossa in Light Pass, slightly higher than the valley floor and on the edge of the Barossa Ranges. Cool evening air naturally flows down from the hills and settles across the river flats, moderating temperatures and creating ideal conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot. Even today, the frost fans scattered throughout the district tell the story of this unique microclimate.
It was these conditions that led Rob to plant Merlot in the first place. Inspired by the great Merlot wines of Bordeaux and encouraged by the appreciation for the variety during his travels to the United States, he believed Light Pass offered something special.
Listening to the Vineyard
Like every living vineyard, Isabelle has evolved over time.
The original planting was overwhelmingly Merlot, but as the vines matured and each vintage revealed more about the site, Rob began refining the blend. Cabernet Sauvignon became increasingly important, improved oak maturation brought greater harmony, and Petit Verdot added another layer of complexity. By 2006, the wine had evolved from a Merlot Cabernet blend into the Cabernet Merlot style that continues today.
That evolution wasn't about chasing fashion.
It was about listening to the vineyard.
Rather than relying on a fixed recipe, Rob's goal has always been to preserve the personality of the site while making subtle blending decisions that maintain the wine's style and consistency from one vintage to the next. Selected fruit from trusted local growers continues to complement the estate vineyard, particularly for the Cabernet Sauvignon component, helping build the depth and consistency that Rob believes only comes with experience.
The Character of the 2023 Vintage
The 2023 growing season rewarded patience.
Above average winter rainfall replenished the soils before a mild, fine and dry growing season allowed the fruit to ripen slowly. With few extreme heat events, the vines retained freshness while developing vibrant varietal character and balance.
The resulting wine is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot and 6% Petit Verdot, matured for eighteen months in seasoned French oak hogsheads.
In the glass, Isabelle displays a deep crimson colour with a ruby hue. Lifted aromas of black and blue fruits, wild bramble and a subtle hint of bell pepper lead into a palate centred on blackcurrant and dark berry fruit. Fine grained tannins provide texture and structure, carrying the wine through to a long, balanced and persistent finish.
A Wine That Stays True
One of the remarkable things about Isabelle is that it has never stood still.
Each vintage responds to the season, while remaining unmistakably true to its origins.
As Rob explains:
"The concept was to produce a wine that captured the vineyard site expression and to blend as required to maintain its core while filling any gaps in flavour and style from year to year." — Rob Gibson
That philosophy has guided Isabelle for more than two decades. It is a wine shaped by observation rather than assumption, by patience rather than haste, and by a belief that consistency comes from understanding the vineyard rather than following a formula.
More Than a Cabernet Merlot
Every Gibson wine tells a story.
Some speak of a place.
Others celebrate the people who made the journey possible.
Isabelle does both.
It honours a remarkable woman whose adventurous spirit helped shape the Gibson family, while celebrating a unique corner of Light Pass where Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot have found a natural home.
More than thirty years after those first vines were planted, Isabelle remains a quiet expression of everything Gibson Wines believes in: choosing the right place, respecting the vineyard and allowing every vintage to tell its own story. It's a family story, thoughtfully grown, carefully crafted and shared in every bottle.