The ‘cream of the crop’ the Family Selection wines represent the very best fruit, hand selected from the three Zema vineyard locations for intensity of flavour and varietal definition.

Bigger and bolder than the Estate range, the Family Selection has richness and complexity, structure and depth of fruit, with a cellaring potential of at least a decade.

Small batches of premium fruit are fermented in open top vats for 10 days. Hand plunging and gentle basket pressing decreases maceration of the skins, avoiding harsh tannins. Primary and Malolactic fermentation finishes in a blend of new and used French oak Hogsheads. Post ferment, the wine is allowed a further 24 months maturation time before a careful selection of individual barrels is made to create the final blend.

Colour: Dark inky purple with reddish hue.
Aroma: Dark fruit aromas of blackberry and mulberry stand out in what is a distinctly varietal nose.
Palate: Rich, round and full, black fruits are accentuated by well integrated French oak. Complex yet balanced the developing tannins providing a soft finish.

Reviews

"Curls of flavour-soaked tannin. Currants with clear inlays of dry tobacco, herbs, aniseed and dust. A general juiciness to the flow and yet it still feels as though it's a wine to be taken seriously. All the angles and characters of this wine are positive. It's a very good release, with an excellent future ahead."  - 95 points, Campbell Mattinson - James Halliday Wine Companion. Published 02 August 2023.
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"The Family Selection range is the fancy end of the Zema Estate range, although, at just $50, it’s not a fancy price. Indeed, it’s mad that a current release, six-year-old Coonawarra red, is $50, too. is even more remarkable when you think about it, given that, on average, it costs a few dollars per bottle per year just to store the stuff in bottle." - Andrew Graham, Ozwinereview.com
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"This is a seriously good Coonawarra Cabernet and a very well-priced one. A case or two of this in the cellar for a decade and you’ll look like a genius. Similar winemaking as for the Family Shiraz, again with two years oak maturation. The wine is from a brilliant vintage and has had time to develop complexity. An opaque vibrant purple, this is a touch more austere than the Shiraz at this early stage, but just as exciting. We have notes of blackberries, cigar boxes, aniseed, dried herbs, roast meats and cassis. This has fine structure and focus, very fine, sleek but firm tannins and exemplary length. The oak influence is handled immaculately in a wine that will provide pleasure for the next ten to fifteen years."  - 95 Points, Ken Garret, Wine Pilot.  
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"Roast peppers, pizza sauce, cigar box, Bay leaf and dried mint leaves - a myriad of savoury things skip out to seek your favour. And they do so with a calming persona. It's beautiful. Blackcurrants and blackberries are juicy and voluminous with a joyous spring in their step. Softly spiced with a fabulous length that just taps away, it urges you to come back time and again - just brilliant! With five years already under its belt, it's humming and you'll be grinning from ear to ear for many years yet. A big high five to the Zema team for this release - this is 50 bucks well spent!  Drink to ten years+."  - 95 points, Qwinereviews.com