Latest reviews

Margaret River

Shiraz

This is as good as any syrah yet from Vasse Felix. It is thoroughly delicious and appealing from the first take on the nose through to the soft and plush palate delivered with medium body. Interesting techniques have captured the best from the fruit. It was wild yeast fermented, with a portion of whole bunches and a little carbonic maceration...

Margaret River

Shiraz

Captures everything you could ask for from an approachable easy easy-drinking shiraz. It’s from a year when fleshy fruit and a succulent, delicious palate were features. Earthy dark plum with a fine minerally thread. The oak and fruit balance nails it precisely, and the medium-bodied palate delivers long and pure. Love it.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

An impressive wine that captures much of what this early generous vintage was all about. Released after a little extra time in the cellar, which has allowed everything to knit together beautifully to reveal its best characters., It’s classically cabernet with that combination of chocolaty blackcurrant, bay leaf and black olive cut with a fine thread of oyster shell minerality....

Mount Barker

Chardonnay

Rosenthal Collector chardonnay 2024 ($90) This is the top chardonnay from Rosenthal. It’s been sourced from Mount Barker and displays the typical power and complexity of previous vintages albeit on a slightly lighter frame. Moves into a distinctive savoury zone with creamy stone fruit and brioche character emerging. The oak integration is superb, allowing the fruit to fully express itself....

Pemberton

Chardonnay

There is an energising purity about this Pemberton-sourced chardonnay from this warm year. Has a light lift of lemon and creamy nectarine on the nose. It’s immediately captivating. The palate reveals an attractive and complex mix of stone fruit, savoury oak and light citrus tang. Throw in a little brioche and biscuit nuance and you have a captivating wine. The...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

Shows the virtues of being able to source quality chardonnay from Pemberton in a hot year. This one has emerged to be a really attractive wine. Aromas of peach and biscuit crumble with a little lemon curd lift. The palate is seamlessly structured with a creamy stone richness complemented by a fine persistent acidity. There’s a slight savoury element here...

Mount Barker

Riesling

It was a warm year, yet this has turned out to be a delicate and quite restrained riesling. It was picked early and shows lovely high-end florals on the nose with subtle lemon scents. The palate has a grainy textural purity with a fine lingering acid holding a tight line to a long finish. A fine minerally thread defines.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Concentrated, juicy and delicious Margaret River cabernet from this great season. Masses of blackcurrant and dark chocolate with a lift of African violet on the nose. On the palate subtle notes of bay leaf and subtle sage bush add complex notes. It’s firm through the core as cabernet should be but there is a decent wrapping of warm red flesh.

Margaret River

Shiraz

Amply displays why Margaret River can be sometimes underappreciated for its shiraz. This is a cracker. The aromas are all spicy plum and dark cherry with blackberry energy driving through. Flavours build on the palate with rich plummy blackberry characters and a liberal sprinkle of spices. A firm core of tannins holds its structural lone.

South West

Red Blend

This is a pretty classy blended red at this price point. Intense aromas of blackcurrant and plum with leafy black olive addition on the nose. The palate is typically quite firm in line with its cabernet dominance, yet the warm flesh of merlot provides an additional feel. Delicious juicy fruit fills out a balanced and poised palate.

Margaret River

Shiraz

It’s hard to imagine a better current drinking shiraz at this price point. The ’23 vintage was outstanding, with the fruit displaying wonderful flavours even on a light body. This one covers all the bases. It’s from Margaret River and displays some quite lovely aromas of light plum and cherry. The palate is medium weight with fine acid and a...

Margaret River

White Blend

Captures the vibrancy and fruit intensity that is part of this combination's natural DNA. Tropical fruits with a little gooseberry and lemon pie characters on the nose. The palate is flavoursome with nice weight and texture. Fine acid sits neatly in the background. Lots to like about this little fella.

Great Southern

Riesling

Strikes with great aromatic intensity displaying string lemon citrus characters. This is a lively and fragrant riesling from the Great Southern displaying fresh citrus and appley, cut pear characters on the palate. It’s clean and fresh with a sustained finish.

South West

Sparkling

A fragrant, light and creamy fresh prosecco that ticks all the boxes for this popular variety and style. Has a crisp green apple tang with a decent splash of citrus adding palate tang. Fine persistent bead and a sustained focused finish.

South West

Rose

Gosh, this is a very drinkable rose from the South West. The colour is brilliant enticing pink. Fragrant-scented perfumes on the nose with a little cranberry and pomegranate character. The palate is loaded with all manner of red berry fruits and progresses through to a very long finish.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

For a wine selling for around $20, there is a bit of class in this Margaret River chardonnay. Picked earlier to miss a lot of the heat. Fermented in French oak with lees stirring to add palate richness and complexity. Craem with subtle cashew and citrus characters. The palate is tightly held through the core but with ample flesh for...

South West

Chenin Blanc

It was a very warm year but this variety was ready early and missed much of the heat. Result; is a most beautiful example of this increasingly popular variety. Distinct lime, apple and pear on the nose with a little of the passionfruit varietal character. The palate is clean and crisp with a crunchy vibrant finish.

South West

Riesling

There is a powerful intensity and drive here, in a riesling offering tonnes of flavour. Aromas of lemon citrus with a cutting lime component. The palate is intensely flavoured with a precise and very long finish. Ever so slight hint of residual sugar adds the piece for an enjoyable current drinking wine.

South West

Pinot Gris

Sourced from several vineyards throughout the South West. Opens with a mix of apple and melon with lychee honey and citrus. The palate is flavoursome but neatly restrained to deliver through to a long finish. Nice lift of spicey lychee on the finish with a lick of citrus tang.

Margaret River

Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

A burst of tropical fruit with a lift of dried herbs, citrus and a little sherbet greet initially. This is a crisp and fresh young blend that offers plenty of current drinking. Has good intensity through the palate with a lingering satisfying finish.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

A wine that makes a statement about Margaret River Cabernet. This was an early and very good vintage for red wines in Margaret River and it’s been captured perfectly here. The distinctive aroma of blackcurrant, bay leaf and black olive was augmented with a thread of oyster shell minerality. The 20 months in oak has been easily absorbed into the...

Margaret River

Cabernet Blend

A stylish and quite elegant example of this great Aussie blend from a vineyard in Wilyabrup. The great vintage has contributed to creating a wine with power that sits more in the medium-bodied zone. Red fruits with a little black olive and blackcurrant. The palate shows excellent oak integration and the tannins sit comfortably adding their structural support. An excellent...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Don’t expect one of those Kiwi fruit bombs. This is a savvy with a subdued yet still intensity of flavour that makes it an interesting alternative to those very forward styles. Nectarine, light tropical nose and a hint of guava and a slight lemon zest to the finish combine to produce an excellent wine for immediate drinking. Love the textural...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

It’s a lighter style of chardonnay that delivers with a precise balance. It was whole bunch pressed to a combination of new and seasoned oak where it spent nine months. The oak adds a subtle textural complexity without overplaying its hand. Traces of citrus and grapefruit with a s, light nutty cashew character and a final cut of sliced pear....

Margaret River

Rose

The colour shows brilliant bright pink hues. A light and dry rose style with a slightly savoury finish very much in tune with the modern expressions of this style. Aromas of watermelon and cranberry with a little confectionary lift. The palate is light, gentle caressing as it carries appealing flavours of strawberry and slightly pink grapefruit flavours to the finish.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

The varietal notes of cabernet are immediately evident on the nose. Blackcurrant and black olive with traces of bay leaf and oyster shell minerality. The palate pulls together the fine supporting tannins and neatly layered oak to add structural support for some high-class fruit. The minerally acidity gives it a real kick through to a long finish.

Margaret River

Shiraz

Super impressive shiraz from this mature Margaret River vineyard. The nose displays some rather beautiful black cherry and spicy plummy notes with a trace of cracked black pepper. Darker fruit characters merge into the palate. It’s medium to full-bodied and so beautifully balanced and poised. Varietal notes of pepper and licorice with a little cedary oak add a subtle touch...

Margaret River

Malbec

The colour is brilliant and deep with crimson magenta hues. Then the nose. Oh, wow. This is something special, with a combination of black cherry and blackberry with more opulent plummy notes. A subtle peppery chocolate and African violet character. The peppery character merges into the bright red fruits of the palate. Is balanced with fine tannins and so well-managed...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Impressive chardonnay reflecting the quality of this vintage. It was wild fermented and left on lees for nine months allowing an excellent textural palate to build while retaining its impeccable balance. Has a light creamy stone fruit and citrus combination on the nose. The palate reveals baked apple, spice and vanilla bean presented with a medium body. An excellent wine...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

A fume style that shows the influence of oak, but never lets it intrude or overpower. It was picked and left on skins before wild fermentation in seasoned French oak with a further nine months maturation. Combines the intensity of the varietal characters of citrus and tropical fruits with a slightly minerally creamy character on the palate. Has a zingy...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Oh yes. First sniff and you know you’re in the savvy zone. Bursting with vibrant fresh passionfruit and apply characters with a decent hit of citrus/ The palate is lively with punchy fruit flavours showing those slightly gooseberry and minerally herbal notes. Zingy acid completes an excellent wine. This is a pure savvy, but there’s a little more here in...

Mount Barker

Shiraz Blend

This is a beautifully drinkable blend from Mount Barker. Loaded with ripe red and black fruits. Plummy blackcurrant and a trace of chalk dust across the nose. The palate is medium-bodied with good intensity. Strikes a fine oak and tannin balance that doesn’t dominate. An attractive current drinking wine with short-term cellaring potential.

Mount Barker

Shiraz

A soft and supple shiraz from Mount Barker in this slightly cooler season. Cooler, yes, but the wine has certainly developed some nice flavour intensity. More in the dark fruits spectrum with an earthy licorice nuance. Has a nice grainy mouth feel with supple fruits wrapping around the fine tannin and subtle oak treatment.

Pemberton

Pinot Noir

Sourced from Pemberton in a year that was hot but somehow in Pemberton managed to produce some impressive pinots. Shows you can’t paint every region with the same seasonal brush. Medium to light-bodied with a bright crimson colour. Spicy red fruits with a little cranberry edginess. The palate is fine and bony with a precise acidity defining. Finishes with a...

Frankland River

Shiraz

Okay, so 2022 was a pretty impressive year down in Frankland River and this beautifully seductive, smooth and balanced shiraz captures the season rather well. Spicy plummy fruits on the nose with a little clove and nutmeg to lift. The palate has a gravelly slightly ironstone character threading deep, while the primary fruits float effortlessly to a long finish. A...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

Here is a wine that balances the modern leaner style with the richer older style. It’s from Pemberton in this warm year. On the nose an immediate invasion of nectarine and creamy roasted cashew hits. It’s intense and beautifully engaging. Then the palate delivers with slightly more restraint than you might expect but still with a deep penetrating intensity and...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

A fume style that doesn’t overblow the use of oak. It’s still rather tight but with ageing it will emerge with layers of rich complexity. This was a stunning vintage so within the walls of this wine there is plenty of firepower. There’s a nice minerality here too to carry the palate through to a long finish. A classy example...

Manjimup

Pinot Noir

A bolder and more powerful statement than the earlier approachability of the Angelina. But there is still the vineyard and house style that is about seamless silky-smooth balance and integration with high energy vibrant fruit. Cherry and raspberry notes with deeper forest floor and light cedary. The fine tannins provide a tight structural core, but there is warmth and suppleness...

Manjimup

Pinot Noir

The brilliant crimson-red colour is slightly translucent. And bright as a button. Aromas of sour cherry and subtle truffle oil emerge on the nose with a little chalk dust and raspberry confection. The palate is sublimely crafted with a seamless oak and fruit integration supported by silky fine tannins. It’s a succulent wine that is ready for drinking now, but...

Margaret River

Cabernet Blend

As the name suggests this is a Bordeaux blend of the main fie varieties of that region. There is power here. It’s evident on the nose which displays an intensity of dark fruits, lifted by an ethereal violet and red berry nuance before slight meaty characters emerge. The palate is firmly structured with a firmish tread of tannin and fine-grained...