Latest reviews

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A pure and expressive chardonnay from this exceptional vintage. Treated as naturally as possible with wild yeast fermentation and no malolactic. So, it retains a bright crystalline minerality through the energised palate and lifted aromas. Had about 8 months in oak with regular lees stirring bringing the textural complexity. Racy lemon palate with a faint cashew and chalky character. Precise...

Frankland River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Concentrated and expressive cabernet from a small block in Frankland River. The aromas burst open with blackcurrant and plummy liqueur cherry dominant, against a muted backdrop of lightly toasty oak. It’s more medium bodied but lacks nothing in power and firm cabernet structure. Firm grainy tannins and well managed oak shape and focus the finish.

Great Southern

Shiraz

A little bit of pinot technique has been used in this cool climate shiraz with whole bunch open fermenting capturing the supple exquisite fruit flavours. Aromas of dark liqueur cherry and plum with a spicy addition. The palate is loaded with a hugely concentrated mix of raisiny black fruits, dark chocolate and slightly earthy flavours. It’s deep and sumptuously rich...

Great Southern

Pinot Noir

Terrific pinot, displaying complexity, structure and poise within its medium body. Spicy and slightly truffly raspberry and dark cherry greet on the nose. A highly perfumed infusion of sour cherry adds further aromatic complexity. The palate has a sublime silky feel with tannins that glisten and fruit that delivers with vibrancy and energy. Beautiful focused precise and long finish. Really...

Frankland River

Malbec

Some pretty impressive malbecs come out of Frankland River, and this is right up there with any of them. IT has the typical bright malbec red fruits on the nose, seamlessly morphing into the palate. But there is another gravelly ferrous character that adds enormously to the appeal. Highly concentrated but effortlessly presented palate is rich in fruit and intensity.

Western Australia

Tempranillo

A tempranillo that delivers with purpose and poise. Yes, it has the bright spicy red fruits with those traces of mulberry and a lift of cranberry. But then the firmer tannins work through while a balanced imposition of oak adds further structure. A highly energised wine that is just starting to reveal sweet raspberry notes on the palate.

Great Southern

Grenache

When it comes to delightful, delicious drinking, grenache is a variety that stood out in 2023. This is one of the most beautifully presented Rockcliffe wines I have tasted. Spicy plum and bright red fruits on the nose provide an exquisite opening. The palate has a vibrancy and energy that is part of the vintage DNA. It has a fine...

Great Southern

Pinot Noir

This is a pinot that is simply deliciously drinkable from the get-go. Aromas of black cherry and lightly roasted coffee with a dark chocolate coating emerge. The medium bodied palate offers succulent supple fruit flavours balanced by a fine chalky acidity sustaining a long finish. A fine thread of tannins adds structural integrity.

Great Southern

Chardonnay

This is a mighty impressive chardonnay from Denmark. The nose is bright and energised with a melony stone fruit and slightly citrussy character. It has excellent texture and palate weight but there is a crunchy pebbly acidity that really raises it into another zone. A mix of lemon rind and chalky acidity provides a focus to a long finish.

Frankland River

Pinot Gris

The colour is the faintest of copper pink from the small amount of skin contact in the early stages. Captures the apple and pear crumbly characters of the variety. The lift of lemon zest adds another dimension. The palate is clean and crisp with a slippery textural feel.

Great Southern

Riesling

This is a slightly different take on this variety, certainly from the usual Australian approach. It’s had a small amount barrel fermentation which adds to it texturally and aromatically, creating a complex wine. On the nose more stone fruit characters emerge, and then the palate retains its taut acidity but with a slightly richer texture of fruit. It’s a nice...

Great Southern

Tempranillo

It’s nice to see a rose that’s been held back a couple of years. It just settles things down a little. This is made from tempranillo, a variety that fits well into this style. Nice cherry and chalky characters on the nose are immediately appealing. The palate is textured with good flavour intensity on its light body. Clean lifted finish.

Geographe

Cabernet Blend

This was from an exceptional vintage throughout Western Australia. It is now a wine that bridges the divide between the primary fruit stage and the more mature early developed stage. It is drinking quite brilliantly. Has a slightly spicy and leathery aroma which merges with the primary dark fruits. The palate has a spicy touch to lift the generous medium...

Geographe

Chardonnay

In some ways this appears to resemble some of the earlier Gabrielles. It’s a wine with an unashamedly significant winemaking artifact, yet it presents with poise and style. Rich lemon tart and quince paste with a butterscotch and slightly toasty oak influence. A complex weave begins on the palate with savoury lemon fruit and slightly reductive faint struck match influences....

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

A complex and compelling cabernet from this very good red wine vintage. Has the power and intensity but there is elegance and poise here. The dark fruits of blackcurrant and ripe black cherry merge with a graphite oyster shell minerality and just a little black olive tapenade. The firm tannins are fine and chalky with the vibrant acidity lifting the...

Margaret River

Shiraz

A little extra time in bottle has really put the finishing touches on this excellent shiraz from what was an excellent year in Margaret River. It’s a generous and richly textured wine with the bright red fruits that burst initially yielding to plush plummy dark chocolate characters. Love the softness through the middle

Margaret River

Shiraz

Oh, I could get to like…a lot. A high energy shiraz radiating energy and vibrancy from the start. The nose engages immediately with bright red cherry and spicy plum with a thick dark chocolate richness flowing through. The colour is brilliant and almost luminous, and the high acid adds definition and life on the finish The chalky tannins are well...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

A generous, yet still structurally defined cabernet sourced from low yielding established vines. Dark chocolate, plush mulberry and bright red slightly jubey cherry. It’s an engaging aroma to open. The palate is intricately woven with fine tannins and fine-grained oak lacing the deep and concentrated fruit into a seamless expression through to a long finish. A racy vibrant acidity really...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

A delicate and restrained aromatic opens on the nose. Then the palate picks it up in style. But there is an intensity of tropical fruit flavours here with a splash of lemon and a sprinkle of spices to elevate. Has a plush fruit-sweet middle palate that is dry through to the finish.

Margaret River

Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

There’s a bit happening in this light bodied, bracing, fresh blended white. Aromas of spicy citrus with a tangy tropical fruit laced with lemon sherbet. It’s crisp and clean through to a precise finish. Ready to go now.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Quite beautiful cabernet from this excellent year. IT’s generous and opulent with a tremendous intensity of dark fruits, led with blackcurrant black olive dominance, and then yielding to blue and red fruit characters. Has a slightly bay leaf nuance with a cracked sea shell minerality. It’s firm and bold with the structure and power to handle extended cellaring.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

The perfumed intensity of this very good red wine vintage in Margaret River is impressive. Opens with a strong minerally blackcurrant and black olive combo. A little oyster shell adds a fine lift. The palate is super intense and concentrated albeit of medium to full body, but firm and slightly assertive tannins. A muscular wine of a style and structure...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

The saline minerality with slightly chalky dust character is the first indication of the style. Lean and linear. Aromas are all about subtlety. Subtle butterscotch, grapefruit and meal with a little roasted nuttiness. The palate is so beautifully framed and focused, gathering itself through the middle to deliver to a long finish.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A wine that strikes immediately with its tension and taut lines. This is southern Margaret River with a fine precision and elegance. The nose initially reveals a spicy cashew and lemon curd character with a restrained creamy custard apple nuance. The palate has a tight minerality with a slightly saline sea spray lift all brought back into line with a...

Margaret River

Malbec

Yet another first-rate malbec released in its own right. An increasingly common occurrence. Vibrant red and blue fruits emerge with an underlay of ripe blackcurrant. The medium bodied palate is warm and soft with generous fruit flavours. Has a nice spicy lift with a minerally thread providing definition.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Can’t imagine too many better chardonnays at this price point. Aromas immediately assail with butterscotch and honeycomb with a slightly toasty lemon character, The palate has excellent depth of flavour delivered in layers. Beautiful long finish. A really smart wine.

Frankland River

Syrah

A sublime expression of Frankland syrah in a very good year. Its shape and weight are absolutely in line with syrah. The aromas emerge with energy and intensity. Plum and cherry with spices, a little sage and a tiny ferrous minerality. The palate radiates energy with a palate that is almost floating on air. The dried ferrous characters threads into...

Great Southern

Pinot Noir

From the first take on the nose this is impressive. Nelson gets the fruit from Denmark. The nose bursts open with a wild ride of cherry, spices and dark plum. Then the palate. This is a structured and almost robust wine, but of course it’s pinot so there is refinement and elegance as it gathers and releases the palate through...

Margaret River

Cabernet Blend

This takes the excellent ’22 into a slightly more ethereal zone. Perfumes of tobacco leaf, black fruits and slightly minerally ironstone nuances. The palate has real character with fine chalky tannins and such precise oak handling combining to bring it all together. There’s a slightly earthy meaty depth here. Such extraordinary value for this class.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A beautiful expression of this vintage in a wine that reveals the extraordinary fruit of the season augmented with clever winemaking to bring out the energy and vibrancy within. The lightly struck match influence on the nose is evident immediately as it sits neatly with the rich crème brulee and quince like roasted cashew characters, There is depth here, and...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

I just know this will be a wine of tremendous appeal. The aromas open up immediately with creamy melon and citrus aromas touched with a little lightly roasted cashew and meal. The light bodied palate displays the bright fruit of the vintage with just a light touch of oak. Has a nice lemon zip on the finish. It’s a wine...

Margaret River

Rose

A bright and highly perfumed rose made from tempranillo and sangiovese. Lots of jubey confectionary red fruits on the nose with strawberry and raspberry nuances. The palate extends through the light red fruits to a slightly savoury dry finish. A well-made and highly drinkable rose.

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Cabernet Sauvignon

A soft and ready to drink cabernet loaded with plush fruits exhibiting ripe plum and dark blackcurrant characters. It’s seamless and dominated by the warm fleshy fruit of this vintage. A value for money wine made for current drinking.

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Zinfandel

When you manage to keep the alcohol down with zinfandel it can really produce something special. This still has punch but also displays a brightness and vibrancy that comes at lower alcohols. Loads of red fruit with a raspberry and milk chocolate aroma. The palate is smooth and delicious with those red raspberry fruit flavours. A most enjoyable zin.

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Malbec

An elegant, balanced and poised malbec from this very good red wine vintage. Initial aromas of red fruits with a little spice and coffee grinds. The palate has a fine minerality cutting through its medium body, holding the line to a sustained finish. Bright and lively.

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Merlot

This now mature merlot is really showing what can be achieved with this variety. It has always been a strong performer at Talisman. Perfumed notes of earthy violet with emerging leathery spicy nuances. Balanced medium bodied palate has structure and definition to support the smooth fruit combination of leathery black olive and savoury dark fruits.

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Cabernet Blend

A thoroughly beautiful example of this blend from what turned out to be a very good vintage. Highly aromatic with lifted blackcurrant and chocolaty bay leaf. The medium weight and perfectly balanced palate reveals more plummy spicy characters augmented with richer dark chocolate. It’s a smooth and elegant wine of some class.

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Cabernet Sauvignon

This has developed over the years into one of the best roses from WA. It’s made from cabernet sauvignon, which in this year especially, seems to have worked really well. It’s pale pink and then an aroma of savoury red berry emerges. The palate has a slightly textural feel which comes from some time on yeast lees. Excellent.

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Chardonnay

Over the years this excellent chardonnay has morphed into a slightly more restrained and precise wine, while still retaining the deep fruit intensity that is the hallmark of this Ferguson Valley vineyard. Lightly fragrant aromas of lemon curd and quince with a trace of butterscotch. The palate is layered with a pleasing texture and depth that carries effortlessly through to...

Geographe

Riesling

Some Old-World techniques are adopted with this riesling, and they seem to have worked rather well in this difficult year, producing a wine with a degree of depth and palate texture that elevates it from many of the rieslings from ’24. Retains a crisp minerality and slightly spicy, musk and lemon zest character. Nice wine.