Latest reviews

Pemberton

Arneis

From the Riversdale Vineyard at Frankland River comes this mighty impressive arneis. The use of partial barrel fermentation has taken a largely fruit driven wine into another level of complexity. You still have that red apple and pear character but there is a slightly toasty infusion that adds tremendously to the final picture. Even the guys in Piedmont, which is...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

A delightfully fruit and flavoursome chardonnay designed for drinking in the short term. Lifted melon and citrus with a gentle hint of vanilla bean on the nose. The palate has a slight butterscotch and lemon curd richness with the crisp acid taking through to a crunchy vibrant finish.

Pemberton

Sauvignon Blanc

I’m not sure how Cherubino has made a wine of this quality in such a hot year. But here you go. A sauvignon blanc from Pemberton which was naturally fermented and matured in French oak for eight months. Nutty stone fruit aromas and then a palate where the balance between the oak and fruit nails it. Textured and rich with...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Oh my. We have something here. Cherubino sources the fruit from vineyards in Karridale in the south and Wilyabrup in the north. So, you are getting that delicacy and fineness from Karridale and the power and richness from Wilyabrup. It makes for a thoroughly magnificent chardonnay that delivers a powerful statement presented with such finesse. The palate especially is so...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

The power and concentrated intensity of the Gingin clone from the Willows Vineyard is evident immediately on the nose. A deep wave of butterscotch, roast cashews and lemon curd emerge with intensity. Then the palate delivers with a rich textural feel, loaded with ripe stone fruit, butter scotch and quince. The finish is tidy and long with a fine lingering...

Pemberton

Pinot Noir

A wine made with a largely keep-yer-mitts-off approach in the winery. It’s from the excellent Channybearup vineyard in Pemberton and made with minimal intervention. I think Cherubino just wanted to see where things would go. Well, they’ve gone pretty well. Slightly gamey mushroomy aromas with a subtle cherry note. The palate is light yet intense with excellent fruit concentration delivered...

Western Australia

Rose

Brilliant bright pink colour sets things up for this modern expression of rose. The aromas of beautiful strawberry and floral rose petal are appealing. The light bodied palate has nice texture and a keen fine acidity to bring it to life. A nice current drinking rose.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A light bodied and quite floral chardonnay from this Margaret River vineyard. Has a typical mix of quince and melony lemon curd with a lift of citrus. The palate is crisp and controlled with good flavour intensity and a nice rich texture.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

The fruit for this wonderful chardonnay was sourced from vineyards at the Wallcliffe, Wilyabrup and Karridale along the most famous road in the region. After handpicking the fruit was pressed straight to new and used oak for fermentation and subsequent maturation for 10 months, So there is texture and palate richness here, but there is also a fine minerality and...

Frankland River

Fiano

A variety that continues to increase in popularity and with good reason. It is a thoroughly beautiful crisp and fresh drink. In this case a little barrel fermentation has added to the palate providing texture and richness while still retaining a fresh clean acidity. A little honey and citrus with a slightly nutty character provides the interest.

Western Australia

White Blend

A neat punchy little number with plenty of zip and zing. Lively tropical and slightly grassy notes on the nose with a precise and flavoursome tropical fruit and melony citrus combination on the palate. It’s ready to go now but another year or two would add a little palate complexity.

Frankland River

Grenache

Cherubino pushes boundaries with this marvellous grenache. It’s made in a clay cement ovoid tank which is a giant egg that creates a sort of vortex of continual movement. The outcome is stunning. There’s pristine purity and vibrancy here as the grenache elevates to new levels of seductiveness. You just keep going back for more. Terrific stuff.

Frankland River

Petit Verdot

No shortage of colour in this petit verdot off the Riversdale Vineyard. Loads of dark fruits evident immediately on the nose, then the palate displays the firm core of tannins you expect with the variety. This warmer year proved ideal for this variety which needs warmer vintages to reach optimum flavour ripeness.

Frankland River

Malbec

The juicy bright red fruits that are malbec burst initially from the glass then take a mighty leap from the glass. This one comes from the Justin Vineyard in Frankland. There seems to be much of the vineyard here with a slightly iron filings edge to the deep fruit flavours. The chalky tannins and understated oak really hum ringing the...

Frankland River

Shiraz Blend

A little Rhone and a little Bordeaux get together for this little shindig that results in a smoothly textured and lavish wine. Opulent dark spicy plum and chocolate with ripe blackberry notes throughout. The oak influence is minimal with maturation in a five-year-old foudres. It’s resulted in a wine of tremendous energy and vibrancy evident from the bright colour and...

Frankland River

Shiraz

A thoroughly beautiful and quite pretty shiraz from the Riversdale vineyard in Frankland with these special clones 174, 470 and Waldron, which were introduced a few years ago. It’s silky smooth and plush but there is structure in here with fine chalky tannin and little ironstone with persistent flavours that build relentlessly. A wine of tremendous luminosity and brightness.

Pemberton

Chardonnay

Okay, I’ve tasted a few of these and I reckon this is the best. Great vintage, yes, but then the subtle winemaking has brought it to a new dimension. While bunch pressing and naturally fermented in new and used puncheons, which just takes the edge off the oak. The power of the Gingin clone is evident immediately. Lemon, quince and...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This cool wine is from Dijon clone fruit off the Wychwood Vineyard at Karridale. Needless to say, with that combination it is a more delicate chardonnay than those from the powerhouse Gingin clone. But this has intensity and tremendous drive through the palate. Light lemon curd and brioche with a citrussy pear character laced with a little light cashew. Love...

Pemberton

Sauvignon Blanc

Cherubino Pemberton sauvignon blanc 2024 ($39) Cherubino sources this savvy from the excellent Channybearup Vineyard in Pemberton. It’s a lightly framed wine but has a delightful crunchy vibrancy with the influence of a small amount of barrel fermentation and three months in oak bringing it to life. Nice fine minerality with a lightly tropical, citrus and guava complexity. Nice wine....

Mount Barker

Cabernet Sauvignon

A really impressive cool climate cabernet from what was an early but intense vintage, especially for red varieties. The nose exudes all the blackcurrant varietal character you could want with deeper dark plum and a little mulberry. A subtle leaf and a trace of black olive add further notes of complexity. Structured with fine tannins and infused oak. It’s still...

Mount Barker

Pinot Noir

This is a deliciously appealing pinot noir off the Langton Vineyard near Mount Barker. Deep aromas of dark cherry and strawberry open. The palate is so plush and generous with supple red fruit flavours supported by lightly sinewy tannins and a little oak. It’s silky but deceptive as the palate builds in intensity to a sustained purposeful finish.

Frankland River

Shiraz

Juicy, plush and plump shiraz sourced from those wonderful vineyards down at Frankland River with slightly peppery dried herb notes on the nose with trace of ironstone minerality. The palate delivers further rushes with a big dollop of dark chocolate and a sprinkle of mocha.

Mount Barker

Chardonnay

A leaner and tighter expression of chardonnay than was the norm under this label previously. Its all about freshness and energy. Citrus and melon with a muted cashew character on the nose. The palate is finely balanced with penetrating finish promoted by a crisp chalky acidity. Has a little white flower and lime influence adding complexity.

Mount Barker

Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

A zesty and bright blended white that just asks to be drunk in the next 12 months. Bright tropical and grassy characters with a little cut grass and light snow pea. Finishes crunchy and lively with a crisp acidity.

Mount Barker

Riesling

Tight and tense riesling from this vineyard just on the outskirts of Mount Barker. Minerally and quite spicy aromas with a citrus lime character dominant. The palate is tight with that tension building before releasing into a long precise finish. Retains a refreshing crunchy palate feel.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

A wine which consistently delivers. It’s based on original vines planted more than 40 years ago. It’s an elegant and most stylish expression of the variety making excellent use of this good red wine vintage. Intense aroma of blackberry and blackcurrant with a leafy oyster shell overlay. The palate is still quite firm with distinctly chalky tannins in support. A...

Margaret River

Cabernet Blend

A Bordeaux blend using largely cabernet sauvignon with merlot and cabernet franc. Cabernet provides the power and linear structure while the merlot adds palate filling and the franc that little lift of perfumed red fruit on the nose. Such a poised and well-balanced wine with bright red fruits working with slightly grainy sinewy tannins and a nice oak touch. Everything...

Margaret River

Shiraz

This was a good season for shiraz. Here is generosity plus, with deep colour and intensely concentrated fruit delivered with a degree of finesse. Spicy dark plum and a little leaf and pepper provides an engaging opening. The palate is loaded with soft full fruit with the fine chalky tannins and well managed oak, of which half was new, providing...

Margaret River

Red Blend

No, you won’t need a squeeze of lemon in this one. It’s a combination of graciano and tempranillo, two famous Spanish varieties. Spicy red fruit notes with a slightly raspberry and cherry combination. Beautifully weighted palate that is about the fruit with just a little oak adding to the structural integrity. The high acidity makes this ideal as a food...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

A distinctive style that Woody Nook has championed for some years. Barrel fermented with wild yeast in second use French oak with monthly lees stirring over seven months maturation. Brings that textural feel into play but retains the essential crisp acidity of the sauvignon blanc. Love the bright minerally and slightly chalky feel which promotes a linear palate.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This cooler vintage produced some exceptional chardonnay with a fine delicacy. The remarkable thing with this wine is that after barrel fermentation in 100% French oak and monthly lees stirring, plus full malolactic fermentation it is still lancing linear with a tight minerally focus. Aromas are in the white flower and cut lime zone and the palate has a chalky...

Margaret River

Shiraz

Elegance and style with a flourish. It’s all in this excellent shiraz. The power and concentration is almost hidden in the structural refinement of fine tannin and fine-grained oak which harnesses and controls. Perfumed mulberry and dark plum on the nose. The palate is loaded with red fruit and supported by chalky tannins.

Margaret River

Cabernet Blend

A most elegant and stylish expression of this blend. Highly scented aromas of violet, red berry and leafy blackcurrant. The palate is powerfully structured but with the finesse of fine tannins and fine-grained oak working in harmony. There’s a thread of minerality adding to that core taking it through to a sustained finish.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

A smooth and generously dimensioned cabernet from this cooler season. On the nose you get a mix of plum and mulberry with the more typical cassis lurking behind. The palate then adds a rich chocolate character with a subtle edgier black olive tapenade. It’s balanced and ideal for current drinking.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

There’s a fair bit of grunt behind this chardonnay. Aromas of butterscotch and lemon with a quince paste edge. A creamy nuance adds further substance. The palate displays more stone fruit with some nice brioche lift and a crunchy lemony zip on the finish. Such a bright and appealing chardonnay for the next few years.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Captures the best of this variety in a stella year for aromatic whites. Greets with a burst of passionfruit and guava with a lemon citrus nuance. The palate is racy with punchy fruit extending to a long finish. Really neat little wine.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Hard to fault this excellent little value for money chardonnay. In fact, it delivers a little bigger bang for your buck. Toasty butterscotch and creamy stone fruit on the nose A palate that is balanced with deep fruit richness and a lift of acid and oak. Ideal as a current drinking chardie.

Pemberton

Pinot Noir

Kosovich sources this from down at Pemberton where the guys planted a vineyard years ago. This is an excellent example of what they are doing. Aromas of bright red fruit showing a raspberry and light cherry combination. Bright crimson colour leads into a light bodied palate. But this has the firm core of serious pinot, a crisp fine acidity and...

Swan Valley

Chenin Blanc

Wow, I’ve tasted some wonderful examples of this style in the past, but this one is right up there with any of them. Shows what you can achieve with Swan Valley chenin, just by ageing in the bottle. It’s pure chenin. No oak. Starting to show subtle toasty fruit characters with a zingy acid a feature in driving it to...

Swan Valley

Chardonnay

Over the years – many years – these chardonnays from Kosovich continue to startle and surprise. It shows what good viticulture can do in the hot climes of the Swan valley and this is another compelling example of what can be achieved. Beautiful aromas of white peach and light butterscotch with a little citrus. The palate shows the balance of...