Latest reviews

Margaret River

White Blend

This is a single vineyard blend of 70% sauvignon blanc and the rest semillon. It was partially barrel fermented in new French oak. It’s a lighter-bodied style, yet there is tremendous power and intensity delivered with a certain degree of delicacy. A wine that shows what can be done with quality fruit and deft winemaking even in hot years such...

Margaret River

Semillon

A light and highly perfumed semillon that makes excellent use of barrel fermentation to introduce a new layer of complexity. The varietal lemon characters are evident but then other deeper notes of stone fruit emerge to bring the palate to life. The oak is so well handled here. Has a racy fine acidity to add the final kick to the...

Western Australia

White Blend

A multi-regional and multi-varietal blend that started as White Burgundy back in 1937 and became the most famous wine ever produced in WA. This one from the very good 2023 season is one of the best. It’s crisp and fresh with a dusty snow pea and light herbaceousness working with lightly tropical character. Thoroughly beautiful and great value.

Western Australia

Red Blend

This is consistently one of the best value red wines produced in WA. It’s a blend of cabernet, shiraz and merlot sourced from various regions and all harnessed into a soft and smooth medium bodied wine that screams out for current drinking. It was a riper year, so the wine has good rich fruit intensity, modest tannins and lightly applied...

Margaret River

Shiraz

A most impressive example of Margaret River shiraz benefiting from this great year. It’s highly perfumed, so you’re getting into it early. Aromas of spicy dark fruit with a lift of mulberry and juicy jubey confectionary characters. The palate is dense and super intense with savoury element running deep along with a thread of licorice.

Margaret River

Shiraz

This is a perfect medium bodied red wine for drinking quite young. The local Italian bistro beckons. Ripe spicy and slightly pepper plummy fruit on the nose with just a trace of licorice. The palate is smoothly integrated with the natural tannins and light touch of oak bringing it to life.

Margaret River

Rose

Attractive light and airy rose style displaying most appealing fruit characters. The aromas are of strawberry and light red berry with a little cranberry and watermelon character. It fresh and zippy and ideal for short term drinking.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This really is a most impressive chardonnay. If you’re looking for a bit in you chardonnays then this guy is just the ticket. It was all handpicked and barrel fermented with wild yeast before maturation in French oak for 14 months. The natural power of the Gingin clone and the vintage has been harnessed and controlled into a coiled linear...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

If you’re looking for a chardonnay that uses oak sparingly, and relies more on the fruit, then this little beauty hits the spot. Ripe melon and stone fruit with a splash of citrus adding life and lift. It’s precise with a generous though still controlled and linear palate. Ideal in the short term.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

This should be the model for savvies using barrel fermentation. It’s a generous and flavoursome style, based on exceptional fruit, but the oak influence has been judged perfectly so the natural fruit vibrancy isn’t compromised. Creamy tropical stone fruit and slightly nutty characters merge and mingle into a wonderful expression of the variety and style.

Margaret River

Merlot

This merlot is sourced from the Cullen Vineyard. The vines are now quite old and pump out some mighty good fruit of intensity and deep concentration. After fermentation it went into oak of which a third was new, for 14 months. Black fruits on the nose with subtle meaty charcuterie touches and rich fruit cake. There is power and drive...

Margaret River

Red Blend

This blend of malbec, petit verdot and merlot comes from the Mangan Vineyard. Only older oak has been used, allowing the hugely concentrated fruit to express its full power and intensity. It’s a lively and vibrant wine with excellent tannin structure which seems a product of the vineyard. It’s a bold statement with deep colour and power through to its...

Margaret River

White Blend

A bright and distinctly fruit driven blend of sauvignon blanc, semillon and verdelho. It’s a blend that works really well, producing a deliciously appealing white wine offering loads of vibrant tropical character, balanced with a gentle squeeze of lemon and a subtle minerality on the finish.

Margaret River

White Blend

A wine which captures and reflects the vineyard. It is made as naturally as is humanly possible, revealing fruit of delightful vibrancy and vitality. It’s crisp and pure with a penetrating and very long palate. A small amount of verdelho is added to this blend and it seems to add just that little extra light tropical crunchy fruit character to...

Margaret River

Cabernet Blend

A blend of cabernet sauvignon, malbec, cabernet franc, petit verdot and merlot. It’s a medium bodied product of this cooler vintage, yet there is an intensity and concentration of fruit that presents beautifully from the nose though to the balanced palate. Bright red and black fruits with a delightful perfume open on the nose. The palate is an intricate weave...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

The delicacy, fragrance and purity of this great vintage are capture exquisitely in this outstanding chardonnay. Follows a similar pat to the Karridale in that it is hand-picked, wild yeast fermented and matured for 10 months in oak before the best barrels are chosen. Fragrant lightly floral notes on the nose. The palate really is impressive with a lightly toasty...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A product of a warm vintage, but the advantage is that the fruit comes from further south in the cooler climes of Karridale. It’s a barrel selection wine after wild yeast fermentation and ageing in oak for 10 months. Shows a nice combination of lightly toasty oak, lemon and quince paste with a backdrop of richer stone fruit. The palate...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

This is high class cabernet from a very good year. There’s real power here, but then there is an effortless stylishness that makes it so much better. Leafy blackcurrant, black olive and graphite with a little cedar on the nose. The palate is bright with great energy. Concentrated deep fruit flavours merge seamlessly with the firm chalky tannins and ample,...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Smooth, seamless, elegant, refined. You get the picture. A cabernet of such poise and polish, yet one with great power from this generous powerful vintage in Margaret River. Opens with a salvo of blackcurrant, dark chocolate and black olive fanned with a bay leaf and oyster shell minerality. The palate delivers with some presence, yet it does so with restraint...

Margaret River

Cabernet Blend

A delightfully friendly medium-bodied blend. Reveals bright red berry on the nose with a little leafy minerally character. The vibrant fruits are supported by slightly chalky tannins and a little oak. Has a nice energy about it.

Margaret River

Chenin Blanc

Designed as a racy and zippy easy drinking wine for the short term. Loaded with crunchy juicy tropical fruit laced with a squeeze of lemon, a touch of sliced apple and pear and a sprinkle of spices to finish. Nice mouthwatering texture.

Margaret River

Semillon

Yet another compelling reason why we should be getting more semillon from Margaret River. This one shows its range if options, and is fermented in new and older French oak with some of it fermented on skins, bringing in further palate complexity and weight. The aromas are an intriguing mix of dried herbs, lemon scents, cedary oak. The palate goes...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

This 100% cabernet comes off the Scholar Vineyard, which each year produces some of the best cabernets from Wilyabrup. There is power and elegance here, features which seem synonymous with the vineyard. Power-packed blackcurrant, bay leaf and dark chocolate with a delightful floral violet lift. Seamlessly structured palate with fine linear tannins and ample oak. A wine of great polish...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

This ripping cabernet comes from Capel Vale’s Scholar Vineyard in Wilyabrup. This is a mighty good wine, certainly when you consider the price. The colour is dark and almost opaque. Aromas of intense blackcurrant, dark chocolate and subtle graphite intertwine. Then the palate delivers with a bang. Power plus here with deep dark fruits merging with plenty of necessary oak...

Western Australia

Malbec

Malbec is an ideal variety for this soft and approachable early drinking red. The red fruits of plum and rhubarb emerge on the nose, while the palate is plump and fleshy with just enough tannin and a little oak to balance and support. Scrumptious wine for drinking over the next few years.

Western Australia

Rose

Pale salmon pink colour is engaging. On the nose light florals emerge with traces of strawberry and raspberry. The palate is light yet with good flavour. It’s a crisp young style packing plenty of red berry with a refreshing acidity.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A balanced and intense chardonnay sourced from Margaret River. Quality fruit from this year has been barrel fermented, adding aromatic intrigue, palate complexity and mouth feel. There’s a smoky lemony note on the nose with deeper stone fruit characters. A lift of citrus and a slightly savoury finish tightens things to extend through to a very long palate. The extra...

Mount Barker

Riesling

In any one year you can guarantee this outstanding vineyard will produce a great riesling. So, here’s yet another. It’s a tight tense style but there is still flavour intensity deep within. A mix of florals and steely wet pebble with a distinctive regional spicy minerality. The palate is arrow straight, long and tense with a bracing acidity sustaining the...

Mount Barker

Riesling

This excellent riesling comes from the Whispering Hill Vineyard near Mount Barker. Floral aromas merge with lemon rind and subtle green apple. The palate is slightly textured but retains a fine linear feel with excellent fruit intensity showing just a little regional spice.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

This is a Margaret River savvy, and it’s a good one. Pure vibrant savvy fruit with gooseberry and tropical fruits in abundance. Has a crunchy juicy mouth feel with an edge of tart grapefruit and a little lemon zip. Ready to drink as a youngster.

Western Australia

Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

A punchy little blend capturing the essence of this fresh early drinking style. Vibrant tropical fruit splashed with a citrus tang and dusted with dried herbs and cut hay. It all comes together in a wine for drinking no.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is an impressive blanc de blanc style made from Margaret River chardonnay. Shows tremendous intensity on the nose and palate. Lift of floral lemon notes with traces of fresh baked bread and lightly roasted cashew. The palate has real power with a fresh bready yeasty character providing plenty. Bit going on here.

Margaret River

Red Blend

There’s a bit of Bordeaux Right Bank in the blend here. All indications are that this is going to develop into a beautiful wine. It’s already showing heaps of promise. Lifted red and black fruit aromatics with some nice dusty tobacco leaf characters. The palate is medium bodied but with plenty of intensity and power. Sinewy tannins and decent hit...

Frankland River

Mourvèdre

Montague heads to Frankland River for this mataro. It was a good season for just about anything and in this case the rustic, dried herb and slightly earthy characters of this variety are captured perfectly. It’s medium bodied with lifted notes of raspberry feeding into a palate that has a grainy textural feel. This is a style that really does...

Margaret River

Rose

Bright crimson, pink colour captures the style perfectly. Displays light strawberry and raspberry on the nose. Traces of Turkish Delight bring more interest. It’s light bodied with a persistent palate sustained by a crisp acid.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

A pure varietal expression of Margaret River cabernet. Loads of blackcurrant and dark chocolate on the nose with traces of light graphite and bay leaf. There’s power here and there’s a degree of elegance. Medium to full bodied wine of concentration and persistence. Classy wine.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Rich and highly textured chardonnay. The colour is golden yellow. The nose is something else. Lemon curd, quince and subtle spices with a slight struck match leesy complexity. Then the palate delivers with a fine linear mouth feel that starts with a richer butterscotch and cashew character, then lets the limestone chalky acid and slightly savouriness finish it. Excellent wine.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

There’s a light golden colour that is immediately attractive, The aromas of butterscotch and lemon curd with a little quince paste are engaging pointing to a wine of intensity. The palate is so well balanced with neatly managed oak spliced into the generous though precise fruit. Has a lifted minerality and crunchy chalky acidity providing vibrancy and energy.

Margaret River

Semillon

An immediately fragrant semillon from this very good year. Lift of lemon citrus displays the essential character of a variety that is so well suited to Margaret River. This is fine crisp and clean yet there is excellent fruit intensity holding to a long finish. Crunchy and vibrant with a light texture.

Margaret River

Red Blend

A wine that certainly captures the essence of a cool and quite elegant vintage in Margaret River. It’s a combination of dominant cabernet franc and a small amount of cabernet sauvignon. I think there are a few other Bordeaux varieties in there too. Leafy blackcurrant aromas immediately point to a wine of refinement and elegance. The palate is quite beautiful...