Latest reviews

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

The best wine yet from Twinwoods. Now this is something special. It’s powerful and concentrated yet there is poise and polish here that is reserved for the very best wines. Plush blackcurrant and dark chocolate with edgier notes of bay leaf and black olive tapenade. The palate has a distinctive oyster shell minerality with fine chalky tannins adding their structural...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Started as a very hot season, but gradually levelled out and those brave souls who held on got some mighty impressive fruit. This is so beautifully seamless and integrated with a palate that is all satin and lace yet with structure and poise. Palate is supported by chalky tannins and integrated fine-grained oak. Slightly more medium bodied than previously. Has...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

The purity and clarity of the fruit from this great year is evident from the start. Aroma of light white peach and melon with a slightly nutty influences emerging. The palate is light to medium bodied but textured with a subtle mix of stone fruits, a fine citrussy precision and a butterscotch richness.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet was such a standout variety in this season and this one is right on the money. Lifted notes of cedary blackcurrant with overtones of seashell and black olive. The palate is smooth and poised with fine chalky tannins and fine grained understated oak threading through to the finish.

Margaret River

Shiraz

An attractive wine from this stellar year in Margaret River. Lifted notes of spicy plum with a liberal sprinkle of black pepper. Is soft and subtle which is a hallmark of the season, but there is structure and form from the fine chalky tannins and subtle use of oak. It’s more a medium bodied wine with lovely mouth feel. Nice...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

This pinnacle of the Howard Park red wine stable is now a 100% cabernet sauvignon off the Leston Vineyard in Margaret River. The result is a firmer and more classically Bordeaux styled wine with a distinctive Margaret River nuance. There is a lifted of bright red fruit on the nose with notes of violet and blackcurrant, merging with other lifts...

Margaret River

Shiraz

This wine is just starting to hit its straps now. It was a pretty cool vintage in Margaret River, but the fruit intensity and structure is very good. On the nose you are struck with a mix of dried herbs, plum and lifted cherry and raspberry. The palate is still firmly clinging together with chalky tannins and well-managed oak in...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

This was quite a coolish vintage in Margaret River, resulting in elegant, yet deceptively ageworthy wines. This shows a leafy oyster shell aroma with traces of black olive and bay leaf merging with deep blackcurrant. The palate is medium to full bodied with firm chalky tannins supporting the mix of dark fruits laced with those firmish fine tannins. Will age...

Frankland River

Shiraz

The exquisite beauty of Frankland River shines through in this delightful expression of the region. Perfumed notes of spices, dark chocolate and plum with a little cherry lift. It’s rich and intense but typical of this region it presents with effortless finesse. It is quite brilliant and alive throughout, with fine chalky tannin and a subtle ferruginous character completing an...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Comes from a number of vineyards in Wilyabrup. This is a firmish statement of Margaret River cabernet delivered with poise and ease. Power red fruit aromas from this warm vintage punch through on the nose. The palate has a juicy fruit richness with blackcurrant and a little coffee and dark chocolate. Has a vibrant sarsaparilla lift through the palate.

Great Southern

Pinot Noir

Gosh, this is such an enjoyable and approachable pinot. Bright fruit notes of strawberry and a little underlying sour cherry with subtle notes of mushroom and damp earth. Perfectly integrated palate with fine firmish tannins and neatly applied oak supporting the truly vibrant fruit characters. There’s a delicacy yet there is structure and pose. Nice chalky tannins wrap things up...

Mount Barker

Pinot Noir

This is such a brilliant pinot with the structure, the prettiness and the palate feel you seek with this variety. Pretty it might be, but this has a tight structural core guiding it. The fragrances are all cherry and roses. The palate is deceptively powerful, almost belying its light colour. A tight thread of fine tannins weaves through supporting the...

Mount Barker

Pinot Noir

This is sourced from the excellent Mount Barrow vineyard in Mount Barker. It's the pinot that gets you into the journey, but it is a whole lot more than an entry level. The colour is quite light but vibrant and brilliant. The nose is intense with a whack of plum and cherry. On the palate the vibrant primary fruit is...

Mount Barker

Chardonnay

Strikes immediately with complex and intriguing notes of faint struck match against a background of grapefruit, vanilla bean and tart nectarine. The palate texture has been created with a mix of oaks of different ages and formats with partial malolactic fermentation. Has a subtle cracked seas-shell character permeating against the dry savoury minerality. Shows the virtues of the Mount Barrow...

Great Southern

Chardonnay

A delicately poised chardonnay from vineyards in the Great Southern. It goes through natural fermentation in a mix of new, one and slightly older French oaks before being kept separate on lees for 10 months with partial malolactic fermentation. Beautiful aromas of lime and grapefruit with a faint cumquat character. The palate is fine and slightly chalky with a deep...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

An outstanding chardonnay which comes from the Allingham vineyard at the cool Karridale subregion. It is so exquisitely integrated and woven together with such subtlety and precision. It gets down to each barrel where decisions are made on malolactic fermentation and the degree of lees stirring. The result is a marvellous wine displaying freshness and vibrancy with typical notes of...

Mount Barker

Riesling

The striking feature, apart from the fact this is a super wine, is that it has hardly moved. It is still showing a dominant primary citrus character of riesling despite being six years old. Just the faintest of developing toastiness sits in the background. Intense and engaging palate with a subtle spicy buttered toasty character emerges gradually. It is a...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is a cracking good chardonnay. A little winemaking involvement with battonage, wild yeast fermentation, time on lees and a mx of different format oaks has worked well with the intensity of the fruit. The nose is quite beautiful with aromas of nectarine and white peach with an edgier grapefruit nuanced in the background. The palate shows delightful texture but...

Karridale

Chardonnay

This pristine and pure chardonnay comes off a number of blocks on the Mount Barrow vineyard in Mount Barker. This is a another cracking chardie. Distinctive notes of oyster shell minerality with an apply grapefruit and fine lime character. The palate is finely balanced and defined with a melon lemon character extending to a very long finish. Beautiful textural feel...

One of the best yet under this label. Plenty happening on the nose with a citrus, red apple and pear combination cut with a little lime. The palate is deeply intense but finely balanced with a keen acid sustaining a very long and precise profile. Oak is subtle with the power of the fruit the striking feature. Beautiful chalky minerality...

Blackwood Valley

Sauvignon Blanc

There’s a bit happening here. It’s no ordinary savvy. I like the restraint and poise in this wine. Sourced from Nannup, it has a minerally citrus tang to it. Has good weight and texture with top note aromatics. Fermented 50% in oak and the rest in tank. It largely goes into puncheons with a portion of Hungarian oak adding spice....

Frankland River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Seductive perfumed aromas of red currant and violet with deeper notes of dark blackcurrant and ripe plum. Little cherry and sea shell character in there. Has brilliant colour. Fine chalky tannins and fine-grained oak sitting comfortably within the sumptuous palate. It’s brilliant and bright with so much energy and life. Vibrant.

Frankland River

Cabernet Sauvignon

This has a slightly earthy black olive and ironstone character which is quite profound. The olive paste tapenade adds a layer of complexity. There’s a cutting ironstone oyster shell cracked seas shell character in there. Seamlessly structured and integrated with a long, poised palate.

Frankland River

Shiraz

Has more intensity on the nose than the Providence Road. Love the soft and generous palate with its soft malleable flavours. Foine chalky tannins and fine-grained oak add support, with only about 20% of it new. The fruit comes off Block 3 on the estate which consistently produces the best fruit and then once in the winery a barrel selection...

Frankland River

Shiraz

Opens with a distinctive blackcurrant fruit and dark plummy aroma. Has a brilliant colour with a slightly spicy confectionary character. Supple tannins and fine-grained oak sit harmoniously within the medium-weight fruit. Only gets 20% new oak and larger format foudres, which allows the fruit to present with beautiful balance.

Frankland River

Chardonnay

Made from Gingin clone chardonnay off the Lange Estate vineyard. It was wild fermented free run juice with 27% new French oak. There’s a muted backdrop of spicy oak and mineral white peach character. It’s a fine and delicate style with a distinctly linear palate extending to a clean long finish. Ideal for current drinking.

Frankland River

Riesling

This is a combination of fruit from two vineyards, Frankland Estate and Netley Road. Has a distinctive spicy talcy character which I think comes off that Netley Road component. There is texture and palate poise here which might come from some of the lees influence adding a deep textural intensity. It’s a very good wine showing what can be done...

Frankland River

Riesling

Opens with a lime and lemon intensity on the nose. There’s a little of that chalky slaty tension in there. It has a suggestion of fruit sweetness, but it is effectively dry. Fine linear palate with a sustained finish. Comes off vines planted in 1997. There’s a hint of lemon rind in there as well. Excellent balance with a degree...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

This is a cabernet of some class. It’s a stylish medium bodied wine displaying lively varietal blackcurrant notes with chalky limestone, bay leaf and graphite character. I can almost see old Vasse Felix Founder Tom Cullity smiling down on this with its poise and structure and deliberately persuasive understatement. Has the feel and integrity of the style he wanted from...

Margaret River

Syrah

On a par with the 2021, which was a most impressive wine, but slightly firmer and bolder. All wild fermented with some whole bunch fermentation and a little carbonic maturation. It contributes to the syrah style winemaker Willcock is seeking. Bright medium bodied wine with lifted perfumes and spices showing delightful floral overtones. The palate retains its plush feel with...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

I have to say this is one of the best and most complete of this wine I have tasted. Combines the power and structure of cabernet and delivers it with poise and polish. Lifted leafy minerally aromas with traces of blackcurrant and tobacco. The palate is medium bodied with fine chalky tannins and neatly weighted oak in support. Makes quite...

Margaret River

Red Blend

Pulls the virtues and the characters of these two varieties in Margaret River together into one harmoniously structured and balanced blend. Plush with fruit showing tremendous intensity. There’s a trace of oyster shell minerality and bay leaf lurking in there. Bright and brilliant.

Margaret River

Shiraz

This is a most stylish modestly priced shiraz, showing how it can be managed in Margaret River. It’s medium bodied with deep earthy primary plummy characters emerging on the nose and filtering through into the balanced palate. Fine chalky tannins and gently managed oak complete a very good wine.

Margaret River

Shiraz

The beauty of this wonderful vintage is clearly on display with this entry level shiraz. Soft, warm and so, so cuddly. Punchy plummy fruit with a little spice and white pepper lurking somewhere deep. Perfect when you want to sit back and chill.

Sauvignon Blanc

There’s a bit of winemaking here which lifts this from your standard model savvy into something a lot more engaging. Fermented in French oak foudres and puncheons with some getting fruit skin contact. It’s created a thoroughly beautiful mouthfeel and textural richness. The oak infusion is so gentle, finessing the flavours through to a sustained balanced finish. Love this style.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

The key here has been to present the quality fruit with little winemaking intervention. I mean, why would you want to muck around with it when the vibrant natural fruit intensity presents with such balance and flavour intensity. Has a crunchy racy acidity sustaining through to the long finish. Finishes with a dry savouriness.

Margaret River

Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

A fresh and punchy fruit-driven style bursting with all manner of tropical fruits with a light cut-grass herbaceousness that adds to the wine and never intrudes. Lovely fresh acidity balances the fruit sweetness perfectly. Nice style for spicy Asian food.

Margaret River

Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

Precise yet intensely flavoursome blended white that captures the style and the vintage perfectly. It’s less of a fruit bomb has more a wine of the savoury minerality that keeps it fresh, lively and interesting. This is the style that can bring people back to this blend. You could drink a bit of this and never get bored.

Margaret River

Rose

This has emerged as consistently one of the best roses in the State. Captures the modern dry yet textured style well. Lifted perfumes of strawberry and pomegranate. The palate is dry as chips with a neatly constructed textural feel. Crisp acid and a penetrating lingering flavour profile. Take me to the south of France.

Great Southern

Riesling

This is a slightly different take on this variety which stems from the winemaking. The fruit was sourced from Albany and was then fermented on full solids in a stainless-steel egg. It’s contributed to a beautifully vibrant and lively style with a racy acidity delving deep through the lemony palate. Fine chalky acid completes a different expression of the variety.