Latest reviews

Great Southern

Chardonnay

Thoroughly beautiful chardonnay from a Denmark vineyard planted in 1989. It was whole bunch pressed and fermented in a one third new and two thirds one year old French barriques. Partial malolactic fermentation with regular lees stirring over six months. On the nose grapefruit and zest lemon emerge. The palate has a fine minerality and delicate acid to sustain through...

Great Southern

White Varietal

A most attractive and quite beautiful vermentino from Mount Barker. Aromas reveal a little lemon citrus and green apple with a faint hint of musk. Palate is fine and delicate but with nice texture balanced by a fine persistent acidity. Excellent current drinking wine.

Frankland River

Cabernet Sauvignon

A very pretty wine that opens with a floral red berry combination on the nose underpinned by pure varietal blackcurrant. Comes off the excellent Riversdale vineyard and it’s medium bodied elegance reflects both the vineyard and the season. The palate is still quite tight but there is ample fleshy fruit. A slightly ironstone ferruginous character edges in while the oak...

Great Southern

Rose

This has leapfrogged right the top of Australia’s best roses. It’s made from sangiovese, a variety that suits rose styles. Exotic floral aromas with a mix of cranberry and pomegranate. The palate is textured and light with a beautiful fine and delicate acid providing definition. Lovely light red berry fruits on the palate. This might just be the best of...

Great Southern

Sauvignon Blanc

A wonderful example of the fume style. Doesn’t fall into the trap of overdoing the oak use, resulting in a wine that is perfectly balanced and seamlessly structured. The oak sits comfortably within the fruit. Nice touch of lemon meringue with a dollop of cream on the palate. A keen acidity sustains a long finish. First-rate example of this distinctive...

Great Southern

Riesling

A beautifully pristine and delicate riesling from the Blue Lake vineyard in Mount Barker. Slightly floral and citrussy notes on the nose with a dash of talcy spiciness. The palate is so appealing with its fine acid gently lifting it through to a long finish.

Mount Barker

Riesling

This has developed very quickly into an outstanding Great Southern riesling. It comes from the Misery Hill vineyard in the Porongurup. Combines riesling intensity and tension into a bracing linear style. Aromas of spice and lemony lime zest with a little minerality. It was a very good season, and this is a marvelous example of the year. Outstanding.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

One of Australia’s great cabernets. This from a cooler season highlights and accentuates the typical bright red fruits and blue fruit mix, especially on the nose. It’s aromatic and perfumed with an African violet scent. The palate as always is so exquisitely balanced and refined. Since 1989 the cabernet has been augmented with the floral bright fruit of cabernet franc...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A recent addition to the Moss Wood portfolio showing the great strides that have been taken in managing the Ribbon Vale vineyard. This is probably the best release yet. It was a superb season and its shows in a wine of elegance and refinement, yet with layered complexity and sophistication. Nice lemon scents yield to more lemon zest flavours with...

Margaret River

White Blend

This intriguing interpretation of a sauvignon blanc dominant wine was introduced just a few years ago. I have loved it from the start. Has about 10 per cent semillon in it, but it is the savvy which really dominates. There are the usual tropical, guava and slightly passionfruit lemony characters of sauvignon blanc but then other secondary characters of spices...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Great vintage, great wine. It’s the perfect combination. This is right up there with any previous Cullen chardonnay, and if someone argued it to be the best I wouldn't put up much of a fight. Follows the Cullen biodynamic approach which sees the fruit harvested by hand, whole bunch basket pressed and then fermented in a mix of concrete eggs,...

Western Australia

Red Blend

A real Heinz variety mix with mencia, grenache tempranillo malbec, arinto, shiraz, gamay, nero d'Avola and Montepulciano all swirling through it. It’s soft and generous with medium body. Delicious red fruits with a hint of cherry ripe and other confectionery notes making for an appealing palate. Wonderful mouthfeel and texture making it ideal for food. Love drinking it now.

Swan Valley

White Blend

Okay, this is a little different. It’s Montepulciano from the Swan Valley. Just love the bright red fruits with the liberal sprinkle of dried herbs and spices. It’s not to be confused with the sangiovese wines of Montepulciano in Tuscany. In many ways, it sits somewhere between shiraz and grenache in body, intensity and perfumes. Delicious and ideal for drinking...

Geographe

Arneis

A 100% Geographe arneis. It’s a single vineyard variety that tends to find a home in specific regions. Most famously hails from Piedmont in Italy but in Australia it has found a home with many excellent wines being produced. This has the typical apple and pear character on the nose with a creamy richness on the mid-palate revealing nice textural...

Frankland River

Tempranillo

Winemaker Damian Hutton has gone to a very special vineyard in Frankland River for this cracking good tempranillo. Bright red fruits, a little pepper and a touch of spice all working together. It’s medium weight and just a little touch of ironstone adds further to already engaging combination. Brilliant and bright. As good an example of this variety as I...

Geographe

Grenache

A beautiful grenache from the Geographe region. Brings together the perfumed aromatics of this variety with the intensely flavoursome medium bodied palate. A spicy dried herbs infusion complements the sweet fruit. Has such a beautifully textured supple palate, thanks to the quality fruit and the seamless integration of fruit and oak. A beauty.

Frankland River

Riesling

Frankland River in 2023 was one of those vintages, where everything just fell into place. And the result is a sensational riesling from one of the best Australian regions for this variety. Spicy lemon scents open before releasing into the crisp intensity of the citrus dominant palate. Little powdery acidity and a squeeze of lime add the final flourish.

Swan Valley

Chenin Blanc

Chenin blanc, the humble Swan Valley staple, was one of the standout varieties from the 2023 vintage. I don't think I can remember a better version of this variety, which continues to gain in popularity. Aromas of lemon pith, melon and pear provide so much, initially on the nose and then through the perfectly weighted palate. A cracking good wine.

Geographe

Chardonnay

In great vintages like the 2023, the Geographe region shines, expressing some quite beautiful varietal fruit characteristics. It’s a medium bodied wine of power and driving intensity. Characters of cashew and peachy stone fruit are immediately evident. There’s a creamy lemon rind mix working through the palate. A crisp fine acid supports a lingering precise finish.

Swan Valley

Cabernet Sauvignon

When these two varieties come together, good things happen. Medium bodied with a strong cabernet influence immediately evident on the nose. The plump red fruits of the malbec emerge to fill out and soften the palate. Balanced and poised. Excellent value wine.

Frankland River

Shiraz

Captures the effortless medium bodied fruit and seductive perfumes that have made this such a popular blend. Bright red fruits with just a smidgeon of oak in support. Has such a wonderful mouthfeel with fine chalky tannins providing direction and focus.

Swan Valley

Shiraz

Generous, yet soft and refined. That’s what this super Swan Valley shiraz speaks. Spicy savoury notes merge with ripe plum and a little stewed rhubarb. Has a cream vanillin oak influence with the fine tannins and subtle oak perfectly harmonised. A bright high energy wine, ideal in the next few years.

Swan Valley

Tempranillo

A tempranillo which displays a remarkably similar feel and flavour with the famous temps of the Rioja. A bright start with raspberry and dusty red berry aromas. The palate is a joyous example of the variety with a combination of soft suppleness with a dusty dried herb infusion. A super wine for the local Italian restaurant.

Swan Valley

Shiraz

A plush shiraz showing just how good this region can be in good seasons like this one. Smooth and deliciously flavoursome with loads of ripe plum and blackberry fruit flavours and just a hint of licorice. A little chocolate richness with a slightly dusty edge. It’s soft and smooth with understated oak and restrained tannins. Ideal for drinking in the...

Swan Valley

Chardonnay

Impressive chardonnay from the Swan Valley. Aromas of cashew and tart melon with a little oak infusion bringing a slightly toasty creaminess. A fine acidity sustains the finish. Great value quality chardonnay.

Swan Valley

Chenin Blanc

A beautiful example of Swan Valley chenin blanc in this great vintage. Strikes with a burst of citrus infused tropical fruit on the nose. Lovely fruit intensity delivers a palate offering stacks of appeal. The tropical melony fruit flavours finish very long.

Porongurup

Pinot Noir

The source of this exceptional wine are the oldest vines on the estate, planted by Angelo and Wendy Diletti in 1986. It is as good as any pinot yet made from this super vineyard. Seamless structure and silky smooth with a velvety mouth feel. The aromas of strawberry and plum merge with a slightly spicy earthy mushroom-like nuance. Effortlessly long...

Porongurup

Pinot Noir

This is a completely engaging example of Porongurup pinot noir in the hands of a master winemaker. After the fruit was handpicked it underwent carbonic maceration with cold soaking. The old foot stomping technique was used before 10 months in oak. Seductive aromas of strawberry and darker plum with a savoury edge. The silky-smooth palate delivers a combination of power...

Porongurup

Pinot Noir

Opens with an exotic aroma of vibrant strawberry with slightly savoury nuances. It’s an engaging perfumed bouquet. The palate captures the season beautifully with a mix of sweet supple fruit with a dry savoury nuance supported by fine chalky tannins. Delivers a real burst of fruit intensity with the combination of 25% new oak and 16% whole bunch adding to...

Margaret River

Red Blend

This is a 75% cabernet and 25% petit verdot blend. It is always cabernet dominant. But the other variety is determined by the varietal strength. There is some beautiful varietal cabernet in here. The petit verdot adds colour and concentrated power and tannins. It’s a really elegant style of cabernet with bright brilliant colour. It’s almost in the medium bodied...

Margaret River

Shiraz

This has beautiful seductive almost sweet fruit characters., It’s slightly plusher than the 20. Has incredible bright high energy colour. Spicy plum and rhubarb with a slightly savoury influence. It is a sumptuous palate with more fruit sweetness than the 2020. Smooth and seamless oak and fruit integration. Lovely tannin profile holds the long line to the finish. This is...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is 55% Karridale and 45% Wills Domain. It was all handpicked and it shows. This is a wine of finesse and style. Some slightly toasty characters in there. This has about 40% new oak in here. The oak is beautifully applied with its subtle restraint. The toastiness comes from the new oak puncheons. Has a dry savoury and slightly...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

There is a similarity with the Paladin Hill, but the difference is barrel selection. This comes from Northern Wilyabrup, plus some estate grown chardonnay and some Karridale chardonnay. All barrel fermentation and 10 % new oak. A combination of barriques and puncheons. It’s loaded with light lemony grapefruit and melony fruit characters. The minerally acidity provides an excellent balance. Small...

Margaret River

Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

This is 80% semillon. Has a nice a saline savoury briny character rather than the normal tropical gooseberry lift. It’s all unoaked and has plenty of weight on the palate albeit with a fine lifting acidity to sustain the finish. Stays on the back palate for a long time. Has done well in the show scene. This is mostly from...

Margaret River

Sparkling

This is a chardonnay and pinot noir blend. Pinot comes from Karridale and the chardonnay from Wills Domain estate. It has a nice creamy nutty combination. There is a piercing intensity on the palate with a fine piercing acidity. Very long palate profile with deep intensity. Shows the benefit of the time on tirage. Has a minerally tight palate profile....

Mount Barker

Cabernet Sauvignon

A deluxe powerful cabernet statement from Mount Barker. Nice merging of blackcurrant, bay leaf and back olive on the nose. The palate is exquisite. Yes, there is power, and purpose driven from the excellent fruit, but the delivery is all poise and style. Chalky tannins with dark chocolate and black fruits provide plenty on the palate. Perfectly balanced with the...

Mount Barker

Chardonnay

Just about the best yet under this label. All handpicked Mount Barker fruit, barrel fermented and then four months lees stirring. It’s all worked its magic to produce a wire of complexity power and finesse. The underlying power and persistence is remarkable, but the way it presents with subtle understatement is equally impressive. The higher proportion of new French oak...

Frankland River

Cabernet Sauvignon

The beautiful, perfumed cabernet fruit of Frankland River is immediately evident. Seductive blackcurrant and violet with a little glazed cherry to lift. The colour is brilliant and bright. On the palate there is a suggestion of regional ironstone character that sits snuggly with the powerful dark fruits. The new oak component has been handled perfectly and with the firm though...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

A little more winemaking has gone into this exceptional Pemberton chardonnay from this outstanding vintage. All handpicked, whole bunch pressed, and barrel fermented with about 25% wild yeasts, before four months of lees stirring. Attractive aromas provide a captivating merging of quince and peach with a pithy lemon nuance. The palate is precise with a chalky sustaining acid carrying through...

Mount Barker

Riesling

A wine that captures so much of that Mount Barker riesling character. The aromas are spicy, which is a trait of this region, with a zest lemon and lime edge. The palate is tense and linear but with tremendous depth of fruit supported by a racy minerally acidity. Presents with a light delicacy yet the persistence is a feature.