Latest reviews

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

This is a triumph for vineyard in what was a challenging year. Low yields, birds and rain events all conspired to make things tough but a rigorous biodynamic approach in the vineyard and later in the winery has resulted in a magnificent expression of a slightly cooler climate Margaret River cabernet. High end florals on the nose with notes of...

Geographe

Shiraz

A stylish and beautifully crafted medium-bodied shiraz from Geographe. Perfumes of red berry and cedar with a spicy touch, lift from the glass. The chalky tannins contribute to an appealing chewy textural palate. Interesting that 30% new Burgundian oak has been used, contributing to the excellent balance.

Geographe

Shiraz

This excellent wine from the '20 vintage is starting to hit its straps. The aroma is an enticing chocolate, spicy plum and vanilla bean combination. It leads into the soft and smoothly textured palate which is brimming with all manner of delicious red fruits. Has a slightly savoury smoky finish. Drinking mighty well now.

Geographe

Chardonnay

Attractive lighter style chardonnay, but one with a really appealing mix of butterscotch and light stone fruit that merges neatly with a little citrus edge. The palate is fine and quite delicate but penetrates long. The oak has been well handled providing a subtle lift, while the crisp acid to finish completes the wine.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is one of the best I have seen from Credaro. Has the typical rich generosity but it's delivered with a tidy restraint and deft elegance. Aromas of lemon blossom, grapefruit and white peach. Then the palate brings it all together with a rich lees influence, neatly applied oak and a crisp fresh acidity. It stacks up mighty well.

Geographe

Zinfandel

Zinfandel tends to polarize people, but if you sit on the fence then this wine might get you across the line. Beautifully scented aromas of black liqueur cherry with a chocolate mocha thing happening. The palate is brimming with ripe berry flavours cut with a fine minerality. Well-balanced and poised.

Geographe

Shiraz

This really is a delightful light to medium bodied shiraz. Highly perfume aromas with spicy black pepper nuances over sweet plum and subtle charcuterie notes. The palate is filled with dark fruits livened with a mix of spices and black pepper. Oak is muted but important and the palate extends to a long finish.

Geographe

Chenin Blanc

Chenin blanc can be treated a number of ways – without oak, with oak and with lees influence to build texture. This is the style adopted here and it's resulted in an excellent example of this variety. Has a crunchy, slightly steely minerality but with excellent fruit ripeness and purity. The lees stirring has introduced that textural element showing the...

Geographe

Cabernet Sauvignon

An elegantly structured and quite precise cabernet capturing the beautiful characters of cabernet in a cooler vintage. Spicy blackcurrant with a little sage bush on the nose. The medium-bodied palate shows a graphite and cracked seas shell minerality with a plush sweet fruit lift. The tannins are chalky and fine while the oak well managed.

Geographe

Shiraz

A delicious example of rose from Geographe. It's from shiraz and displays those delightful red currant and strawberry aromas to start. The palate is light bodied with a fine life-giving acidity. Flavours of spice and cranberry juice add further to an immensely appealing rose.

Geographe

Semillon

Okay, this is why we should have more varietal semillons. This is a beauty. The fruit is intense, reflecting the vintage, and the use of lees stirring to build complexity and texture is a highlight. Has a spicy dried herbs and nutty character developing with a little fresh-cut grassiness typical of the variety. Excellent little wine.

Margaret River

Malbec

Clandestine has made a statement with this variety since forming a few years ago. This is another very good one. Deep bright colour speaks malbec, then the juicy bright red fruits of the variety start their thing. It's had a decent hits of one and two year old oak over 20 months, but it's gobbled it up so the fruit...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Probably the best wine Clandestine Vineyards have released. It's a blend of cabernet and malbec from Margaret River and Frankland River. The striking feature is how well the red fruits of the malbec have merged with the dark fruits of the cabernet in such a seamless and almost velvety fashion. There's a chalky tannin and well-managed oak influence that hits...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A highly scented and fragrant chardonnay that comes from select blocks on the estate. Aromas of pear and grapefruit with just a faint edge of lemon zest. The palate is finely designed with a precise linear minerality and chalky limestone balance. Just a little struck match adds the final flourish to a very good wine.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Very good wine from this excellent small, concentrated vintage sourced from fruit off some of the oldest vines on the estate. There is tremendous concentration here with the leafy black fruit, chalky oyster shell edge and subtle graphite character in control. The palate is firmly structured, yet it is effortlessly elegant and stylish. A poised and impressive wine from this...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Fruit from this great year has been beautifully handled. Theirs is so much power in that engine room, yet the delivery is all smooth and effortless. It's made from the best two barrels of the vintage and then gets a little malbec to add mid-palate suppleness. Loaded with blackcurrant, black olive and minerally cracked shell characters on the nose. The...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

An intense and powerful expression of Margaret River chardonnay in this excellent season. Ripe butterscotch and fig with a creme brulee complexity provides a superb aromatic opening. The palate retains its creamy texture but then the influence of lemon curd and crisp acid provide a tightening to carry it through to a long finish.

Margaret River

Fortified

You can make this Rhone variety in a few ways; lean and austere or riper and more generous. This falls into the more generous category with the wild fermentation in oak contributing to its appealing textural mouth feel. Bright lemony aromas with a creamy texture, cut with a lime zest edge. Excellent.

Margaret River

Chenin Blanc

Chenin blanc can take on so many forms, from the crisp and fruity to something quite different like this one which has been made with wild fermentation techniques in oak. It builds on the natural bright lemon characters of the variety and introduces a creamy richness. This is a cracking example of that opulent style.

Margaret River

Shiraz

Deeply concentrated and intense shiraz with a decent contribution from the viognier. It seems to have boosted the tannins while contributing to the beautiful, perfumed aromas. A lift of violet and apricot with a faint touch of viognier's varietal gingery character. The palate is firm but fleshy with a smooth textured feel.

Margaret River

Red Blend

Each of these varieties was handled separately until blending. They come together on the blending table after oak maturation to create something of a house style. Smooth and intense with stacks of ripe red and black fruits with a little dark chocolate and black olive complexity.

Great Southern

Riesling

I do like this riesling. Cherubino makes it in a clay cement egg which creates a vortex to work the lees into the palate. Retains it pristine brightness but with the extra dimension of a textural palate. The mineral light citrus edge remains a fundamental part.

Great Southern

Grenache

Yet another marvellous grenache from Frankland River. The energy and vitality evident immediately is remarkable. It has a lot to do with the cement ovoid egg that allows the lees to continually work through the fruit. It's fragrant with an engaging bouquet of rose petal and raspberry. The palate is pure joy.

Great Southern

Cabernet Sauvignon

The use of the concrete egg and its continual fruit circulation has allowed the firm cabernet and fleshier touriga to knit together into a plush velvety smooth red blend. Plummy black cherry dominance with a little black fruit pudding. Extra year in bottle has brought this baby into the world. Drinking so well.

Great Southern

Cabernet Sauvignon

An interesting combination woven together with time in the concrete egg, which creates a vortex that moves the lees upwards, contributing to its plump full palate. Plenty of blackcurrant flavours with a dusty thread from the nebbiolo. The chalky tannins are finely integrated and the generous fruit flavours burst out. Plenty of appeal with that final tarry edge adding to...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

Sourced from Pemberton and shows that slightly lighter and more pristine character. It's made using a clay cement egg with the principle that the lees are constantly forced up allowing the juice to pick up flavour and mouth feel. It retains a delightfully light feel but with super intensity. An elegant wine with touches of lemon curd and quince gentle...

Pemberton

Sauvignon Blanc

Crunchy apple and pear characters burst from the glass. This is savvy with a little extra, which comes from the partial barrel fermentation. Gee, it makes quite a difference, transforming that bright and fresh fruit savvy into a wine of great sophistication, but still a lot of fun.

Great Southern

Shiraz

Lots to chew on here. Immediately a mix of ironstone and dark plummy blackberry fruit emerges. The combination of the sweet fruit and a little spicy black pepper creates such a neatly aligned palate. In this case the Waldron, 470 and 174 clones are making an impact. Smooth and velvety.

Pemberton

White Blend

This is pinot gris with a little difference. It's been partially fermented in oak so you get that textural richness to augment the steelier lean varietal characters of the pinot gris. Light and fine with an apple crumble and cut pear combo doing their thing.

Great Southern

Cabernet Sauvignon

There is a delightful varietal purity with this cabernet which comes off the Riversdale vineyard in Frankland River. The blackcurrant characters are complemented by a natural ironstone and slightly meaty characters. The palate is plush with a firm core of chalky tannins working harmoniously with the oak. Dark chocolate and plummy fruit add to the focused finish.

Great Southern

Shiraz

A wonderfully bright and vibrant shiraz from the Acacia Vineyard in Frankland River. You will fall in love with the perfumed sweet plummy aromatics with a trace of violet. Soft and slightly grainy palate is a joy with a fine chalky acidity and fine-grained tannin contributing to a palate coating layer of flavour.

Pemberton

Sauvignon Blanc

A beautiful savvy from the Channybearup vineyard in Pemberton. Made in the fume style which means natural fermentation with maturation in oak for four months. There's a nutty fruit-driven aroma with a decent splash of citrus. The palate is generous and intense with a degree of complexity you expect from this fume style.

Great Southern

Riesling

A pure and pristine expression of Frankland River riesling. The aromas of intense lemon zest with an edge of lime are distinctly riesling. The palate is intense with a crunchy lively minerality displaying a degree of classic riesling tension. Slightly powdery bath salts add a further dimension to an already crowded palate.

Pemberton

Chardonnay

Runner-up White Wine of the Year 2024 A stunner from Cherubino capturing the essence of Pemberton. It comes from the excellent Channybearup vineyard. On the nose you get a flinty, grapefruit and honeysuckle nuance with deeper grapefruit and nectarine influences. The palate delivers with a degree of delicacy yet there is power here…real power that takes it through to a...

Margaret River

Grenache

A wine with distinctive red fruits displaying the virtues and characteristics of the two varieties. The cooler vintage suited the style, which is friendly and appealing. Ideal for current drinking. The medium-bodied palate is supported by light tannins and the oak influence is moderate. So, you can tuck in now.

Margaret River

Shiraz

A balanced and poised juicy shiraz from Margaret River. Has a soft and quite supple mouthfeel with grainy tannins in support. Lots of dark fruits display a lifted spicy character with an infusion of cherry and gentle roasted coffee bean.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A lighter bodied chardonnay reflecting the fruit sourcing from down at Karridale south of Margaret River town. It's light with melon citrus characters on the nose overlaying some subtle almond meal complexity. The palate has a quince past and pear character with a citrus lift to finish. Fine and focused wine.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

A juicy cabernet from Margaret River. On the nose you get a mix of red fruits, backed with some nice mulberry and dark plummy blackberry nuances. It's medium bodied with good flavour intensity. The sprinkle of spices and a dusting of dry earth add to its palate feel.

Margaret River

Rose

Comes off the Willows vineyard in Margaret River. It's a lighter modern style of rose. The colour is pale blush. The nose is influenced by the floral grenache and a little oak. The palate, oh, the palate. Just gorgeous and so appealing with light red fruits supported with a touch of oak.

Great Southern

White Blend

This is a variety just starting to make an impact. It's from the Riversdale vineyard and was fermented in used oak. It has a pale copper-like colour. The nose is spicy with an apple and pear combo. On the palate you get a fine leaner profile but one revealing good intensity on its light frame. Nice aperitif wine.