Latest reviews

Great Southern

Riesling

The fruit comes from Mount Barker and shows that characteristic spiciness on the nice. Then there's more of the varietal citrus and slaty minerality. A fragrant wine revealing a delightful palate purity with intense fruit delivered to a sustained finish. There's a pristine character about it.

Frankland River

Red Blend

A more fragrant and perfumed wine than the excellent 2019. It also reveals a slightly firmer spine of chalky tannin and oak. It's a blend of cabernet sauvignon with shiraz and malbec from Frankland River. Super saturated fruit intensity from this excellent vintage provides a palate coating textural feel. Hugely concentrated and immensely powerful palate is expertly controlled to a...

Great Southern

Chardonnay

This range has been one of my favourites since being introduced a few years ago. It aims to push comes boundaries especially in the winemaking cellar. So much happening here. On the nose honeycomb, struck match and gun flint with a fine edge of lemon and grapefruit. Then the palate releases with a powerful statement of textured layered fruit displaying...

Great Southern

Shiraz

Confirms the credentials of Frankland River shiraz. Has a dense dark colour. The aromas display a mix of spicy dark plum and blackberry with that slight rusty nail regionality. Super sleek palate with fine grainy tannins and a little oak to complement. The grainy textured palate is a feature.

Great Southern

Cabernet Sauvignon

The purity of the varietal cabernet from Frankland is evident immediately. Has a meaty blackcurrant aroma that is so much part of the variety. But then other characters of dark chocolate, shale and graphite emerge. The palate has a tight firm core in support of the plush concentrated fruit flavours. An excellent wine displaying a high degree of regionality.

Great Southern

Riesling

This is another take on chenin, confirming its versatility for different expressions and styles. In this case it's been pressed to oak puncheons where it spent eight months. The ‘22 vintage delivered powerful and richly flavoured fruit, so the oak has been easily taken up. Lots of stone fruit with a faint lemon rind lift. It's a wine that is...

Margaret River

Shiraz

Not the opulence and density of the '20 vintage, yet there is poise and plush fruit contributing to a wine of supreme elegance and style. Spicy floral notes on the nose with some nice cinnamon characters. The palate is soft and generous with fine chalky limestone like tannins and well-weighted oak. It has a slightly gravelly mouth feel which I...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

A bright minerally cabernet sauvignon which string reflects this vintage. It's poise and elegantly structured. Blackcurrant fruit merges with a lift of scented red berry. A distinctive minerally oyster shell characters settles on the nose before creeping into the palate to define and deliver to a long finish. It's seamlessly integrated with a little graphite edge to complete the finish....

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Finely balanced and pure savvy from Margaret River. Has a crunchy vibrancy with a minerally lift. Plenty of medium weight but highly intense tropical fruits balanced by a lemony, cut grass offset. Has a juicy and crunchy finish with that lip-smacking acidity.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A refined and beautifully elegant chardonnay sourced from Margaret River. It's wild yeast fermented with regular lees stirring building texture into the medium-weight palate. Spicy lemony characters emerge from the nose and surge into the palate. A little orange zest adds further to a tidy young wine best in the shorter term.

Margaret River

Rose

A delightfully fragrant rose revealing notes of Turkish Delight, raspberry and strawberry on an immediately appealing nose. The light-bodied palate is lightly touched with red fruit flavours with a dry savoury finish to complete. Love this style of rose, which is perfect for summer.

Margaret River

Malbec

One of an increasing number of straight malbecs emerging from the State's cellars. This soft and generously presented malbec brimming with all those plush red fruits and rhubarb delivers plenty. A spicy licorice edge adds complexity to the finish. A beautiful example of this often-underrated variety.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Highly fragrant and scented cabernet from this excellent cabernet vintage. Aromas of violet and blackcurrant and red berry nuances with a lift of bay leaf and graphite. The palate is seamlessly woven with a fine chalky tannin control. It’s an elegantly crafted wine of good intensity and depth delivering its payload with poise and refinement.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This cooler vintage proved ideal for chardonnay. This captures that vintage to perfection. The aromas are lightly fragrant with high florals evident. There is a subtle saline character merging. The palate has a fine crunchy feel with a little pear, cut lime and brioche richness. Excellent use of oak supplies a subtle complexing influence. I like this less opulent direction.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Every time I think I've seen the last release from 2018, out pops another. It was a great vintage, and this super impressive cabernet is showing just why. Traditional winemaking has been adopted to capture the best from this remarkably intense and super concentrated fruit. The combination of blackcurrant and slightly bay leaf fruit with subtle oyster shell and graphite...

Margaret River

Chenin Blanc

Another brilliant example of the versatility of this variety. It's been cane cut to allow the bunches to dry and concentrate the sugars. It's thoroughly delicious with its floral, green apple and citrus on the nose and then the luscious mix of cumquat, lemon tart and a hint of pineapple. If you want just a little sweetness with a crisp...

Margaret River

Malbec

This small batch production is always one of my favourites. It's made in traditional fashion with open fermentation and hand plunging which suits the soft red fruits. The palate is medium bodied but with beautiful blackberry and subtle blue fruits with a trace of mulberry. Such a vibrant and vital wine ideal in the short term but with some ageing...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

A classic Aussie combo bursting with vibrant high-tone fruit from the perfumed nose through to the driven palate. Plush black fruits with a slightly bay leaf and graphite minerality cut through the mid palate. Has an effortless and almost languid palate feel that extends easily without fuss to a long finish.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Displays the elegance of the '21 Margaret River vintage. Aromas of dark chocolate and steely blackcurrant with traces of black olive laced within. The palate is generous and seamless with a fine balance of chalky tannins and oak. A polished wine.

Great Southern

Chardonnay

A quite delicate and precise wine sourced from the Great Southern. Opens with stone fruit and a light lemon and orange blossom mix on the nose. The palate picks up the stone fruit influence, before lifted notes of lemon curd and light quince emerge. Nicely balanced.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cracking good wine from this superb red wine vintage. One of the smoothest and most elegantly refined reds yet from Brown Hill. In fact, it's part of the evolution of the Brown Hill style. Plum, chocolate and a little blueberry and blackcurrant push out from the palate. The oak is perfectly integrated while the tannins are precisely infused.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

One of the best chardonnays yet from Brown Hill. Shows more restraint and control than some previous wines, with this cooler vintage obviously contributing. Aromas of melon and light cereal with zippy lime and pear edging in. The palate releases excellent flavour intensity with more of the nectarine stone fruit characteristics evident. There's a crunchy minerality to finish.

Margaret River

Shiraz

An exquisite expression of shiraz from this little vineyard south of the town. It's medium bodied with dominant black cherry and spicy plum characters on the nose and palate. The palate has a silky-smooth textural feel with a fine thread of chalky tannins and a lick of fine-grained oak nestling neatly within.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Captures the perfect conditions of the ‘23 harvest. Crunchy and vibrant gooseberry and citrus merge to create a wine that screams for current drinking. It's juicy and lively with a fresh zingy finish. A faint flinty edge completes a very good wine.

Margaret River

Shiraz

One of the very best value Margaret River shiraz. Perfumed with a spicy, plummy, black cherry combination releasing on the nose. The medium-bodied palate is smooth and succulent with a fine thread of chalky tannins and a light touch of oak in support. Just a little new French oak provides a neat lift.

Margaret River

Shiraz

The deep and powerful influence of the earthy and slightly savoury shiraz is evident immediately. The intensity and powerful fruit combination reveals immediately on the nose with a licorice, dark plum and rich dark chocolate character. The palate is a real powerhouse with deep and intense fruit flavours balanced by a decent hit of oak and firmish fine tannins.

Margaret River

Tempranillo

This medium bodied fragrant and highly perfumed take on this Spanish variety is sourced from around the State. Cherry and dark chocolate with a licorice thread leads into a smooth red fruit dominant palate. Delicious and ready to drink.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

A delightful example of this Margaret River style. Fresh and fruity with a racy acidity sustaining life through the tropical fruit-laden palate. A squeeze of lemon on the finish and there you have it – a wine ready to go.

Margaret River

Red Varietal

The warmer climes of the Swan Valley have been chosen for this pinot grigio. It shows how it can excel in warm environments. In this case the apple and pear crumble combo has texture and flavour. Crisp citrus tang on the finish completes a tidy ready to drink wine.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A wine of style and sophistication sourced from Margaret River. It's been whole bunch pressed and barrel fermented before spending time on lees. The rich inner sanctum of creamy stone fruit, quince paste, and a little grapefruit is overlaid with a slightly roasted nuttiness and nectarine character. It's a complex wine with a chalky acidity providing focus and direction through...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

A beautiful wine from the vintage that slept for a year or so before waking and revealing its best qualities. It will always be an elegantly poised vintage and this blend captures that. Black fruits with some nice chocolaty blue fruits. The palate is generous and smoothly integrated but with a firm spine that will ensure ageing potential is fulfilled.

Pemberton

Pinot Noir

This is a mighty good pinot noir from Pemberton. On the nose you get that slightly sour cherry with deeper dark cherry characters complemented by a spicy savoury combination. The palate stands up with a firm core threading through the vibrant juicy fruit flavours. This is a pinot that will handle medium term cellaring very well.

Pemberton

Riesling

Just love this off-dry riesling. Displays exceptional purity and energy with that light residual sugar contribution. Aromas of orange blossom with gentle mandarin and melon characters. The palate is lively with a minerally crisp acid offsetting the slightly sweet fruit. But then on the finish the crisp acidity closes in to keep it precise and long without a hint of...

Manjimup

Pinot Noir

A firmer and more structured pinot to the Angelina, but still with what appears to be a vineyard character and personality. Deep liqueur cherry and light raspberry fruit characters reveal on the nose. The palate is so silky and velvety, yet with that inner core and grunt which is so much about pinot noir. Chalky tannins and a fine grained...

Manjimup

Pinot Noir

A most approachable and appealing pinot from this small producer. There's a chalky, limestone dust on the nose with light sour cherry and raspberry notes that are immediately engaging. The palate is light bodied but beautifully structured with a fine balance between the sweet and sour fruit characters and a light touch of oak.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

An elegant and graceful cabernet from this slightly cooler Margaret River vintage. It's from a 40-year-old dry grown vineyard which produces consistently excellent fruit. Lots of red fruits on the nose with a little bay leaf and graphite contributing to some minerally characteristics. The palate is so seductively smooth and finely integrated. Very long chalky tannins sustain an effortless focused...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Continues the excellent run for Ashbrook with chardonnay. Comes off some pretty mature vines and in addition to the dominant Gingin clone there are two others. Nectarine and quince paste aroma engages immediately. A little lemon rind works in. The palate displays some nice creamy brioche and vanillin characters with a trace of underlying almond meal. It's an excellent wine...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

These old dry-grown vines in Margaret River have been pumping out mighty good fruit for some years now. This small but concentrated vintage has produced an excellent wine for Ashbrook. Mostly cabernet but a few spots of petit verdot, cabernet franc and malbec bring additional features into play. Has a leafy cedary overlay to the bright red fruits. The palate...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Captures the elegance and refinement of this vintage. Immediately strikes with aromas of blackcurrant and light cedar with a bay leaf and minerally graphite note. The palate is firm with the sinewy tannins and oak maintaining a firm hand on the fruit through to a long finish. Will benefit from medium term cellaring.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A chardonnay with a trace of the older style merged with a lively finer modern expression. Large format oak has minimised any overt oak influence and has ben brilliant handled. The aromas of nectarine and ripe peach with a quince paste-like character are quite beautiful. Then the palate coils and releases with a deep lingering intensity displaying subtle lemon and...