Pemberton

Pinot Noir

Here's a compelling case for holding back some of these wines. I looked at it 12 months ago, and while it was tidy and impressive then, that extra year to settle has improved it immeasurably, earning another tick from me. The aroma is floral and perfumed with cherries and plums, and the palate delivers with certainty and poise, showing slightly...

Pemberton

Pinot Noir

Well, well, well. I expected the ’23 pinot from Picardy to be pretty special, and it is. Actually, it’s better than special. Aromatics are fragrant and alluring, with bright red fruits, a subtle truffly raspberry and cherry mix, and a touch of limestone nuance. The palate is simply sublime. This is pinot noir that helps define the variety in Western...

Pemberton

Pinot Noir

In many ways, the recipe is about the same as for chardonnay, with French oak barriques, 25% new and 10 months' maturation. The key with this wine is it's made from 11 selected clones, nine of which are from Dijon. It's a marvellous example of pinots that the panels are producing these days. Savoury, chalky, faintly mushroom characters on the...

Pemberton

White Blend

Oh my, this is a wonderful example of this classic WA blend. The cooler climes of Pemberton and this great vintage have combined to produce such vibrant high energy fruit. Beautifully balanced and presented blend of 85% sauvignon blanc and 15% semillon. Lip-smacking flavours of citrus and guava with a crunchy tart pear edge on the finish. With all the...

Pemberton

White Blend

This is nothing like your standard SBS. It takes it to another level of sophistication while retaining the vibrant fruit freshness you look for in this style. On the nose, there are lovely floral, citrusy lemon rind characters, while the palate prevails with a minerally, slightly savoury edge, filled with riper honeydew melon. Quite a complex wine with a lovely...

Pemberton

White Blend

If you think you’ve seen just about every example of sauvignon blanc and sémillon from this state, think again. This is an outstanding take on a blend that can sometimes be ho-hum, but in the right hands can be something special. Here, three clones of sauvignon blanc are co-fermented with 15% sémillon. The result is compelling: delightful lemon aromatics, subtle...

Pemberton

White Blend

This is consistently one of my favourite SBS releases each year. Interesting thing is that it's made up of three clones of sauvignon blanc, which have been co-fermented with about 15% semillon. The beauty and power of the '26 vintage is clearly on show here. It's a wine of intense fruit aromatics with some nice spicy citrus savoury elements. The...

Pemberton

Shiraz

A beautifully perfumed and aromatic shiraz that sits a little closer to the syrah style in structure and weight. No matter, it has a little viognier and malbec which contribute to the initial burst on the nose. The palate is velvety smooth and integrated with a fine chalky tannin influence on the supple fruit. Gets about 18% new oak and...

Pemberton

Pinot Noir

A solid and impressive shiraz from a very good season. An opening salvo of black fruits shows intensity and drive. On the nose, there's a further lift of spicy florals and red fruits with just a trace of raspberry. The palate is firm and concentrated, a powerful wine of great presence, demonstrating what can be achieved with shiraz from the...

Pemberton

Shiraz

With a strong focus on chardonnay and pinot noir, some of the other excellent wines within the portfolio can be overlooked, and this is one of them. This is shiraz co-fermented with a small amount of malbec and viognier. Has a bright and lustrous colour, palish red with a little crimson hue. Nose is bright red fruits with a raspberry,...

Pemberton

Pinot Noir

So, here’s the thing. The ’20 Tete was the wine Bill Pannell was waiting for most of his life. It was a wonderful wine. But the ’21 comes along and delivers a wine of equal class and refinement, but in a slightly prettier more seductive and alluring form, a product of this cooler year. Complex weave of aromas with a...

Pemberton

Pinot Noir

Wow, this is something special…very special. This is at the pinnacle of the Pannell family’s quest for great pinot noir. The 2020 vintage is spoken of in hushed tones, yet this one is pushing it all the way. It was a little closed when tasted but you don’t have to look far to see its greatness. It’s a multi-clonal blend...

Pemberton

Pinot Noir

This is the best of the best from the Pannells and a wonderful testament to the endless pursuit of great pinot in Australia. In fact, great pinot anywhere. It's a wine that combines all the essential elements of pinot. It's elegant, it's refined, yet ultimately it is still powerful and defined. Red fruits and earthy characters on the nose, a...

Pemberton

Pinot Noir

My oh my. I thought the 2018 was the best yet from Picardy, but this one might have just pipped it. Let me try it in another year before I get off the fence. This is power, precision and poise. A seductive perfumed aroma of cherry and raspberry and a vanillin spicy character emerging. Has a chalky minerality that threads...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

This is a beautiful sparkling wine that clearly demonstrates the strength of Pemberton for sparkling wines that rank with the best in the country. The nose has a red apple and pear character with some richer stone fruits. The palate is creamy with a distinctive fresh bready brioche complexity. This is a classy sparkling wine.

Pemberton

Chardonnay

Shows the virtues of being able to source quality chardonnay from Pemberton in a hot year. This one has emerged to be a really attractive wine. Aromas of peach and biscuit crumble with a little lemon curd lift. The palate is seamlessly structured with a creamy stone richness complemented by a fine persistent acidity. There’s a slight savoury element here...

Pemberton

Sauvignon Blanc

The crunchy vibrancy of fruit sourced from Pemberton is clearly evident from the first aromas. There's a beautiful mix of light gooseberry and citrus with a subtle but restrained passionfruit varietal character. The palate has a crunchy vibrancy about it, with a subtle minerality adding further complexity, with those tropical fruit flavours and just the faintest hint of cut grass...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

This is a classy chardonnay sourced from Mount Barker. The striking feature is its steely minerality that threads through an intense and crunchy palate. Very good vintage of course and the use of barrel fermentation with about 12% wild yeast and subsequent lees stirring over four months has built in structure and complexity. Crunchy quince paste and lemon curd on...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

Here is a wine that balances the modern leaner style with the richer older style. It’s from Pemberton in this warm year. On the nose an immediate invasion of nectarine and creamy roasted cashew hits. It’s intense and beautifully engaging. Then the palate delivers with slightly more restraint than you might expect but still with a deep penetrating intensity and...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

A delicate, fine, and most elegant chardonnay from Pemberton. Delicate, yes, but there is a deep, concentrated power here that captures much of why Pemberton is such an exciting region for chardonnay. There's a minerally, chalky, citrusy acidity supporting the tightly held but intensely concentrated fruit. There's subtle brioche and roasted cashew depth on the palate. And with that minerally...

Pemberton

Pinot Noir

Sourced from Pemberton in a year that was hot but somehow in Pemberton managed to produce some impressive pinots. Shows you can’t paint every region with the same seasonal brush. Medium to light-bodied with a bright crimson colour. Spicy red fruits with a little cranberry edginess. The palate is fine and bony with a precise acidity defining. Finishes with a...

Pemberton

Pinot Noir

This is a super exciting pinot from Pemberton, and when you can get a pinot of this quality at this price, you really do have to thank your lucky stars. This is high-class sophistication. Dark cherry, slightly truffly notes on the nose with a spicy subtlety. The palate has tremendous intensity but delivers with medium weight and such delicate poise....

Pemberton

Chardonnay

There is an energising purity about this Pemberton-sourced chardonnay from this warm year. Has a light lift of lemon and creamy nectarine on the nose. It’s immediately captivating. The palate reveals an attractive and complex mix of stone fruit, savoury oak and light citrus tang. Throw in a little brioche and biscuit nuance and you have a captivating wine. The...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

Such a bright and lively chardonnay of energy and precision that showcases the fruit and style of Pemberton. Starts with handpicking and then whole bunch pressing with barrel fermentation using a combo of 25% natural yeast and the rest cultured. Lees stirring for 4 months has brought texture and mouth feel into the palate. It's creamy but has a quince...

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...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

A chardonnay with power and delicate elegance. Engaging aromas of scented lemon and lightly roasted cashew with a little quince edginess. The palate is beautifully textured, as a result of the fine months of regular lees stirring. Has a fine steely minerality on the palate with a subtle chalky edge that focuses through to an extended finish.

Pemberton

Pinot Noir

A very pretty and delicious young pinot that offers immediate drinking appeal but has the structure and core to support further bottle development. Combination of chalky raspberry and slightly savoury mushroomy characters on the nose. The palate has a nice warm fleshy character, but then the taught core of fine tannins and well managed oak, of which 30% is new,...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

This is a beautiful expression of Pemberton chardonnay in a year that suited this variety. The aromas reveal lemon scents, stone fruit and a slightly minerally character. The palate is finely crafted and elegantly delivered with tremendous fruit intensity, crunchy quince, a lively savoury minerality and a fine lingering finish. That crisp, fine acidity really holds the line, providing definition...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

Made from fruit sourced from Pemberton, this is quite distinct from the Estate Reserve from the Wilyabrup vineyard. Made along similar lines, but the result is finer and leaner, with beautiful aromatics of light citrus and quince, a little fresh sea spray and a palate that is fine, linear and deeply intense. Wonderful purity, with crunchy, cracked-seashell characters adding complexity....

Pemberton

Pinot Noir

Smooth, effortless, stylish and seamless. There just some of the obvious observations in this excellent pinot noir. Opens with a burst of cherry and sweet raspberry cut with a little spice and slightly edgier cranberry juice. The palate is light bodied but with a firm structural core supporting the fine and quite pretty fruit. Persistent and focussed through to the...

Pemberton

Riesling

The little extra time in bottle really has this Pemberton riesling humming. Starting to merge the original lemony citrus florals with new and emerging notes of light toast. There’s delightful floral minerality adding to the complexity with a fine lingering finish. I think I would prefer to drink this while the primary fruit characters are just seeing the first hint...

Pemberton

Pinot Noir

A really pretty young pinot delivering so much attractive pinot character. Dark cherry and strawberry notes immediately on the nose with a subtle background of spices with lively cranberry juiciness. The oak is neatly infused with the tannins fine and chalky.

Pemberton

Chardonnay

A beautifully appealing young chardonnay from this excellent year. Stone fruit with a nectarine and white peach dominance. A little roasted almond edges in with a scoop of lemon curd. The palate has excellent fruit intensity with the crisp acidity and slightly savoury edge tightening the screws to control a long finish.

Pemberton

Shiraz

A cooler climate shiraz from a warmer year. It's a combination that works well. This is a supple and generous shiraz of medium weight displaying beautiful perfumes and fruit sweetness. Earthy traces creep into the palate to bring an interesting complexity. It's succulent and loaded with a plummy dark chocolate palate mix. Delicious.

Pemberton

Pinot Noir

A most interesting sparkling wine in the edgier Avant-Garde approach from Sittella. This comes from Pemberton and was aged in older oak for 10 months. It’s a small volume make and it’s looking pretty good. The aim is to achieve a form of Bollinger Grande Annee style texture which comes from the oxidative ageing on lees and after 10 months...

Pemberton

Pinot Noir

Sittella Azalee Eloise Berns Grand Vintage Rose 2019 ($60) This is 100% pinot noir with a pale onion skin copper colour. The colour comes with the addition of a still wine pinot noir. This is a quite beautiful wine showing characters of cherry and game with a little brioche and yeasty vegemite character. There is power here with a deep...

Pemberton

Pinot Noir

Another wonderful example of the Sittella house style. It’s a 60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay with a reserve wine that goes back to 2012. The colour is bright yellow and golden. The aroma is lovely combination of lemon brioche with a subtle underpinning of game and meatiness. Beautifully fragrant and vibrant. Traces of cashew and marzipan. Gets a little...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

Okay, so here is something special. Its 100% chardonnay and after bottling spent 12 years on lees before disgorgement. The result is an outstanding example of Australian sparkling wine that would have the French trembling in their riddling racks. Intense aromas of butterscotch and toasty marmalade with a bright fresh lemon citrus lift. The palate is layered and deeply complex...

Pemberton

Sparkling

There's a lovely, brilliant pink colour to open, and then the nose reveals subtle red fruit, cherry, and raspberry notes that merge seamlessly with more bready autolysis characters. The palate is deeply flavoursome and intense, with both structure and finesse. The extra time in the bottle has allowed this to pick up further layers of complexity and richness while retaining...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

Such a sophisticated blanc de blancs style drawn from chardonnay sourced in Pemberton. As always, the wine is aged for a minimum of five years before release. The complexity and autolysis characters are certainly emerging. Aromas of fresh baked bread, brioche and a little citrus create an engaging opening. The palate is complete and very long. A high-class sparkling wine.