This is a chardonnay that relies less on winemaking intervention and is designed to present the variety and region in their clearest forms. The rich stone fruit flavours are balanced with a deft touch of oak. It works well because the quality of the fruit is so good. Ideal to drink in the shorter term while all those primary characters...
Ray Jordan91points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Chardonnay 2023
Chardonnay
If youβre looking for a chardonnay that uses oak sparingly, and relies more on the fruit, then this little beauty hits the spot. Ripe melon and stone fruit with a splash of citrus adding life and lift. Itβs precise with a generous though still controlled and linear palate. Ideal in the short term.
Ray Jordan93points
Margaret River
Forester Estate chardonnay 2024
Chardonnay
Creamy, medium-bodied, intensely flavoured chardonnay showing a high degree of complexity with wonderful balance. The aromas show a fairly typical creamy stone fruit, nectarine-dominant combination, with just a faint hint of smoky gun flint. It had some time in barriques and puncheons, and a small amount of wild yeast fermentation, and regular lees stirring over seven months has built something...
Ray Jordan94points
Margaret River
Forester Estate chardonnay 2025
Chardonnay
The milder season in 2025 has contributed to this quite elegantly and refined chardonnay. On the nose, there's a slightly oyster shell minerality with some subtle toasty oak influence. The palate introduces a richer textural feel with some creamy lemon curd, creme brulee nuances. And that subtle struck match complexity. It was fermented using a combination of inoculated and wild...
Ray Jordan91points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Georgette Sparkling Brut 2022
Chardonnay
Plenty to like about this 100% chardonnay. It's designed as a fine and tightly linear, almost aperitif-style sparkling wine, with no malolactic fermentation used. It had three years on lees, during which time it's picked up some subtle, slightly bready, nutty cashew autolysis characters. But there is still a fine hit of spice and citrus, especially on the nose. It's...
Ray Jordan93points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Home Block Shiraz 2022
Shiraz
This takes the Lifestyle shiraz up a notch or two. It introduces more savoury dark fruit characters which takes it through to another level in complexity and intrigue. There's a gravelly and slightly ironstone character that complements the juicer red fruits while a chalky tannin influence holds its line through to the finish.
Ray Jordan95points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Home Block Shiraz 2023
Shiraz
A most impressive example of Margaret River shiraz benefiting from this great year. Itβs highly perfumed, so youβre getting into it early. Aromas of spicy dark fruit with a lift of mulberry and juicy jubey confectionary characters. The palate is dense and super intense with savoury element running deep along with a thread of licorice.
Ray Jordan94points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Home Block shiraz 2024
Shiraz
The colour is a deep red, inky black almost, and it suggests there's plenty of weight. Fruit concentration is powerful. Concentrated plums, savoury notes, a little pepper, and even a trace of bonox. The palate is thick and dense with a nice lift of red fruits, providing a nice touch. It's smooth and seamless with a lovely velvety texture, and...
Ray Jordan95points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Home Block shiraz 2025
Shiraz
There are loads of concentrated fruit characters on the nose, and you're immediately struck with a raspberry plummy mix, a little cedar, and some light dusting of white pepper. The palate is generous and plush. Yet it presents with a velvety smooth suppleness thanks to its fine tannin and gentle oak infusion. It's a most stylish and poised example of...
Ray Jordan95points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Jack Out The Box Semillon 2023
Semillon
Yet another compelling reason why we should be getting more semillon from Margaret River. This one shows its range if options, and is fermented in new and older French oak with some of it fermented on skins, bringing in further palate complexity and weight. The aromas are an intriguing mix of dried herbs, lemon scents, cedary oak. The palate goes...
Ray Jordan90points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Lifestyle Cabernet Merlot 2022
Cabernet Blend
A delightfully friendly medium-bodied blend. Reveals bright red berry on the nose with a little leafy minerally character. The vibrant fruits are supported by slightly chalky tannins and a little oak. Has a nice energy about it.
Ray Jordan93points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Lifestyle Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
Cabernet Sauvignon
A consistently strong performer, especially with their reds. This is a terrific wine from the exceptional 23 vintage. Shows the rich opulence of the vintage with the firm thread of dark fruits and firm minerally tannins of the region. Cleverly managed oak and fine firmish tannins hold the core together to a long finish. Perfectly balanced.
Ray Jordan92points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Lifestyle cabernet sauvignon 2024
Cabernet Sauvignon
This is predominantly cabernet, but small bits of petit verdot, cabernet franc, and malbec have played their role in completing an excellent wine for drinking in the medium term. Colour is deep and dark red, and the nose displays a Margaret River combination of blackcurrant, bay leaf, a little black olive, and fruitcake. The palate is medium-bodied but with good...
Ray Jordan92points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Lifestyle cabernet sauvignon 2025
Cabernet Sauvignon
This is a lovely wine and certainly delivers great value. The dominant cabernet has been supported with a little petit verdot, cab franc, and malbec. And the oak was kept to about 15% new. It all heightens the varietal aromatics of floral, black currant, with some subtle plummy influences and a light edge of bay leaf. The palate is quite...
Ray Jordan89points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Lifestyle Chenin Blanc 2024
Chenin Blanc
Designed as a racy and zippy easy drinking wine for the short term. Loaded with crunchy juicy tropical fruit laced with a squeeze of lemon, a touch of sliced apple and pear and a sprinkle of spices to finish. Nice mouthwatering texture.
Ray Jordan92points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Lifestyle chenin blanc 2025
Chenin Blanc
Another of the very good chenin blancs coming from Margaret River these days. This one's made without any oak, so it's designed to be a real window into the fruit and the season. It has a nice mix of lightly tropical fruit, with an apple and pear combination and a cut of fine lime. The palate displays a lovely combination...
This is the style that became a benchmark for Margaret River back in the day. And it still has a place with its lively fresh as a daisy tropical fruit and herbaceousness providing appealing current drinking. It's fruity and pure with a zingy acidity.
This is a clean, pure, and fresh SSB that's made without any oak influence. So, what you're getting is a decent bang for your buck of punchy fruit characters, evident initially with that passionfruit and guava citrus combination on the nose, and slightly herbaceous cut grass characters adding complexity. The palate has a lovely fruit purity with the vibrant tropical...
Ray Jordan92points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Lifestyle Shiraz 2022
Shiraz
This ticks all the boxes when you're looking for value for money in a Margaret River shiraz. In fact, it shows that this variety should never be overlooked from Margs. Spicy plummy fruit characters on the nose and palate are boosted and complemented with a restrained use of oak. Quite simply a lovely drink to get your gums around.
Ray Jordan92points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Lifestyle Shiraz 2023
Shiraz
This is a perfect medium bodied red wine for drinking quite young. The local Italian bistro beckons. Ripe spicy and slightly pepper plummy fruit on the nose with just a trace of licorice. The palate is smoothly integrated with the natural tannins and light touch of oak bringing it to life.
Ray Jordan91points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Lifestyleshiraz 2024
Shiraz
This is a real crowd-pleaser. It's sumptuous and lush, which you would expect from this warm vintage, and loaded with bright red fruits, showing a slightly raspberry nuance working with the more traditional plummy, spicy, and slightly peppery characters. It's soft, plump, and round. With the oak influence understated and the tannins quite fine and supple. It's designed as an...
Ray Jordan94points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Redtail Liqueur Muscat
Muscat
This has been a long-term project for Kevin McKay over many years. There's some nice older material in here that's been blended with newer vintages to create a beautiful example of the style. Complex already with raisins, liqueur cumquat and dark chocolate with a caramel richness. The spirit has been beautifully applied to create a fortified style of concentration with...
Ray Jordan89points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Rose 2024
Rose
Attractive light and airy rose style displaying most appealing fruit characters. The aromas are of strawberry and light red berry with a little cranberry and watermelon character. It fresh and zippy and ideal for short term drinking.
The profound impact of partial barrel fermentation is evident immediately on the nose. It creates something quite different from your standard savvy sending it into another dimension. It's a generous wine of great flavour but the balance between the oak and pure fruit ensures it maintains its varietal integrity.
Ray Jordan95points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Sauvignon Blanc
This should be the model for savvies using barrel fermentation. Itβs a generous and flavoursome style, based on exceptional fruit, but the oak influence has been judged perfectly so the natural fruit vibrancy isnβt compromised. Creamy tropical stone fruit and slightly nutty characters merge and mingle into a wonderful expression of the variety and style.
Ray Jordan93points
Margaret River
Forester Estate sauvignon blanc 2025
Sauvignon Blanc
You know you're in a sauvignon blanc zone from the first time you take in the aromas, but then there's something else lurking there, and it's in the form of a partial barrel fermentation, which introduces a degree of complexity evident initially on the nose and then more profound on the palate. It adds complexity to what is a highly...
Ray Jordan92points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Sparkling Brut 2019
Chardonnay
This is a mighty impressive sparkling wine. It's from the 2019 vintage which produced excellent fruit for sparkling. Aromas of freshly baked bread and morning brioche with a lemon rind infusion. The palate has a creamy stone fruit character but held, as it should be, with control to create a long and linear expression.
Ray Jordan97points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Yelverton Reserve Cabernet 2020
Cabernet Sauvignon
A super classy cabernet demonstrating the quality and distinctiveness of this variety in the northern parts of Margaret River. Blackcurrant and black olive with the faintest hint of mint and dark chocolate. The palate is seamlessly integrated to creates an almost velvety cushion. A little bay leaf and oyster shell minerality add further The oak integration is sleek and precise....
Ray Jordan96points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Yelverton Reserve Cabernet 2022
Cabernet Sauvignon
This is high class cabernet from a very good year. Thereβs real power here, but then there is an effortless stylishness that makes it so much better. Leafy blackcurrant, black olive and graphite with a little cedar on the nose. The palate is bright with great energy. Concentrated deep fruit flavours merge seamlessly with the firm chalky tannins and ample,...
Ray Jordan96points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Yelverton Reserve cabernet 2023
Cabernet Sauvignon
You're moving into rarefied air with this cabernet from the outstanding '23 vintage. Around 91% cabernet but there's about 7.5% cab franc and a little petit verdot, and I think that cab franc's just introduced that slightly lifted perfumed note. The aroma captures so much of Margaret River cabernet with its blackcurrant, bay leaf, and black olive notes, a little...
Ray Jordan96points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Yelverton Reserve Chardonnay 2022
Chardonnay
A wine that has move effortlessly into another zone in quality and style. It's a mighty impressive wine that has been handcrafted from the picking through into the cellar. The fruit is off some pretty old vines and it's been given 14 months in oak. Creamy stone fruit and even a touch of brioche and lemon rind, yet it retains...
Ray Jordan96points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Yelverton Reserve Chardonnay 2023
Chardonnay
This really is a most impressive chardonnay. If youβre looking for a bit in you chardonnays then this guy is just the ticket. It was all handpicked and barrel fermented with wild yeast before maturation in French oak for 14 months. The natural power of the Gingin clone and the vintage has been harnessed and controlled into a coiled linear...
Ray Jordan96points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Yelverton Reserve chardonnay 2024
Chardonnay
The intensity, power, and obvious complexity become evident immediately on the nose. This is a wine that's had a degree of winemaking influence, but not that it compromises what is essentially excellent fruit. It was whole-bunch pressed, and then the ferment started naturally with about a quarter going through malolactic fermentation. So, the acid becomes a little softer and more...
Ray Jordan96points
Margaret River
Forester Estate Yelverton Reserve chardonnay 2025
Chardonnay
This is a most elegant and refined medium-bodied chardonnay. The aromas show a slightly waxy lambswool-like character with a hint of lightly roasted cashew and cut lime. And then there's that smoky gunflint-like character which adds another dimension. Palate is rich and textured but at the same time finely balanced and controlled. It's a most impressive chardonnay from a vintage...
Bright elegant and stylish. A brilliant wine with fruit that soars from the glass. High end red fruits with a minerally chalky tannins edge. Itβs super concentrated but the winemaking has brought it to life with its energy and vibrancy, strong features. Fine chalky tannins thread seamlessly through the firm palate. A very young wine that needs so much time...
Ray Jordan97points
Margaret River
Fraser Gallop Estate Palladian Chardonnay 2022
Chardonnay
Immediately strikes with the greater intensity and more focused precision which is part of the linear structure of this wine. Itβs deeply complex already with a minerally, and slightly citrus and savoury combination. That heightened chalky minerality really says chardonnay at the highest level. There is power and drive here, yet itβs delivered with such sophisticated elegance. This is a...
This is the most stylish expression of cabernet, which has about 5% malbec, 5% petit verdot, 3% cab franc, and 2% merlot. So it's a classic Bordeaux blend, and shows elements of that sinewy, minerally tannin profile that you might expect. Nice dark fruits on the nose with a lift of bay leaf and a distinct oyster shell character. The...
This is an 85% cabernet-dominant wine but with contributions from petit verdot, merlot malbec and cab franc, so it's a complete Bordeaux combo. This is a most stylish and expressive cabernet from this outstanding year. Has an almost regal poise about it with intense black fruits, a little oyster shell minerality for complexity, and a little oak. It's tightly wound...
Ray Jordan95points
Margaret River
Fraser Gallop Estate Parterre chardonnay 2024
Chardonnay
This is the most elegant and stylish light-bodied chardonnay. It was whole-bunch pressed and wild yeast fermented. Then had six months in oak, so it hasn't seen an excessive amount of oak and yet the fruit has developed harmony and complexity. On the nose, there's a minerally sea spray citrus combination. And then the palate is really finely crafted and...