Regions

Geographe

Chardonnay

A wine that continues the more refined and restrained approach I saw with the '21, which, albeit was a cooler more linear vintage. Distinct aromas of crème brulee and quince with a lemon edge vanilla pod character. The palate is so neatly integrated with beautifully weighted rich and textured fruit held with a fine linear acidity. A touch of gunsmoke...

Geographe

Chardonnay

Over the years this excellent chardonnay has morphed into a slightly more restrained and precise wine, while still retaining the deep fruit intensity that is the hallmark of this Ferguson Valley vineyard. Lightly fragrant aromas of lemon curd and quince with a trace of butterscotch. The palate is layered with a pleasing texture and depth that carries effortlessly through to...

Geographe

Chardonnay

Another excellent example of chardonnay under this label, which has evolved over the years into a wine of greater refinement and finesse, while still using wild fermentation in new and one-year-old oak. But the balance of the oak and the fruit has achieved greater harmony. Lovely aromas of savoury, lightly butterscotch and cashew-like characters. And then a palate which has...

Geographe

Malbec

This is a small volume production, but it is always one of my favourites from Talisman. Loads of dark chocolate coat the primary blackcurrant with the rhubarb pie character. The tannins are remarkably smooth as they support the supple rich and quite luscious palate. Strikes a nice oak and fruit balance with those tannins lurking in the background.

Geographe

Malbec

An elegant, balanced and poised malbec from this very good red wine vintage. Initial aromas of red fruits with a little spice and coffee grinds. The palate has a fine minerality cutting through its medium body, holding the line to a sustained finish. Bright and lively.

Geographe

Malbec

Malbec has been a winner at Talisman over a number of years, and I’d have to say this one is as good as any I have seen. It captures all the ripe, generous fruit that you expect from this variety, and it delivers it with the supple tannins and the support of some nice oak, plenty of vibrant red fruits,...

Geographe

Merlot

This now mature merlot is really showing what can be achieved with this variety. It has always been a strong performer at Talisman. Perfumed notes of earthy violet with emerging leathery spicy nuances. Balanced medium bodied palate has structure and definition to support the smooth fruit combination of leathery black olive and savoury dark fruits.

Geographe

Merlot

Some years ago, Talisman made the important decision to add some different clones of merlot to the vineyard, and it has started to pay dividends. This is a merlot that offers the depth and the fruit weight with the structure and the suppleness that you get from the best merlots. The aromas have a deep blackberry, black olive character with...

Geographe

Merlot

Consistently one of the finest merlots released in WA. And this from the opulent '20 vintage is a cracker. Talisman started using new clones a few years ago, and the result has been a merlot that brings structure and definition to the table. The nose displays dark plum with a minerally graphite edge and a slightly earthy blackcurrant nuance that...

Geographe

Merlot

While less opulent than the plump 2020, it more than compensates with its elegance and silkiness. It takes advantage of the new clones that are now part of the vineyard. The result is a merlot that has structure and poise but at the same time retains the beautiful perfumes that are part of its DNA. A little savouriness complements the...

Geographe

Cabernet Blend

This was from an exceptional vintage throughout Western Australia. It is now a wine that bridges the divide between the primary fruit stage and the more mature early developed stage. It is drinking quite brilliantly. Has a slightly spicy and leathery aroma which merges with the primary dark fruits. The palate has a spicy touch to lift the generous medium...

Geographe

Riesling

Here's a riesling distinctly influenced by the classic wines of Germany. It opens with the normal citrusy, lemon-scented characters on the nose. But then the palate is quite delicate, with a little residual sugar and lower alcohol contributing to its lively, keen lines. It has a nice slatey, minerally edge running through it. And the flavour is quite beautiful. It's...

Geographe

Riesling

This is as good a riesling as Talisman have produced and they have produced some good'uns. There is tension at every step through the lift of citrus and a lemon blossom musk-like aroma. The palate is where it tightens up but then deep down there is the fruit intensity of a pure and lively young riesling. The lip-smacking finish completes...

Geographe

Riesling

A light and fragrant riesling displaying minerally and delicately citrus influenced aromas. The palate has a spicy edge to the natural lemon citrus tang with a crisp fine acidity to extend. Nice wine over a shorter period.

Geographe

Riesling

These rieslings from Talisman continue to be some of the best released in WA, and this is another cracking good wine, capturing all the elements of the variety and what seems to be a regional character as well. On the nose, you get all of the minerally citrus characters, even with a little bit of red apple on the palate....

Geographe

Riesling

When there's talk of the best WA rieslings, this small patch of dirt in the Ferguson Valley is sometimes overlooked, and it certainly shouldn't be. These rieslings, with their classic purity and crunchy, minerally acidity that bounces along over wet pebbles, defined with a precise tension, are consistently outstanding. This one is a quite beautiful and pretty expression, with lovely...

Geographe

Riesling

This shows the versatility of riesling which can be made into a very good sparkling wine. This one is such good drinking. Aromas display citrus with a little lemon rind edginess. The palate is clean and crisp with a sustained precise finish. Lovely lick of acid on the finish adds a lift.

Geographe

Cabernet Sauvignon

A soft and ready to drink cabernet loaded with plush fruits exhibiting ripe plum and dark blackcurrant characters. It’s seamless and dominated by the warm fleshy fruit of this vintage. A value for money wine made for current drinking.

Geographe

Malbec

These malbecs from Ferguson have always been among the best in the state. This one's another excellent example. It combines a degree of power and intensity, but it delivers with those plump, ripe red fruits of malbec, providing such a buoyant, vibrant palate. As it breathes, plush, juicy red fruits continue to emerge, with a chalky tannin and minerally acidity...

Geographe

Riesling

This is riesling, but riesling with a difference. It was all wild fermented in oak, and it's created an altogether different expression of this variety. You're not getting those lively, edgy citrus and floral notes, but instead you're getting slightly more savoury, spicy influences. And the palate delivers with more textural complexity. It shows the versatility of riesling and how...

Geographe

Riesling

This is a sort of modern old style of riesling. Old in that it was fermented in old oak, modern in that many younger winemakers are dabbling in this throw-back approach. The approach seems to heighten the vineyard musk characters and mute the citrus. It's also created a more textural and less tense expression of the fruit. So, it's quite...

Geographe

Riesling

Some Old-World techniques are adopted with this riesling, and they seem to have worked rather well in this difficult year, producing a wine with a degree of depth and palate texture that elevates it from many of the rieslings from ’24. Retains a crisp minerality and slightly spicy, musk and lemon zest character. Nice wine.

Geographe

Zinfandel

The liqueur chocolate and dark cherry and raspberry characters are evident initially on the nose. But there is a vibrant perfumed lift. The adoption of carbonic maceration techniques has produced that perfumed high tone red fruit aromatic on the nose, while bringing an energy and spritely touch to the palate. It's designed as an immediate drinking zin, and it works...

Geographe

Zinfandel

This is a lighter style of zin, in fact the colour is sort of a pale crimson pink, but it has lovely aromatics with a slightly cherry ripe, chewy raspberry character. Palate has lovely, sweet fruit, and it’s neatly balanced. It’s a wine that would go well over summer and serve slightly chilled. It’s quite delicious.

Geographe

Zinfandel

When you manage to keep the alcohol down with zinfandel it can really produce something special. This still has punch but also displays a brightness and vibrancy that comes at lower alcohols. Loads of red fruit with a raspberry and milk chocolate aroma. The palate is smooth and delicious with those red raspberry fruit flavours. A most enjoyable zin.

Geographe

Zinfandel

This slightly cooler season has resulted in a more restrained and stylish zin. The nose opens with distinctive aromas of liqueur cherry and raspberry dominating over the slightly confectionary jubey characters. The palate is remarkably soft and supple with a vanillin oak influence emerging and some slightly grainy tannins sitting within. Smooth.

Great Southern

Chardonnay

A rich, nutty and creamy expression of Great Southern chardonnay. It has a nice combination of quince paste and stone fruit on the nose with a subtle and fine minerality. The palate has good flavour intensity and a nice balance of oak and fruit supported by a crisp, fine acidity. That slightly nutty quince paste and nectarine character emerges through...

Great Southern

Shiraz

This is a lovely wine that expresses this vintage, which turned out to be mighty good in the Great Southern. A lovely combination of plums and spice with a little dark cherry on the nose, followed by a palate which is both seamless and supple but with excellent intensity delivered on a medium body. A harmonious mix of oak and...

Great Southern

Chardonnay

A highly fragrant and bright chardonnay from Denmark. Notes of lemon curd, butterscotch and ripe nectarine and white peach. The palate releases flavours of cashew and stone fruit richness. The oak and fruit balance works so well, and it has a crunchy minerally finish with a little chalky edge.

Great Southern

Pinot Noir

The nose bursts with a powerful hit of black cherry and slightly earthy truffle like characters. The palate is fleshy with more strawberry dominant flavours emerging. The oak is well judged and sits with the chalky tannins to cradle the palate through to a sustained finish of dark chocolate and subtle limestone.

Great Southern

Chardonnay

This is quite a generous chardonnay with loads of stone fruit dominated by a peach and nectarine combo working quite beautifully. Flavours deep within the palate reveal a melon, slightly vanilla pod character with a citrus edge, helping to define. Creamy and highly flavoursome. A subtle sprinkle of spice on the finish provides the final fling.

Great Southern

Pinot Noir

Denmark is such a good region for pinot, and this one from the very good 2023 season is a beautifully expressive example/ On the nose, you get that fairly typical varietal combination of truffles and cherry with a lifted strawberry note. The palate reveals more red fruit flavours, supported by a firmish tannin thread for structure with a spicy lift...

Great Southern

Riesling

This is such an intense and concentrated riesling packed with crunchy, minerally fruit. On the nose, a combination of lemon pith and musk with hints of Jasmine. The palate is so crunchy and almost juicy with a minerally citrus tang. Very long finish with a fine acidity creating a lively refreshing palate.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This wine has that elegance of modern chardonnay, but it still retains the richness and complexity that comes with the original wine-making style, which revolves around wild fermentation and maturation with regular stirring in French oak, all designed to bring in complexity and depth within a textured framework. The aromas lift with typical nectar and stone fruit-like subtleties. A little...

Pemberton

White Varietal

When it's made in this style, gewurztraminer can be quite exquisite and beautiful. In this case, it's both. Comes from the Channybearup vineyard in Pemberton and shows such wonderful lifted fruit characters for a dessert style wine. Has that little hint of ginger marmalade, ripe apricot and a subtle lychee nuance that's typical of traminer. The palate delivers with tremendous...

Margaret River

White Blend

This is a neat little blend of sauvignon blanc and chardonnay sourced from vineyards well south of Margaret River. So it is a cooler site interpretation, and it’s also had some barrel fermentation. For a wine that sells for just $25, there is a degree of winemaking input and complexity that really shows. I like the lift of the savvy...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

It’s hard to imagine a more classically defined cabernet than this outstanding medium bodied elegant wine. Aromas of blackcurrant infiltrated by bright red raspberry and cherry with an exotic African violet lift. Add a little graphite and bay leaf with a trace of black olive, and you have classic cabernet. Totally seamless palate structure with fine tannins and oak influence...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

The power, richness, and concentrated intensity come from the source of the fruit, which is old vines in the northern Yallingup region. The nose is a powerhouse of blackcurrant and black olive, with a lift of floral red fruits. The palate is where things get interesting, with luscious, opulent dark fruit concentrated into a tight core of fine chalky tannins...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

In many ways a style that bridges the older style with the modern linear restrained styles. I like it. Let’s get that on the record. Whole bunch pressed and fermented in a mix of 30% new and older oak where it did its thing for nine months. Aromas of lemon zest and butterscotch with a creamy tart character. On the...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is an impressive chardonnay from this newcomer to Margaret River, with the fruit coming off the famed Wilyabrup sub-region. After hand-picking, it was whole-bunch pressed and fermented in a mix of new and seasoned French oak, where it spent 9 months on lees. The result is a wine with richness and texture, lots of creamy stone fruit, roasted cashew...