WA Wine Review 2027

Great Southern

Pinot Noir

This is a really interesting wine. It's from a single dry-grown vineyard near Albany, close-planted to Dijon clones 115 and 777. Here's a pinot with structure, poise and immense power, held with gentle kid gloves and cajoled through to a very long finish. Cherry and raspberry notes with a slightly earthy note. Slightly grainy and textured, with that necessary acidity...

Mount Barker

Red Blend

liked the previous vintage of this wine, which is a blend of grenache, cinsault, counoise and vermentino, but I think this one from the exceptional '26 vintage is even better. It was simply hand-picked and then pressed to concrete, where it was fermented. The combination works really well. There's a certain graininess that gives it texture, even though it's quite...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

The fruit comes from Rob Mann’s Calgardup vineyard, with about 6% cabernet franc. Classically cabernet in character, it has a leafy blackcurrant lift on the nose, with redcurrant, oyster shell and cracked seashell characters. Medium-bodied and wonderfully expressive, it has a vibrant tannin line that reflects the vineyard’s proximity to the ocean. There is a crunchy, energetic quality throughout, with...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This opens with a slightly savoury nose with hints of brioche, marzipan and light stone fruit. The palate is fine and pristine, with a subtle savoury, nutty and mealy character, supported by some lees influence. All Gingin clone, planted in 1984 from cuttings sourced from Leeuwin Estate, this is a vineyard of remarkable intensity and purity. Winemaking is deliberately uncomplicated,...

Great Southern

Shiraz

This is a super-generous and flavoursome shiraz from the Great Southern. The aromas are highly perfumed with a combination of dark plum and spicy, earthy nuances. The palate is quite sumptuous and rich, but so effortlessly smooth and integrated. Loads of flavour in a thoroughly enjoyable wine that I think is drinking right in its wheelhouse now.

Frankland River

Mourvèdre

This wine has been sourced from Frankland River, where it really does quite well. In this case, the regional nuances of the red fruits of mourvèdre with some spice are supplemented with a little gravelly ironstone nuance, which is fairly typical of the region. It's medium-bodied but has quite beautiful grainy fruit characters with loads of primary red fruits and...

Great Southern

Pinot Noir

An immediately engaging pinot noir from Denmark. The nose displays a slightly spicy raspberry combination with subtle, layered, earthy mushroom character. The palate is light-bodied and has a velvety smoothness balanced by some fine-grained oak and fine tannins with that necessary precise acidity to help the structure and poise.

Great Southern

Pinot Noir

Highly fragrant, light-bodied pinot noir, but one showing a high degree of complexity, initially on the nose and then into the palate. There's a nice floral touch with dark cherry and spices on the nose, and then the palate works through a combination of plummy cherry characters and spicy berries. There's a slightly earthy, truffly note to it, and that...

Great Southern

Semillon

Rockcliffe Single Site fumé blanc 2024 ($35) This wine is made from semillon and has been just lightly oaked so as not to dominate the fruit. This was quite a warm year, but the quality of the fruit was quite exceptional down in Denmark. And in this case, the combination of the zippy, lemony semillon with the light, nutty oak...

Great Southern

Chardonnay

This has been made into an eminently appealing, current-drinking style of wine. Plenty of those stone fruit characters, certainly on the palate, but there's a nice edge of lemon zip and some crisp acidity which provides balance with the creamy palate. There's a plushness about it, but also that fine elegance, which is symptomatic of that vintage. A neatly crafted...

Swan Valley

White Blend

A really delightful blend of chardonnay and semillon. Sure, it's a little unusual as a combination, but it works really well in the Swan Valley. Semillon gives it that fine cutting edge with a little lemon zip, while the chardonnay adds strength and palate weight. Nice citrusy aroma with some melony fruit, followed by a palate showing beautiful, juicy, ripe...

Swan Valley

Verdelho

Swan Valley verdelho is a really reliable go-to drink, certainly during the summer months. This one's loaded with typical tropical fruits, evident on the nose and then through to the palate. There's a slightly citrusy, spicy character that permeates, while the palate shows lovely rich fruit, controlled by fine, focused acidity through to a long finish. Delightful current drinking, but...

Swan Valley

Chardonnay

Chardonnay in the Swan Valley can often be underestimated, and yet when you see a wine like this, you've got to question why. This is terrific wine from the Baskerville Vineyard of Upper Reach. The aromas show the influence of barrel fermentation. It's quite spicy, with some nice roasted cashew, stone fruit characters and a subtle creaminess. The palate is...

Swan Valley

Cabernet Blend

Generous, smooth-textured, thoroughly delicious, medium-bodied blend from the Swan Valley. Loads of blackberry and ripe plum characters are evident on the nose. The palate is plush and soft with supple tannins, which is a feature of Swan Valley reds. And yet there's structure here as it unfolds through to a nice long finish. Lovely, approachable wine for the short to...

Swan Valley

Grenache

There are two things that go together absolutely perfectly: the Swan Valley and old-vine grenache. This superb wine comes from vines that are more than 75 years old. They're non-irrigated and have necessarily been handpicked. It's medium-bodied with lovely perfumed aromatics of raspberry and red fruits. The palate is deliciously supple and juicy, with those red fruits augmented by a...

Swan Valley

Tempranillo

The warmer climes of the Swan Valley are well suited to tempranillo, and 2024 was certainly warm. But the fruit has handled it really well, producing a wine that is soft, supple and medium-bodied, but with good fruit intensity. It's a plush wine loaded with a mix of blackberry and cherry with a dollop of dark chocolate. A lovely spicy...

Swan Valley

Shiraz

This is everything you expect from Swan Valley shiraz. It's soft, plush, supple and most approachable. Bright red fruits have been worked with a little French oak, resulting from careful small-batch handling to get the best from the fruit. Spicy plum, dark chocolate and a little raspberry and cherry lift combine into a lovely palate feel. Most attractive drinking and,...

Swan Valley

Shiraz

A thoroughly beautiful example of Swan Valley shiraz in what was an outstanding year. The fruit is generous, but the slightly longer, relatively cooler season has allowed some wonderful flavours to develop over a longer period. Spicy plum and dark cherry, with a liberal dose of spice, lead to a palate that is seamless, supported by slightly chalky, supple tannins...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Plenty of punchy, ripe tropical fruit here. The season was quite warm, but it produced some of the most expressive, flavoursome and aromatic wines. This one is beautifully balanced, with subtle notes of gooseberry and passion fruit, all presented with a restraint that makes it so appealing. The palate is a feature, with its rich fruit flavours and fine acidity...

Mount Barker

Chardonnay

A stunning example of chardonnay off this Mount Barrow vineyard near the Porongurup. All wild yeast fermented using small and large format French oak. It produces a wine that has a distinct point of difference reflecting this excellent cool site. It's quite a tough place to grow grapes, but the end result is something special. In this case, a fine...

Frankland River

Chardonnay

Beautiful example of Mount Barker chardonnay. Comes off the Mount Barrow Vineyard on the edge of the Porongurup. It's a mix of Burgundian clones with a smaller contribution from the richer more powerful Gingin. This cooler site and the clever winemaking certainly contribute to sustaining the purity and pristine character, creating a fine and elegantly designed chardonnay which is a...

The number of times I go to this wine when looking for a rosé I can't begin to count. It is one of my very favourites. It's light; it's bright, with lovely floral red fruits abundant. It has a beautiful textural element which comes from a little time in oak, some lees stirring and partial malolactic fermentation, but that doesn't...

Porongurup

Pinot Noir

Such a bright, energetic and beautiful pinot from the Mount Barrow vineyard at the Porongurup. Seductive aromas of strawberry and raspberry. And then a palate that is light to medium-bodied but packed with power and delivered with elegance. Nice fleshy character is held with a firm core of tannin and oak. Retaining its bright energy through to a very long...

Porongurup

Pinot Noir

Takes the village pinot up a notch with deeper layered complexity. The site-specific bright red fruits of strawberry and raspberry are augmented with a slightly more earthy, mushroom character that heightens that aromatic complexity. The palate is so seamlessly integrated, with silky fine tannins and gentle oak harnessing a wine with deceptive power and energy. This is right up there...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Another outstanding wine from this small Margaret River producer. It has an engaging aroma from the outset, with traces of grapefruit and oatmeal, alongside quince paste and a subtle chalk-dust character. The palate is typically powerful, with rich flavours of stone fruit, butterscotch and quince paste. Fine, precise acidity holds everything together, carrying the wine effortlessly to a long, focused...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A beautifully composed chardonnay from this warmer year. Slightly earlier picking before the heat arrived has resulted in a wine of considerable finesse and elegance. Aromas of citrus and grapefruit lead to subtle stone-fruit notes. Earlier picking gives the palate a lovely, delicate edge, while the wine retains the deep-seated power and fruit concentration that are part of its character....

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

The pure varietal character of cabernet sauvignon is immediately apparent. Powerful blackcurrant, black olive and bay leaf notes classically define Margaret River, with ripe plum adding further complexity. The palate displays remarkable elegance for this warm year, with fine balance, blackcurrant and blackberry flavours and a subtle oyster-shell-like minerality. The oak and tannin are well balanced and seamlessly integrated. An...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

An elegant and silky cabernet sauvignon from the season, with considerable power and fruit concentration driving the palate. Lifted leafy notes of bay leaf are complemented by a graphite-like character and black olive tapenade. The palate is powerful, with firm yet fine tannins and well-integrated oak supporting impressive depth of cabernet fruit. A wine that should benefit from extended cellaring.

Swan Valley

White Varietal

This was naturally fermented and, again, like the fiano, has some short skin contact with high solids. Then spent a little time in both oak and steel. Vermentino can be pretty simple, but this one is anything but simple. Yes, it retains that clean, linear, crisp fineness that is varietal, but then there's other nuances of nutty sea spray. Aptly,...

Swan Valley

Fiano

Shows what you can do with this variety with a little flair. In this case, Garth Cliff has put the wine through some short skin contact and high solids, all of which adds texture and complexity to a variety that already exhibits some nice characters. But in this case, it's produced a wine of richness yet, at the same time,...

Swan Valley

Grenache

The source of the fruit is old Swan Valley bush vines that are now more than 50 years old. This is such a good example of what the Swan Valley does so well with grenache. He's followed the recipe of natural ferment with some whole bunches and maturation in old oak, so it all allows the fruit to express itself...

Swan Valley

Grenache

This delightfully light- to medium-bodied grenache comes off some old bush vines in the Swan Valley. Cliff has used some whole bunches with some natural ferment to create a bright, vibrant, medium-bodied grenache that captures the essence of the variety. Aromas of strawberry and raspberry with a slightly cherry character. And then a palate that's light to medium-bodied, soft, supple...

Geographe

Red Varietal

This Italian variety in Australia especially does make some lovely soft, generous, fruity wines that are ideally suited to chilling. In this case, it was naturally fermented, with some whole bunches contributing to its lovely floral lift and supple palate structure. Loads of dark cherry and blackberry. A little briary complexity and fine tannins create a plush, supple palate structure....

Swan Valley

Chenin Blanc

No suite of Swan Valley wines would be complete without chenin blanc, and Garth Cliff knows a thing or two about making decent chenin. In this case, it's been whole-bunch pressed and went through natural fermentation, high solids and just in old barriques. From the start it is an incredibly complex palate-friendly wine that provides yet another spin on this...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

The early picking in this very warm season in Margaret River perfectly suited chardonnay. In this case, it's provided the basis for the best Ringbolt chardonnay yet released. Lovely aromas of melon and light grapefruit with a subtle quince paste and brioche element. The palate is rich and textured, medium-weight, with good length and a crisp, lingering acidity.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

You're getting tremendous bang for your buck with this classy cabernet from the '24 vintage. The nose is unmistakably Margaret River. Lashings of blackcurrant, black olive, a little bay leaf, dark chocolate — it's all in there. But then the palate delivers with perhaps the most structured and classically defined expression of Margaret River cabernet yet under this label. It's...

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

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

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...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Each year this wine is named in honour of a family member or friend. The Maestro in this case is David Gregg, the charismatic, legendary winemaker of Vasse Felix. I think he would appreciate the elegance and understated refinement of the wine. It is one of the very best years in this distinguished line. Rich dark fruits burst from the...