WA Wine Review 2027

Swan Valley

Rose

Riverbank Estate Rebellious Dry Rose 2025 ($26) This is a blend of mostly tempranillo and other varieties. Tempranillo is ideal as a rosé variety, with its floral flavour combination creating a complex and interesting wine, albeit with light body. Beautiful floral notes and then a palate which is textured and dry, with that savoury finish ideal for current drinking and...

Swan Valley

Verdelho

Another beautiful example of the finer, cleaner style of verdelho that shows great intensity and power. Has a nice flavour profile with a nice spicy, gingery note. The striking feature is its vibrancy and vitality, which extends with a pure, long finish. This is classic verdelho character with none of the excessive phenolics that you can get.

Swan Valley

Verdelho

This fits snugly into the Swan Valley verdelho style. Plenty of flavour and intensity with great length and power. Lightly tropical and neatly integrated lemony citrus. Plenty of flavour on the palate with a clean, crisp, long finish.

Swan Valley

Semillon

Another beautiful example of this site. Has a nice texture and flavour profile. Aromas of lemon zest and a little lemon meringue, and then a palate which is flavoursome and intense, but with such impeccable balance and purity. Has a certain minerality. A little barrel-fermented pressings have been added to give it texture and richness. Contributes to the texture.

Swan Valley

White Blend

Here is the quintessential Swan Valley variety. It’s grown in front of the winery. Beautiful, refined and delicate fruit, but with plenty of flavour intensity. Such beautifully integrated acidity. It’s a fine and precise wine, but there is tremendous fruit depth and drive within its light body.

Swan Valley

White Blend

This has verdelho, semillon and a little vermentino. Has a beautiful aroma of florals, spice and citrus. The palate is clean and crisp, with the vermentino playing a crucial role in fine-tuning and focusing through to a long finish. This is a beautiful current-drinking wine.

Swan Valley

White Blend

This is a combination of verdelho and semillon. Has plenty of fruit intensity here, with that punchy tropical citrus infusion from the verdelho so prominent. The semillon provides a nice edgy lemon character. Plenty of flavour through to a long finish. This is a very tidy wine.

Swan Valley

White Varietal

This has been a consistent hit for Riverbank. The fruit comes from a low-lying vineyard in front of the winery. Aromas of pear and citrus with some spicy elements. It’s made without oak and is designed as a fresh, current-drinking wine with lively acidity. This one has nice texture and an excellent flavour profile.

Margaret River

Red Blend

The classic classic from Margaret River. It's been around for years and consistently produces such a beautiful current-drinking wine. This release from the excellent 2025 vintage ticks all the boxes for the style. Bright red fruits on the nose with hints of dried herbs, red berries and light leaf. The palate is medium-bodied but has a plush generosity about it....

Perth Hills

Shiraz

In such a warm, in fact quite hot, vintage as ’24, it is quite remarkable that a wine of such finesse and plush softness has been produced. The fruit is generous, but almost medium-bodied with admirable restraint. It saw a mix of old and new French and American oak, and that American oak, I think, plays an important part in...

Perth Hills

Red Blend

What a cracking good wine this GSM blend is. The varieties were well suited to this season, which was quite gentle in many ways, producing vibrant, high-energy fruit with lovely perfumes. And this one is all you want with this combination. Lovely floral red fruits, a little rose petal and a touch of spiciness all work together. The palate is...

Perth Hills

Rose

The rosés out of Myattsfield in recent years have been quite stunning. This one is a blend of mourvèdre, grenache and viognier. Certainly, that viognier adds a quite spicy lift on the nose and the finish, which is most appealing. Colour is a palest onion pink. The aroma is dominantly rose petal, with a little strawberry and dried herb character....

Perth Hills

Chardonnay

A most beautiful, floral, expressive chardonnay out of the Perth Hills. It was fermented in a mix of new French oak, a ceramic egg and stainless steel, with some lees stirring after fermentation. So, it’s created a wine of complexity, vibrancy and richness while retaining its fine linear poise. There’s a lovely lemony tang with a touch of stone fruit...

Perth Hills

White Varietal

Another first-rate example of this variety from Myattsfield, which has established something of a benchmark for vermentino in recent years. The aim has been to really retain those fresh apple, pear and citrus characters, and it’s done that admirably, especially on the nose. Then the palate is so vibrant within its light framework, delivering a nice cut pear and pithy...

Perth Hills

Chardonnay

As the name indicates, this is 100% chardonnay grown in the Perth Hills. And it is quite a brilliant example of what this region can do with sparkling wine. It’s certainly the best I’ve seen from Myattsfield. Lovely aromas of lemon and brioche. Then the palate displays some nice lightly roasted cashew, lemon meringue and subtle bready-like characters, which have...

Swan Valley

Muscat

This luscious, fabulous muscat from the Swan Valley remains a work in progress, in that when the vintage is right it is blended back into the older wine that dates back over many years. This is as good a blend as I have tasted. Raisiny, caramel, dark toffee, spice and dark chocolate. The colour is even starting to develop a...

Swan Valley

Shiraz

Now this one is special. Having tasted many of these over the years, I don’t believe I’ve tasted a better one, and there have been some good’uns. It comes from fruit grown on Griffiths and neighbouring vineyards. It’s a wine of deep, impenetrable colour, intense aromas and a plush, richly flavoured palate. On the nose, there’s a dark plummy blackberry...

Swan Valley

Grenache

These old vines in the Swan Valley handled the heat of 2024 really well. It’s mostly grenache, but there’s a tiny bit of mataro and shiraz. Strong red fruits on the nose, with a plummy dominance, and a palate which is generous and quite supple. The tannins have a slightly chalky character which offsets the plushness of the red fruits,...

Great Southern

Pinot Noir

An excellent pinot sourced from the famous Wignalls Vineyard, right on the edge of Albany, from vines that are now more than 40 years old. There are beautiful red fruits on the nose, with some cherry and raspberry notes, a little spice, and just a little cranberry character. The palate is deeply intense but deftly controlled, with a firmish core...

Swan Valley

Verdelho

Griffiths consistently produces some of the best verdelho in the Swan Valley, which of course means some of the best verdelho in the state. This one captures all that is good in this variety, with the nectarine-dominant stone fruit influence on the nose, a little splash of citrus, and some light lemon pith. The palate is beautifully flavoursome, with clean,...

Swan Valley

Chardonnay

This is testament to the quality of fruit that comes from the Swan Valley, especially in a terrific season like ’23. Appealing, medium-weight but flavoursome sparkling chardonnay showing some nice lemony brioche characters on the nose. Then a palate which reveals slightly more stone fruit, nectarine-like characters, and a little splash of citrus. All sustained with a fine, precise acidity....

Mount Barker

Cabernet Sauvignon

This comes from a 1974 planting of Houghton clone vines and spent 18 months in French oak, about 40% of which was new. This is a cracking good cabernet sauvignon, capturing everything you expect from the variety. The nose reveals blackcurrant, black olive and a dollop of dark chocolate. The palate is firm with terrific structure, defined by fine tannins,...

Mount Barker

Shiraz

This is the first Wyjup-only shiraz, with previous releases sourced from the Bouverie vineyard. Deeply intense aromas of plum, spice and cherry introduce a thoroughly beautiful wine. The palate is supple, soft and generous, displaying dark plum, cherry, spice and a touch of dark chocolate. It was matured for 18 months in French oak, 30% of which was new. Blueberry,...

This comes from one of the oldest malbec plantings in the state. The colour is deep and vibrant. Fruit from a tiny block was hand-harvested and fermented in small fermenters to produce supple tannins before spending 20 months in barriques. Beautiful aromas of violet and cherry combine with rhubarb and a subtle minty character. The palate is beautifully balanced with...

Mount Barker

Pinot Noir

This is the only wine in the collection not sourced from Wyjup, instead coming from the Rocky Horror vineyard. It was hand-picked, with some carbonic influence, and matured for 10 months in a combination of new and older oak. Distinctive sour cherry aromas introduce a more masculine, structured style with firm tannins and persistent acidity supporting the fruit. It is...

Mount Barker

Chardonnay

Opens with powerful aromas of stone fruit and struck match. It comes from a mix of Wyjup vineyard plantings dating from 1979 and 2004. The fruit was hand-picked early, whole-bunch pressed to barrel with solids, and initially wild fermented. It was barrel fermented with high solids and matured for 10 months in 60% new oak with periodic lees stirring. A...

Mount Barker

Riesling

The aromas are powerful and the intensity immediately evident. Sourced from the Wyjup South block and made entirely from free-run juice, the aim is to preserve vineyard purity through a minimalist approach from vineyard to bottle. It has tremendous intensity and a tense acidity that drives to a very long finish. Notes of red apple and preserved lemon add complexity....

Mount Barker

Pinot Noir

The fruit is sourced entirely from the Rocky Horror vineyard using only clone 777. The nose is still quite closed, although attractive cherry and raspberry notes are already emerging. Hand-picked and matured in 20% new French barriques. The colour is bright and lustrous, while perfumed aromatics lead into a palate that is more structured than the Angevin. It has body...

Mount Barker

Chardonnay

Here is a wine that combines richness with tension, weight and power. It was picked over several separate harvests before being whole-bunch pressed to barrel, giving it structural definition. About 35% of the oak was new. The palate has beautiful intensity and completeness, with seamless integration of oak and fruit supported by fine minerality. This is a terrific wine offering...

Mount Barker

Riesling

This takes the Three Lions range up a notch. Careful vineyard management, including different picking times, adds complexity and completeness to the wine. It displays the region's typical spicy sea spray character on the nose. The palate is powerfully defined with intensity and length while retaining a degree of tension that carries through to a long, linear finish. It was...

Mount Barker

Red Blend

The aim with this wine is to produce a chilled red style. It's bright, lively and youthfully presented, offering stacks of medium-bodied fruit. Beautiful aromas of cherry and raspberry lead into a supple palate, supported by a core of fine tannins and a little sustaining acidity. It receives just a smidgeon of oak, but mainly it's about preserving the fruit...

Mount Barker

Pinot Noir

The fruit comes from the Rocky Horror vineyard and is a mix of clones, with the aim of emphasising fruit quality through minimal oak and winemaking influence. Aromas of spicy raspberry and cherry open the wine. The palate is bright and juicy with lovely ripe red berry flavours and subtle savoury spice. It has beautiful sweet fruit characters and remains...

Mount Barker

Chardonnay

This is from the Rocky Horror vineyard, planted in 1999. It is a more sophisticated chardonnay than you might expect at this price point. It receives a little oak influence, but the emphasis is firmly on the fruit. It has a steely mineral structure with a palate that is still tight and linear. Having said that, it has excellent fruit...

Mount Barker

Riesling

Opens with a distinctive spicy bath salts aroma, typical of the region. This is from the Wyjup North vineyard and includes more pressings to give it greater phenolic texture. These vines were established in 1971. The beautifully textured palate is both powerful and long, with the structure and intensity to reward cellaring. It was made entirely in stainless steel, allowing...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

A classically defined Margaret River cabernet sauvignon with tremendous concentration, structure and purpose. Aromas of blackcurrant combine with oyster shell minerality, subtle bay leaf and black olive. The palate introduces richer chocolate notes that weave through the dark fruit, supported by a firm framework of tannin and seamlessly integrated oak. A gentle leafy character adds further complexity. Powerful, poised and...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Another wine that demonstrates just how good the 2024 Margaret River vintage could be. It was a warm season, but the extended summer allowed cabernet sauvignon to ripen beautifully. Aromas of blackcurrant, bay leaf and dark chocolate are unmistakably varietal. The palate is deeply concentrated yet velvety and seamless, supported by finely controlled tannins and perfectly judged oak. A first-rate...

Margaret River

Shiraz

This barrel selection from Margaret River highlights the quality of shiraz from the outstanding 2023 vintage. Savoury dark fruits lead the nose, with ripe plum, dark cherry and a touch of spice adding complexity. The palate is firmer and more tightly structured than the Frankland River wine, yet it retains generous plush fruit, concentration and intensity. A powerful yet beautifully...

Frankland River

Shiraz

A wine that speaks clearly of Frankland River and the excellent 2023 vintage from the moment you engage with it. Lovely spicy plum aromas are joined by hints of chocolate and black cherry. The medium-bodied palate has tremendous depth and flavour, reflecting both the region and the vintage. Beautifully balanced, with plush fruit and layers of spice washing effortlessly across...

Pemberton

Pinot Noir

Sourced from Pemberton vineyards in an outstanding vintage. There's so much to like about this wine, from the ripe cherry and strawberry aromas through to the palate, where the warm flesh of pinot is wrapped around a firm core of fine, chalky tannins and neatly judged oak. A spicy, savoury note carries through the finish, while the brightness and energy...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Another excellent wine under this label. It comes from Wilyabrup, using the Gingin clone. After natural fermentation, it was matured in French barriques. The nose reveals attractive stone fruit, nougat and citrus aromas. The palate captures the delicacy of the season, delivering refinement, balance and precise control. Drinking beautifully now, with the potential to develop further over the medium term.