WA Wine Review 2027

Margaret River

Cabernet Blend

Another outstanding wine from this great vintage. Nearly 75% cabernet, with merlot and malbec. There is power and intensity here, but it’s elegant and so refined. Crunchy red and black fruits, lifted red cherry and bay leaf, with a subtle oyster-shell minerality. It’s a very pretty wine that provides a lens into the greatness of the vintage and the influence...

Margaret River

Malbec

Gee whizz, this is a super-young, fresh red wine for drinking in the next few years. It’s soft and rounded, with supple, generous fruit flavours supported by light, gentle tannin and a lick of understated oak. It’s about the fruit, which is bright and so vibrant. Just dances off the palate.

Margaret River

Cabernet Blend

A structured and purposeful cabernet merlot blend with a couple of friends thrown in. Bright, crunchy fruit is a feature. Lifted florals and a mix of redcurrant and light bay leaf, underpinned by a little graphite character. The palate is still quite tight, but it’s medium-bodied and concentrated, delivering to a focused, effortless, long finish.

Margaret River

Cabernet Blend

Predominantly cabernet and malbec, but a little dollop of merlot and petit verdot completes the picture. This is a wonderfully vibrant and fresh young cabernet blend from a season that required plenty of management of the heat. But it’s been done really well, and the result is a bright, crunchy-fruited blend, striking a really good balance and presence on the...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is a terrific example of chardonnay from this close-planted block. The aromas have a pronounced lemon crème brûlée character with a slightly saline influence. The palate is tightly wound with a degree of youthful tension, yet there is real power here that will start to release with ageing. Impressive.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is a lovely, pure and vibrant young chardonnay. It was fermented and then matured in oak for about nine months. The result is a wine with good varietal definition, vibrant lemon grapefruit characters on the nose and a pristine and crunchy palate with a little stone-fruit creaminess.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Another outstanding wine in this fabulous lineage of Pierro chardonnays. It was a slightly warmer year, yet the wine presents with subtlety and refined elegance. Mealy, light quince paste and crumbly brioche characters and a little nougat. It is remarkably complex even now. Incredible depth and concentration, but with that elegance and linear mouthfeel. These wines age brilliantly.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

This is such a beautifully expressive cabernet. Blackcurrant and leafy notes on the nose, touches of bay leaf and black olive. And then a palate that is so elegant and refined, reflecting the cooler climes of Frankland, but still with excellent structure, with fine, slightly sinewy tannins and some excellent oak integration. It all supports some vibrant red fruits on...

Frankland River

Shiraz

A worthy follow-up to the trophy-winning '23 vintage. '24 was hot in WA, but good vineyard management in some of these southern areas has resulted in very tidy wines indeed, and this is certainly one of them. Aromas of spicy plum and dark chocolate provide a captivating introduction to a soft, plush and generous wine. It's a brilliant and bright...

Mount Barker

Riesling

This is a really interesting, quite thrilling example of riesling. The feature here is it's had two months on lees, which has allowed it to pick up both texture and complex flavours, evident also on the nose and the high aromatics. Has a mineral, spicy, lemony character on the nose. And then a palate that is so intense, with a...

Frankland River

Riesling

From the very start, this wine has been something special and highly individual. It comes from a specific patch on the Ferngrove estate and produces a wine of incredible linear character. And rather than the high-end florals it has a spicier lemon zest character that dominates on the nose. The palate picks up on that spicy lemony combo and carries...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

An excellent wine from what was an excellent season. The warmer conditions resulted in slightly riper fruit, while this vineyard has produced fruit of wonderful balance and flavour intensity. The nose offers subtle cashew and lemon-scented notes, followed by a palate with a creamy, rich texture, balanced by fine oak and natural acidity that provides lift through to the finish....

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Powerful but, at the same time, refined and elegant. The colour is bright and bursting with energy. Bright red fruits punch out some wonderful, complex nuances of red berry and leafy floral notes. The palate is tidy and controlled, with a lovely graphite, oyster-shell minerality balancing the richly layered fruit flavours. The energy is extraordinary.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

The remarkable thing is that Travis Wray has produced a very pretty, stylish wine in such a warm year. It must say something about the vineyard management. Lovely dark fruit on the nose, with a lift of black olive and bay leaf, with an edgy graphite touch. The palate is bright, with lively red fruits lifted by fine, chalky tannins...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A thoroughly beautiful expression of Margaret River chardonnay. It’s powerful and super intense. On the nose, the influence of barrel fermentation is evident, with the impact of solids adding to its complexity. The palate is so perfectly woven and integrated. A slightly butterscotch, quince and flinty character merge. That dry, savoury and slightly limestone-struck-match character really completes a very good...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

These chardonnays from House of Cards have been elevated in recent years to another level. This is a wonderful example of the style and the vintage. It was whole-bunch pressed and fermented in a mix of 52% new French oak and some concrete. A further 11 months in oak enhanced its layered richness and complexity. Notes of butterscotch and quince...

Western Australia

Cabernet Blend

This is a super-value blend of these two varieties, of which 80% is cabernet. It’s sourced from Geographe, the Blackwood Valley and Perth Hills and captures so much of the elegance and poise of this wonderful Western Australian vintage. Bright red and black fruits on the nose, followed by a palate that is smooth, seamless and perfectly integrated. It’s medium-bodied...

Swan Valley

Chenin Blanc

The extra time this wine has had on lees has really brought it into the next dimension. The colour has deepened ever so slightly, and the aromas are saturated with lemony, creamy characters and that faintly tropical influence of the variety. The palate has intensity yet delicacy, due in some way to the marvellous vintage but also to the way...

Geographe

Arneis

Winemaker Damian Hutton sources the fruit for this wine from Geographe. It’s 100% anies, a variety that Hutton has been able to do something quite magical with since he started using it a few years ago. I think this single-vineyard expression is one of the best I’ve tasted yet. Beautiful, pristine, pure fruit, generous flavours, some light lemon rind and...

Margaret River

Cabernet Blend

A most complete and quite beautiful combination of these two varieties. It’s a medium-bodied wine expressing lovely bright red fruits with a little black fruit influence that was part of this excellent vintage. Seamlessly woven together with very fine, silky tannins, gentle oak persuasion and plush, soft and supple fruit characters. It really does stand up as delightful current and...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Medium-bodied, with plenty of persistent flavour. On the nose, there’s a neat mix of nougat and quince, with a little lemon meringue. It all swirls together into a lovely combination. The palate releases a neat mix of oatmeal and lemon pith, with a little grapefruit edginess. Precise, with a long finish.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is a beautiful, fruit-driven, vibrant chardonnay displaying lovely melony citrus aromas and deep flavours on its medium-bodied palate. It retains a beautiful vibrancy and energy through the palate. An ideal wine, particularly if you’re not into oak, as this one will fit the bill perfectly. It’s great current drinking.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is such an appealing expression of Wilyabrup chardonnay. It comes from old Jindong vines, and the intensity and power are immediately evident. Aromas of lemon meringue, quince paste, some nice brioche and a splash of lemon draw you in. The palate is delightfully composed and subtle, yet there is plenty of palate length, with a nice savoury finish.

Margaret River

Shiraz

You’ll be immediately absorbed by the lovely aromatics that strike on the nose. It’s perfumed with spicy plum, dark chocolate and a little mulberry character, while the palate is so soft, supple and juicy. This is quintessential current-drinking shiraz, offering so much. It’s a real flavour bomb. And don’t be afraid to chill it ever so slightly during summer.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Stylish and quite elegant, this is a medium- to full-bodied cabernet from an excellent season. There’s a mix of blackcurrant and blackberry on the nose, with a little minerally oyster shell and a lift of bay leaf. The palate has generous fruit intensity, supported by fine, chalky tannins and well-integrated oak. A polished and expressive Margaret River cabernet.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Its pale onion-skin, copper hue signals the style. Made from cabernet, it has a subtle leafy note, but savoury, textured fruit defines the palate. A classic Provence-style rosé, it offers surprising depth and flavour, with texture carrying through to a long finish. Terrific drinking while young.

Margaret River

Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

The whites from this very southern vineyard in Margaret River consistently produce such beautiful, pristine, lively fruit characters, which are captured perfectly in this wine. It brings together the subtle gooseberry of the sauvignon blanc, with a little bit of grassy, lemony character from the semillon. Tremendous intensity and persistence through a fine, lingering palate. Absolutely nails the style.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

The precise intensity of this fruit from Karridale is captured and highlighted in what is an excellent medium- to light-bodied style with tons of appeal. Aromas of nougat and lemon meringue are quite subtle, and then the palate has a pristine vibrancy, with lovely fruit characters. It was a very good vintage in this region, and this is a compelling...

Margaret River

Red Blend

This is consistently one of the best-value wines released in Western Australia. It’s a blend of shiraz, cabernet and malbec. The colour is a vibrant, deep red, almost black. The nose is incredibly intense, with lively fruit characters mixing black and blue fruit, while the palate is sumptuous and plush, with rich flavours supported by quite fine tannins. Such a...

Margaret River

Shiraz

Beautiful vintage, beautiful wine. This is such a wonderful expression of cool-climate shiraz from Margaret River. Lovely aromas of red fruits, but then there’s a mulberry, blue-fruit character that adds tremendous aromatic complexity. The palate is vibrant and bursting with energy, with the intense dark berry character lifted with a little spice. So much to like about this wine.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

A most elegant and stylish cabernet sourced from down at Karridale. Lovely red-fruited aromatics with some fragrant violet perfumes. The palate is medium-weight and totally seamless, but there’s intensity here and good fruit concentration, supported by a nice tannin and oak combination. Stacks of red berry character, a dollop of chocolate and just a fine minerality. A most complete wine.

Margaret River

Nebbiolo

Interesting wine, this. It’s predominantly nebbiolo, so it gives a burst of bright red berry fruit, then gains some textural influence from time on lees. It retains that vibrant red berry character on the palate, adding a nice savouriness to the finish. It’s a complex, well-made rosé that elevates it above the ordinary.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is a high-class, polished chardonnay, impeccably presented from what turned out to be an excellent vintage. On the nose, a swirling mix of nectarine and lemon rind, with subtle nougat complexity. There’s even a faint hint of struck match. The palate is quite rich and textured, but retains a fine acid lift and line, with lovely minerality. An appealing...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

I’ve seen a gradual but significant refinement of this wine over the years, and this is certainly one of the finest. It was well fermented, and the subsequent use of solids has brought complexity, richness and texture. The nose is dominated by lemon pith, grapefruit and white stone fruit characters. The palate is rich and quite lavish, but that fine...

Margaret River

Malbec

The colour is an extraordinary deep, dark, reddy-black, so typical of malbec. The aromas are concentrated blackberry and plum, with some subtle blue fruit influences. There’s a lifted floral, spicy, stewed-rhubarb-like character that is quite typically varietal. The palate is the feature. It’s rich, textured and plush, with fine supporting tannins and some lovely oak. High-class wine, this.

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

Structured and poised cabernet that incorporates about 4% malbec, adding some plush red fruit characters. It’s a generous, full-bodied wine, and on the nose there’s that hit of blackcurrant and black olive, with some deeper, darker chocolatey overtones. It’s seamless and elegantly structured, with the rich fruit flavours precisely supported by fine tannins and some nice, almost understated oak. High-class...

Margaret River

Syrah

Yet another statement of how good syrah can be in Margaret River, certainly when the seasons are good. Beautiful notes of spicy plum and plush mulberry, with some nice perfumed floral tones. The palate is generous and sits in that medium- to full-bodied zone. Plush, spicy fruit, a little dark chocolate and a sweet fruit character are precisely balanced by...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

A brilliant and bright cabernet with deep colour. The remarkable thing is that a wine of such elegance and poise has come out of this very warm season. And yet it is a most charming wine. Aromas of blackcurrant with some nice perfumed African violet notes, a little dark chocolate and bay leaf. The palate is rich and generous, with...

Margaret River

Red Blend

One of the most popular of all the Moss Wood wines. It comes from the Glenmore vineyard a little further north and is a cabernet sauvignon, merlot, malbec and petit verdot blend. Every year it hits the mark with its delivery of beautiful, rich fruit character. Blackcurrant and dark chocolate on the nose, and a succulent and lavish palate that...

Margaret River

Cabernet Sauvignon

A wine that simply oozes cabernet. So much work has gone into this vineyard over the years and it is now reaping the rewards. Bright, leafy red berry notes on the nose, with a palate that is seamlessly medium-bodied yet with a succulent core of concentrated dark fruits. It’s brilliant and so bright, with a palate supported by chalky tannins...