White

Swan Valley

Chenin Blanc

If you want to understand all the fuss about older chenin blanc from the Swan Valley, then stick your nose in this. Wonderfully exotic aromas of butterscotch, toast, marmalade. All things that come with ageing of this wonderful grape variety. The palate has a delightful purity about it, while the natural fruit is balanced by some quite distinct secondary aged...

Swan Valley

Chenin Blanc

One of the great producers of this Swan Valley staple. In this case special care has been taken with hand picking and bunch sorting of the fruit taken from the oldest chenin vineyard, planted in 1962. Not the punchy overt tropical fruit but there is still a fruit freshness, livened with a mix of florals and spices. Tremendous mouth feel....

Swan Valley

Chenin Blanc

This wine was introduced a couple of years ago, and it's an absolute cracker. It's made from hand-picked Swan Valley chenin blanc, which was then bunch sorted before a very gentle pressing. This gets the most from the beautiful fruit, which, despite the warm year, was exceptional. This isn't a big fruit bomb. In fact, it's quite spicy and fine...

Pemberton

Chardonnay

Kosovich planted this vineyard some time ago and it's proved to be very good for chardonnay, especially. This one is a beautiful example of the exquisite, fine and delicate fruit you get from Pemberton, but at the same time, it has an underlying power and intensity. Some careful lees stirring and then time in fine-grained oak have created the texture...

Swan Valley

Chardonnay

Over the years – many years – these chardonnays from Kosovich continue to startle and surprise. It shows what good viticulture can do in the hot climes of the Swan valley and this is another compelling example of what can be achieved. Beautiful aromas of white peach and light butterscotch with a little citrus. The palate shows the balance of...

Margaret River

Fiano

Juniper has been championing this variety most famous for the wines it produces in Southern Italy and Sicily in particular. Has a creamy, nutty, and slightly citrusy character with a complex lift of lemon rind. It's textured with a crisp acidity providing precision and direction through to the finish.

Margaret River

Fiano

Juniper has been making excellent fiano for a number of years now, and this one, from what was an excellent vintage, is as good as any. The aromas display that slightly lemony citrus character with some subtle nuttiness, and then the palate is textured with a creaminess that is balanced by an edgy citrus crisp acid. It really is a...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This comes from a vineyard planted down south at Karridale in 1997. The cooler climate vineyard has been further influenced by the cooler vintage. It's the result of best barrel selection. The nose of lemon rind and grapefruit with a subtle almond mealiness is appealing. The palate combines texture with a defined linear feel, accentuated by a chalky acidity and...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A product of a warm vintage, but the advantage is that the fruit comes from further south in the cooler climes of Karridale. It’s a barrel selection wine after wild yeast fermentation and ageing in oak for 10 months. Shows a nice combination of lightly toasty oak, lemon and quince paste with a backdrop of richer stone fruit. The palate...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

The delicacy, fragrance and purity of this great vintage are capture exquisitely in this outstanding chardonnay. Follows a similar pat to the Karridale in that it is hand-picked, wild yeast fermented and matured for 10 months in oak before the best barrels are chosen. Fragrant lightly floral notes on the nose. The palate really is impressive with a lightly toasty...

Chardonnay

This has established itself right in the top tier of Margaret River Chardonnay since it was introduced a few years ago. It was hand-picked and then wild yeast fermented before spending about 10 months in French oak. There is the immense and intense power that is Wilyabrup Chardonnay, a mix of quince paste, citrus, and grapefruit on the nose with...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

An attractive light-bodied chardonnay. It is predominantly from the Gingin clone and off the southern Karridale vineyard. For a wine of this price a fair amount of winemaking involvement has delivered a classy little wine. Lemon vanillin characters emerge with a slightly saline minerality to finish.

Great Southern

Chardonnay

This is a supreme example of Denmark chardonnay from this supreme vintage. Opens with a striking minerally oyster shell aroma with a slightly briny character. This comes off the Karriview vineyard which also provides fruit for the Loam. It was all handpicked and was pressed into tight grained barriques. Interestingly it is one of the few Australian chardonnays using 100%...

Great Southern

Chardonnay

This comes from Denmark's oldest producing vineyard, which Paul Nelson acquired a few years ago. It's a distinctive style with layers of complexity evident from the nose. There's a slightly buttery, savoury combination, a stone-fruit, slightly nectarine influence, and a subtle dollop of fresh cream. The palate is rich and textured with layers of savoury, brioche-like flavours, and it strikes...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A fine and quite delicate chardonnay capturing all the qualities of this excellent vintage. Floral notes sync with light cashew and citrus melon notes. The palate is finely cut with a neat balance of integrated oak and fruit. Dry savoury notes to finish. An excellent example of a lighter style Margaret River chardonnay, combining power and delicacy.

Mount Barker

Riesling

An intense and lively riesling sourced from old vines on the Langton vineyard just on the edge of Mount Barker. Spicy aromas over a mix of lemon pith and green apple characters immediately engage. The palate is pure and lively with plenty of racy flavours building to a long finish. It was a hot season, but the cooler southern vineyards...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is the first time the clone P58 has been used — also known as the Penfolds clone. It's 62% Gingin clone which certainly gives it palate weight and texture. There's a slightly saline aromatic here showing a touch of oyster shell minerality. It was wild yeast fermented, contributing a creamy savoury element to the Gingin clone. There's a limestone...

Margaret River

Chenin Blanc

This all comes from the old Treeton Estate, which is LS Merchants. Has a portion of handpicked and machine-picked and 5% on skins without plunging, with some treated oxidatively, some fermented in egg, and some in tank and foudre. It’s a leaner style with freshness and vibrancy. Has good weight and texture with a spice and lively freshness. Has a...

Frankland River

Riesling

This comes off the Swinney vineyard. There's a distinctive crisp lemony character here with its slick minerally iron filings character. It was left on light lees in a mix of tank and foudres adding a subtle textural feel. Has a tight edgy lemon character on the finish which gives it focus and definition. It was aged on fine lees for...

Pemberton

White Blend

The fruit for this wine comes from John Brocksopp's property in Pemberton. Fermented with natural yeast in large format oak. This has a lovely texture but it is not overly heavy and thick. It retains a vibrant fine refreshing drive. There is the usual phenolic influence there but there is a fine lift on the nose and palate. Plenty of...

Margaret River

White Varietal

Lightly fragrant aromas of apple and pear. Comes largely off the Della Fay vineyard. It was fermented in stainless steel with Slovenian oak foudres with a mix of wild and inoculated yeast. Has a distinctive saline character. The palate especially has a crisp saline character with a hint of grapefruit. Crisp minerally chalky lick on the lips at the finish....

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This provides a distinct point of difference from the Wildberry Springs and Southern Seas chardonnays. It’s a wine of incredible power and concentration, yet there is finesse and subtlety. In this case, only barriques were used and the wine underwent 100% malolactic fermentation. The aim was to hardly touch the wine as it went through the process, and it captures...

Margaret River

Chenin Blanc

Each year, Peterkin produces one of the most interesting takes on chenin blanc. In this case, it went through both barrel and amphora after wild fermentation, then received fortnightly lees stirring. The result is a wine that retains the beautiful aromatics of chenin with a slightly citrusy melon and apple tropical character, but then builds in a texture which combines...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Peterkin has gone to Karridale, well to the south of Margaret River, to source fruit essential for creating a wine of brightness, tension, and clean natural acidity. After hand picking and whole bunch pressing, the free-run juice was fermented in a mix of new barriques and amphora. The result is a wine that displays delicacy, yet with deeply intense flavours...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

After hand-picking, the wine was pressed gently as whole bunches, and in the end, only free-run juice was fermented, contributing to its fineness and delicate poise. It was fermented in a mix of quartz amphora of different sizes and shapes, along with some barriques. A small portion of the wine, about 30 per cent, was fermented in new oak. The...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This 30-year-old vineyard, smack bang in the middle of Willyabrup, has always produced some of my favourite Margaret River chardonnays. After hand-picking, whole bunch pressing, and capturing the free-run juice, it was fermented in a mix of quartz amphora of different shapes and sizes and barriques. It all adds up to a wine with tremendous energy, a degree of tension,...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This is a most interesting wine, largely because of the winemaking approach. To start with Boya means stones in Noongar, the language of the Wadandi people. The fruit is handpicked, whole bunch pressed to French oak barriques with wild fermentation on full solids. That’s pretty straight forward. Now the next stage. The barrels are topped with granite stones and then...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This intriguing chardonnay comes from hand-picked fruit, wild fermented with full solids in oak barriques. Stones collected from the coast and the barrels are rolled, so granite rocks gently macerate and stir up lees and add extra surface area, increasing the texture derived from lees contact. The wine shows tremendous complexity and distinction, with a minerally, sea-spray character and a...

Margaret River

Chenin Blanc

Here’s a chenin blanc with a little bit of panache, made by wild fermentation in barrel with granite stones. That adds plenty of intrigue and complexity, from the initial take on the nose through to the crisp, minerally palate. Slightly nutty, with light stone fruit notes. The palate is textured but retains that linear precision from the natural acidity of...

Great Southern

Riesling

An excellent riesling from this wonderful year. It’s taken from the Hayview Vineyard near Mount Barker. Lively aromas of lemon and lime with a slightly sherbet-like character. The palate is deeply intense on its linear lines to the very long finish. Has a nice crisp limestone chalky character. Crunchy and zingy in the mouth.

Pemberton

Arneis

From the Riversdale Vineyard at Frankland River comes this mighty impressive arneis. The use of partial barrel fermentation has taken a largely fruit driven wine into another level of complexity. You still have that red apple and pear character but there is a slightly toasty infusion that adds tremendously to the final picture. Even the guys in Piedmont, which is...

Frankland River

Fiano

A variety that continues to increase in popularity and with good reason. It is a thoroughly beautiful crisp and fresh drink. In this case a little barrel fermentation has added to the palate providing texture and richness while still retaining a fresh clean acidity. A little honey and citrus with a slightly nutty character provides the interest.

Frankland River

White Blend

One of the best of these I have tasted The vintage certainly helped, proving ideal for the gewurztraminer, pinot blanc and pinot grigio used in the blend. Has a spicy aromatic lift with a tangy palate of subtle apricot and orange peel nuances. The fruit vibrant and the time in older oak has simply brought it together.

Great Southern

Riesling

Now this is quite an interesting take on traditional Aussie rieslings. After hand-picking and whole bunch pressing it was partially barrel fermented. After that, there was little intervention, and the result is a pure expression of variety and vineyard. With a textured, flavoursome palate retaining its linear focus. Distinct lemon pitch aromas lift.

Frankland River

Riesling

This is a combination of fruit from two vineyards, Frankland Estate and Netley Road. Has a distinctive spicy talcy character which I think comes off that Netley Road component. There is texture and palate poise here which might come from some of the lees influence adding a deep textural intensity. It’s a very good wine showing what can be done...

Frankland River

Riesling

There’s considerable intensity in this finely crafted Frankland River riesling. The aromas are slightly citrusy and spicy, with subtle floral notes and just a trace of bath salts. The palate has a slatey, minerally character interlaced with classic citrus tones. It shows a degree of tension and precision, yet maintains a controlled and defined textural feel.

Frankland River

Riesling

The purity and clarity of this Frankland riesling captures the intensity of the season, but in this southern zone, releases it in a very friendly, almost delicate manner. Minerally lemon notes on the nose, some nice spices. A little of the wet, pebbly, stonewash character. Palate is keen and crisp with a fine lemony, minerally combination, sustained by a precise...

Frankland River

Chardonnay

Made from Gingin clone chardonnay off the Lange Estate vineyard. It was wild fermented free run juice with 27% new French oak. There’s a muted backdrop of spicy oak and mineral white peach character. It’s a fine and delicate style with a distinctly linear palate extending to a clean long finish. Ideal for current drinking.

Frankland River

Riesling

Opens with a lime and lemon intensity on the nose. There’s a little of that chalky slaty tension in there. It has a suggestion of fruit sweetness, but it is effectively dry. Fine linear palate with a sustained finish. Comes off vines planted in 1997. There’s a hint of lemon rind in there as well. Excellent balance with a degree...

Frankland River

Riesling

A wine that displays so much of what is good about Frankland River and this variety. It was a warmer year, but good vineyard management has enabled the creation of a very precise and focused riesling. A striking feature is its slightly textural feel, while retaining the fine, crisp, citrusy minerality that gives it linear structure. An excellent wine with...