The approach to viticulture and then winemaking means that this wonderful chardonnay from the 2022 vintage is as pure as you can get. It all sort of just happens under the umbrella of a fastidious and rigorously uncompromising biodynamic discipline. The aromas are immediately complex and engaging with traces of talc and lime, a little pear and some nice roasted...
Ray Jordan99points
Margaret River
Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay 2023
Chardonnay
Great vintage, great wine. Itβs the perfect combination. This is right up there with any previous Cullen chardonnay, and if someone argued it to be the best I wouldn't put up much of a fight. Follows the Cullen biodynamic approach which sees the fruit harvested by hand, whole bunch basket pressed and then fermented in a mix of concrete eggs,...
Ray Jordan98points
Margaret River
Cullen Kevin John Flower Day Chardonnay 2022
Chardonnay
Another extraordinary wine that is part of the Legacy Serries. It is a wine that reflects so much of the vineyard and the place. The aim is simply to express the vineyard with honesty in its most natural form. Take one sip of this and the palate stays with you for an eternity. Aromas of citrus with a dried fruit...
Ray Jordan98points
Margaret River
Cullen Kevin John Full Moon Fruit Day Chardonnay 2022
Chardonnay
This is a tighter and tenser wine than the Flower Day in the same series. Yet the power is evident immediately. On the nose immediately you are assailed with a wave of peach and nectarine stone fruit merging with a lemon curd richness. Thereβs a crunchy cracked seashell minerality that threads through the middle palate and emerges to sustain a...
Ray Jordan92points
Margaret River
Cullen Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2023
White Blend
A wine which captures and reflects the vineyard. It is made as naturally as is humanly possible, revealing fruit of delightful vibrancy and vitality. Itβs crisp and pure with a penetrating and very long palate. A small amount of verdelho is added to this blend and it seems to add just that little extra light tropical crunchy fruit character to...
This is named in honour of Kevin Cullenβs mother. Itβs a blend of 58% sauvignon blanc, 35% semillon and 7% verdelho. This is all about the vineyard and fruit expression. It was naturally fermented with no acid addition β and thatβs quite an achievement in such a warm year. Yet the wine has texture and energy with a bright, persistent...
Ray Jordan95points
Margaret River
Cullen Wines Grace Madeline 2022
Sauvignon Blanc
Everything and everything in its place. This is a wonderful blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon, of which 74% of the savvy is matured for six months in new French oak. But here's the thing, the oak just sits patiently in the background without ever intruding, but still playing a role. Displays a pristine purity and vitality on the nose...
Ray Jordan94points
Margaret River
Cullen Wines Grace Madeline 2024
White Blend
Named in honour of Diana Madelineβs mother. This is about 85% sauvignon blanc and 15% semillon. About 63% of the savvy is matured in new French oak for 8 months. A very hot year, but the fruit has been handled well. It has good lively concentration with a tight rein on the palate from the oak and acid. Has a...
Ray Jordan98points
Margaret River
Cullen Wines Kevin John chardonnay 2024
Chardonnay
It was a hot, dry and early vintage. The earliest on record. But the impact on the wine is immediate and profound. A wine of tremendous power and concentration is evident from the initial engagement on the nose through to a deep and almost endless palate, as it drives forward with tremendous urgency. Notes of brioche and grain-like cereal with...
Ray Jordan98points
Margaret River
Cullen Wines Kevin John Legacy Series Solstice Sun chardonnay 2025
Chardonnay
This Legacy Series has produced some quite wonderful wines, and this is yet another stunning example. In line with the biodynamic principles of Cullen, it was picked on a flower day and new moon in February. The bunches went into a clay amphora lined with beeswax for two days before pressing, and then it was transferred to a biodynamic flower...
Ray Jordan93points
Margaret River
Cullen Wines Red Moon 2024
White Blend
This is a blend of malbec, grenache, mourvèdre, petit verdot and merlot. The ferment took place naturally with no additions before 8 months in older oak. So the oak influence is minimal, but it still plays a role in developing the textural feel and concentration of the palate. The colour and the fruit are quite brilliant, with a palate showing...
Ray Jordan92points
Margaret River
Dance With The Devil Chardonnay 2023
Chardonnay
Canβt imagine too many better chardonnays at this price point. Aromas immediately assail with butterscotch and honeycomb with a slightly toasty lemon character, The palate has excellent depth of flavour delivered in layers. Beautiful long finish. A really smart wine.
Ray Jordan95points
Porongurup
De Vese Single Site chardonnay 2024
Chardonnay
The fruit comes from an excellent Porongurup vineyard, Shepherdβs Hut. Reveals a sea spray aroma over lemon chalky characters. On the palate deeper lemon pith, brioche and the slightly chalky limestone minerality reveals. In the winery an oxidative approach is taken after hand and machine picking. Itβs pressed to barrel with full solids and then naturally fermented before malolactic fermentation...
Ray Jordan95points
Great Southern
De Vese Single Site chardonnay 2025
Chardonnay
Has quite a deep colour. But it is quite bright and lustrous. Initial aromas of stone fruit, meal, and nougat emerge. The palate is where it really starts to deliver. It's rich and textured, but at the same time, refined and quite linear. Has a nice lemon meringue, grapefruit pithiness providing deep complexity. Finely focused finish completes what is an...
Ray Jordan95points
Porongurup
De Vese Single Site riesling 2024
Riesling
The fruit for this comes from the excellent Shepherdβs Hut in the Porongurup. Has a distinctive spicy character, which you get from rieslings in this region. All stainless steel with nine months on ferment lees to get texture and less manipulative winemaking in the winery. High acid. Love the textured mouthfeel of this wine. Itβs more European in style. The...
Ray Jordan89points
Margaret River
Deep Woods Estate Chardonnay 2022
Chardonnay
A distinctly fruit-driven chardonnay but one with a little winemaking influence to introduce a subtle complexity. Melony stone fruit on the nose with a palate that has a creamy richness. It's had six months on lees after wild yeast fermentation and this has introduced a rich textural feel. Ideal wine for the next few years
Ray Jordan90points
Margaret River
Deep Woods Estate Chardonnay 2023
Chardonnay
A remarkably sophisticated chardonnay in this price category. Aromas of light citrussy stone fruit with a little grapefruit influence. This is a medium weight wine with excellent fruit intensity and life from this super vintage. The oak influence is subdued and perfectly weighted for the fruit with just a faint new oak seasoning adding lift. Nice, precise wine, ideal over...
Ray Jordan92points
Margaret River
Deep Woods Estate chardonnay 2024
Chardonnay
This is a terrific entry-level chardonnay that offers so much more. Stacks of grapefruit, brioche, and subtle understated cashew characters, with a flavour profile that's brimming with stone fruit held with restraint through a minerally savoury combination. There's a slightly buttery textural feel and it's a wine that is ideal for current drinking and over the short term.
Ray Jordan90points
Margaret River
Deep Woods Estate chardonnay 2025
Chardonnay
Balanced and composed chardonnay that fits snugly into the current short-term drinking zone. Some nice creamy stone fruit, melony citrus characters. And then a palate with fresh fruit dominance and just a little oak to add some complexity. Thereβs a fine linear feel. Lovely current drinking wine.
Ray Jordan92points
Margaret River
Deep Woods Estate chardonnay 2026
Chardonnay
A consistently appealing value-for-money chardonnay. In this case, itβs captured the fruit intensity of the vintage with its citrusy grapefruit and lightly nectarine characters. And then the palate extends with a mix of stone fruits. A little minerally, briny character and a zingy acidity fit snugly into that ready-to-drink-over-the-next-few-years style.
Ray Jordan92points
Western Australia
Deep Woods Estate Ivory semillon sauvignon blanc 2026
White Blend
There arenβt too many better value-for-money white wines in WA. This is a blend of Margaret River semillon and sauvignon blanc, and it comes together in an integrated and thoroughly seamless mix. Bright tropical fruits on the nose, cut of lemon, a little spice, and a sustained lift on the finish. Just perfect for summer drinking.
Ray Jordan98points
Margaret River
Deep Woods Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2023
Chardonnay
Letβs cut to the chase. The finest Deep Woods chardonnay yet. It has it all. Great fruit has been harnessed with whole bunch pressing and fermentation in new and seasoned French oak. Further lees stirring has built in texture, contributing to a thoroughly beautiful, refined mouth feel. Opens with a stone fruit and savoury light lemon curd aromas. Peels off...
Ray Jordan96points
Margaret River
Deep Woods Estate Reserve chardonnay 2024
Chardonnay
This is a wine that's now firmly established among chardonnay royalty in Margaret River. It's typical of the style that was established a few years ago, and it's powerful, intense, and super concentrated with a wonderful palate feel. Whole bunch pressed and then fermented in a mix of new and seasoned French oak, followed by lees stirring, which has built...
Ray Jordan97points
Margaret River
Deep Woods Estate Reserve chardonnay 2025
Chardonnay
This is a stunning and stirring example of Margaret River chardonnay from what turned out to be an excellent year. Itβs immensely powerful, and the fruit was whole-bunch pressed, which has certainly added to its structural integrity. Got a mix of new and seasoned French oak, and then the lees were stirred, and thatβs brought in that textural feel and...
Ray Jordan93points
Margaret River
Deep Woods Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2023
Sauvignon Blanc
Just a little barrel fermentation has transformed this from the normal fruit-bomb style into a wine of sophistication and style, while still allowing the punchy savvy fruit to display its virtues. Typical characters of passionfruit, gooseberry and a little snow pea are lifted with a little of the lemony oak influence. A really attractive wine to drink while it is...
Ray Jordan92points
Margaret River
Deep Woods Estate sauvignon blanc 2024
Sauvignon Blanc
The impact and influence of a small amount of barrel fermentation is immediately apparent. Slightly nutty and creamy notes merge with the lively crunchy passionfruit of this variety. The palate is bright and punchy with a citrussy edge. Lifted, fine finish.
Ray Jordan94points
Margaret River
Deep Woods Estate sauvignon blanc 2025
Sauvignon Blanc
Here is a perfect illustration of how you can get sauvignon blanc in a pretty good year, expose it to some partial barrel fermentation, and achieve something quite special. It retains its obvious stone fruit characters on the nose, but with some fine nutty, citrusy influences that herald a wine of some complexity. It has a crunchy, lively, and quite...
Ray Jordan94points
Margaret River
Deep Woods Estate sauvignon blanc 2026
Sauvignon Blanc
A thoroughly beautiful example of a lightly oaked sauvignon blanc from an excellent season. The fruit, for a start, is deeply intense, with some nice stone fruit and lemon notes. The palate has been given partial barrel fermentation, which introduces a textural appeal, but it retains its vibrant tropical fruit notes, so the balance is captivating. Then a little dried...
Ray Jordan93points
Margaret River
Deep Woods Estate Single Vineyard albariΓ±o 2025
White Varietal
Hereβs something a little different, certainly from Margaret River. This is a beautiful example of the Spanish variety. Displaying salty lemon and pithy characters on the nose, with a little apple and pear, the palate is crisp and fresh, with that salty, saline edge adding a nice floral final finish. Thereβs a crunchy richness and some nice textural feel. Excellent...
Ray Jordan93points
Margaret River
Deep Woods Estate Single Vineyard albariΓ±o 2025
White Varietal
Nice to see this variety find its way into Margaret River. It's a lighter-bodied style, but one still with texture and vibrancy. There are aromas of pear, lemon, and slightly dried herb notes. The palate is clean, crisp, and refreshing with that slightly pithy citrus note carrying through with a lifted fine acidity.
Ray Jordan93points
Margaret River
Deep Woods Estate Single Vineyard AlbariΓ±o 2026
White Varietal
Love this wine. From the nose of lemon and pear notes with some nice dried herb subtleties, it makes quite a statement. The palate captures the prettiness and fruit intensity of the β26 vintage, and thereβs that slightly sea-spray minerality on the finish which adds a lift. A little lemon pith provides further complexity. Terrific drinking in the short to...
Ray Jordan95points
Margaret River
Deep Woods Estate Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2023
Chardonnay
Gosh this is a good wine. The opening salvo on the nose is all minerally cracked seashell and bright florals. Itβs engaging and enticing. Then the palate does its stuff. Intensely and tightly framed stone fruit characters with a minerally, slightly chalky citrus precision. Subtle struck match and flint complexity adds the final flourish.
Ray Jordan96points
Margaret River
Deep Woods Estate Single Vineyard chardonnay 2025
Chardonnay
Karridale, to the south of Margaret River, is the source of this excellent wine. The nose immediately strikes with a slightly struck-match intensity. Some lemon blossom, white peach, and a subtle oyster shell minerality. The palate is tightly controlled with fine acidity, some deftly integrated French oak, and plenty of that intense fruitiness.
Ray Jordan90points
Margaret River
Deep Woods Ivory semillon sauvignon blanc 2024
White Blend
This is a wine that when it comes to the marriage of value for money and quality, never disappoints. Itβs a vibrant and crunchy fruit-expressive wine with stacks of palate persistence sustained with a fine acidity and a little drizzle of citrus. Dry clean finish.
Ray Jordan98points
Margaret River
Deep Woods Reserve Chardonnay 2022
Chardonnay
What a marvelous chardonnay from these guys. At the outset, it's whole bunch pressed and fermented in a combo of new and seasoned French oak before a regime of lees stirring. Has a fine mineral thread with an engaging combination of light char, cracked seashell and sea spray on the nose. The palate is precise but relentlessly long and intense....
Ray Jordan95points
Margaret River
Deep Woods Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2022
Chardonnay
An outstanding Margaret River chardonnay. On the nose it strikes immediately with floral notes mingling with a flinty lemony brioche combination. Stone fruit characters of nectarine and white peach release on the palate with a subtle minerally oyster shell sea spray edge. Lightly charry oak on the finish contributes to a very good chardonnay.
Ray Jordan92points
Margaret River
Della Fay Chardonnay 2023
Chardonnay
A wine showing the generosity of this vintage. The nose displays a mix of lemon curd and crΓ¨me brulee with an edgier quince paste character. Itβs creamy and richly textured but with a tightening from the oak and a fine acidity to ensure it remains focused to a long finish. A chardonnay for the medium term.
Ray Jordan93points
Margaret River
Della Fay chardonnay 2025
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....
Ray Jordan93points
Margaret River
Della Fay Semillon 2023
Semillon
This is a really zingy semillon positively bursting with intensity and spritely lemon zest-infused fruit. Displays a light, grassy edge to the intense lemon tropical notes. Refreshing and mouthwatering palate lifted with a flick of natural acidity. An extra year in the bottle has allowed this pick up a little more texture, and it's drinking mighty well now.
Ray Jordan93points
Margaret River
Della Fay Vermentino 2023
White Varietal
This Italian variety has found a home in the soils of this part of Margaret River. The aromas are immediately engaging with the apple and pear combination lifted with a twist of lemon. Itβs a light and fragrant style but it also has texture and mouthfeel which makes it such an immediately appealing wine. Great for summer with seafood.