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Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

This is a more restrained version of sauvignon blanc, so you're not getting that overt big tropical whack. What you're getting is a wine that displays some gentle fruit characters supported with fine acidity that sustains a precise and pure, slightly minerally palate through to the finish. I do like this style; it's eminently drinkable and ideal in the short...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

White Wine of the Year 2024 It would not surprise me if this is lauded as the greatest Leeuwin chardonnay yet. You would get no argument from me. There is elegance and power here. A subtle layered wine. It was a year of great concentration and power. Has that pear and lime character which is part of the DNA. The...

Margaret River

White Varietal

Have been a bit of a fan of this variety since I first saw it from Lenton Brae a few years ago. I love its texture and fruit characters evident on the nose and the palate. Nice lightly spicy, nutty characters on the nose with a splash of citrus. And then a palate which delivers surprising flavour intensity, but held...

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.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Crunchy and alive savvy, a variety that Leeuwin have always handled very well. There's a pineapple stone fruit character in here. Has a dry finish. It's punchy high energy savvy that is best drunk in its early years. It's quite a wine for the price. Has excellent depth of flavour. Sits within the herbaceousness and tropical characters without either really...

Margaret River

Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

This is a superb example of the style, made from some of the oldest semillon and sauvignon blanc vines in the region. It displays engaging fruit intensity with vibrant energy, supported by gentle use of oak, striking a really perfect balance with a slightly creamy texture and fine, persistent lemony acidity for energy and lift through to the finish. Drinking...

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....

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This always provides a distinct point of difference with the Reserve chardonnays, in that it is somewhat finer and more delicate yet it is all the powerhouse Gingin clone. The nose is a whirl of white peach and nectarine with plenty of edgy citrus characters with a trace of chalky minerality. There's even a trace of sea spray. The palate...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

I've been a bit of a devotee of this wine over the years. It's where Dukes blends some quite beautiful sauvignon blanc fruit with a little French oak to deliver a wine that has layers and complexity and a distinct point of difference from a stock-standard savvy. Lovely lemon meringue and lemon-zest notes on the nose, and then a palate...

Margaret River

Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

You know you're in Margaret River from the first wave on the nose. Citrusy spice, and loads of zesty, limey passionfruit. This is simply made as a drink now no-brainer, and it delivers perfectly on what you want. All tropical, yet with a degree of delicacy, and a fresh, zingy finishing acidity.

Margaret River

Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

This is the entry point into the Hay Shed Hill range, a bright, fragrant, flavoursome, controlled blend with light, grassy characters supplemented by a tangy citrus nuance, finishing with a final flick of acid. A nice current-drinking wine.

Margaret River

White Blend

As I suspected, a great vintage has contributed to the best example of this wine yet. It is marvellous. It’s a blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon with the sauvignon blanc matured in 85% new French oak. So, here’s the thing. That’s a lot of new French oak, and yet the power and intensity of the fruit has taken it...

Mount Barker

Sauvignon Blanc

This comes from the Langton Vineyard just out of Mount Barker, and it captures the variety quite beautifully. It's a more restrained expression of sauvignon blanc, but on the nose, you get the classic citrus and gooseberry notes with just a faint hint of cut grass. The palate is crisp and clean with a pure vibrancy that extends to a...

Geographe

Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

This has been a distinctive and complex style from Willow Bridge over a number of years, and this one, from a very good vintage, is as good as I have seen. Made traditionally with whole bunch pressing, wild fermentation, and then three months in French oak. It adds texture and complexity, but in this case, it's certainly not overdone. The...

Margaret River

Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

This is a blended white with a fair bit of class. It’s pungent and intense on the nose, extending through to a crisp intensely flavoured palate. The vibrant bursts of fruit are complemented by some nice barrel fermentation influences which add so much texture and palate richness. Great drinking now but has a few years to see it develop further...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

The chardonnays from Brown Hill have consistently improved over the years, and this is another excellent example from this slightly warmer year that produced fruit of generosity but still a degree of elegance. Citrus floral notes open with a slight lemon meringue note and then a palate which is crisp and pure with dominant stone fruit and cut lime characters....

Margaret River

Chardonnay

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...

Margaret River

White Blend

For many years, this has been one of the most distinctive Cape Mentelle wines. It’s a blend of 91% sauvignon blanc with the remainder semillon, made in a white Bordeaux style using barrel fermentation and maturation in oak, with a portion matured in concrete egg and clay amphora. The aroma is deeply complex from the start, with a nutty, lemony,...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Finely balanced and pure savvy from Margaret River. Has a crunchy vibrancy with a minerally lift. Plenty of medium weight but highly intense tropical fruits balanced by a lemony, cut grass offset. Has a juicy and crunchy finish with that lip-smacking acidity.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

There is a very strong influence of the soil and slope of this vineyard which has never been irrigated. The fruit comes off the top 8 rows at the top of the vineyard and there is also a section of UC Davis clones from another 8 rows in the middle, adding the richer pastry nougat characters. It's a rich and...

Margaret River

White Blend

Only a smidgeon of oak has been used in this largely tank fermented blend, but it's enough to put the finishes touches on a most attractive wine. Honeysuckle and nettle characters on the nose with a light drizzle of citrus. The palate is lively with a textural feel coming from that oak use. But it is still bright and flavoursome....

Great Southern

Sauvignon Blanc

Sourced from Albany and left on skins for four days before being pressed off to a mix of 20% new oak and all the rest older oak barriques. Creates a more neutral but still flavoursome wine. Has a slightly reductive sweaty character. The fume oak influence mutes the aromatics but retains a beautiful palate feel.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

A finer lightly weighted savvy displaying a distinctly linear palate profile. Opens with citrus and minerally influenced lightly tropical fruit aromas. Then the palate brings in a more lemon talcy characters to extend the finish. Best in the short term.

Margaret River

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.

South West

Chardonnay

Plenty to like about his value chardonnay sourced from vineyards in the South-West of the State. It's creamy with a lemony citrus tang and light melon character. Ever so light touch of oak so you are getting a pure fruit influence.

Margaret River

Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

The influence of a barrel fermented portion is evident immediately on the nose. It introduces a high degree of complexity with a nutty creamy character complementing the vibrant intensity of the sauvignon blanc and semillon. A striking minerality cuts deep through the palate taking it to a very long finish. Has all the pieces to compete a medium erm cellaring...

Great Southern

Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

Such a pure and pristine example of this style. Has a slightly dusty snow pea and light tropical fruit influence on the nose. Crunchy melon and a splash of citrus adds lift as it moves to a long penetrating finish. There’s great depth of flavour here. Offers a lot more than the standard fruit bomb.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

This comes from two blocks off the Driftwood Vineyard. It typifies the vintage in many ways, with its fine elegance and precision. The whole bunch pressing adds a bit more weight and structure, with natural fermentation adding further complexity. There's a light lemon curd, savory combination on the palate, with a little stone fruit. But it's held quite tight and...

Swan Valley

Verdelho

It stands to reason that if chenin is good, then verdelho will to. And here's the proof. Super punchy and vibrant flavours emerge from the nose and then into the palate. Loads of tropical fruit, with melon and pear and a nice lemon rind edge. Pure and fragrant with abundant flavour on the long finish.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

The style of this wine is now firmly established. Brought back from the slightly finer, leaner edginess it had become into a wine of more opulence and palate friendly richness, providing a point of distinction with its famous sibling, the Art Series. Aromas of lemon, cashew, and even sea spray. And then a palate that offers deep, mouth filling flavours,...

Margaret River

Chardonnay

A wine that captures the vineyard character perfectly. This is always a finer, more linear style among the suite of McHenry Hohnen chardonnays. But in this year it’s got a little more weight and textural feel. Savory quince-like aromas. A little cashew. They’re all swirling through the nose. And then a palate which delivers with tremendous power and drive, held...

Great Southern

Sauvignon Blanc

The interesting thing about this savvy from Albany is the use of lees stirring. A regular weekly program of lees stirring has built in texture, complexity and further richness to create a really attractive style that combines the natural zesty fruit freshness with an extra level of intrigue. Crisp and long palate with plenty of those snow pea gooseberry flavours.

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

You know you're in a sauvignon blanc zone from the first time you take in the aromas, but then there's something else lurking there, and it's in the form of a partial barrel fermentation, which introduces a degree of complexity evident initially on the nose and then more profound on the palate. It adds complexity to what is a highly...

Western Australia

White Blend

A neat punchy little number with plenty of zip and zing. Lively tropical and slightly grassy notes on the nose with a precise and flavoursome tropical fruit and melony citrus combination on the palate. It’s ready to go now but another year or two would add a little palate complexity.

Margaret River

Chardonnay

Superb chardonnay showcasing all that is good with this variety in Margaret River. Aromas of quince, mustard and lemon zest with a grapefruit edge. The palate shows the richness developed from barrel fermentation. The fine grapefruit and crunchy minerality are sustained to a very long finish. A powerful wine of great class.

Pemberton

Pinot Grigio

The colour is the palest copper tone, which comes from this variety. It’s from Pemberton and is brimming with lovely apple, pear and citrus notes on the nose, leading into a palate that is keen, crisp and quite refreshing. While it’s crunchy and lively, there’s also a nice textural feel that brings added complexity to the wine. It’s a nice...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

Since its first release some years ago, I’ve been a fan of this wine. I love the way it’s structured, the balance between the intensity of the Karridale fruit and the oak, which builds both texture and complexity to create a wine of real class and expression. This vintage delivers a mix of citrus, dried herbs, and slightly nutty tropical...

Margaret River

Sauvignon Blanc

This has developed into something of a winner for Passel Estate over the years. It's based on some quite beautiful fruit, which retains a fresh, limey, citrus tang and wonderful vibrancy. And in this case, it's been supplemented with additional oak influence, handled with a deft touch, so the balance is retained and the vibrancy ensured. Has a lovely, juicy,...

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

Sauvignon Blanc

This is a style that I like to see after a couple of years in bottle and this one shows just why that is important. An excellent example of the fume style that comes from France's Loire. This one had been perfectly handled with the oak infusion never intruding and sitting comfortably as a complement to the fruit. It's sauvignon...