“Dry, grapey, and yet inherently savoury. This is pretty wild, pretty exotic, flowers and herbs flying. Cranberry, strawberry and red cherry with twig and herb notes. The finish here is so dry, with so much crunch and grip, that I’ve underlined the words ‘crackle and squeak’ in my notes. And yet – importantly – all this dryness is served with a juiciness running through it. If you like the lighter/more structural style of Yarra Valley pinot, then I’d reckon that you should be bullish on this.”
Muscular and taut – a slow burn – with icing sugar and dried pear-edged granny smith apple and grapefruit. Subliminal phenolic tension highlights the predominant Gingin and Mendoza clones, sourced from Leeuwin Estate in Margaret River, prone to large and small berries in the same bunch. Founder Phil Sexton planted this low-yielding vineyard in 1997 on shallow clay loam over granite and ironstone, at 130m to 201m on the north-facing slopes of the Warramate Ranges. Harvested 25 February to 2 March.
Deep, dark colour with a vanilla and pencil-shavings aroma, the wine is full-bodied, dense and powerful with loads of firm tannins and a long carry. A solid cabernet franc in which the tannin really rules. It demands time and patience. An impressive cabernet franc with massive structure. Hearty protein needed if served young. Drink: 2025–2036
Deep, dark, brooding colour with a bouquet of pencil shavings and herby notes including tomato-bush, while the palate is very powerful, massive and solid with tannins that coat the mouth and a long carry. Generous oak. Very full bodied and serious wine, although there is a certain tomato/leaf character, which dissipates with time in the glass. A wine that certainly deserves cellaring. Drink: 2025–2038
40% whole cluster, 20% new French oak. This has lovely flesh with some nice tannic structure and supple green hints from the stems that integrate beautifully. Beautiful red fruits with nice texture and a real silkiness. This has a freshness, it has plenty of lush fruit, but it’s also brilliantly balanced.
This is solely from the Banghoek property. Lovely intensity here, showing real complexity with nuts, spice, aniseed and a great acid line. There’s a remarkable focus to this wine, which is very stylish and incisive
Very expressive, fresh and taut with lovely almond and pear notes, some green apple and lovely intensity. Pineapple, peach and lime in the mix. There’s keen acidity and also quite a bit of complexity. Taut and focused with great precision.
Lively, intense and complex with bright pear and white peach fruit, as well as some subtle toasty richness. Finely spiced with hints of marzipan and toast. This has richness but also precision. Very fine and expressive.
A Zinfandel with detail and dimension, this red offers brambly yet refined raspberry and cherry flavors highlighted by roasted sage and cracked pepper. Ends with polished tannins. Drink now through 2033. From California.
Always the delicately fine wine and long awaited between vintages. Here they have selected berry sorting and 100% destemmed fruit that goes into ceramic eggs for 13 months. No pressings, no oak. Basically no Bull. This is NOT a red lollied water Grenache for slurping sake. This is style and substance and this, my friends, is Grenache in the hands of those that adore it. Fresh pomegranate seeds picked from their hulls. Goji berry, salted red plum, mace and dried porcini mushroom powder. It’s the slinkyness across the palate that curves with the finesse of skin tannins. Rosemary stem, thistle and pine needle with a savoury licorice root astringency. Such an elegant expression of site backed by pinpoint accuracy. Drink with roast figs, chalky goats cheese and pomegranate molasses.
Exuberant, showing bittersweet dark chocolate, espresso and notes of kirsch, framboise and maraschino cherry at the core, with accents of rosemary, oregano and cigar box and a wonderfully dense, plush body. This wine really takes off on the generous finish, which packs momentum and complexity. Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Drink now through 2035.
This sports some gorgeous fruit, with damson plum, griotte and blood orange pâte de fruit driving along a silky, refined structure, while rooibos tea, sandalwood, singed anise and savory details underscore the long, lilting finish. Drink now through 2031.
This bursts forth with abundant notes of succulent raspberry, griotte and blood orange, pulling in additional red tea, singed sandalwood and savory details along the way. Seems to pick up speed through the racy finish, showing more detail as time goes on. Reveals a late sanguine note that provides a lovely counterpoint. Drink now through 2032. From California.—
“Aromas of clove, bing cherries, lilac and mulch. A darker composition. A carnal whiff of autumnal leaves and Lapsang souchong. Detailed tannins compress a mid-weighted palate of impressive density and freshness. This will unravel nicely across the mid-term, based on poise and succulent length. A reductive clench at the finish confers further tension. Drinkable now, but best from 2024.”
Attractive blackberries and dark cherries with ground cloves, cocoa and dried blue flowers. Full body. Firm and linear tannins with sleek texture and hints of bitter spices and dried herbs alongside the dark fruit. Solid and compact with notes of walnut at the end. Try after 2026.
Concentration and depth are the strong points of this seriously structured Pinot Noir and set it up for a potentially long life. Very dense and compact black cherries, black currants, rhubarb and mint crowd onto the palate and won’t quit on the finish. Best from 2026-2035.
This has aromas of white peaches, apple crumble, custard, cloves and salted caramel. Delicious salty undertones throughout, with a medium body and very fine, creamy bubbles. Long pastry and biscuit notes. Caressing yet structured. Disgorged February 2022. 3g/L dosage. Drink or hold.
This is fresh and aromatic with notes of red and dark berries with dried blood orange, ground spices and savory herbs. Medium- to full-bodied with tension and chalky texture. Tannins are plush and velvety with a vivid core of blue fruits. Firm and flavorful at the end. Try from 2025.
An alluring Sauvignon Blanc from the Stonestreet Estate's Cougar Ridge Vineyard grown at 300m in elevation. The wine was fermented in stainless steel and various oak vessels, French, Austrian and German in origin. The aromatics are ripe stone fruit, sweet florals and a touch of savoury grasses underlined by wet chalk. The palate offers lush lemon cream, kefir lime leaf, beeswax and crushed limestone. Delicious.
Hibiscus, orange peel, and sliced strawberry aromas. Medium-bodied with a firm and juicy finish. Structured and solid. Impressive length. Layered and serious. Needs time to soften and come together.
A refined and layered red with dried strawberry, cherry and orange peel aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied. Medium velvety tannins, fresh and bright. Fruity yet energetic. Vivid. Drink or hold.
Pale ruby purple, the 2018 Pinot Noir Conifer boasts singular aromas of dried citrus and roses, earl grey tea leaves, gravel dust,aniseed and fir. The medium bodied palate is firm, energetic and layered, with a long, seamless finish streaked with iron and potpourri.
The 2019 Pinot Noir The Sum has a medium ruby color and takes time to reveal scents of red and black cherries, tangerine peel, pipe tobacco, potpourri and licorice. The medium-bodied palate is powdery and energetic with expansive, savory fruits and a long,layered finish that hints at more to come. Intense and complex without any extra weight, this expressive Pinot Noir deserves another 2-3 years in bottle to unwind.
The 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Speciale is stunning in its 20th year, offering ethereal aromas and a supple texture. It was matured for 23 months in French and American oak barrels and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Medium garnet in color, its bouquetis expressive and mineral driven, with touches of dried rose petaland herbs, charcuterie and graphite, and it has maintained a core of dark berry fruit. The palate is fresh and soft, its core of fruit finely balanced by tertiary layers. 1,560 cases were made.
The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Speciale, aged 32 months in 30% new French oak, is notably balanced for the lush 2012 vintage.It has a deep ruby color and is still distinctly youthful on the nose,offering a supple core of Morello cherries with savory accents of cast iron, beef carpaccio, bouquet garni and dried roses. The palateis powerful yet elegant, deeply fruited yet lifted, with pixelated tannins and bursts of fresh acidity supporting all that pure flavor.Alluring 10 years on, it still seems not to have reached its zenith and will continue to evolve in bottle over the next decade. 790cases were made.