Singlefile New Release – October 2024
Barry Weinman: 16th October 2024
Since its inception, Singlefile has continuously delivered wines of the highest quality. Wines that have continually challenged the very best from Margaret River and further afield. And with the current releases, winemaker Coby Ladwig has further entrenched Singlefile as one of the leading Western Australian wineries.
If the quality of the wine was not enough, Patrick Corbett and team have also ensured that the wines deliver incredible value at all price points in the range. Add to this some super packaging and you have an irresistible offering.
With the rieslings for example, whether it is the entry level Great Southern riesling or the exceptional The Pamela, they all offer brilliant drinking and exceptional value.
A personal favourite for me has always been the Fumé Blanc, a wine that unashamedly tries to emulate the super premium white wines from Bordeaux. And with the 2024 vintage they have succeeded admirably.
Another wine that continues to surprise and delight is the Rosé. This is one of the few rosés on the market that I actually want to drink.
At the top of the quality tree, The Vivienne chardonnay and The Philip Adrian cabernet are truly outstanding. The sheer quality of the latter from the 2020 vintage put it ahead by a whisker in this release.
Reviewed
Singlefile – Riesling – 2024. Different style to its bigger brothers, being richer and more overt straight out of the glass. The nose and palate are flooded with ripe riesling fruit, with hints of musk and spice adding interest. Whereas the more expensive wines are finer and tending towards ethereal, this is all about the joyful ripe fruit that smashes the tongue with a panoply of flavours. Superb now or over the next 5 to 8 years, with excellent length and persistence of fruit. 12.1% alc, 94pts – $27.
Singlefile – Single Vineyard – Riesling – 2024. What initially grabbed my attention with this wine was just how approachable it is on release. But don’t be fooled, this is a serious wine with brilliant acid elevating the palate beyond the ordinary. With a little air in the glass this wine really started to sing, its mouthfeel and texture aided by brilliantly handled phenolics. From the Blue Lake vineyard. 11.8%alc – 95pts – $35.
Singlefile – The Pamela – Riesling – 2023. This is just sublime. The wine is at once delicate and shy yet, almost magically, powerful, intense and textured all at once. The palate is seamless, captivating, charming and irresistible and the flavours build and linger for an age. The ultra fine acidity builds on the finish leaving the palate dry and the taster longing for another sip, or perhaps some freshly shucked oysters or even a vegetable gyoza. From the Misery Hills vineyard in the Porongorups. 11.7% alc, 97pts – $45.
Singlefile – Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc – 2024. Subtle and supple, this is an exercise in restraint: fine, elegant and long, with depth and density. But this is more about texture and mouthfeel than fruit power. Excellent length and persistence with complexity built, perhaps, by a touch of lees work. Not overly serious, but delicious drinking. Try it on its own, or with a plate of sashimi. 13.1% alc, 93+pts – $27.
Singlefile – Fumé Blanc – Sauvignon Blanc – 2024. This is a very complex wine with grapefruit characters, struck match, minerality, lemony acidity, texture, depth, and subtle power. The wine evolves and transforms as it lingers on the palate, showing excellent intensity, yet drinking beautifully already. A superb wine. 75% of the wine was fermented in new oak barrels. The aim was to make a wine in the style of a white Bordeaux and the team have succeeded admirably. Value! 13.3% alc, 95pts – $35.
Singlefile – Run Free – Pinot Grigio – 2024. This is a wine to put a smile on your face. Pretty, floral and mineral laden, the fruit is quite lovely. Deliciously drinkable. 13.2% alc, 93pts – $27.
Singlefile – Rosé – Sangiovese – 2024. Pretty colour, pretty packaging, pretty nose, pretty wine! This is such a fine and elegant wine with hints of red berry fruit and a subtle texture that is crying out for some tapas. One of the few rosé style wines that I want to actually drink. Bravo!. 12.7% alc, 93pts – $35.
Singlefile – The Philip Adrian – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2020. My initial response was OMG!. This is just stunning. Intense and packed with latent power, yet so, so fine and elegant. The fruit coats the entire length of the palate building and evolving over time. Remarkably this is seamless and so, so long and fine. Superb fruit and wine making collide into a truly extraordinary wine. Drink any time over the next three decades. From the Riversdale Vineyard in Frankland which was planted in 1997 to Houghton clone. 15 months in oak (40%new). 14.1% alc, 97pts – $100.