Reds for the Cooler Months
Barry Weinman: 31st May 2025
After the intense focus on chardonnay for the last few months, it is time to look at some of the superb reds that have stood out with the panel.
One of the most noteworthy wines was Grosset’s Gaia cabernet. In amongst many of WA’s superstars, the 2023 vintage was a standout. Yes, it is a subtly different expression compared to its Margaret River counterparts, but it stands up well against the best. And the relative value is very good.
Speaking of value, Houghton’s 2020 Gladstone set the cat among the pigeons, coming out with the equal highest points at a recent tasting. $105 is still an expensive wine, but it is very worthwhile.
Reviewed
Grosset – Gaia – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2023. If I had to choose one word to describe this wine, it would be “polished”. But it could also be: fine, elegant, restrained, intense, subtle, supple, superb and awesome. I actually struggled to pull flavour and aroma descriptors together for this wine as it is such a complete package, and everything melds together, making for a delightful wine that is superb drinking today, but will surely be even better in a decade’s time. With air, the perfumed, floral fruit really built. A remarkable wine! Includes the addition of 14% cabernet franc and the wine spent 18 months in French oak barriques (45% new). 13.8% – 96+pts – $108.
Houghton – Gladstones – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2020. This is quite spectacular. The depth and intrinsic power of this wine is evident from the very first whiff. Blueberry, black currant, cedar and subtle spice all meld into a compelling bouquet. Fine, graphite-like tannins are silky and, whilst providing an almost velvety texture and structure, are remarkable for the way they allow the fruit to remain the focus. Enormous length of flavours. 13.75% alc – 96 – 97pts – $105.
Moss Wood – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2022. The vibrant red-berry fruit is the key focus here from the first sniff to the very end of the palate. The oak and tannins are nestled within the fruit, but are for all intents and purposes, completely invisible. With air, the fruit builds depth, yet this remains superbly drinkable. and the fruit builds and builds, cascading in layers across the palate. 14.0% alc – 95+pts.
Sandalford – Prendiville Reserve – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2018. This is a step above many that we have tried of late, with real depth to the fruit, supported by quality oak and winemaking. At this stage, it is very young, with the fruit tightly bound by the fine, silky tannins, but time is all that is required for this to come around. The fact that the palate transition is near seamless is a strong indicator of the underlying quality and skills of the winemaker. Give it an hour in the decanter, or ten years in the cellar. With air, the fruit really builds. 14.5% 95pts.
Penfolds – Bin 389 – Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz – 2021. A cracking way to finish the tasting, with this wine having more depth and texture than a lot of the wines. But this is a very different style, with the density of fruit translating into an almost viscous mouthfeel. Plush? Yes, but with superb restraint provided by the texturing tannins and oak. Great length of flavours to close. That latter combining with the fruit to give a chocolatey character to the wine. Ultimately, the tannins close the fruit down, so time is required if this is to be enjoyed at its peak. Really hit its drinking window on day two. 18.5pts – $120.
Cape Mentelle – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2020. This replaces the power of the Gladstones with elegance and prettiness. At first glance, it could be considered a touch simple as a result, but that would be an unfair assessment. It is just that it does not stand out right now. But ten years should see this flesh out significantly. With air, the mid-palate fruit power really builds and transforms this into something quite special. 13.8% – 95pts – $110.
Katnook Estate – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2021. This is a very good cabernet. It is not the most dense or overtly powerful wine, but it makes up for this with lithe, elegant fruit and palate structure. Medium bodied, and very approachable now. In fact, this would be an excellent by-the-glass wine for current consumption. But over the next two days, this really opened and showed enough structure to reward medium cellaring. Living in Western Australia, I do not review that many wines from Coonawarra, but clearly, I should make a greater effort. 14.5% alc – 94pts – $47.
Sandalford – 1840 – Shiraz – 2022. Serious fruit here. Pepper and spice to the fore, but this sits atop a bed of fleshy, dense, high quality fruit. Plum and liquorice gradually gives way to those spice characters, with a lick of new oak adding depth to the finish. This is a fine wine that is great drinking now, but would benefit from 5 – 10 years. From the Swan Valley. 93pts – $50.
Cullen – Red Moon – Blend – 2024. Nice fruit, and very well made. This has balanced cleansing acidity in addition to pretty berry fruit. The acidity adds life and interest, but does detract from the overall package. Quite silky and fine, this is an excellent early drinking wine that has more depth and structure that many. A blend of malbec, grenache, mourvèdre, petit Verdot and merlot. 13.5% alc – 92pts – $35.
Sandalford – Rose – 2024. The palest of pink hues. The subtle berry fruit on both the nose and palate is attractive, but it is the textural components that define this wine and elevate it above the ordinary. The balance is excellent and the length and persistence of flavours commendable. And it is all the better for the drying finish. Refreshing summer drinking! 12.5% alc, 91pts.
Smallwater Estate – Shiraz – 2022. This is a bit of a sleeper. There is high-quality fruit here, but it is very shy and somewhat reserved right now. The very fine tannins are quite silky but do act like a straitjacket to the fruit. Tried again the next day and the fruit really opened up. Excellent fruit, slick winemaking results in an understated, but compelling wine. 15.0% – 93pts.
Grosset – Nereus – Shiraz/Nero d’Avola – 2023. I like this for its point of difference. There is a fine, savoury character that runs through this, making for a mouth-watering wine that is crying out for good food. Souring cherry fruit, exquisitely fine tannins, silky acidity are both appealing and also suggestive that short-term aging may bring out this wine’s best. May polarise, but I am a fan. 13.9% – 95pts – $55.
