New Release – June 2025
Barry Weinman: 22nd June 2025
In a line up of predominantly very high-quality chardonnay, the Moss Wood Elsa sauvignon blanc was a real eye opener. A brilliant wine that shows the potential that can be achieved with this style in Margaret River. And great value!
And the panel were very pleased with the quality of sparkling wines that is being made in WA. In a line up of 10 wines, the Frazer Woods and Marri Wood Park both stood out.
Reviewed
Moss Wood – Ribbon Vale – Elsa – Sauvignon Blanc – 2024. Complex and serious, this is most impressive. The power of the fruit mirrors that of fine chardonnay, as does the barrel and lees work. The pristine lemony fruit is the main focus, but the texture and mouthfeel, along with the sheer depth of fruit makes this very special indeed. And it is all the better for the drying finish. 14.0% alc, 95pts.
Coldstream Hills – Reserve – Chardonnay – 2023. Fine and elegant and already so, so approachable. This is high quality, but it is a clearly different style to the WA wines. Lemon/citrus characters are the key feature of the high-quality fruit, and the taut acid will benefit from time in bottle to soften and allow the fruit to better express itself. Supple oak and lees work add to the package, adding depth and texture. A high-quality, tightly coiled wine that needs 5+ years to hit its straps. 13.0% alc – 95pts.
Marri Wood Park – Sparkling – Chenin Blanc – 2020. This is a very nice drink. It is rounder and more approachable than the somewhat leaner style wines that we often see, with decent acidity that provides balance, but does not become a defining feature at any point along the palate transition. Lemony fruit, with gentle autolytic notes leads on to a finish that, despite the dosage, feels relatively dry. User friendly and would suit food well. 93pts.
Frazer Woods – Sparkling – NV. This initially presents as quite subdued, but as it sits in the mouth, it builds layers of tasty, toasty characters that linger for some time, and the fruit feels quite serious. Well-judged dosage, fine, refreshing acidity and lees aged autolytics all contribute to the package. 93pts – $34.