February 2026

Here are my picks of the best wines that the panel has reviewed in the last week or so.

Reviewed

Sittella – Avant-Garde – Albarino – 2025. Very attractive with a nutty, almond meal/apricot kernel complexity. The palate is textured and moreish, with the nutty notes complemented by a saline minerality that adds texture and depth, with gentle viscosity further enhancing the palate. Great length is driven by fine acidity. Yum, as it warms this gets so much more expressive — and even better. Delicious with food or alone. 13.5% alc – 95pts – $33.

Victory Point – Chardonnay – 2022. Very interesting wine, and very good indeed. This is tight. But it is not austere or mean. Rather, it is shy and restrained, and full of potential. Stone fruit is the key character, but here this is more in the apricot kernel spectrum, rather than ripe peach. And there is a nutty character that complements this well. The viscosity is a highlight and the wine is textural, but seamless for all intents and purposes. 95pts – $55.

Victory Point – The Mallee Root – Cabernet/Malbec – 2023. Oh wow. This is most impressive. So fine, so elegant, so good. There is density and power, but this is in a restrained, elegant style. The fruit is perfectly ripe and oh so long. Blackberry, brambly fruit, texturing oak and fine, structuring tannins and incredible length of flavours. Remarkably, for a wine of this price, it could take 5 – 10 years in the cellar for the fruit to fully express itself, but it is fabulous now, all the same. A lovely, middle weight wine that is unbelievable value. 95pts – $29.

Xanadu – Malbec – 2023. Fragrant and oh so succulent, this is a mouthful of happiness. Unlike the last, this is more structured, with fine (though notable) tannins and supple oak influence. These do not interfere with the fruit, but they do make this a bigger, more robust style at this early age. Whilst this will be fabulous now with grilled lamb chops, I feel that 5 years in the cellar will see this progress further. Superb length. Excellent fruit. 95pts – $45.

Nocturne – Sheoak Vineyard – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2023. This is a slightly different expression of Margaret River cabernet, and all the better for it. Here, there is none of the cooler, menthol and eucalypt notes. Rather, there is ripe, precise and somewhat restrained red currant fruit. Lovely fruit on the palate, with texturing fruit/oak tannins adding supple texture and mouthfeel. Seamless, for all intents and purposes, but also restrained on the close, as the tannins gently blanket the fruit. Yet this remains very good now, but will be even better in 10+ years. 95pts.

Xanadu – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2023. This has much more overt power, the fruit combining with the tannins and oak to make an immediate impact. Whilst not quite seamless, the flow of fruit on the palate is excellent, with the structural components kicking in on the finish to make for an excellent wine. As this sits in the glass, the fruit builds and gets even more impressive. Sumptuous and delicious! Drink now – 10+ years. A serious wine that is excellent value. 95pts.

Victory Point – Cabernet/Franc – 2024. Oh wow. This is a gob full of delicious berry fruit. This is lighter bodied, with vibrant, flamboyant fruit that is just delightful. The fruit is complemented by the finest of tannins, and oak is nowhere to be seen. I find it hard to imagine a better current-drinking Margaret River red. Extra points for the happiness it brings me. 94pts.

Xanadu – Stevens Road – Chardonnay – 2023. Oh wow. It has been a little while since I saw this wine last, and the palate has really filled out. It is not so much about fruit power, rather, it is about the gorgeous texture and creamy mouthfeel. The brilliant oak use is an important contributor to this wine, imparting texture and complexity, without adding any specific flavours. The winemaking has also been pared back, with the lees and barrel work imperceptible in the final product. Superb 96pts.

Cullen 2023 Prestige Reds

Cullen – Diana Madeline – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2023. This is somehow both profound and lithe at the same time. The nose leads with beautiful blueberry notes, along with floral highlights. I can almost imagine violets. The palate is silky and very elegant, with the fruit supported by a lattice of very fine oak and tannins that add texture, but in no way impede the flow of the fruit. The length is outstanding. A very fine wine indeed. The tannins and oak are exquisite. 13.5% alc – 96pts.

Cullen – Vanya – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2023. This is breathtakingly good. It has so much of everything, yet is fine, elegant and restrained at the same time. It is impossible to do this wine justice in a review, as it continually evolves on the palate for what seems like minutes. The fruit is exquisite, and the texture sublime. The incredible length and persistence are a highlight, as is the seamless palate transition. Never-ending cascade of fruit. Opulent. Interestingly, this is made from 100% Cabernet. 13.5% alc – 98pts +.