Faber Vineyard – 2025 Benchmark Tasting

Barry Weinman: 20th July 2025

John Griffiths, Faber’s larger than life winemaker/proprietor hosts what must surely be some of the most enjoyable and best value events held locally each year.

Of all the events, the Benchmark Tasting is the one that lovers of Australian shiraz should put into their calendar.

This is an opportunity to taste twelve high quality shiraz (blinded to the order they are served in) from a cross section of Australian wine regions, complemented by a delicious and substantial four course meal, all washed down with some gems from the Faber cellar.

The highlight for me, however, is the opportunity to compare and contrast a variety of different styles of shiraz which, this year, included eleven distinct regions (the Barossa was the only region with two wines). All wines were from the 2022 vintage.

What stood out for me, was the consistently high quality of the wines, regardless of style. Whilst the cooler region wines such as Swinney and Yarra Yering were a whisker ahead for me, the consensus from the audience was that the warmer region wines were the ones that were most appreciated, with Faber, Standish and Torbreck topping the votes at the end of the day.

And in a very strong line-up it was great to see that the Faber Reserve Shiraz 2022 was the equal crowd favourite!

A special note should be made on Griffith’s passion and bravery to hold this event. It must be nerve-racking to sit and wait whilst people compare and contrast the wines, and pass judgement.

Fortunately, Faber wines are very good indeed. 😊

The line up (in order tasted).

Forest Hill – Block 9 – Shiraz – 2022. This was the first wine of the tasting, and a great way to start. Lovely ripe fruit is pristine, perfumed and fragrant. Spice, mouthfeel and gently chewy texture add to the package on a palate that has truly amazing length. But it is oh so closed and tight right now. Yet this remains silky for the entire length of the very long palate, with the flavours lingering for some time. This is very age-worthy, with extraordinarily fine tannins and oak. 95-96pts. A bargain at $70.

Thomas Kiss – “Kiss” – Shiraz – 2022. More structured and savoury. But still with a core of spectacularly ripe fruit. This is something of a chameleon wine. Whilst it is taut, restrained and fine, there is a core of powerful, dense fruit that runs the length of the palate. The finish has excellent length and persistence and is, for all intents and purposes, seamless. White pepper and minerality build on a finish that is beautifully textured. A wonderful wine which is still available for $80. 97pts.

Torbreck – The Gask – Shiraz – 2022. More in the chocolate spectrum, but with air, the ripe satsuma plum fruit really blossoms. With the first sip I thought” Oh wow, this is just spectacular!” The palate is flooded with supple, fleshy plum-like fruit supported by a frame of gossamer fine tannins and oak. Seamless, silky and absolutely brilliant drinking. But surely it will be even better in a decade. Spent 18 months in one year old oak. 15% alc – 96pts – $90.

By Farr – Shriaz – 2022. Much cooler, with souring plum/cherry fruit that takes on a raspberry hue with air. The palate is fleshy and juicy, with really fine tannins and oak. But it is the acidity that carries this wine along its focused palate journey. Not green, but so, so cool climate in structure. With air, this takes on some smoky, almost bacon fat notes, along with pepper and spice. This is a style that may polarise. 94pts – $110.

Giaconda – Shiraz – 2022. Wow. What a wine. Fragrant, pretty, ripe blueberry, succulent and juicy, yet with a degree of restraint and real gravitas on the finish. The seriousness comes from the way the acidity, tannins and oak all meld seamlessly with the fruit to provide a lattice of supports that serve to highlight the beauty of the wine, without impeding the flow of the fruit in any way. Great length and balance. the souring cherry acidity on the close is a real highlight. 13.8% alc – 97pts – $125.

Seppelt – St Peters – Shiraz – 2022. Another cracking wine, but here, the fruit is just a touch more restrained, with the structural components starring on the palate. This equates to an irresistible texture on a virtually seamless palate. Wonderful length and persistence of flavours and textures. Slightly cooler in character, there is more red berry fruit than plum here. So, so balanced and age-worthy. Amazing wine. 14.5% alc – 96pts – $80.

Swinney – Farvie – Shiraz – 2022. Smells somewhat cooler, with hints of mint and even a touch of eucalypt. This flows onto a palate that is lithe, supple and medium-bodied, but also structured, powerful and very, very fine. Superb, the sense of presence this has in the mouth is something to behold. Length is a feature, with supple savoury notes adding greatly. Oak is for all intents and purposes, invisible, but a key contributor to the wine’s structure. An iron fist in a velvet glove? Yes. A remarkable wine. 14 months in seasoned oak, partial whole-bunch. 13.5% alc – 98pts – $180.

Glaetzer – Amon Ra – Shiraz – 2022. This is a bit of beast straight up. Powerful fruit, firm tannins, complexity-building oak. Remarkably, the palate is virtually seamless, yet the fruit is completely blanketed by the structural components. Immensely age-worthy, this is a traditional style of great merit. But it needs time and patience to show its best. And will score higher points when it does. 16 months in 100% new oak (95% French hogshead). Vine age ranges from 50 – 130 years old. 15% alc – 95+pts – $100.

Wendouree – Shiraz – 2022. This is an interesting wine as here, the peppery minerality is the key feature up front. The ripe fruit is there, but it is sitting sleepily in the corner, while the very fine oak, tannins and acidity dance on the palate. As this sits in the glass, the fruit starts to open up and give clues to its potential. The finish is seamless and silky, in a very structured way. Going back to this over time, it was clearly even better than I first thought: the balance between the fruit, winemaking and acid is truly superb. One of my favourite wines of the tasting. 96-97pts – $85.

Faber – Reserve – Shiraz – 2022. There is more plum here, and lashings of creamy oak which has a seductive vanillin character. The fruit is ripe, super ripe, befitting a prestige shiraz from the Swan Valley, with the acidity being the hero here, keeping the fruit fresh and adding drive to the finish. The palate is very long with great persistence, and the fruit remains focused throughout the palate transition. After 20 minutes in the glass, this really started to shine and was clearly the audience’s pick for the day. A classic, warm region shiraz, this spent 22 months in new oak hogsheads prior to bottling. 95pts – $100 (a bargain at $80 for club members via the website).

Yarra Yering – No 2 – Shiraz – 2022. Everything is taken down a notch here, and all the better for it. The lighter toned, more structured fruit has been perfectly matched to supple, texturing oak and feathery tannins. Ripe? Yes, but a cooler expression of ripe shiraz. The structural notes make their presence felt on the finish, gradually corralling in the fruit which, when combined with the acidity, confers an almost nervous energy to the wine. Exciting, exhilarating, enthralling, this is a stunning wine. In the glass, both blue and red fruit characters build and are quite floral and perfumed. Pepper? Yes, but this is more about minerality than spice. 96% shiraz, with a splash of marsanne, mataro and viognier. Aged in French oak barriques for 15 months (25% new). 13.5% alc – 97 – 98pts – $135.

Standish – The Standish – 2022. This is a very big wine, and the crowd loved it. Dense, viscous, chocolate, coffee, menthol and a supple resinous note. There are layers upon layers of fruit cascading across the palate. With so much intensity, this is the essence of ripe shiraz. Incredible length and depth, every fruit character you want in a warm region shiraz. For fans of big shiraz, this is as good it gets. The oak a feature, but is perfectly matched to the fruit. The tannins are impactful and structuring. The wine does come with a caveat however: for me, I can’t think when I would ever drink this. It is just too much for me. 96pts.

Footnote: For a different take on the tasting, you can read Alan Wilkerson’s excellent review here.

New Release – June 2025

Barry Weinman: 22^nd 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.

Xanadu Premium Release – 2023 Chardonnays and 2022 Cabernets

Barry Weinman: 19^th June 2025

The release of the premium Xanadu wines is always eagerly anticipated by the panel and the current batch did not disappoint.

It is fascinating how different the wines are, even though they are only separated by a few km. The Wallcliffe wines feel markedly cooler in character to those from Wilyabrup
In 2023, I have put the Stevens Road ahead by a whisker for the chardonnays, but the Reserve is the wine most likely to win you new friends. It is such an approachable and friendly wine.

With the cabernets, it was hard to separate them on absolute quality, but stylistically, they are very different.

Reviewed

Xanadu – Stephens Road – Chardonnay – 2023. Talk about impact! As I brought the glass to my nose with this wine, the powerful, peachlike fruit leapt from the glass. But it was not just primary fruit, it was the panoply of aromas (from flint and minerals to struck match) that amplified the impact. Yet the wine remained tightly focused at all times. In the mouth, the fruit sits more in the grapefruit spectrum and, whilst quite tight and restrained, has wonderful line and length. The length is, in fact, a standout feature.
The wine underwent barrel fermentation, however malolactic fermentation was prevented to preserve freshness of acidity. Drink now with seared scallops or give it 5 years to fully unwind and show its ultimate potential. 13.0% alc, 96+pts.

Xanadu – Reserve – Chardonnay – 2023. This is more reserved and, if anything, more mainstream, and all the better for it. In fact, this is quite special. The ripe fruit is the focus and has seamless palate transition and great length. This is already so good right now. The finish is viscous, textured and supported by brilliant oak use. A better wine than the Stevens Road? In absolute terms, no: but it is a more accessible style that many will prefer.

The fruit for this wine is made with Gingin clone fruit from the Lagan vineyard, which is the oldest chardonnay vineyard on the property. It underwent 100% barrel fermentation with wild yeast and was aged in French oak (20% new). 13.0% alc – 96pts.

Xanadu – Reserve – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2022. This is a very good wine, in a very different style to others in the tasting. Here, the fruit is darker in profile and the structural notes have a greater impact. Yet this remains balanced and fine, with the structural components never getting in the way of the superb fruit. Impressive, and the length of flavours is a standout. The acids and tannins eventually shut down the fruit somewhat, suggesting that up to 20 years in the cellar will only see this wine improve. Includes a small proportion of malbec and pedit verdot. 14.0% alc – 96pts.

Xanadu – Stephens Road – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2022. It is fascinating how differently high-quality cabernet can present. This is another superb wine, but the flavours and textures are different to the Reserve in a very good way. Blackberry and blackcurrant feature, but here, the souring acid is more prominent as compared to the tannins, which suggests a cooler site. But the length and persistence of flavours and textures are equal to the best. 40% new oak was used during maturation. A lovely wine that, in this line up, was the one that would benefit the most from cellaring or from being served with fine food. Beef ribs come to mind… Fantastic wine! 14.0% alc – 96pts.

New Release Reds – June 2025

Barry Weinman: 11^th June 2025

The 2021 Tom Cullity is one of the finest wines from Margaret River that I have had the pleasure of tasting. And the 2023 Diana Madeline is a superstar.

But what had the panel talking was the 2022 Blackstone Paddock from Aldi. Sensational value.

It has been a while since the panel has reviewed any wines from Yalumba and the panel was uniformly in gold medal territory with the 2022 The Signature. There is a degree of velvety generosity that makes this a delightful wine to drink, even at this early stage.

Reviewed

Yalumba – The Signature – Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz – 2022. Delicious!. This is a riper, more accessible wine than the Margaret River cabernets, and a fantastic counterpoint to those cooler region wines. Mint? Yes, blackcurrant? Yes. This has all the trademarks of high-quality cabernet, but there is another layer to this wine, with plum, liquorice and gentle spices all adding to the package. Excellent length and persistence are a highlight, while the acidity keeping the whole package alive and fresh. Superb tannin management adds to the textural charm. Wonderful wine. 14.4% alc, 96pts.

Vasse Felix – Tom Cullity – Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec – 2021. OMG, this has the most fantastic nose. Ripe blueberry and blackcurrant fruit positively leaps from the glass, supported by a frame of supple oak. The palate is, if anything, even more exciting, and a brilliant expression of super premium cabernet. A remarkable wine that is brilliant now, but will be even better with time in the cellar. My wine of the 2021 vintage from Margaret River and a superstar. 19% Malbec, 16 months in French oak barriques (68% new), 14.0% alc, 97+pts.

Cullen – Diana Madeline – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2023. Oh my, this is also spectacular, but presenting in a very different way. Here, the silky fruit is everything. Ripe, yet restrained, this has poise and grace. In the mouth, the cascade of fruit continues to excite, with the finest, most polished tannins providing an invisible lattice of support, yet contributing greatly to the mouthfeel and sense of power and gravitas. An exceptional wine. now to 20yrs +. Cassis. 13.5% alc, 96pts

Blackstone Paddock – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2022. OK, so lets get one thing clear. This was not as good as the Tom Cullity or Diana Madeline, but… for $20, it is a spectacular buy.
Darker fruit notes, firms structure and real depth to the fruit. If anything, this has echoes of Bordeaux to the way it sits in the mouth. There is plenty of power and firm tannins, suggesting that 5 – 10 years cellaring would be handsomely repaid. Get it while you can from Aldi. 14.5% alc, 95pts – $22.

Wolf Blass – Black Label – Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz – 2018. Given my preconceptions of this wine as a big, rich and powerful wine, it is remarkable restrained and polished. The fruit is silky and supple and has an almost medium-bodied feel to it. But there is depth and intensity sitting behind this, supported by supple oak that really adds to the silky mouthfeel. Ultimately, this is closed and just a baby, but it is a lovely wine all the same. 14.5% alc, 95pts.

Windance Estate Winery – Consistent Excellence

Barry Weinman – 8^th June 2025.

Windance Estate Winery was established by Drew and Rosemary Brent-White in 1998. Daughter Billie and her husband Tyke are now in control, with Tyke responsible for winemaking.

Over a few weeks, in various blind tastings, the panel reviewed a number of Windance wines. And what stood out for me in particular was the consistency and quality across the wines tasted.

The premium Glen Valley range is beautifully packaged and showed very well indeed. The Estate range is also very good and the value offering is compelling indeed.

Based on these tastings, I would highly recommend a visit if you are going that way any time soon.

Reviewed

Windance – Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon – 2024. The grassy, herbaceous nose and palate has more in common with Marlborough in NZ than what I am used to from Margaret River, but that is not a criticism, as the wine is very good. Mouth-coating flavours linger for a time, with hints of lime, guava and passionfruit all coming in and out of focus. Served cold on a warm afternoon, this will be a crowd pleaser. Add in some freshly shucked oysters for a tasting treat. Packed with flavour. A proportion of fruit underwent barrel fermentation (20%) which, combined with the lees work, has had a positive impact on mouthfeel/texture. 12.0% alc – 93pts – $24.

Windance – Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot – 2023. This is all about the silky mouthfeel. The fruit is ripe, if somewhat subdued at present, but the way it flows across the palate is most impressive indeed. I had visions of a stream flowing over a smooth stone, such is the way the tannins have been polished. Not the most intense, or powerful, but a wine that brings immediate pleasure and slips down just a little too easily…
The cabernet is complemented by merlot (14%) and malbec (12%). Aged for 10 months in thin-staved 225l (Bordeaux) barrels, 30% of which were new. 13.8% alc, 93pts – $30.

Windance – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2023. The first thing that grabbed my attention was the structure, rather than the fruit per se. The way the fruit and oak tannins have been polished is exemplary. But as this sits in the glass, the fruit quality slowly starts to express itself, with the flavours building in layers across the palate. Ultimately, the very fine (though prodigious) tannins close down the finish, but these never get aggressive or coarse. Rather, they act like a blanket, turning down the intensity of the fruit, without diminishing the intrinsic quality. This is a very fine wine, and extraordinary value.
Includes a small proportion of Malbec and Merlot. The wine was aged in French oak barriques for eleven months (35% new). 13.8% alc, 95pts – $40.

Windance – Glen Valley – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2022. This is very good indeed. Fine, elegant and restrained, the fruit quality is quite superb. The structure is a highlight, allowing the silky fruit to be the star, but still acting as a strait-jacket, keeping everything tightly controlled. Needs time but is a remarkable wine. Spent 12 months in French oak barriques (60% new). 13.8% alc, 95pts – $60.

Reds for the Cooler Months

Barry Weinman: 31^st 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

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.

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.

On The Tasting Bench – April 2025

Barry Weinman: 1st May 2025

With the plethora of local chenins and rieslings available to provide refreshing (and serious) drinking, New Zealand sauvignon blanc does not get much of a look in at home.
But the 2023 Te Muna Sauvignon Blanc from Craggy Range is a timely reminder of just how good these wines can be.

Elsewhere, I was very impressed with the Elantro pinot noir. Made by Sandro Mosel in the Mornington Peninsula, this is a winery to watch.

Reviewed.

Craggy Range – Te Muna – Sauvignon Blanc – 2023. This is a more serious expression of sauvignon blanc. There are subdued tropical fruit notes, but the textures and flavours speak equally to the skilled winemaking which has softened the exuberance of the grapes and added layers of complexity. Great with food (pan-fried whiting fillets), or for sipping and savouring on its own. 12.5% alc – 94pts.

Xanadu – Chardonnay – 2023. Fine, elegant and pure, with a core of ripe, peach-laden fruit popping in and out of focus on a very long palate. The texture is excellent and the length noteworthy. Great drinking and excellent value. 94pts.

Glaetzer-Dixon – Uberblanc – Riesling – 2023. Pretty, with musk and floral notes. Fine acidity is a highlight, adding verve and energy to the palate, without impeding the fruit in any way. Near seamless and with great balance, this is a fantastic drink now. A complete wine. 94pts.

Coward & Black – Lady Margo – Rose – 2024. This is a smart wine. It feels fairly dry, but has nice florals that waft up from the glass. There is decent length on a moreish palate. The back label talks of Turkish Delight and red berries, and this sums things up nicely. Warm day + Cold wine = happy consumer. 91pts.

Elantro Vineyard – Pinot Noir – 2023. This is quite beautiful. Superb fruit, fine structure, silky mouth feel. Depth and intensity. Swoon? You bet, as this is a quite remarkable wine. Concentration without any heaviness. Lithe, but with fruit weight sitting behind it. A brilliant drink. 14.0% alc – 95pts.

Serafino – Reserve – Grenache – 2023. Ripe, supple and delicious. There is structure here that makes this quite serious, but the fruit is the star. Cherry, plum and some candied notes all add. Excellent persistence of flavours elevates this further. A very good wine, but also really fun to drink! 14.2% alc – 94pts.

Sandalford – 1840 – Grenache – 2023. I like this for its point of difference. Ripe fruit has been massaged in the winery to add savoury, almost earthy undertones, without impacting on the flow of the succulent fruit. Really delicious and a great choice for current drinking with seriously good food. 14.5% – 93pts – $40.

Chardonnay Season Part 5

Barry Weinman: 28^th April 2025

The tasting panel behind Weinman on Wine tastes blind at every opportunity to ensure that preconceived ideas of quality and value do not influence the tasting results.

The reality is that most wine writers do not taste blind. Indeed, some publications insist that their writers do not taste blind.

So the reviewer sits down with a bottle of Penfolds Grange for example, and writes the review knowing what the wine is. By the same token, if reviewing a $10 bottle of wine, they know full well that it is a cheap wine.

So it is only natural that biases creep in.

The benefit of reviewing wines blinded is that my review is written and points lodged before I know the identity.

This is the final article in the 2025 Chardonnay Season series and reviews some of the other wines that have starred in recent masked line ups.

Reviewed

Juniper Estate – Cornerstone – Wilyabrup Vineyard – Chardonnay – 2023. This is a very impactful wine that has had royal treatment in the winery. Quality oak (228l barrels, 35% new) and plenty of lees characters combine with ripe peachy fruit which is pineapple tinged. Impressive, the lemony acid is the hero here, cutting through the richness and making for a superb wine. It is remarkable that a wine with only 12.5% alcohol can have this much flavour. 12.5% alc, 95pts – $65.

Fermoy – Estate Reserve – Chardonnay – 2024. This is very, very good. But in a different style than we typically see from Margeret River. Fine, elegant and restrained, but there is subtle intensity to the fruit that is quite outstanding. Seamless, the oak adds texture and grip, without impacting on the line and length of the palate. Lemon pith and hints of cinnamon build on the close. A modern style and a lovely wine. 95pts.

Grosset – Piccadilly – Chardonnay – 2023. An outstanding wine that just gets better and better the longer it sits in the mouth. The intensity, depth and power of the fruit is a revelation. I am sure that there is high-quality oak packed in there somewhere, but it does nothing to impede the flow of the fruit in any way. A superb wine which is great drinking now, and will age for at least 5 years with ease. 12.7% alc – 95pts.

Evans & Tate – Redbrook Estate – Chardonnay – 2022. Another excellent wine. This is a touch more obvious than some but lacks for nothing in comparison. Middle of the road and oozing goodness. A wine that is already providing drinking pleasure. 93pts.

Evans & Tate – Redbrook Reserve – Chardonnay – 2022. Very pale colour. This is quite extraordinary. How a wine that is subtle and supple can, at the same time, be this powerful and intense defies logic. There is a seemingly never-ending cascade of flavours and textures, yet there are no obvious fruit characters which dominate. Lemony acidity carries a finish that has excellent length and persistence. Should be good value, relatively speaking. 12.5% alc – 96pts.

Chardonnay Season Part 4 – A new discover

Barry Weinman: 26^th April 2025

It is very easy to be complacent when it comes to chardonnay when you live in Perth, given the quality of WA wines. So it is great to get a wake up call from time to time, to remind me that there is more to fine chardonnay than just Margaret River (or the Great Southern).

And so it was with the 2022 Fighting Gully Road Smith Vineyard Chardonnay. Here is a wine that was uniformly awarded gold medal points from all judges on the panel, throwing a cat amongst the pigeons in a line up of some top WA chardonnays as part of our regular blind panel tasting.

Reviewed

Fighting Gully Road – Smith Vineyard – Chardonnay – 2022. Wow. This is quite amazing. Stunning fruit, superb winemaking, magnificent presence and impact. Yet there is a degree of restraint and subtleness that reeks of quality. The persistence and length of flavours is extraordinary. Still very youthful and will evolve over the next 5 years. This is a very fine wine indeed and represents good value for a wine of this quality.
The fruit comes from the Smith Vineyard, which was planted in 1978, making it the oldest chardonnay vineyard in Beechworth. The wine was matured for 12 months in fine-grained Troncais MT oak (1/3 new). 13.5% alc – 96pts – $85.

Cullen – Kevin John – Chardonnay – 2024. This is very good, but quite different from the 2023. For Cullen, 2024 was the hottest, driest and earliest vintage on record. The result is a wine that is richer and more impactful. The generosity makes it excellent current drinking, as does the gently viscous palate. And there is commendable persistence and length of flavours. If you get the opportunity to try this next to the 2023, I would love to hear what you think. 13.5% alc – 95+pts – $180.

Brookland Valley – Estate – Chardonnay – 2022. BOOM! This wine explodes on the palate. Immensely concentrated and powerful, with great depth of flavours that build and evolve for some time. This wine is all about power rather than subtlety, and works well. The acidity is really well judged, leaving the palate fresh. If you like impactful wine, then this is worth seeking out. 94pts.

Chardonnay Season Part 3 – Vasse Felix

Barry Weinman: 19^th April 2025

It has been a privilege to watch the evolution of Vasse Felix’s chardonnays, and in 2023, they have released a stunning trio of wines.

Besides their sheer quality, the most interesting aspect of this release is the stylistic difference between the DHJ1 and the other two.

The similarities between the Premier (gold cap) and Heytesbury are clearly evident, with the latter possessing greater depth and presence, but sharing a similar profile. Whereas the DHJ1 treads a different path, one that I am happy to follow!

I reviewed the 2023 Heytesbury here , so will focus on the other two for this review.

Reviewed

Vasse Felix – DHJ1 – Singe Plot – Chardonnay – 2023. Oh my, this is really very good. On first glance, it presents as very fine and elegant, reflective of its cooler climate origin, but it metamorphoses as it sits in the mouth, building layer upon layer of fruit, complemented by superb winemaking that, somehow, imparts an extra dimension of goodness (think texture, mouthfeel and depth), without impeding the flow of the fruit for a moment. The length and persistence of flavours are outstanding. Great wine. 12.5% – 96pts – $80.00.

Vasse Felix – Chardonnay – 2023. Another fine wine, but here, everything has been pared back. It lacks for nothing, but is a more subtle and supple expression of chardonnay. Very fine, this just gets better and better in the glass. Drinks well despite its youth, with excellent phenolics adding greatly to the mouthfeel. 13.0% alc – 94pts – $50.