Singlefile – Run Free – Pinot Grigio – 2026. Intensely aromatic, so much so that I thought it was riesling to start. But the textural notes and a slightly mealy character place this firmly in the Gris/Grigio spectrum. This is a delightful wine that is full of energy, yet with the pristine fruit taking centre stage. The most surprising aspect of this wine is that it is actually quite serious, with length, persistence and intensity that defy expectations. 12.9% alc | 93pts | $29
Plantagenet – Wyjup Collection – Chardonnay – 2024. This is a very interesting and enjoyable wine. The fruit is ripe, but there is life and energy running the length of the palate. The fruit shows as both stone fruit and tropical fruit characters, and everything is in balance. The oak plays an important role but does not impact negatively on the palate. Rather, it allows the fruit to remain the focus. Importantly, the acidity is a highlight. It has excellent length and persistence, and it gets an extra point for being a lovely drink. 14.0% alc | 95pts
Singlefile – Single Vineyard – Porongurup – Pinot Noir – 2025. Lovely colour, lovely nose, lovely palate, lovely wine! OK, so this is not the densest, most powerful or structured wine, but it makes up for this by being deeply satisfying and moreish. Pretty, fragrant berry and cherry fruit is the star, supported by supple tannins and oak. Refreshing acidity is a key feature on the long finish. It will develop more depth and complexity with 5+ years in the cellar. Matured in 30% new Burgundian oak and 70% one-year-old oak. 13.8% alc | 95pts | $75
Grosset – Springvale – Riesling – 2026. Breathtakingly beautiful nose that captures the very essence of riesling. On the palate, the generosity of fruit is a defining feature, and the fruit quality is stunning. Precise acidity plays an important role, providing drive and cut-through. The palate texture is surprisingly soft, supple and completely seamless, making this a delightful drink now. But the ageing quality is apparent on the very close. A great Springvale! 12.5% alc | 96+pts | $58
Grosset – Polish Hill – Riesling – 2026. Oh, I am in love! What a stunning wine. This has the purest of fruit, and it presents as extraordinarily fine and elegant. Yet there is great depth behind the supple, subtle exterior. Remarkably vibrant acidity plays an important role but does not impact on the fruit in the slightest. It was only with air and time in the glass, however, that the true power of this wine started to fully express itself. It became even better drinking after a day sitting open on the tasting bench.
12.3% alc | 97+pts | $85
Dhillon – Glenhope Vineyard – Chardonnay – 2025. Wow, this is good, and excellent value from Lamonts in Cottesloe, given that it is made by the team at Bindi. The fruit is perfectly ripe, but in a restrained, almost analytical way, providing a window into the climate and philosophy behind this wine. There are hints of white peach, with abundant citrus notes, particularly grapefruit. Where this really shows its class is in its mouthfeel and length of flavours. Excellent winemaking; the oak plays an important part in the structure and textural components but has been beautifully assimilated into the fruit. And a few years will see this get even better, as the fruit really expresses itself. 13.5% alc – 95pts – $39.
Hutton – Reserve – Chardonnay – 2024. Funky and very good. This has had the royal treatment in the winery, with wild ferment and barrel fermentation in French oak (22% new). And the way it comes together with the grapefruit-like acidity on the palate is brilliant. The flinty minerality that sits on both the nose and palate presents as curry leaf and spice. A hedonistic wine that I look forward to seeing age over the next few years. The fruit is a mix of Gin Gin, clone 3 and clone 5. 12.9% alc – 95pts – $100.
Vasse Felix – Tom Cullity – Cabernet/Malbec – 2023. This takes all the highlights from the other wines in the tasting and distils them into a single, cohesive package. But this wine comes with a caveat. It is young: very young. The palate is seamless and the fruit and winemaking superb, but it is just so, so closed. It is only with a little air that this really starts to reveal just how good it is. The depth, power and intensity are next level, with the oak (58% new French barriques) providing the backdrop on which the fruit has been painted. It is a thirty-year prospect, so give it a big decant if you are going to get the most from it today. You won’t be sorry. The power of this wine was amplified with time in the glass, with the acidity serving as a counterfoil ensuring balance. Wonderful. 14.5% alc – 97pts – $200.
Bream Creek – Cabernet/Merlot – 2025. What a lovely wine. The vibrant fruit is the focus, but this has been brilliantly paired to the oak and acidity. There is a generosity to this wine that comes from the perfectly ripe fruit that makes it so much more accessible today. I would go as far as to say that this is totally delicious. With mid-term ageing, I am confident that this will develop more depth and complexity, but for me, I would be very happy drinking it young (which is a rare thing indeed). Gets an extra point for its drinkability. 14.0% alc – 95pts – $45.
Penfolds – Reserve Bin A – 2025. This is so, so good. The fruit is superb, but it is the texture/mouthfeel/length of flavours that is an absolute standout. Compared to the Bin 311, here the citrus characters are much more muted, with the peach-like fruit the star, supported by complexity-building nuttiness (more almond meal than cashew from my perspective). With air, and as it warmed, this gets even better, the power and complexity really starting to build. For me, the value proposition with this wine is compelling.
Unlike Yattarna and Bin 311, Reserve Bin A is a single-region wine, with the fruit coming from the Adelaide Hills. Barrel fermented and matured for 8 months in 225-litre French oak barriques (~60% new), some barrels were allowed to go through wild primary ferment, and the wine underwent 100% malolactic fermentation. 12.5% alc | 96pts* | $125.00.
Penfolds – Bin 138 – Grenache/Shiraz/Mataro – 2024. This is a cracking wine that is already brilliant drinking. The savoury, chocolate/mocha notes really add to the package, bringing depth and complexity to the pristine fruit. And the high-quality fruit is the key ingredient here. Supple, balanced and delicious drinking already. With air, the structural components build, suggesting that this will cellar well, but it is so good now that early consumption is recommended.
Predominantly a mix of Grenache and Shiraz, with the addition of 6% Mataro. Matured in a mix of French and American oak. Importantly, no new oak is used with this wine. Sealed with natural cork. 14.5% alc | 95+pts* | $60.00.
Penfolds – Bin 128 – 2024. I love this wine. The density of the cooler climate shiraz elevates this to a different level to the reds that preceded it. This is remarkably supple and approachable, but it is clear that this is only hinting at its potential right now. The fruit remains the primary focus for the full length of the palate, but it is shrouded in a veil of tannins and oak (primarily seasoned French oak) that, whilst having a muting effect, are in no way aggressive or assertive. A highlight of the release. Sealed with natural cork. 14.5% alc | 96pts* | $75.00.
Penfolds – Bin 407 – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2024. This is outrageously good. Wonderful fruit and brilliant winemaking. The fruit is actually very shy on the palate at first, but you can sense just how good this will be with time in the cellar. So easy to drink today, but this is really a wine for the long haul. Hints of liquorice, spice and fresh herbs all add impact.
Bin 407 was a highlight for me as it often is and the value is compelling. Fruit for this wine is sourced from premium regions across South Australia and was matured in a blend of French and American oak (~20% new) for 12 months prior to bottling. 14.5% alc | 96+pts* | $130.00.
Penfolds – Magill Estate – 2024. A classic vintage for Magill and the results are spectacular. The fruit is quite exceptional and the structure is superb. This is just extraordinary. Silky, supple, fragrant and elegant. Yet this is structured, and very age-worthy. The length and persistence of fruit is outstanding. A wonderful wine and my pick of all wines to date.
Unique within the Penfolds range, this is 100% estate fruit, made on site at Magill Estate. Due to a vineyard restoration project, volumes in recent years are down 50% compared to longer-term averages. The impact of the new plantings will gradually start to be included over the next few years. The wine was aged for 18 months in new French (2/3) and second-use American (1/3) oak hogsheads. 14.5% alc | 97pts* | $180.00.
Penfolds – Bin 704 – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2023. Wow. This is very good. But in comparison to the 600, the structural components take on a much greater role and will also support cellar aging. Underneath the structural components, the ripe blueberry-infused fruit slowly builds and takes on a distinct character in the Penfolds line-up. A wonderful wine, but again, this is a wine for the long haul. If you can stash a bottle or two away for 20+ years, you will be amply rewarded.
Bin 704 is the inverse of Bin 407 and reflects that it sits at the same level in the USA range as the 407 does in the Australian range. The fruit is 100% Napa and draws on the parent company’s vineyard resources, supplemented by grower fruit. The wine spent 16 months in French oak barriques, 45% new. 14.5% alc | 96pts* | $125.00.
Penfolds – Bin 169 – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2024. OMG. This is quite stunning. So fine and elegant, yet with masses of intrinsic power. A superb wine. The way the (prolific) tannins and acid have been massaged into a supple, elegant package is quite remarkable, allowing the vibrant blueberry fruit to shine. The oak adds weight and depth but does not cloud the fruit in any way. A wonderful wine that will drink beautifully any time over the next 30 years. As the most important brand in the Treasury Wine Estates portfolio, Penfolds has the ability to access some of the best fruit from across the region that might otherwise be destined for another wine. 100% Coonawarra fruit aged in French oak hogsheads for 18 months (79% new). 14.5% alc | 97+pts | $300.00.
Penfolds – Grange – Shiraz – 2022. This is just remarkable. Intensity, power, density, depth, this has everything you could possibly hope for in a wine. This really is one of the world’s great wines. The fruit takes on a darker hue, being almost impregnable at this early stage, hinting at its potential, but pinpointing the fruit characters proved impossible, such is the density. Yet this remains silky, supple and utterly delicious. This has ultimate length of flavours and the silky texture in no way impedes the flow. Stunning! Just magnificent! Don’t get me wrong, there are tannins and acid to make this a 50-year cellaring potential, but it is amazing wine already. 100pts? Why not.
The fruit for this wine was sourced from the Barossa (87%) along with a splash of McLaren Vale and Coonawarra. As expected, the wine was matured in new American oak for 18 months and, in 2022 includes 3% cabernet sauvignon. 14.5% alc | 99pts* | $1000.00.
Singlefile – Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot – 2024. OK, so this is a contender for value wine of the year. Beautiful fruit and beautiful winemaking combined in a wine that can be picked up for around $30.00.
This is a superb-value wine. The way it balances depth and elegance is remarkable. Berry fruit is ripe and vibrant, but it is the way that it has been married into the oak that makes it quite remarkable. I could not imagine a better-drinking young cabernet, given the seamless nature of the palate. Yet medium-term cellaring will be rewarded with increased complexity. The wine was aged in French oak barriques for 14 months (30% new). 14.5% alc | 94–95pts | $33.00.
Singlefile – The Philip Adrian – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2022. Wow! What a wine. This has all the ripe, vibrant fruit that one would hope for, combined with a degree of power and gravitas, thanks to the texturing oak and finely polished tannins. A wine of clarity and focus. As good as it is today though, this will be so much better with 15–20 years in the cellar, which will allow the fruit to unfold and the secondary characters to add impact. However, if you choose to drink this now, you will not be disappointed. 100% Houghton clone cabernet sauvignon, the wine spent 14 months in French oak barriques (40% new). 14.4% alc | 96pts | $115.00.
Rowe – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2024. This may be my favourite wine of the tasting, given the way it manages to combine delicious approachability with refined structural components. It is not necessarily the best wine, or the most powerful or opulent. Rather, it sits in a lovely middle ground, balancing fine tannins and acidity with subtle berry fruit. 14.0% alc | 95pts | $60.00.
Picardy – Chardonnay – 2025. This is a sophisticated wine. Complex and with a degree of richness, yet still with admirable restraint. The length of flavours is outstanding. Stone fruit characters are the key theme running through the wine, with the winemaking influences presenting as a delicious creaminess that runs the length and breadth of the palate, thanks to the high-quality oak and supple lees work. But with air, complex almond and apricot kernel characters really build. A powerful wine that challenges preconceptions about just how good Pemberton chardonnay can be. Great now. Balanced, complex and with a degree of subtlety, this is a New World chardonnay tipping its hat to Burgundy. 13.0% alc | 95.5pts | $65.00.
Howard Park – Chardonnay – 2024. This is altogether more precise and focused, with the stone-fruit notes complemented by complexity-building nutty/mealy components. The pineapple-infused acidity is a core feature of the wine, adding great life and energy. It also serves to cut through the richness on the palate and will be a great asset when it comes to pairing this with food. Excellent length and persistence. A lovely wine now, but one that will be even better in five years. 13.0% alc | 95pts | $72.00.
Singlefile – Family Reserve – Chardonnay – 2025. Another cracking wine and this is, if anything, even finer and more elegant than the last. It has the same quality and intensity; however, here, the white nectarine characters are supported by subtle citrus notes. There is also a degree of minerality that comes through from the acidity. What really sets this apart is the way the fruit continues to build on the palate long after the wine has gone, with cascades of flavours flowing across the palate. The seamless finish rounds out what is a very special wine. But it will benefit from several years in the cellar, as this has been made in a tightly wound style.
The fruit was whole-bunch pressed into oak (one-third new, the remainder one year old) from four different coopers for fermentation and then aged for eight months, with some barrels undergoing malolactic fermentation. Weekly bâtonnage was carried out for the first five months. 13.4% alc | 96pts | $65.00.
Tenafeate Creek Wines – One Tree Hill – Grenache – 2024. I love the vibrant colour of this wine, with its translucent, almost ethereal hue. Very pretty and floral, this has a lot in common with fine pinot noir. Both the nose and palate are packed full of irresistible cherry/plum fruit, with layers of minerality, chocolate, coffee and liquorice coming over the top. Very medium bodied, this is all about the fruit. There has been a minimalistic approach to the winemaking (old oak), which is perfectly in keeping with the fruit. Totally delicious, with one panellist declaring this the best grenache they have tasted this year. If you see this in a wine bar, grab a glass. You won’t be sorry. From a single 35-year-old vineyard in the northern part of the district. 14.5% alc | 95pts | $30.00.
Tenafeate Creek Wines – One Tree Hill – Shiraz – 2023. The vibrancy of this wine in the glass is quite arresting and very beautiful. The first whiff suggests a wine of power and intensity. But there is also a purity to the fruit that is captivating. The palate, however, is where this really shines. There are layers of ripe plum fruit that cascade across a palate that is remarkably refined and near seamless for a wine of such richness. And the structure is a highlight. The key feature for me, however, is the restraint that this wine shows. It makes for an excellent drink today with an eggplant parmigiana, or a wine that will build depth and complexity with extended ageing. Basket pressed and aged in a combination of new and older large oak barrels. 2024 was a very late harvest and the winemaker is suggesting that this is destined to be one of the best vintages of the decade. A great find. 15.0% alc | 96pts | $35.00.
Tenafeate Creek Wines – One Tree Hill – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2024. This is more closed and structured, with the fruit shrouded in a blanket of ever-so-fine tannins. But there is no denying the intrinsic quality on show. The fruit has impressive density, and the seamless palate transition is testament to the skills of the winemaker. But it needs time, lots of time, to show its best. A masterful expression of the sheer power that cabernet can attain. With air, the sweet fruit starts to shine, with densely packed violets coming to mind. Who knew that Adelaide Hills cabernet could be this good! 14.5% alc | 95.5pts | $35.00.
Hay Shed Hill – Block 6 – Chardonnay – 2025. There is a clear step up in intensity here, with the perfumed fruit taking on a more powerful persona, reflected on the palate where the acidity, oak and fruit all have greater presence. At this very early stage it is already drinking brilliantly — do not serve it too cold — but the whole package will really come together with five to ten years in the cellar. Brilliant value, and the wine I would most recommend if you were to try just one. Planted in 1975 with Gin Gin clone, the vineyard has a southerly aspect that helps preserve freshness. As with the other chardonnays, no lees stirring or malolactic fermentation; fermented in barrel (30% new) and aged for ten months prior to bottling. 12.5% alc | 95 points | $50
Kerrigan + Berry – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2023. The first release of this wine in five years, and it coincides with an excellent cabernet vintage across both Mount Barker and Margaret River. A 50/50 blend of the two regions, the wine spent eighteen months in French oak, 50% new. The fruit quality is outstanding, but it is the way it has been shaped into a serious, powerful wine that makes it stand out. There is a sense of presence and occasion. Quite closed at this early stage of development, the seamless nature of the palate means it can be enjoyed at any point over the next twenty years. I have often loved cabernet blends from these two regions — think Howard Park in years gone by — and this wine serves to reinforce the synergy. 14.5% alc | 95 points | $70
Hay Shed Hill – Block 2 – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2023. This has the power of the Kerrigan + Berry, but adds a degree of floral opulence to the fruit. On the finish, the tannins are notable for both their intensity and the way they remain supple. The acidity adds drive, whilst the oak adds polish and texture. Needs years, but will be excellent — and it can handle food now. A fine wine indeed. Fruit comes from the original estate plantings of Houghton clone cabernet on the Wilyabrup property; like all the Vineyard Series and Block wines, the vineyard is dry-grown. 14.5% alc | 95 points | $70
Rowe — Gin Gin Clone — Wilyabrup — Chardonnay — 2025
OMG. This is the real deal. Subtle, fine and elegant, yet incredibly powerful and intense at the same time. Ripe stone fruit comes to the fore, while the acidity drives the finish, though it never becomes intrusive. Rather, it confers flashes of pineapple across the palate. A wonderful wine and one that I would love to drink. A bargain. The wine was aged in French oak (30% new). 13.0% alc | 96pts | $60
Rowe — Single Site — Cabernet Sauvignon — 2024
This is something quite special. Whilst the pristine fruit is the main story, it is the silky palate feel that elevates this to the next level. The berry fruit is perfectly ripe and succulent, with the fine acidity acting as a key ally, adding drive and focus along the length of the palate. But it is the finish that earned this wine a gold medal. So fine, elegant and supple, with brilliant texture and a real sense of occasion. Perfumed, fragrant and near seamless.
Idée Fixe – Blanc de Blancs – Bernard 96 – 2021. Much greater intensity, rivalling great Champagne in profile. Lemon and gentle autolytic notes tend towards almond and apricot kernel, and the texture profile is superb. There is a degree of richness and power here, whilst the minerality is also turned up a notch. The result, in combination with a lower dosage, is a much more structured and restrained wine that needs a little time in the glass for the fruit to open up — the end result is something quite special. Do not serve it too cold. Disgorged September 2025. 12.5% alc | 3.5 g/l dosage | $78
Idée Fixe – Blanc de Blancs – Davis I10V1 – 2021. A powerhouse. The acid structure is more pronounced and the minerality takes on a chalky character. A fascinating wine that will come into its own when paired with grilled scallops in a lemon-butter sauce — the citrus characters are a defining feature on the palate. A highlight. Disgorged September 2025. 12.5% alc | 4.5 g/l dosage | $78
Henschke – Mount Edelstone – Shiraz – 2022. In contrast to The Wheelwright, the Mount Edelstone has far greater initial impact on the nose. There is no escaping the sheer intensity of the ripe, almost opulent fruit. On the palate, a seemingly never-ending cascade of berry and plum flavours floods the tastebuds, whilst the minerality — driven, I suspect, by the acidity — is much more evident. Whilst it appears at first glance barely more than medium-bodied, there is tremendous latent power sitting behind the fruit, with the oak and tannins adding depth, texture and structure as the perfect foil. Stupendous. John Jens suggests this is the greatest Mount Edelstone ever produced. I am not going to argue. Aged for twenty months in French oak (8% new). 14.5% alc | 97 points | $300
Henschke – Hill of Grace – Shiraz – 2022. On the nose, this combines the subtle suppleness of The Wheelwright with the power and sheer depth of the Mount Edelstone. The fruit sits in the just-ripe plum spectrum, tinged with cherry and transitioning to blueberry. Yet nothing could prepare me for the palate. The sheer depth of fruit left me slightly weak at the knees and almost light-headed with delight. Is this the perfect wine? Quite possibly. I could not imagine a more profound wine anywhere in the world. There can be only one Hill of Grace, and I am extremely fortunate to have had the privilege of tasting it. Matured in 100% seasoned French oak casks for twenty months. 14.5% alc | 98–99 points | $1,100
Picardy – Pinot Noir – 2024. Very pretty, ripe cherry fruit — delicious and impactful. I love the way the acidity plays against the fruit, adding energy and drive in conjunction with the fine, supple tannins. The textural components present as much as minerality as they do in the more traditional mouthfeel sense. Excellent length and persistence of flavour. An excellent drink now and over the next five years; the attractive fruit makes this highly approachable. Just as at home with food as it is on its own. 14.0% alc | 94 points | $60.
Battles – Pinot Noir – 2024. The purity here is simply stunning. The fruit is cherry-tinged, but also carries raspberry and blackcurrant notes. The palate is fine and elegant, supported by supple tannins and fine, vibrant acidity. Hints of earthy complexity add to the package, cascading into fine tannins and oak. These characteristics do not dull the fruit, but it is clear that a few years in bottle will see this grow in power and stature. A very fine wine indeed. Fruit comes from the Shepherd’s Hut vineyard in Porongurup. 13.5% alc | 95 points | $40
Picardy – Tête de Cuvée – Pinot Noir – 2023. A lot more structured and powerful. It has the same minerality as Picardy’s estate pinot, but everything has been turned up a notch. The effect is to render this somewhat closed straight out of the bottle — everything is there, but it needs five to seven years in the cellar to really hit its straps. The acidity is the driving force on the finish; and while it does keeps the fruit in check at this early stage, it also adds great drive to the palate. 13.5% alc | $120.
Singlefile – Family Reserve – Pinot Noir – 2024. Whilst the nose is somewhat subdued, the palate bursts to life with pinot goodness. This has the power and intensity you see in the best Central Otago wines, but with more structure supporting the fruit. A powerful wine with cherry-like fruit, spice and supple oak. Excellent purity and depth, with a seamless finish. A fascinating wine to drink now, though it will take another step forward with five to ten years in bottle. Clones 777 and D5V12; eleven months in French oak barriques (30% new). 14.3% alc | 95 points | $65.
Singlefile – Great Southern – Chardonnay/Pinot Noir – NV. A very impressive wine. There is real depth and power to the fruit, supported by a degree of richness from the autolytic characters. The blend is 84% chardonnay and 16% pinot noir, with the former the driving force, contributing the citrus fruit characters. The gentle autolytic characters add depth and texture, showing subtle brioche and dough notes. A superb wine equally at home with fine food as it is on its own. A blend of seven different vintages spanning 2015 to 2021, with a proportion of fruit from Pemberton. Spent four years on lees and, with a dosage of only 3 g/l, this could be classified as extra-brut. Available exclusively from the cellar door due to limited production. 12.5% alc | 95 points | $60.
Singlefile – Run Free – Pinot Grigio – 2025. A lovely wine. Floral aromatics combine with gentle viscosity and great acid balance. Most noteworthy is the length of flavour, with the grapey fruit making an impact along the full length of the palate. Fresh enough to make this a great afternoon drink, yet with enough savoury structure to be an excellent companion to lighter foods. 12.9% alc | 93+ points | $28
Leeuwin Estate – Art Series – Chardonnay – 2023. A totally sublime wine. The perfect intersection between fruit weight, ripeness, acidity and oak. Plenty of ripe peach, but this is complemented by more savoury almond-like nuttiness and distinct minerality on the palate. I can even imagine a hint of sea-spray on the finish. Great length and persistence of flavours, with the textural components continuing to excite long after the fruit has dissipated. Lime notes too close. A superstar! 13.5% alc | 97 points
Moss Wood – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2023. Wow. Whilst this was served a little warm (it has been a warm March), the underlying quality is hard to ignore. Depth, power and precision are the hallmarks of this wine. Silky, supple, with a degree of plushness that is most attractive. It is the density and complexity of fruit that stands this apart. The best Moss Wood that I have tried in several years. 14.0% alc | 96 points
Houghton – Gladstones – Cabernet Sauvignon – 2022. This is a superstar. Intense, powerful, sublime. The fruit quality is stunning, and the winemaking does not get any better. Spectacular. Silky and powerful, at the same time. A bargain! 96 points
Vasse Felix – Heytesbury – Chardonnay – 2024. This is a seriously great wine. The intensity is something to behold, yet it remains lithe and elegant. Not exactly subtle, and nor should it be. The amalgam of fruit and complex winemaking inputs is a highlight, as the lees work and oak in no way interferes with the fruit. Curry leaf minerality, subtle struck match notes, flint and spice all swirl around the glass. The peach-like fruit is grapefruit tinged, adding energy and drive to the nose and palate. The length and persistence of flavours are quite extraordinary, as is the seamless palate transition. A magical wine and one of the best young Heytesburys that I can recall drinking.
100% Gingin clone fruit, wild ferment, 10 months in French oak (53% new), with a smattering of puncheons (15%) and the remainder smaller barriques. 80% of the wine went through malolactic fermentation, attenuating the natural acidity. 13.5% alc | 97 points | $140
Vasse Felix- DHH1 – Chardonnay – 2024. This has a lot more in common with the Premier than it does with the Heytesbury, but like the latter wine, the intensity has been turned up to 11. This intensity comes primarily from the spectacular fruit, with the winemaking components more subdued compared to the first wine. Interestingly, the fruit profile is more grapefruit than peach, and there are no tropical characters to be seen anywhere. What is most remarkable is how the acidity is a defining feature of the wine, yet does not impart any aggressiveness whatsoever. As good as it is now, it will be even better in 3–5 years. 100% Gingin clone, 100% malolactic fermentation, 11 months in one- to four-year-old oak. 13.5% alc | 96 points | $80