Windance Estate Shiraz 2023
G 96
This may be the best Margaret River Shiraz I’ve seen this year. Sweet strawberry purée, spiced blueberries, and foot-stomped mulberries. A deliciously chewy little wine. Lip-smackin’ good, in fact. There’s a rawness to it; a back-to-basics energy that somehow feels progressive. Scraped vanilla bean, beetroot chips, purple chocolate, furry plum skins, and crushed gravel. Touch of sweet quince too! It’s giving iconic vibes. Very smart winemaking, too. The palate is generous – lush, even. It brings structure, length and fun (I know, very technical), but above all, it’s simply enjoyable. Especially when the layers of complexity, oak, and fruit purity come together like this. Drink now–2036 Byron & Harold The Protocol Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 G 95 The 2023 vintage in Margaret River is proving to be a wonderful year, especially for top-notch Cabernet. You can certainly pay more for a brilliant Cabernet from this region than you would here, but you don’t have to. Dark maroon with purple rims, there are intense aromas of plums, graphite, tobacco leaves, cassis, chocolate, black fruits and smoked meats. A seductively supple texture and a seamless structure, the wine is well balanced with a fine line of acidity. There is really impressive length and the wine should drink beautifully for the next 10 to 12 years.
A stunner. Drink now–2037 Clairault Streicker Reserve Chardonnay 2023
G 95
Fruit is from the Bridge Lane Vineyard in Karridale (Clone 5) and the Ironstone Vineyard in Wilyabrup (Gingin clone). Candied pineapple, Meyer lemons and a hint of papaya skin. There is a cascade of citrus that flows in torrents, striking acidity that creates a succulent palate. This is full of beachside mineral tones, too. Salt flakes, oyster shell and kelp. A wine that truly transports you to a place with a thoughtful marriage of ripe fruit, line and salinity. A joy to drink and would be heavenly with fresh oysters, followed by a potato scallop. Drinking well now, but has the shape to age another decade in your cellar. Drink now–2035 Credaro 1000 Crowns Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 G 95 Blackberries baked in a pie, boysenberry, and some swirls of melted carob. Nigella seed, tonka bean, and a briary note of ivy and dried bay leaf. Full of poise and precision where tannins and acidity are concerned, this is elegant drinking now. Or will reward with careful cellaring in another decade. Beef Wellington from someone you trust. Drink now–2035
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The Vintage Journal – Regional Focus
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