Clairault Streicker Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2020
G 94
Fruit is from the A1 block, the Clairault Vineyard in Wilyabrup. Aged in French barriques for 18 months, of which 50% were new. A purple haze of lilac and magnolia blooms. A heady mix of blackberries, cassis and dotted with lingonberries and wildly exotic red fruit. Some pencil boxes and charcoal ash. Rosemary and fresh bay leaf. Its savoury earth and bushland shrub bodes well for those who wish to cellar for the long term. This rests on its broad shoulders and manages to marry richness with grace. If drinking now, go for some charcoal meats, and corn on the cob for some sweetness. Drink now–2034 Domaine Naturaliste Floris Chardonnay 2024 G 94 You had me at hello. This is the kind of wine you’ll know instantly whether you are into it or not. I am guessing it will be the former. Opening with struck match, yuzu, and lemon curd on picklets. Bruce Duckes is a savvy operator and knows the line of when to push and when to step back. The palate here maintains zingy acidity and a fresh linen cleanliness with some pith white peach fuzz, and a torrent of sandy shore salinity. Tasting the ebbs and flows of vintage are a wonder in this bottling. Drink with crab meat, plenty of crab mustard, and sourdough for soaking. This will age well for another 3–5 years. Drink now–2030 Flowstone Queen of the Earth Chardonnay 2022 G 94 Smells like baked goods and Sunday mornings. Nostalgic and toasty. As it opens, the nostalgia fades into gentle primary fruits – lime sherbet, white pear, morning fruit salad. Cooler-climate vibes, more work, less fluff. Vanilla custard, rolled oats, lemon butter. Intriguing and slow to reveal – like a good book or a bad date. Palate’s savoury, tense, mysterious. I keep going back for answers: green melon, pencil shavings, white peach, all bound by acid and charry oak. Would buy. Bye. Drink now–2035 Gralyn Reserve Shiraz 2023 G 94 The fruit here is sourced from a patch of vines which were planted on the estate in 1975, less than two acres in size. This is a highly awarded Shiraz, reflecting the elegance of the vintage in Margaret River. Dark purple with a vibrant crimson rim. On the nose we have notes of plums, kirsch, mocha, smoked meats, cassis and vanillin oak, which are integrating well. A little more toasty oak is still evident on the finish, but time will resolve this. A mid-weight palate and a wine of medium to good length, there is just a hint of savouriness. Well balanced with fine tannins, this is thoughtfully structured and can be enjoyed over the next eight to twelve years. Drink 2029–2042
Margaret River 2026
35
Powered by FlippingBook