Past Vintages
Vermentino 2019
320 doz made.
Sourced from a sandy vineyard on the foothills of the Darling Scarp in Cookernup.
This farm in Geographe has warmer days and cooler nights than coastal Margaret River, giving greater diurnal fluctuation. The fruit was hand-picked and given skin contact overnight. The wine was wild fermented as we prefer using cloudy juice to layer texture. Aged on fine lees in tank and old barriques (20%) for palate line and length.
The palate is saline and textural plus a bit weightier than in previous years.
12.1%
93 Points, JamesSuckling.com
“Pretty nose of hawthorn, dried pineapple, lemon rind, smoked almond, sea salt and clove. Medium-bodied with lively acidity. Textured, complex and smoky expression of vermentino. Vibrant finish. Drink now or hold. Screw cap.”
90 Points, Mike Bennie – The Wine Front
“Geographe does Vermentino through the lens of winemaker Nick James-Martin. Whiffs of flint and green apple, green melon, a little mute in perfume but good flavour follows. Light and bright style, lemon squeezed on green apple, a lick of chilli and pepper, curiously finishes with a tonic water lick. It’s a light fresh white style so that kinda works. Good vibes drinking here.”
Chenin Blanc 2018
221 doz made.
Sourced from a vineyard on the sea side of Caves Road, further south in Wilyabrup, close planted on loam over ironstone gravel in the mid 80s.
Close planted on loam over ironstone gravel in the mid 80s. Wild fermented with cloudy juice in two new (20%) and old barrels. A quarter on its skins for a bit over a week, this portion was basket pressed, gave heaps of texture and grip plus some pretty funky flavours. No MLF and ~12 months in oak. No acid additions, no fining and no filtration for this wine. Textural, long and layered.
12.5%
92 Points, Nick Stock – JamesSuckling.com
“A complex style with fresh lemon-zest and chamomile aromas, as well as lightly toasted almonds. The palate has a rich, smooth and soft texture, thanks to barrel fermentation (20% new) and the preserved-lemon and lemon-pastry flavours hold long and fresh. Delicious chenin.”
91 Points, The Wine Front
“Tangy, tightly wound chenin of light ‘real lemonade’ character with a slightly soapy, waxy edge. Scents of lemon juice, sea spray, green herbs, green mango. Good, dry, chalky rub through the finish. Whips across the palate with a sense of freshness. A delight to drink.”
Vermentino 2018
152 doz made.
Sourced from a sandy vineyard on the seaside of Caves Road in southern Yallingup.
The fruit was hand-picked and wild fermented to add a textured layer. No added acid or malolactic, the wine has not been filtered nor fined to retain the natural texture of the wine.
A wine with weight. Saline, citrus with texture.
12.3%
93 Points, The Wine Front
“It’s pretty and juicy, lively and fresh-feeling, there’s added dimension in the wine, it feels, and a texture is a mouth-puckering treat. Scents of lime juice, pineapple, sea spray, with the palate slippery then crunchy to finish with more of the lime juice, a tickle of minerally mineral water and a tart, salty finish. There’s a very high refreshment factor here, good nuance of the variety, a little complexity too. It’s a good vibe all up.”
91 Points, James Suckling
“A small make of textural and fresh dry white that has a gently waxy nose with pear and lemon aromas. Smooth palate with bright, green-pear and almond-pastry flavours and a fresh, fine finish. Drink now.”
Sauvignon Blanc 2018
409 doz made.
Sourced from a vineyard in Karridale, 30kms south of Margaret River. This is a cooler, wetter and cloudier site, whites are elegant and aromatic.
The fruit was left in its picking bins for 3 days until wild yeast kicked off. We pressed the juice to tank for a solids ferment, then racked to tank and three old barrels (~20%) and tank on fine lees for textural development.
Super aromatic, linear with succulence.
11.5%
92 Points, Nick Stock – JamesSuckling.com
“This is a very appealing style that delivers such intensity of lime, passion-fruit and green-mango aromas and flavours with a streak of fresh herbs, too. The zesty, chalky texture is bang on and the power of Margaret River fruit is on full show. All at just 11.5% alcohol, too. Wow!”
Cabernet Franc 2018
24 doz made.
From loam over gravel in Rosa Glen. Nick hand-selected and picked this Franc, just enough for one, very loved barrel. The fruit was hand plunged and foot stomped. It got a couple of weeks on skins then gently basket pressed to a single eight-year-old barrel. Bottled unfined and unfiltered in early August 2019. Aromatic, juicy and fine-grained.
13.5%.
94 Points, The Wine Front
“Only 24 dozen made, and sold out. But on the off chance you bought some, I’m happy to cater for minority groups. Cabernet Franc, when grown and made properly, can be such a wonderful grape. Black fruit, violet, sweet grass and bay leaf, five spice and cocoa. Medium-bodied, brambly and perfumed, fleshy and supple, red and black fruit, nougat and dried herb, freshness with weight. Finish is long and sweet and savoury too. Beauty.”
93 Points, James Suckling
“A small run that has such elegant, pure redcurrants on the nose, leading to a gently assertive, bright red-berry palate that has smooth, even shape and a long, succulent finish. Intensity meets elegance here. Drink now.”