Australia

93+ - 94 Points - Stuart McCloskey “At this youthful stage, more Sauvignon on the nose than Sémillon. Intensely aromatic with stone fruits, grapefruit and blackcurrant leaf. Herbal, floral and ripe… There’s a synergy between the bouquet and the palate which is equally vibrant and ‘alive’ – some gooseberry and elderflower. Lovely weight (which is often lacking at this level) and the soft textural feel will appeal to many. I love the fresh minty finish, I detect Florence fennel too (eaten raw – you’ll see what I am referring too). Appetising and delicious now, not really a wine to put in the cellar, but a few years will do it no harm.”

96+ Points - Stuart McCloskey “The aromatics are a delight and dance a wonderful tune of maya lemon, homemade lemonade, jasmine in all its perfumed glory, more white flowers and the maritime climate speaks in volumes. Silky texture with flavours comparable to the bouquet; lemon juice and zest melded with stony minerality. Yuzu too but spiced – super racy. I thoroughly enjoy the pretty floral character which softens the wine slightly. Extremely satisfying, moreish and approachable now, but does offer the ‘keeper’ a further 5+ years of cellarage ahead of it. In fact, a few years in the cellar will bring this wine on… Full of energy, lots of tension and the finish is long and zesty. Wonderful intensity for a wine of this price. To summarise, a very classy offering from team Domaine Naturaliste… Served using Zalto Bordeaux glassware.”

96+ Points - Stuart McCloskey “Adorable and sampled without decanting. The bouquet is veracious and provides layers of creamy raspberry, dark plum and mulberry compote. Warming spices (white pepper) develop with more aeration and a touch of toasty French oak and cedar. The palate is vivid, fun and provides a Smörgåsbord of red and black fruits with a soupçon of dried mint. I appreciate the cooling feel / acidity. Dark chocolate / cocoa interplay with a little tart cranberry. Flavours build and change the more you taste (at the five minute mark, I pick up woodsmoke). This is a wine full of honest, good intentions which is admirable. Serve now or cellar to 2028. Decant for 2-3 hours. Served using Zalto Bordeaux glassware.”

96++ Points - Stuart McCloskey “Another wine which I sampled over two days with day two showing a blossoming beauty. Unmistakably from the Margaret River with screaming aromatics of blackcurrant, leather, black olive, cedar, mint, dark chocolate. The palate is ripe and packed with flavour. As you would expect, it lacks some of the depth of Ace of Spades, but it is a stellar effort nonetheless, and one which richly deserves to be enjoyed by us all. There’s a lovely freshness which underlines the wine’s character. Tannins are svelte with the merest smidgeon of dust / dried herb, which adds character. Wait a few minutes and a tang from orange peel emerges along with savoury, earthy notes. Lots of bright acidity which lifts the wine. A belter and one that can be enjoyed now through to 2028. Decant for 2-3 hours. Served using Zalto Bordeaux glassware.”

Jaysen Collins (winemaker) - "Vermouth, the name derived from the German 'Wermut' for wormwood, was usually made to cover up some flawed wine. Add some aromatics and a bit of spirit and all is made right again. I wanted to try it on the opposite spectrum, make the best white wine I could, source some premium herbs and spices and have a bash at it. This dry Wermut is made from premium Marsanne, grown on the western ridge in the Barossa Valley. The wine is wild fermented and aged on lees for texture and body.

96 Points - James Halliday

This hits the bullseye, a great example of the synergy between place and variety. Its colour is good, as is the bouquet, and that arrow arrives the moment the wine enters the mouth. It has waves of luscious, juicy red and black fruits that fill every corner of the palate, tannins and oak doing the job expected of them.

98 Points, Stuart McCloskey - tasting note coming soon.

96 Points - Nick Stock (James Suckling.com) "This has a slightly reductive edge to the nose with sliced-lemon, grilled-almond and peach character. Really fresh and pristine. The palate has a very impressive, concentrated feel with nectarines, peaches and citrus fruit. So pure and long. Drink now. Screw cap."

95 Points - James Halliday

Intense and elegant, with silky mouthfeel and great length; plum, spice, blackberry and even blackcurrant; seamless oak and tannins.

95 Points - James Halliday "Shiraz, aglianico and montepulciano, made and matured separately for 17 months prior to blending. All French oak, mostly older. The juicy plumminess of shiraz is evident, but the savoury red cherry character likely coming from its partners. More pertinent is that the blend has worked well, providing a seamless mouthfeel with length and depth of flavour."

Craig Stansborough “The Serata was really the main reason why I planted the two Italian varieties in the first place, to produce our version of a Super Tuscan. I always enjoyed the complexity of those wines and the idea that there were no boundaries. I had a hunch the natural acidity and the tannin would lend itself to blending with Shiraz and we have been so pleased with the results.. I just wish I could get in a time machine and see what they look like in ten years, I am pretty confident they will look bloody smart!

Exclusive to The Vinorium

97 Points - Stuart McCloskey “A thrilling, single vineyard Shiraz which has been meticulously crafted by the skilled hands of Craig Stansborough. The site is around 260-280m above sea level with vines planted in 2000 and is own rooted, clones are heritage and 1654. The nose is heady and aromatically perfumed with intense black raspberry, crème de cassis, bramble and fennel seed. The warm earth notes keep it grounded (forgive the pun!) as do the cedar notes. Vanilla kicks in after many hours in the decanter (we decanted for 6). Read more...