Jeni Port

Wine Pilot 96 Points

It is rare to see such complexity in youth. Aromatically dense, it builds an impressive, beautifully revealing whole, even within the shortest time in glass. Fashioned upon a central core of red apple, spices and ripe stone fruits, pear and a touch of marzipan, it is immediately engaging in both texture and a fresh liveliness. Delicious now, it can only build further upon the complexity shown. Already, there are emerging honey notes to be enjoyed together with spice, marzipan and ginger adding an additional layer to the base notes of citrus, apple and pear. An extraordinary wine, which heralds a renaissance for the grape in Australia.

Campbell Mattinson

The Wine Front 94 Points

This wine is made in the pursuit of both texture and flavour and the outcome is exactly that, texture and fruit weight, set within a context of both freshness and taut control. It’s pretty damn impressive. Pepper, metal, brine, cooked apple, preserved citrus and nut-like characters all make positive contributions here, as do whispers of Vietnamese mint. This wine is excellent now, and will build with extra time in the bottle.

Marcus Ellis

Halliday Wine Companion 96 Points

The fourth release of this old-vine chenin, and it’s another exceptional one. Half crushed and half whole-bunch pressed fruit, with fermentation in concrete and large oak, then maturation in old puncheons. An orchard stroll, crossing the seasons, with fragrant blossoms as well as crisply ripe fruit. Fresh, waxy red apples and green pear, yellow and lemon-skinned citrus, along with poached apple, cumquat, hazelnut and preserved lemon characters. A thread of mineral tension is the insistent plot line, with winemaking aptly subservient. Chenin blanc has never lacked for potential in the Vale, but the standout examples have hardly been legion. Here’s one.

Jeni Port

Wine Pilot 96 Points

It is rare to see such complexity in youth. Aromatically dense, it builds an impressive, beautifully revealing whole, even within the shortest time in glass. Fashioned upon a central core of red apple, spices and ripe stone fruits, pear and a touch of marzipan, it is immediately engaging in both texture and a fresh liveliness. Delicious now, it can only build further upon the complexity shown. Already, there are emerging honey notes to be enjoyed together with spice, marzipan and ginger adding an additional layer to the base notes of citrus, apple and pear. An extraordinary wine, which heralds a renaissance for the grape in Australia.