Margaret River is an under appreciated region for Australian Shiraz, and it's hard to see why with Cape Mentelle's Shiraz showing a vibrant core of blueberry, mulberry and hints of raspberry. It is well balanced with cocoa and savoury oak. The palate yet, is fine, elegant and focussed, finishing with chalky and structural tannins.

The wines of Fraser Gallop Estate are intensely flavoured, textured and complex. Only the finest quality French oak barrels are used for all Fraser Gallop Estate wines, with very specific Bordelais coopers used for the Cabernet Sauvignon and Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blends, and Burgundian coopers for the Chardonnay. The complete winemaking process takes place at the estate - picking to vinification to barrel maturation to bottling to cellaring. Fraser Gallop Estate is an estate grown, produced and bottled wine. Flavours of lemon curd and grapefruit with searing length. A wine with clarity and finesse. A tightly focussed and very precise wine showing seamless fruit purity with the lightly toasted French oak very much in the background. Crystalline acidity and a mouth-watering finish complete this Chardonnay.

A high quality wine from the first whiff of the bouquet through to the long finish...has a tapestry of flavours from the base of Cabernet...all supported by persistent but ripe tannins, the oak absorbed by the fruit. Winning the prestigious Decanter International Trophy, we snaffled as much of this wine as we could. Very limited.

The citrus rind and grapefuit lead the palate to an overall fine yet textural journey. Cape Mentelle Chardonnay had this distinctive minerally line too, apparent with focussed refreshing acidity. Faint nuancesof soft nougat and cashews also add to what is a harmonious balance and an elegant and length finish.

'Black Label' Cabernet Sauvignon, which was first vintaged in 1954, has evolved markedly over the decades. It is arguably Australia's most recognised Cabernet Sauvignon, and has more than any other, helped define Coonawarra. The wine is matured in new and seasoned French oak for 12 to 18 months. A classic Coonawarra Cabernet with pristine dark berry/ cassis aromas, fine grained tannins and underlying savoury nuances, it develops into a rich, chocolaty wine with age. In a super vintage, this wine can look astonishingly like a 2nd or 3rd growth Bordeaux with its pure cassis aromas and cedary complexity. See Chief Winemaker Sue Hodder speak about the spectacular 2015 release:

Margaret River icons, Leeuwin Estate, have produced a wine of true class here. A great finish to the vintage shows up here with aromas of cassis, redcurrant and chocolate. Sweet ripe fruit on the palate is well matched with toasty French oak and fine tannin.

Subtle threads of violets, cherry blossom and fresh juniper berries serve as highlights to an ample tapestry of black plums, cacao nib and ironstone. Sheer textures of crushed granite and black cherry skin are laced with porcelain tannin and quenching natural acidity.