This is Merlot knocks a powerful punch with juicy fruit and generous, approachable tannin as well as rich dark chocolate notes. Season Challenging seasons do occur in Margaret River, and vintage 2015 was one of them. Yields were low due to various factors, including rain and unsettled weather in spring. Wet and windy conditions continued into early summer then January and February were dry and warm, with few hot spikes. As autumn arrived, so too did Cyclone Olwyn on the far northern coast, bringing rain and some nervousness to southern vineyards. However, the season then settled for the usual extended warm, dry, long ripening period, and the red harvest, though smaller than usual, was of excellent quality. Winemaking The fruit was handpicked and destemmed before fermentation in open fermenters, with a mix of hand plunging and drain-and-return, as required. The wine was matured in a mix of old and new oak barrels from select Bordelais coopers. Tasting Note This wine from Brindle Vineyard in the heart of Margaret River is full of plush red and black fruits with dark chocolate and herbal notes and supple Merlot tannins. Region Brindle Vineyard in the Wilyabrup is just inland from the wild shores of the Indian Ocean, which brings soothing cool breezes in summer. Between the vineyard and the sea is a rocky outcrop that holds a clue to the history of the Earth itself - a granite belt formed in the Precambrian supercontinent, Rodinia, when what is now India was joined to this corner of Western Australia. This ancient geology gives the area its soils of decomposed granite with coffee rock and iron stone. The vines were planted in 1998 and are trained on VSP trellis. A relative newcomer to the international wine scene, Margaret River is one of the most reliable wine growing regions in Australia and quickly established a reputation for distinctive and world-class Merlot, Cabernet and blended wines. Seasons are consistently warm and dry with cooling ocean breezes, providing a long ripening period well-suited to Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

WOODLANDS Chloe Anne Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River

Brokenwood ILR Reserve Semillon is a brilliant example of the classic Hunter Valley Style. Glorious toast and almond bread characters with flavours of honey and a nutty finish. Will age for what seems like an age.

Vasse Felix, Margaret River's founding wine estate, was established by Dr Thomas Brendan Cullity in 1967. Among his first plantings were Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec vines, from which he produced the estate's first red wine. The Tom Cullity descends from these original vines and represents the pinnacle of Vasse Felix. The inaugural release will be in May 2017, coinciding with Vasse Felix's 50th Anniversary.

Xanadu Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon is vibrant and robust with great balance from the bouquet of ripe forest fruits and violet on the nose; A refined structure of tannins, oak use and the acidity on the palate; All are great indications of a wine that would benefit from careful bottle maturation for many years to come.

A young and approachable white wine, this wine has been crafted to last a long time in the cellar. The well balanced palate contains fresh citrus elements supported by crisp acidity, leading to a clean finale.

Cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc & petit verdot. An unambiguously classy wine, its quality established by the first whiff, and confirmed by the super elegant, medium bodied palate. All the cabernet cassis/blackcurrant you could wish for floats along the mouth with the other members of the Bordeaux family in respectful support. Lovely wine.