The Evolution of Singlefile's Small Batch Story

From time to time, small parcels of fruit distinguish themselves in the vineyard or the winery. At Singlefile, our Small Batch project gives us the freedom to explore these wines on their own terms, revealing distinctive expressions of the fruit, vineyards and vintages of Western Australia's Great Southern wine region.

This may take the form of a single barrel or two, an unusual variety, a distinctive clone, or a section of vineyard that ripens differently. We do not necessarily wish to define the rules beyond this: Small Batch wines are made only in very limited quantities, when we see something distinctive enough to warrant exploring independently.

Many of these wines are singular expressions, made once and never repeated. On occasion, however, a particular style invites further exploration across vintages, allowing us to follow how the vineyard, season and fruit evolve over time.

The Origins of Singlefile's Small Batch Collection

The collection was first conceived by Patrick Corbett and the winemaking team after a barrel of sauvignon blanc caught their attention in the winery. Rather than fold it back into a broader blend, the barrel was marked with an ‘X’ in chalk and set aside for something special. That wine went on to become the first Small Batch release: the 2018 Small Batch ‘Barrel Ferment’ Fumé Blanc.

The visual identity of the collection still carries that origin story. Each Small Batch wine is bottled under cork, with every bottle wax-dipped and individually distinguished by a barrel identifier and bottle number. The ‘X’ on the label references those original chalk markings, while elements of the label design draw on Patrick’s own handwriting.

The presentation reflects the intent of the collection itself: small in scale, and deliberately distinct.

A Collection That Continues to Evolve

When the Small Batch project began, the emphasis was on one-off wines: singular combinations of fruit, vintage and winemaking that would never be repeated, giving us the freedom to respond to something unusual when it appears. Over time, however, a second idea has emerged.

Some wines have proven compelling enough that we want to return to them from vintage to vintage. In these cases, the interest lies not in recreating the same wine each year, but in watching the style evolve as the vines mature, the seasons change and our understanding of the fruit develops.

This is particularly relevant for some of the younger varieties we are working with in the Great Southern, including Mediterranean varieties still establishing their own identity within the region.

Small Batch “Old School” Chardonnay

Singlefile’s “Old School” Chardonnay offers us the opportunity to revisit a more traditional expression of the variety through the Small Batch lens.

Each vintage allows us to consider how fruit character, season and winemaking come together in a style that places texture and generosity at the centre. The style is typically rich and layered, with ripe stone fruit, buttery and nutty characters, generous texture and oak-derived spice balanced by bright natural acidity.

It is a wine we intend to continue exploring across select vintages, with each release offering another point of comparison in the broader story of Singlefile chardonnay.

Small Batch Arneis

Arneis remains a relatively unusual variety in Western Australia, and its place within the Small Batch collection reflects our interest in understanding how alternative white varieties respond to the Great Southern.

In the glass, arneis tends towards bright citrus, pear and white stone fruit, with floral lift, subtle nutty complexity and a lively, textural palate.

As the vines mature, we are able to observe greater nuance in the fruit from year to year: changes in aromatic expression and structure, as well as the way the varietal character expresses itself each growing season. For us, the value of revisiting arneis lies in witnessing that progression.

Small Batch Mencia

Mencía is part of a similar longer-term exploration. A variety with roots in north-western Spain, it offers a different expression of red wine from the more established varieties of the Great Southern. Its appeal lies in its fragrance, freshness, savoury detail and generally lighter frame.

Singlefile’s Small Batch expression shows vibrant cherry and pomegranate fruit, dark florals, herbal detail and a distinct mineral character, carried by lively acidity and fine, gently chewy tannins.

As relatively young vines continue to mature, we are particularly interested in how the fruit develops greater depth and definition over time. Small Batch gives us the freedom to follow that evolution carefully, vintage by vintage, allowing the differences of each season to speak without chasing a particular style.

Small by Name, and by Design

Our Small Batch collection remains deliberately limited in scale. What connects these releases is not a single variety, subregion or winemaking technique, but a philosophy: to notice something distinctive, give it space, and allow the wine to express what made it worth setting aside in the first place.

The wines are made in very small quantities and are reserved primarily for Singlefile Wine Club members, with selected releases occasionally appearing in a small number of fine dining venues.

For us, the Small Batch collection represents a deeper exploration into the fruit and sites of the Great Southern - one bottle, one barrel and one vintage at a time. 

Explore the Singlefile Small Batch collection to discover more about these limited-production wines and the individual releases that have shaped the project.