VINEYARD & WINEMAKING

The continental cool climate sub-region of Frankland River sits within the north west corner of the Great Southern wine region (its latitude 34°39’S). The Riversdale vineyard, planted in 1997 on deep gravel over clay soils, on a north-south orientation, is located 7kms north west of the Frankland River township.

The 2021 winter saw above average amounts of rainfall. Summer was dry and mild with even temperatures throughout February, March, April. These provided perfect conditions to achieve optimal ripeness and tannin profile in cabernet sauvignon.

The fruit was picked and sorted in mid-April 2021. It was cold soaked in a small fermenter for three days before undergoing an extended and gentle maceration. Post-fermentation, the wine was left on skins for fourteen days. Thirty percent of the wine was matured in new Bordeaux oak barriques. The balance went to one-year old (30%) and two-year old (40%) Bordeaux barriques for fourteen months..

THE WINE

This wine displays complex aromas of black currant, plum and cassis, with savoury earthiness and gentle oak support. The wine is effortlessly mouth filling with juicy dark fruit flavours balanced with acidity and gentle fine-grained tannins which lead to a long finish. It is well suited to red meat dishes such as a roast leg of lamb with garlic and herbs.

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CRITIC REVIEWS OF NOTE

2021

95 points, Runner-up Best Wine, Ray Jordan's Top 100 Reds 2023, July 2023
95 points, Wine Showcase Magazine, July 2023

2020

96 points, New Releases Tasting, Winestate Magazine, May/June 2022

2019

95 points, Wine Showcase Magazine, Mar 2021

2018 Vintage

4 stars, Best of the West, Winestate Magazine, May/June 2021
Halliday's Top Picks, The Australian, Jan 2021
96 points, value rosette, James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion, Aug 2020
93 points, Editor's Pick, National Liquor News, June 2020
92 points, Steve Leszczynski, QWine, Apr 2020
4 stars, James Suckling, jamessuckling.com, Mar 2020
94 points, Nick Butler, The Real Review, Sep 2019

2017 Vintage

4 stars, Best Wines of 2019, Winestate Magazine, Jan 2020
18.6 points, Barry Weinman, Western Suburbs Weekly, Sep 2019
"Impressively Balanced", John Fordham, The Sunday Telegraph, Aug 2019
95 points, James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion, Aug 2019
93 points, '100 of the Best', Mike Bennie & Tyson Stelzer, Wine Business Magazine, Jul 2019
92+ points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front, Jul 2019
93 points, James Suckling, jamessuckling.com, Jun 2019
18.6 points, Barry Weinman, Fine Wine Club, May 2019
92 points, Toni Paterson, The Real Review, May 2019
94 points, Nick Butler, The Real Review, May 2019
94 points, Steve Leszczynski, QWine, Apr 2019

2016 Vintage 

18 points, Regan Drew, Vinonotebook, May 2019
93 points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front, Mar 2019
16.5 points, Tamlyn Currin, JancisRobinson.com, Dec 2018
95 points, Ray Jordan, 2019 WA Wine Guide, Nov 2018
95 points, James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion, Aug 2018

2015 Vintage

96 points, Jane Faulkner, Australian Wine Companion, Aug 2017

2014 Vintage

97 points, Campbell Mattinson, Australian Wine Companion, Oct 2016
95 points, Ray Jordan, Top 100 Reds
18 points, Barry Weinman, Fine Wine Club, Jul 2016

2013 Vintage

96 points, James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion, Jul 2015
96 points, David Prestipino, WA Today, Jun 2016
94 points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front, Jan 2016
94 points, Erin Larkin, Nov 2015
'Fresh and Refreshing', Regan Drew, Vinonotebook, Feb 2017
94 points, Huon Hooke, The Real Review, Nov 2015

2012 Vintage

96 points, James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion, Mar 2014
93 points, Gary Walsh, The Wine Front, Jul 2014
93 points, Wine and Spirits Magazine, Feb 2015
'A Wine of Style', Sydney Morning Herald, May 2014
'Stylish, Sophisticated', Windsor Dobbin, Jun 2014