highly recommended

90–94pts

Cloudburst, Margaret River 2016 94 SA 92 RJ 97 AR 92 POA Fine & Rare

Baked Bramley apple aromas with a hint of clove spice. Quite a traditional Chardonnay with grapefruit, green apple and gentle spring blossom perfume. Restrained excellence, relying on honest fruit and possible clever lees-stirring. It’s textured and layered – a real stunner! Drink 2019-2024 Alc 13%

Flowstone, Queen of the Earth, Margaret River 2015 93 SA 93 RJ 93 AR 93 £27.95 www.thevinorium.co.uk

Subtle aromatics with gentle nutty notes. Rich butterscotch-tinged fruit with texture and intensity of flavour, supported by stone and citrus fruit, fresh acidity, minerality and an oyster shell finish. Drink 2019-2025 Alc 13%

Hay Shed Hill, Margaret River 2016 93 SA 95 RJ 93 AR 92

£19

Bancroft Wines, Oz Wines Dusted with icing sugar to balance the green apple and grapefruit bite. Crunchy, crisp and energetic, there’s even some creaminess. The finish is vibrant, saline and makes you want to go back for more. Drink 2019-2025 Alc 13%

Leeuwin Estate, Art Series, Margaret River 2015 92 SA 90 RJ 94 AR 93

£75-£78 Domaine Direct, Handford Wines, Hedonism, Jeroboams, Secret Cellar, Selfridges Tight, grapefruit oil nose and palate. Plenty of fruit, excellent balance and a savoury spiced finish. Drink 2019-2025 Alc 14%

Leeuwin Estate, Prelude Vineyards, Margaret River 2016 94 SA 95 RJ 94 AR 92

£35 Bottle Apostle, Domaine Direct, Hedonism, Secret Cellar, SH Jones Classic with a good whack of stylish French oak on the nose. Juicy and full-flavoured stone fruit; limey acidity adds strength and balance. Focused, linear and stony, with an almost saline finish. Drink 2019-2022 Alc 13.5%

Willow Bridge Estate, G1-10, Geographe 2017 93 SA 88 RJ 95 AR 95

£17.99

Amazon, Ehrmanns, St Margarets Wines Fresh aromatics with a degree of nutty, struck match complexity. Clean Provençal orange, white peach and nectarine; sweet at first, but the creamy texture has lees complexity, with sea breeze notes. Drink 2019-2023 Alc 13.5%

Miles from Nowhere, Best Blocks, Margaret River 2017 92 SA 93 RJ 92 AR 90

£26 ABS Wine Agencies Restrained oak on the nose, with ripe stone fruit and nutty notes. A firm streak of acidity brings length. Some sweet nougat and subtly savoury lees. Drink 2019-2027 Alc 13.5%

Vasse Felix, Heytesbury, Margaret River 2016 94 SA 95 RJ 95 AR 93

£40-£51.40 Berry Bros & Rudd, Farr Vintners, The Australian Cellar Icing sugar-dusted grapefruit and green apple aromas. A luxurious stone fruit and spice mid-palate. This needs time but is already exciting, with vibrant flavours, freshness, purity and bite. Drink 2019-2023 Alc 13%

Hamelin Bay, Five Ashes Vineyard, Margaret River 2014

93 SA 93 RJ 93 AR 92 £22.90-£26.10 Ellis Wines, Exel Stylish and intense nose, with exotic peach and mango fruit, plus full-bodied ripeness. There are wet stone layers of flavour, savoury spice and a firm spine of bracing acidity on the finish. Drink 2019-2023 Alc 13%

Clairault, Estate, Margaret River 2016 92 SA 93 RJ 91 AR 91

N/A UK

www.clairaultstreicker.com.au Gentle note of smoky oak behind ripe stone fruit. Textured and layered, with lush fruit oozing on the palate. Super-delicate nougat, vanilla bean and spicy oak provide an oily, textured, good finish. Drink 2019-2026 Alc 13%

Streicker, Ironstone Block Old Vine, Margaret River 2016 92 SA 97 RJ 90 AR 90

N/A UK www.clairaultstreicker.com.au Vibrant acid; tightly wound. Smoky oak on the nose and palate, with a savoury, bacon fat and a lemon pip finish. A long life ahead. Brilliant! Drink 2019-2026 Alc 13.5% ➢

‘The 2016s and 2015s really did meet – and on occasion exceed – expectations’