Bob McDonald

9.7

Definitely one of the best Cabernet Sauvignons I have had this year - also one of the oldest. What a beautiful perfumed nose - red florals, red fruits, mulberry and Spice. A well balanced medium weight palate with those same aromatics coming through on the palate. Smooth resolved tannins. This is the last of a dozen bought on release in the early 2000’s from an excellent vintage. This is living proof of how good Margaret River Cabernet is for top quality Cab. 2 hours later that beautiful perfumed nose never quits. I wish I had a few more bottles left. I do have a magnum of 1996 which needs to be drunk. 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot. — 3 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

Notes of mandarin on both nose and palate. Not a skerrick of TDN - clean and pure. Almost off dry in the light to medium bodied palate with peachy notes developing. Tastes a lot younger than 11 years. One of the most isolated vineyards in the remote terroir of Frankland River. The wine is aptly named as “Isolation Ridge”. — 7 months ago

Jakub Kalinowski

9.1

Nicely aromatic & restrained (for Australia) with purity of dark fruit (blackberries, plums, mulberry), nice depth and excellent tannins quality - juicy, polished, finely grained.
Very elegant & with beautiful balance between the ripeness & savoury notes.
A really lovely wine! — a year ago

Jess

9.1

Pale lemon color.
Aromas of fresh lemon, orange blossom, hint of buttered toast.
Dry. Flavors of fresh lemon, orange blossom, buttered toast. Great acidity and Balance of flavor.

Intensity: 4/5
Complexity: 3/5
Balance: 4/5
Finish: 4/5 — 3 years ago

Aravind A

9.2

Unscrew and pour yesterday. Noted from 24 hrs open. Fantastic PQR. Lovely meyer lemon and soft mango notes, some oak-influenced vanilla, but very stylish. On the palate: lovely acidity, soft slate, good density and a juicy finish. At the garagiste price of about 27 bucks, this is leaning in the case buy direction. Yum. — 5 years ago

Johnno Harris

9.5

Fantastic. Nothing out of place here. Open ripe cassis & blackberry fruit notes with a subtle lick of mint and dried herbs supported by some classy sweet mocha oak. Good to go now with a bright future ahead. — 5 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.4

My last bottle of 2013 Art Series Chardonnay. This remains one of the top Chardonnays in Australia together with Giaconda and Bindi Quartz Block for mine. As per previous note aromatics of white peach and cashew together with mealy notes. Not as full bodied as other Art Series but certainly doing well at 13 years of age. I often identify a dried pear character and this has hints of that. 98 points from James Halliday. — 10 days ago

Ming L

9.3

The gentle nose shows bright citrus, yellow peach, dried pear, and hint of crush nuts. On the palate it’s concentrated yet vibrant, with round acidity, spice and orange blossom, balanced by lively mineral drive and a long, lingering finish that meshes power with poise.

It’s bold and expressive, with a dynamic tension and savoury complexity that feels both immediate and age-worthy. At this young age, I like it better than the Art Series. — 5 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

Sunday Lunch with Roast Lamb. Deep Ruby in colour - very dense. A very Margaret River Cabernet - nose with herbs and a little mint. Barb thought a bit of capsicum (bell pepper) on the nose. On the medium bodied balanced palate the tannins are quite soft yet persistent. Leeuwin Estate better known for its outstanding Art Series Chardonnay has been working hard with the red varieties and it shows. — 9 months ago

Bob McDonald

9.3

See previous note from February 2023. A full bodied Margaret River Cabernet - cassis and herbs. This is really good. From the dress circle Wilyabrup area of northern Margaret river with neighbours like Moss Wood, Woodlands, Vasse Felix and Cullen etc. Barb said woody notes (not meaning oak influence). All the best Margaret River Cabernet attributes with the texture and mouthfeel of an excellent Barossa Shiraz. We both loved this wine. Have the last one in mid 2025. — 3 years ago

Jason Keefer

9.0

Great budget Aussie can! Very mellow, not super oaky, a bit of white pepper on the nose and stewed fruit. — 4 years ago

with Natasha

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9.1

Brilliant silver-straw. Lime zest, honeysuckle, succulent herbs and chalky minerals on the incisive nose. Dry, tightly focused and lithe on the palate, offering intense citrus and orchard fruit flavors that reveal a hint of waxiness and a refreshingly bitter quinine note. Shows a delicate touch and finishes clean, nervy and quite long, with resonating mineral character and a hint of lemon thyme. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, July 2021)
— 5 years ago

Norman

9.4

If you don’t like smoke then don’t go here. I love this in a Manhattan but just keeping it clean tonight. I love this and thought man I wonder if this has some type of smoke additive. They claim not and it’s purely from the Scotch/Bourbon/Rye blend (undisclosed brand on the Scotch). — 6 years ago

Bob McDonald

9.6

Pale yellow in colour. Aromatics of Smoky Citrus rind. The medium bodied palate shows ripe grapefruit with citric acid toning down at 10 years of age. This is one of the best Chardonnays in Margaret River - up there with Leeuwin Estate Art Series without the latter wine’s ripe pear and white peach. This is a brilliant Chardonnay by any measure. My first of 3 bottles. 98 points from HH. — a month ago

Dave

9.3

I've bought this for the past 4 years, and this bottling is the most fruit forward. Candied fruit- apricots, cherries, and dates. The price has gotten out of hand, but it's yummy!
Listening to CSNY — 6 months ago

DCH

9.4

Really impressed.
St. Innocent’s consistency of style lets terroir shine through their single vineyard series. Like a controlled experiment. 2021 Temperance Hill shows incredible levels of complexity and spice, while maintaining a great degree of balance and approachability. Put simply, it tastes great.

I haven’t had a chance to taste 2021 Momtazi, but this wine has similar levels of depth to prior vintages if memory serves, while being more easily appealing. I’ve tired 2021 Shea, but not side-by-side with this. While the Shea is an excellent wine, for my taste this is more expressive and interesting. — 9 months ago

Doug Powers

9.0

Young, grapey, ripe plums, mulberry, and blackcurrants, still quite youthful, nice balance, solid finish, lovely, I’d rank this behind the 2018 and ahead of the 2019. — 3 years ago

with Jim

Eric Urbani

9.0

A lineup of 10 August West and Roar Pinots, 2007-2011, all made by wine maker Ed Kurtzman, who attended our tasting. I found this to be elegant and delicious. — 5 years ago

Martin Sher

9.2

Really enjoyed this. A bit of petrol on the nose quickly blew off. Minerals, stone fruit and a hint of citrus. — 5 years ago

Eric W Brown

8.9

Chocolate, green pepper. Good example of a Margaret River cab — 6 years ago