Willow Bridge Dragon Fly Shiraz 2022 - Geographe, Western Australia

90/100 James Suckling
91/100 Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot (2021 vintage)
92/100 Erin Larkin, Haliday Wine Companion (2020 vintage)
90/100 Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate (2020 vintage)

Bronze - Mike Bennie, Halliday Wine Companion
Bronze - Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate
Bronze - Gabrielle Poy, The Real Review
Bronze - James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion (2021 vintage)
Bronze - Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate (2021 vintage)

James Suckling "This ripe and fruity red has notes of blueberries, plums, honey and violets on the nose. It’s medium- to full-bodied, soft and tasty. Drink now. Screw cap."

Mike Bennie, Halliday Wine Companion "It does the trick without being very fancy, a nice place to be. Redcurrants, raspberry, a good dash of smoky spice, some graphite and pencil-shaving characters, a touch of pepper and eucalyptus going on here – flavours and scents in tune with this. A touch of raspiness to texture, a tart, bitter finish and, between that, some nice plushness that takes away from those distractions. It's OK; it drinks pretty easy."

Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate "The 2022 Dragonfly Shiraz leads with dark berries and exotic spices, milk chocolate-coated licorice and blueberries. The wine is simple on the palate, but it hits every high point of juicy fruit and the absence of impactful oak, with gentle, supple tannins. The acidity is pronounced, which may sit adjunct to the plush fruit, yet it feels as if it would lend itself well to a slight chill. Shiraz for summer ... if that's a thing."

Gabrielle Poy, The Real Review "Mocha and spiced black plums lead to a juicy palate. Vanillan notes mix with black and red berries, contained by a rail of tannins. It's an approachable and pleasing style"

Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot "A neat partner for the Cabernet Merlot in this range. Slightly earthier as you might expect with a lift of raspberry and mulberry fruit flavours. Toasty oak underpins with a fine chalky tannin spine for control. Has a creamy, lively and silky smooth palate with a little confectionary raspberry on the finish." (2021 vintage)

Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate "The 2021 Dragonfly Shiraz was opened with great anticipation. This might be a cheap wine (in fact, it is, at around $15AUD), but it routinely does well in wine shows and offers exceptional value for money. Unfortunately, this vintage, while still being fresh and lively, has a distinctly dilute finish that becomes evident from the middle palate onward. 14.2% alcohol, sealed under screw cap." (2021 vintage)

Erin Larkin, Haliday Wine Companion "This is a ripping little wine. At first glance it's a juicy, buoyant and uncomplicated shiraz. But it routinely shows itself to be more sophisticated and complex than its price would suggest. Look for salted licorice, blood, salted plums, redskins, raspberry and pomegranate, alongside the expected blackberry and mulberry. Search for the toasty oak and the star anise, the dry toasted spices through the finish (there's cardamom and cinnamon and a sprinkling of ras el hanout). It's a super-handy little wine, and a great example of how easily Geographe can handle shiraz." (2020 vintage)

Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate "The 2020 Dragonfly Shiraz combines purity of fruit with a more intriguing and engaging blood/licorice/iodine/fennel character that elevates it beyond its price point. This is texturally on point and capable of so much pleasure. The Geographe is a brilliant region for Shiraz." (2020 vintage)

The Australian Wine "(Australai's No. 1 Wine Critic James) Halliday listed Willow Bridge among his ‘Dark Horse Wineries of 2013’ and then his ‘Best Wineries of 2014’. The estate has also won Most Successful Western Australian Exhibitor at the Perth Wine Show three times!"

Halliday Australian Wine Companion "Willow Bridge Estate is family owned and operated by principals Jeff and Vicki Dewar, who bought the picturesque 180-hectare hillside property in 1996 after an exhaustive search of the state for the ideal vineyard site from which to realize their shared vision of producing world class wines which are both opulent and accessible. The estate is located in a hidden jewel of an area known as the Ferguson Valley (in Geograph Bay in Western Australia) which, at that time, was home to only a few small vineyards. Immediately planting 60 hectares of vines and then building a state of the art winery (the first winery in the area) in time for their first vintage in 2000, established Willow Bridge as the pioneering estate of the area and demonstrated the family’s confidence in the property and resolve to see their vision become reality."

Willow Bridge Estate continues to attract acclaim for the relatively newly established wine growing region of Geographe which is located adjacent to its more famous neighbour, Margaret River, in Western Australia. Wine critcs have heralded the winery for producing quality, good value wines. Winemaking is by veteran Western Australian winemaker, Kim Horton.

The Geographe wine growing region is located near the southern end of the Western Australia's Indian Ocean coast, between the emerging Peel region and famous Margaret River – with which its terroir shares several similarities. The best wines grown in this region include fruity Cabernet Sauvignon (often blended with Merlot), gamey Shiraz, rich, citrusy Chardonnay, and grassy 'SSB' blends of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. The region's profile is increasing with several Geographe wineries winning national and international awards annually. At the heart of Western Australia's wine industry, the region supplies more than 10% of Western Australia's wine.

Shiraz is the name given to the dark-skinned Syrah grape when grown in Australia and selected pockets of the New World. Though genetically identical, the stylistic differences between Shiraz and Syrah are usually pronounced.

Shiraz is so important to Australian viticulture that it is the most planted grape variety in the majority of Australian vineyards and has become virtually synonymous with the country's wine regions, and in particular the Barossa Valley.