94/100 The Wine Front
93/100 Erin Larkin (Halliday's Wine Companion)
93/100 Stuart Knox (The Real Review)
92/100 Decanter World Wine Awards
91/100 Wine Enthusiast
93/100 Erin Larkin (2019 vintage)
93/100 Stuart Knox (2019 Vintage)
94/100 Campbell Mattinson (2018 vintage)
94/100 Nick Butler (2018 vintage)
91/100 James Suckling (2018 vintage)
93/100 The Wine Front (2017 vintage)
93/100 Steven Creber (2017 vintage)
96/100 James Halliday (2016 vintage)

5 Star Winery - James Halliday

Halliday's Wine Companion Awards 2023 - Top Wineries of 2022 & 2023

53/37/10% malbec/cabernet sauvignon/petit verdot

Halliday Wine Companion, Erin Larkin "The malbec brings the purple fruit and the spice, the cabernet is responsible for the structure in the mouth, the supple tannins and the flash of pure cassis in the mouth. The petit verdot brings the violet, the depth and the darkness. All of it coming together in magnificent fashion in the glass. Very smart."

The Real Review, Stuart Knox "Almost opaque at the core, moving into a deep ruby-red at the rim. Mulberry, cedar wood and mint aromatics. Dark fruits fill the palate, then tangential lines of choc-mint and bresaola bring contrast and savoury complexity to the experience. It sits bold with equally drying tannins, making you take notice of its presence."

Erin Larkin "All varieties fermented separately in concrete vats, matured in mostly used French oak for 15 months (the cabernet in 20% new oak). The nose on this Bordeaux blend is dusty, spicy and loaded with dark fruit. On the palate there is a core of berries, but it is shaped and surrounded by those dusty tannins. Verging on a hulking wine, this is intense and lingering, the fruit winning out in the end. A lot to like, but not easygoing." (2019 vintage)

Stuart Knox "Deep and rich purple core with a bright and vibrant purple rim. Blackcurrants, tobacco leaf and ground coffee aromatics. A medium to full-weighted palate with dark fruits and cured meats flowing throughout. The tannins are even and well-integrated though it is still a very youthful expression. A different take on a classic Margaret River style, and one that suits it very well" (2019 vintage)

Campbell Mattinson "Mostly malbec and cabernet sauvignon with a dash of petit verdot. It's sweet-fruited and svelte with plenty of juicy, berried fruit and the perfume to match. Redcurrant and blackcurrant with peppercorn and cedar wood. Hums along before keen tannin drags it all into line." (2018 vintage)

Nick Butler "It's a brooder in the glass - bright purple and unyielding. A heady mix of tobacco leaf, mulberries and dried herbs. A lovely nose. Mocha and Cherry Ripe lead the palate; fruit is there but it never strays too far from home base - fine-grained tannins and tapenade. It will age gracefully for a long time. An aristocratic blend that represents exceptional value " (2018 vintage)

James Suckling "Deep, earthy, rich ripe fruit on offer here with a strapping delivery of rich, dense tannin that carries plenty of blue and purple-fruit flavor. A blend of malbec, cabernet sauvignon and petit verdot. Drink or hold. Screw cap." (2018 vintage)

Steven Creber "62% malbec, 23% cabernet sauvignon, 15% petit verdot. Fermented separately in concrete, 15 months in oak. Aromas of red berries with a perfumed lift on the bouquet, each variety seeming to play a part. A medium-bodied palate, quite soft and juicy at first, and then tangy, pippy astringency taking over and following through." (2017 vintage)

James Halliday "Still has good depth of colour, and the components - fruit, oak and tannins - have come together convincingly. The mouthfeel is totally delicious, seeming to create a line of juicy flavour that grows as it travels along the mouth, peaking as it reaches the back-palate." (2016 vintage)

The Winemaker "warm spring with a full water table ensured good flowering and crop set. Summer was moderate with a large rain event mid vintage ensuring wines were never stressed. Picking dates were consistent with recent averages." (2016 vintage)

Founded by one of the pioneers of the Margaret River winemaking region, David Hohnen, and his brother in law, Murray McHenry, an accomplished fine wine retailer. Both have been making wine in Margaret River since the early 1970s. McHenry Hohnen vineyards are 100% biodynamic. Their three unique vineyards (Burnside, Calgardup and Hazel’s) produce wines that are a reflection of the land. McHenry Hohnen focus on crafting site expressive wines and are known for producing some of the region's best wines.

Margaret River is one of the best known wine regions in Australia, recognized internationally for the quality of its wines and the natural beauty of the region. Although originally renowned for its unusually refined cabernet sauvignon and intensely citrusy chardonnay varieties, the region now produces high quality Semillon-Sauvignon blends and Shiraz.

Located in the south-western corner of Western Australia, it is famous for having a more 'European' wine style than its counterparts across Australia, owing to the regions temperate, coastal location which is very similar to that of Bordeaux.

A Bordeaux Blend is any combination of those grape varieties typically used to make the red wines of Bordeaux. Cabernet Sauvignon is widely accepted as a compulsory component of any Bordeaux Blend along with Merlot. In fact, the majority of Bordeaux Blend wines are often made exclusively from a blend of these two varieties. The remaining components are Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec.