Critic Reviews
99 Points - Andrew Caillard, The Vintage Journal
“Deep colour. Ethereal cassis, light marzipan, vanilla with hints of violet. Fresh blackcurrant pastille, marzipan, cedar flavour and fine bittersweet/ grainy tannins. Finishes claret firm, with pure dark berry fruits and superb mineral length. Elegantly proportioned, pristine and sinuous with excellent cellaring potential. A genuine Australian First Growth highlighting the genius of vineyard site, meticulous harvesting (five separate picking times), empathetic and imaginative winemaking. 89% cabernet sauvignon, 5% merlot, 3% cabernet franc, 3% malbec, 14 months maturation in new (55%) and seasoned French oak. A classic vintage; up there with the best. Keep for a while to allow some bottle age development as you will be greatly rewarded.”
98 Points - Ray Jordan, Wine Pilot
“Really delivers as you might expect from this excellent concentrated and powerfully framed vintage in Margaret River. It’s dominant cabernet with smaller portions of merlot, cabernet franc and malbec. Typical of this wine since switching to biodynamics, it is bright and brilliant with a nervy tense energy to drive the palate. The succulent fruit is harnessed by fine chalky tannins and neatly played oak of which 55% was new. A wine of extraordinary elegance and poise with a few of many decades.”
97 Points - Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate
“The 2022 Diana Madeline is a succulent, powerful, muscular iteration of this vineyard, in what was a warm and excellent season in Margaret River. Raspberry, cocoa nib, iodine, licorice/aniseed, kelp and a burst of fresh ocean air. This is a spectacular wine; it straddles the divide of warm season/ripe fruit yet retains some characteristics of cooler season/nuanced spice. The blend is 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec that matured for 14 months in 55% new French oak. 13.3% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.”
97 Points - Cassandra Charlick, Decanter
“Rather closed initially but opens nicely with a little encouragement to an elegant nose of wild berry, cassis, salted red plum, light nori, rock salt, and fresh rose petal, hay, dusty red earth. Fine graphite note, great fruit concentration, very tight dusty, yet firm tannins. Dry roast savoury spice, star anise, rosella and rose hip succulence. Tight-knit fruit quality with velvety effect across the palate. Such a core of energy – expansive and compounding rather than bright and preppy. Crushed graphite finish with an exceptionally long line of fruit. This has a long life ahead of it. Certified organic and biodynamic, 89% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 30 days on skins, 50% new oak barriques.”
