Clandestine Vineyards Tempranillo Rosé 2020

 

Lunch time done well. This is such a great drink. Savoury driven, this dry style Rosé brings the mouth to water.

Windfall Estate Ivor Reserve Merlot 2014

A superb example of Merlot. Well played Windfall Estate.

Windfall Estate Single Handed Merlot 2016

Merlot played with the straight bat. Nothing to have me cut loose on the dance floor - mind you, that would take a bit anyway.

Windfall Wine Estate Single Handed Rosé 2017

A Rosé made for long lunches under big shady trees with a barbecue or pizza oven not too far away. Cheers to great weekend drinking!

Iron Cloud Rock of Solitude Purple Patch GSM 2016

A new label to me coming off a single vineyard in the Ferguson Valley.
As per the label, "The 'rock of solitude' is a single rock in the vineyard, facing west overlooking Geographe Bay."
This is a more than approachable GSM.

Willow Bridge Dragonfly Shiraz 2015

Top drinking for twenty bucks. Juicy blueberries, black cherries and plums bind together and shunt the fruit forward. Mouth filling, the acid has a crunch factor. Milky chocolate like oak hovers in the background before a scattering of pepper rounds out a super value drop.

Drink now to five years.

91/100 - Very good

Region: Geographe
RRP: $20
Source: Sample

www.willowbridge.com.au

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Willow Bridge Dragonfly Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2015

A value pick every day of the week!

Powerful and vibey fruit sits at the core here. Black berries, mulberries, savoury dried herbs, milk chocolate like oak - it even reminds me of that forest fruit nut bar I have for my morning tea. This plays a straight bat just like the ever reliable batsman Matt Hayden. There's nothing to go gold panning for here - what you see is what you get. Savoury tannins coat the mouth on exit with impressive drive and longevity on the finish. Only 20 bucks eh? Wow!

Drink now to eight years.

92/100 - Very good

Region: Geographe
RRP: $20
Source: Sample

www.willowbridge.com.au

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Willow Bridge Dragonfly Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2016

The price has gone up by a couple of dollars and some barrel fermentation has made its way into the wine now too.

Pineapple husk headlines subdued tropical aromas. Melons and lime leaf are thereabouts too. A creaminess rolls through the mid palate adding some interest. Cut greens add another dimension before a cleansing finish. Not bad and still good value.

Drink now.

89/100 - Good+

Region: Geographe
RRP: $20
Source: Sample

www.willowbridge.com.au

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Willow Bridge Dragonfly Chardonnay 2016

A Chardonnay quick out of the blocks - 2016 already! This is a great introduction to the variety showing some complexity from old oak (50%) and the freshness of tank fermentation.

Soft fruit with a lemony tang plus a nutty edge, whiffs of red apple, and a cheeky grapefruit like finish. Good drinking and value from this entry level wine.

Drink now to three years.

89/100 - Good+

Region: Geographe
RRP: $20
Source: Sample

www.willowbridge.com.au

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Willow Bridge Dragonfly Shiraz 2014

Gee this is great value.

A fruit driven beauty. Plums and mulberries come in buckets, a lick of raspberry and cherry fruit then move on in. Soft and supple with drying tannins to finish. It packs a punch with a flavour hit but also possesses a graceful elegance. Certainly a cut above for the price point.

Very good.

Region: Geographe, Western Australia
RRP: $18
Source: Sample

www.willowbridge.com.au

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Willow Bridge Gravel Pit Shiraz 2014

Not as voluptuous as the 2013, though there are more red fruits in this edition.
Earthy, there's still that minerally trait held by the previous vintage too; clearly a vineyard characteristic. Some black olive adds further interest.

A grainy and drying finish with dusting of pepper rounds off a good drink.

Steak and pepper sauce calls for this.

Cellar for the medium term.

Good+

Region: Geographe, Western Australia
RRP: $30
Source: Sample

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Willow Bridge Dragonfly Cabernet Merlot 2014

Winemaker, the late Simon Burnell, professed his Dragonfly 2013 was the best Cab Merlot in Australia under twenty bucks. I was dubious until the sample arrived. He was right I must say and this has followed on from it well. Despite going up two bucks since, if you had to pay an extra ten you'd still be grinning from ear to ear.

Juicy black fruits bust a move here. There's a youthful energy about it which is hard to ignore. Varietal capsicum fades in but the shimmy across the floor from the savoury herbs and bitter dark chocolate add shine to a great little wine. Juicy and dusty tannins and a long finish wrap it up.

A bargain deluxe and certainly worth tracking down.

Very good.

Region: Geographe, Western Australia
RRP: $20
Source: Sample

www.willowbridge.com.au

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Willow Bridge Dragonfly Shiraz 2013

Another bang for buck special from winemaker Simon Burnell. This Dragonfly range has serious potential to leave many other wines around the place standing with their pants down.

A quick swirl of the glass and black fruit, chocolate, plums and some red fruit get going. There's a dab of spice in there too.

Down the hatch and you are flooded with smooth and soft fruits. Tannins are soft and persistent. Dark fruit lingers as does a lick of oak.

Tremendous value! Ready to drink now or cellar for the medium term.

Very good+

Region: Geographe, Western Australia
RRP: $18
Source: Sample

www.willowbridge.com.au

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Willow Bridge Dragonfly Chenin Blanc 2014

There's not much Chenin Blanc coming from Australian vineyards, and if it does, it mainly comes from Western Australia.

Apples, guava, passion fruit husk, some grassiness and what appears to be lime pith. Some barrel fermentation adds texture. There's a slippery type feel left in the mouth but the wine is quite refreshing. The Dragonfly range from Willow Bridge delivers again.

Good.

Region: Geographe, Western Australia
RRP: $18
Source: Sample

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Willow Bridge Estate Gravel Pit Shiraz 2013

There's an energetic vibe about this wine. That was my first thought after a whiff. Small additions of Grenache (6%) and Mataro (3%) were tipped in, and gee they add to the picture beautifully.

Chocolate and plummy aromas shift to juicy black fruits and a dash of peppery spice on a long and giving palate. I detected what seemed to be a granite type minerality but I'm pretty sure this wasn't grown on granite soils - just an old quarry site. The wine opened a treat after a little air so a decant won't hurt. Another wine of tremendous depth and balance from winemaker Simon Burnell.

Medium term cellaring will do the trick but this is a go-er right now.

In all, excellent! I could sip it all afternoon. And after a flight of wines tasted I came back to this, and sip it all afternoon I did.

Region: Geographe, Western Australia
RRP: $30
Source: Sample

www.willowbridge.com.au

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Willow Bridge Dragonfly Chardonnay 2014

A handy style of Chardonnay. You can see the effort that has gone in here with the influence of lees adding some good complexity.

All the varietal traits are present with white peaches headlining the act. Some mouth warmth on the finish which is more hot than warm but you can deal with that.

A good wine with textural interest that is well priced.

Region: Geographe, Western Australia
RRP: $18
Source: Sample

www.willowbridge.com.au

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Willow Bridge Solana Tempranillo 2013

Tempranillo is a variety which I can see shaking up the scene in coming years. Made well, it is so approachable and ridiculously food friendly - exactly what consumers are looking for.

This from Willow Bridge easily sits at the top of the pile when I think about the Tempranillos I've had recently.

Dark cherries and blood plums wash over earthy and dried savoury herbs. Not complicated but not simple either, it just fits into a neat groove with a soothing effect.

Finishing soft with a fine tannin grip, there's a terrific length to boot.

The back label says you can age it. Why bother when it is so delicious right now.

Excellent juice and yet another impressive wine from Willow Bridge.

Region: Geographe, Western Australia
RRP: $28
Source: Sample

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Willow Bridge Estate G1-10 Chardonnay 2013

Quite a seductive wine which evolves nicely the longer it sits in the glass.
The usual fresh stone fruit and citrus characters of a good Chardonnay step out here, but with patience comes a subtle nuttiness and coconut husk. Now we're talkin'!

Hand picked, whole bunched pressed and wild yeast fermented, it was matured on lees for ten months in French oak, a quarter of which was new. A bright golden colour and a persistent vanilla creaminess are a result of this.

I've been lucky enough to have a look at a few of winemaker Simon Burnell's wines of late, and I must admit I do like what he delivers. There's finesse yet interest along with judicious use of oak. Furthermore, they are priced very well.

I'd grab a bottle of this and have it with a roast chook.

Excellent.

Region: Geographe, Western Australia
RRP: $30
Source: Sample

www.willowbridge.com.au

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Willow Bridge Estate Bookends Fumè 2013

As per the label: hand picked, whole bunch pressing, natural ferment and nine months in French oak.

A blend of Sauvignon Blanc (52%) and Semillon (48%), you got my attention with the French oak bit. For me, Sauv Blanc is best when it's been worked a little.

Some creamy and lemon curd type aromas with a touch of grapefruit kick things off. There's a squeeze of gooseberry and asparagus sitting nicely in the background.

Quite fresh with plenty of fruit driving the bus. The grapefruit acidity seems a little tight however. The creamy texture enables the length to hang on.

Ready to drink it now, it's a good drop but doesn't hit the spot entirely for me to set out and buy it.

Region: Geographe, Western Australia
RRP: $25
Source: Sample

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Willow Bridge Estate Rosa De Solana Tempranillo Rosé 2014

I haven't had a Rosé since April, so it's good to get back on the pink train. And I've gotta say, I was a big fan of this juice.

A whiff of watermelon, rose petals and red berries set the scene. I detected a fleck of citrus too before winemaker Simon Burnell confirmed there is 12% percent Semillon tossed in. Nice touch and it certainly gives the wine a lift.

Dry but juicy, there's some grip on the palate, yet it has plenty of guzzle factor. Chill it down and it wouldn't be out of place partnered with a snag or steak on the barbeque.

Very good.

Region: Geographe, Western Australia
RRP: $25
Source: Sample

www.willowbridge.com.au

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