| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | Australia > Western Australia > Margaret River |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
The 2023 Diana Madeline looks as good as ever. The 2023 vintage was superb in almost every way a vintage can be: long, dry, mild and devoid of major heat or viticultural challenges, and while some of the very late ripening red varieties (in specific pockets) had the potential to be affected by some autumn rain, pretty well everything got through without a hitch. It has piercing notes of cassis, bay leaf, raspberry pip, licorice and exotic spice. It is long, balanced and eminently harmonious, and it has an extraordinarily long future ahead of it. It's immune to hyperbole. 13.7% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink: 2025-2053
Expressive aromas of blackcurrants, mulberry bush, cocoa and violets with spices, cedar, iron and graphite. The plush, poised palate has a medium- to full-bodied mouthfeel and fine-grained, seamlessly integrated tannins with a core of black and purple fruits and a sense of earth and minerals. Mostly cabernet sauvignon with cabernet franc and merlot, this will age for many decades. Drink or hold. Screw cap.
2023 was a perfect vintage in Margaret River, and the dry-grown fruit for this wine was hand-harvested over seven picks, before wild fermentation. This is in its absolute infancy, and while the fragrant oak might be the first guest to the party right now, the fruit is undoubtedly the life of it. Pretty dried rose petals, crushed graphite, rose hip, fennel seed, a pinch of oriental spice and salted raspberries hint at what lies ahead. Tight-grained oak tannins link arms with fine fruit tannins, and well-paced natural acidity hums along with lilting rhythm. At its core, there is a purity of bright fruit. A wine of understated elegance and immense power behind its poise. The slight ocean brine on the finish calls you back, like a sea siren. Don’t rush – give this a few years before opening and you’ll be rewarded. Drink: 2026-2045
