Highlighted in the August 2020 issue of Decanter, Margaret River’s Tom Cullity Wine Trail is an ideal starting point to explore Western Australia’s most famous wine region, offering a kaleidoscope of tastes and experiences along the way.
Though current travel restrictions may keep you from discovering the region’s spectacular coastlines, forest, grapevine-covered valleys and 90 cellar doors now, don’t let that stop you from discovering the region through its wines, especially its highly regarded Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons.
Domaine Naturaliste’s 2017 Artus Chardonnay and Vasse Felix’s 2017 Heytesbury Chardonnay received the highest scores from Margaret River at DWWA 2019, both receiving 98 points and a Platinum medal.
Tom Cullity Wine Trail: A Margaret River guide
Blind tasted and rigorously judged by top wine experts at the 2019 Decanter World Wine Awards, the below selection of award-winning white and red wines received 90+ points and offer an ideal starting point to discover benchmarks (and delicious wines) from this world-class wine region.
DWWA 2019: 90+ point wines from Margaret River
For stockists and additional wine details, select the wine of interest
White
Domaine Naturaliste, Artus Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia 2017
Platinum, 98 points
100% Chardonnay
Big vanilla and toasty brioche nose. High toast, new oak on the palate with a great depth of ripe tropical fruit flavour, plus a rich vein of pineapple acidity that carries the youthful fruit. Everything is in place for this to evolve gracefully.
Stella Bella, Suckfizzle Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon, Margaret River, Western Australia 2016
Platinum, 97 points
90% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Sémillon
A very elegant style with an intense nose of citrus and green tropical fruit with some creamy, buttery, oaky secondary notes. Bright acidity washes juicily through the palate which evinces a palpable waxy Semillon character. Lovely persistency.
Vasse Felix, Heytesbury Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia 2017
Platinum, 98 points
100% Chardonnay
This is savoury with bags of personality. Beautiful floral, flinty, smoky and lemony aromatics with a hint of spice. Delightful textural quality with toasty, savoury and spicy nuances with flinty acidity drawing out the long, chalky finish.
Deep Woods Estate, Reserve Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia 2018
Gold, 96 points
100% Chardonnay
Complex and compelling Chardonnay with a beautiful gunflint and oak perfume. The palate offers notes of concentrated peach and struck match/gunflint and it hits the bull’s eye for balance and length.
Stella Bella, Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia 2017
Gold, 95 points
100% Chardonnay
Great nose with a little bit of smoky reduction, pear and spice, along with touches of hazelnut and cashew. The palate is tangy and fresh with flavours of lemons, apples and herbs – a very nice bottle.
Stella Bella, Luminosa Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia 2017
Gold, 95 points
100% Chardonnay
A controlled fine wine with gentle citrus and caramelised stone fruit aromatics and zesty flavours of ginger, salted caramel and nuts. Long and persistent with great potential.
Capel Vale, Black Label Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia 2018
Silver, 92 points
100% Chardonnay
Honeydew melon and white peach flavours on the palate with lots of layers of complexity and a neat use of oak.
Coward & Black Vineyards, Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia 2018
Silver, 90 points
100% Chardonnay
Mango kulfi, tropicals, peaches and cream aromas. Decent intensity on the palate with a slightly sweet fruit profile and a lengthy finish.
Deep Woods Estate, Hillside Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia 2018
Silver, 93 points
100% Chardonnay
Excellent leesy, textural character, with smoky, toasty notes. Big, ripe peachy fruit on the palate with good fresh citrus notes.
See more: the latest wine reviews, news and opinions on Margaret River
Evans & Tate, Broadway Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia 2017
Silver, 94 points
100% Chardonnay
Tight steely nose reminiscent of 1er Cru Chablis. Flint, smoke and crisp citrus fruit on the palate with presence and length.
Forester Estate, Yelverton Reserve Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia 2017
Silver, 93 points
100% Chardonnay
So much pedigree and restrained elegance, with a lovely, lingering and textured palate full of ripe Provence stone fruit that carries and gives a vibrant, fresh, zesty finish.
Heydon Estate, The Willow Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia 2016
Silver, 91 points
100% Chardonnay
Complex and settled, with firm oak influences but a rich vein of acidity and a lovely, gentle ripeness to the forward stone fruits.
Simpson Estate, Elaine Chardonnay, Margaret River, Western Australia 2018
Silver, 91 points
100% Chardonnay
Citrus aromatics, delivering a beautiful, very classy and restrained wine of finely-integrated oak and great acidity that will age beautifully.
Red
Forester Estate, Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia 2017
Gold, 95 points
3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot
Polished, supple and vibrant with charming violet and spice aromatics. Bright and well-balanced on the palate with creamy oak, cassis, blackberry and raspberry flavours. Very complex and long. Hugely impressive.
Passel Estate, Lot 71 Reserve Syrah, Margaret River, Western Australia 2016
Gold, 95 points
100% Syrah
Excellent wine with a phenomenal balance between a Rhône-like freshness and Australian ripeness of black fruits, with very fine tannins, fully delivering on its price promise. A brilliant example – just give it time.
Woodlands, ‘Margaret’, Margaret River, Western Australia 2016
Gold, 96 points
67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 16% Malbec
A seamless and well-polished red showing finesse and elegance on the nose, with a supple, silky palate. Great length, with layers of black spice, blackcurrant leaf and plum.
Woodlands, Russell, Wilyabrup Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia 2015
Gold, 96 points
94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc
Intense, fresh and pure with a blackcurrant, blackberry, anise, bay leaf, coffee and chocolate perfume, flavours of herbaceous oak and leafy black fruits and powdery tannins. A superb wine with a persistent finish.
Brown Hill, Perseverance Cabernet-Merlot, Margaret River, Western Australia 2016
Silver, 93 points
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot
A touch of animal character on the nose, the underneath having a brooding, dark cherry, coffee, earthy quality. The structure shows great appeal: saline, supple and tense.
Deep Woods Estate, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia 2017
Silver, 93 points
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Savoury and softly spiced layers of rum & raisin, cassis and liquorice, while the palate is buoyed with fine, poised tannins.
See all DWWA 2019 results from Margaret River
Greenpiper Wines, Butler Crest Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia 2016
Silver, 91 points
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Plush and lush with layers of plum, cassis and blackberry aromas, while the savoury palate is laced with subtle oak and fine tannins.
Hay Shed Hill Wines, Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia 2017
Silver, 91 points
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Silky aromatics of bilberry, cassis and soft spice lead to a palate of supple cedar wood and textured tannins.
Ringbolt, Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia 2015
Silver, 92 points
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Lifted plum fruit with some backed earth notes on the nose. Succulent and juicy palate with some dried herb complexity.
Robert Oatley, Signature Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia 2017
Silver, 91 points
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Blackcurrant, blueberry and coffee, with some elements of sweet spice and black pepper. Rich, round and full bodied.
Rosabrook, The Heritage Series’ Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River, Western Australia 2017
Silver, 91 points
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Attractive plum, blackcurrant and cedar on the nose. Lovely juicy fruits on the palate, with classic Cabernet characters.
The Alchemists, Twin Cellars Malbec, Margaret River, Western Australia 2015
Silver, 91 points
100% Malbec
Ripe, dark cherries and spice, with plums coming through on the polished tannins before a floral finish.
