Matthew Jukes 100 Best Australian Wines 2022/23

It is impossible to taste Aussie wines made from Italian grape varieties and not compare them to the original European models. So, here we go - a brutally honest assessment of both this wine and also its Campanian competitors. Laissez Faire packs more drama, electricity, raspiness, and varietal accuracy into just one bottle than more Italian examples do into a case. And while there is no Pompei in Frankland River, the talcy minerality that underpins the delicate floral and stone fruit tones is every bit as exhilarating as the fine wines drunk on the Amalfi coast and beyond. This is a monumental Fiano, and it is sold at a price that ought to allow everyone keen to discover this grape's potential to taste it. In addition, Larry Cherubino's elemental winemaking is responsible for 2020 Laissez Faire Riesling - a searingly bright and devastatingly dry Riesling that cleanses your palate and your soul while you sip it. PS - I have been fortunate to taste a huge range of Larry's wines over the past couple of years, including during the various lockdowns, and it would be remiss of me not to point out a handful of life-changing wines. 2019 Cherubino Gingin Chardonnay is the only Chardonnay to which I have given a perfect score outside of Leeuwin's Art Series. 2018 Uovo Grenache is as modern as it is ancient, showing that you do not have to live in McLaren Vale to make a truly stellar Grenache. And finally, two wines that ought to be in the UK in large numbers but are sorely missing from this Report - 2018 Cherubino Cabernet and 2020 Cherubino Chardonnay are exemplars of their styles, demonstrating yet again that this man makes wines that others can only dream of.