Top 100 Reds - The West Australian
Ray Jordan has released his Top 100 red wines for the year. The best wine overall is the 2020 Cherubino Shiraz Mataro, a drop sourced from our Riversdale Vineyard in Frankland River. It reveals how these two varieties can work in harmony to produce a distinctive, richly textured and flavoured wine with that touch of finesse that makes them excellent drinking.
Our range of wines featured strongly in other categories and makes Cherubino the stand-out performer in the list. The wines are submitted in four separate price categories - under $15, $15 - $20, $25 to $25 and $25 to $40.
WINNER - BEST WINE
2020 CHERUBINO OMAGGIO SHIRAZ MATARO
It was quite some shootout for the honour of the best wine of the tasting. The Cherubino shiraz mataro comes from Cherubino’s vineyard at Frankland River. The fruit qualities are preserved by using only one and two-year-old oak for maturation. The palate is highly perfumed and displays impressive fruit with that regional ironstone influence. This is positive sign that Frankland River as a region is heading towards superstardom that in the end might just match that of that other superstar, Margaret River.
96/100
$15 & Under
2019 FOLKLORE CLASSIC RED (Cabernet Merlot)
Larry Cherubino doesn't make dud wines so when you get one of his at this pricepoint you just know its going to deliver. The combination of fruity blackberry and the edginess of the bay leaf combining with the fine silky tannins and subtle oak is balanced and complete. In fact, it had eight months in French which makes a significant contribution to its polish and feel.
92/100
$20 - $25
2019 AD HOC MIDDLE OF EVERYWHERE SHIRAZ
Everything about this Great Southern shiraz screams polish and class. It’s generous and supremely balanced with fine chalky tannins, dark fruit, ironstone and a very long finish. A complete wine.
93/100
$25 - $40
2020 THE YARD RIVERSDALE SHIRAZ
The shiraz off this and other Frankland River vineyards is extraordinary, and this is the perfect example. I love the fruit weight and texture with those fine firm chalky tannins. A trace of ironstone complexity.
95/100
2020 CHERUBINO OMAGGIO SHIRAZ MATARO
This extraordinary and beautiful wine comes from Cherubino’s Riversdale vineyard at Frankland River. The aim is to preserve the fruit qualities and therefore only one and two-year-old oak is used for maturation. Highly perfumed with a palate that displays excellent fruit with that regional ironstone influence.
96/100
2021 LAISSEZ FAIRE IV BLEND
This is an interesting blend of counoise, mataro, shiraz and grenache from Frankland River. Very little was added during the winemaking so it’s vegan-friendly and wasn't filtered. Medium-bodied with lifted scents of red fruit on the nose. The palate has a dried herb influence on the bright red fruit flavours.
92/100
