Reviews
Jeremy Oliver- The 2010 Australian Wine Annual
One of Australia's most influential, respected and independent wine journalists has just released his 2010 Australian Wine Annual and has been delighted to welcome several more Ferngrove wines into this guide... (read more)
James Halliday 5 Star Winery Review
Renowned Australian critic James Halliday has awarded the coveted five stars to Ferngrove's winery for the sixth year in succession in his newly-released 2010 version of the Australian Wine Companion.
2010 James Halliday Flyer
SYMBOLS
2008 Symbols Sauvignon Blanc Semillon
WA excels with this blend and Ferngrove's consistently hit the mark. Fresh tropical fruit flavours, with some gooseberry, passionfruit and citrus. You can't go wrong.
Rick Allen, 12 December 2008
Manly Daily
A lovely, soft, approachable wine, this shows citrus blossom, lemon pith and kiwifruit aromas. It has excellent weight and mouth-feel, and happily combines roundness and crispness. A great drink for spring and summer.
Scoop Magazine, 1 October 2008
Ferngrove is at Frankland in southern WA. Their Symbols range offers excellent value and admirable consistency. Passionfruit, kiwi fruit and guava aromas are lively and fresh, with a lightly savoury grassy edge in this young white. There are smooth, juicy flavours in the mouth and a zesty finish. 4 Stars.
Ralph Kyte-Powell, 23 September 2008
The Age
This is freshness in a glass. Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blends are a speciality in Western Australia, and this always packs a wallop far above its price. It's vibrant and zesty, with citrus, grass and passionfruit flavours. Ideal for backyard quaffing.
Rick Allen, 22 August 2008
Manly Daily
2007 Symbols Shiraz Viognier
...the viognier boosts aromatics that, combined with dark berry flavours and velvety tannins, has resulted in this delicious tipple at a modest cost.
Jeff Collerson, 14 June 2008
Daily Telegraph
Ferngrove's top reds are exceptional, but this cheaper range continues to amaze for sheer quality. This Frankland River red has mouthfilling flavours of dark plums, blackberry and aniseed. The 6 per cent viognier adds complexity and a musky perfume to the bouquet. A serious wine at a not-so-serious price. A fabulous quaffer.
Rick Allen, 30 May 2008
Manly Daily
Sweet and earthy on the nose, with fragrant, spicy, apricot and currant aromas. The palate is long and spicy...
Best of the West, June 2008
Winestate Magazine
2007 Symbols Cabernet Merlot
Bronze-Nicely polished with black fruit and a gentle herbal edge, the wine is medium-bodied with softness and a cool-climate grace that adds to the attractiveness. Accessible and succulent drinking.
Scoop, July 2009
Balanced and stylish wine for this price point. Typical plum and blackcurrant characters with the fine grained oak and silky tannins completing an easy drinking wine perfect for the current year.
Ray Jordan, 25 June 2009
The West Australian
A bright and breezy cabernet merlot from this reliable producer, dark spicy oak sliced across some ripe plum and dark berry fruits, earthy too. Medium-weight palate has chirpy acidity, light tannins and simple fruit flavour.
Nick Stock, October 2008
The Penguin Good Australian Wineguide 2009
Ferngrove is one of Western Australia's consistently good wine outfits. This blend of cabernet and merlot from the Frankland River region is a beauty, smooth and supple with lickings of blackberry and plum fruit on the nose and palate, unobtrusive oak and fine, juicy tannins. Drink it with lamb casserole.
Kerry Skinner, 16 July 2008
Illawarra Mercury
West Australian makers have really popularised Cabernet-Merlot blends, and the Frankland River's Ferngrove has a just-out 2007 whose nicely sweet core of blackberry and fleshy fruits on the front and mid-palate help balance some of the firmer Cabernet tannins.
David Ellis, 19 May 2008
Vintnews
ESTATE
2008 Sauvignon Blanc
Highly Recommended- The sharp focus and linearity of this wine are its strong points. There are also mineral notes which complement the intense grassy varietal aromas and flavours. Excellent value.
Winewise, October 2008
This smartly pitched Savvy from the Frankland River area is a grass and herb style with plenty of green leaves and bush herb smells. The palate deliveres a mix of tropical fruits and nettle-like flavour. Neatly balanced. 90 points.
WBM, October 2008
An impressive youthful white that is rich, concentrated and intense, with suprising complexity and some savoury notes. Delightfully different.
Peter Forrestal, 12 October 2008
Sunday Times
2008 Chardonnay
Light-bodied and flavoursome value-for-money chardonnay offering a little class. Zippy palate buoyed with subtle oak. Touches of light lime and grapefruit with a touch of vanilla bean. Attractive drinking over the next few years. 88/100
Ray Jordan, 23 July 2009
The West Australian
From the excellent 2008 vintage, fresh and youthful with clean citrus fruit flavours, lively acidity, a hint of oak and a crisp finish.
Kerry Skinner, 6June 2009
Illawarra Mercury
2008 Merlot
Bronze- this wine is plummy and cedary. A soft, forward expression, it is voluptous and rotund with cool berry fruit and hints of crushed leaves. The finish has gentle tannins with background oak and lingering plump fruit.
Scoop, July 2009
2007 Merlot
Tucked up in the middle of nowhere, Frankland River seems to suit this elusive grape. Plenty of earthy liquorice and dark berry aromas, some savoury cedary oak in there too. The palate sits in the medium-bodied spectrum, fine tannins and bright, breezy flavour.
Nick Stock, October 2009
The Penguin Good Australian Wineguide 2009
Big woody/earthy style with good fruit weight and definition on a very well-structured palate. 91 Points
Best of the West, June 2008
Winestate Magazine
2007 Shiraz
Bronze- Forthright and ripe with fresh berry characters, the palate is lavish and provides a sense of thickness and warmth. The oak will continue to integrate and offer attractive drinking over coming years.
Scoop, July 2009
Another cool climate gem, this time from Frankland River in WA, with black fruit flavours and gentle spice. The palate is full-flavoured and divine.
Toni Paterson, July 2009
Australian House and Garden
Deep crimson-purple; highly aromatic and saturated with dark plum, blackberry and an array of spices, all making significant inputs to a medium to full-bodied wine that wil age superbly. 94 points.
James Halliday, 18 April 2009
The Weekend Australian
Highly Recommended- A perfumed, vibrant, spicy shiraz with classy integrated oak and a long, silky palate. Delicious. Excellent Value.
Winewise, October 2008
Here's terrific value from Kim Horton and the team at the best performer of the Frankland River wineries: deep, dense vanilla bean and dark berry flavours, velvety texture and heaps of oak make it a robust style. There's plenty of extraction and tannin but the weight to match...full of flavour.
Quaff 2009
Plum and mixed berries, lashings of spice, honeycomb and a floral aspect lead on to a medium to full bodied palate that's again spciy and perfumed, although a little sweet, with blackjelly bean and ripe berry flavours. Good freshness, attractive powder fine tannin and ample length round off an excellent wine.
Gary Walsh, 2 Oct 2008
The Wine Front
Really beautiful shiraz from the Great Southern. This is a wine built on finesse and sustaining style right through to its very long finish. Supple spicy and lightly savoury flavours with fine powdery tannins and excellent oak integration. Great example of this vintage. 91/100.
Ray Jordan, 18 September 2008
The West Australian
Yet another example of the quality achieved by this Frankland River winery. It's a rich, full-flavoured shiraz holding plenty of ripe berry fruit flavour laced with pepper and sweet spice. Will mellow and improve over the next few years, but is already most enjoyable, especially if decanted and breathed for an hour or two before serving.
Paddy Kendler, 10 June 2008
Hearld Sun
ORCHIDS
2008 Cossack Riesling
This is very youthful and slightly unready but promising much. It's pale coloured, with a restrained aroma of cream, nuts, yeast and a grassy, almost green overtone. The palate is really good: delicate, restrained, fine with good line and length. 90 Points. 4 stars
Huon Hooke, January 2009
Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine- 100 Top New Release Wines
A fabulous wine, this riesling retains a greenish tint in its mid-yellow colour, and has a rich bouquet that reveals green-apple, citrus fruit and straw-hay aromas. The palate has superior intensity, and concentrated fruit purity. It will cellar well for many years.
Scoop Magazine, December 2008
Ferngrove is a key vineyard in the rather isolated Frankland River region of WA. Riesling is a great success down there. Delicate floral aromas are counterpointed by more intense lime and spice, and there's good concentration and depth with a very long, aromatic aftertaste. A lovely young riesling with a future. 5 Stars
Ralph Kyte-Powell, 26 November 2008
The Age
There is something special about this vineyard at Ferngrove. It came to prominence a few years ago when the Cossack riesling won the top gong at the Sydney wine show, effectively establishing the brand. This is another spicy limey beauty that is gorgeous current drinking.
Ray Jordan, 20 November 2008
The West Australian
From Western Australia's Frankland River comes one of our finest rieslings. Its crisp, dry citrus flavours provide a wonderful expression of the variety's appeal.
John Fordham, 16 November 2008
Sunday Telegraph
Highly Recommended- This is a lemony style with faint tropical fruit overtones. The freshness and balance are excellent....
Winewise, October 2008
A fine young riesling from one of WA's most consistent producers, this shows Frankland River elegance and power, sweet lime citrus aromas and gentle spice. The palate is brightly pitched into grapefruit territory, very pure and approachable, finishes savoury, crisp and dry.
Nick Stock, October 2008
The Penguin Good Australian Wineguide 2009
This Cossack shows how good Western Australian Frankland River riesling can be. It covers the citrus spectrum from lime to grapefruit, the texture is perfect and underlying acidity promises a future. It's a keeper.
Greg Duncan-Powell, 27 September 2008
Sydney Morning Herald
Typically minerally, with a spicy citrus aroma. The palate has a fine soft acid that sustains a lingering and quite powerful flavour intensity. A fine wine which is due out in the next couple of weeks so look out for it.
Ray Jordan, 28 June 2008
The West Australian
2007 Diamond Chardonnay
Sourced from their isolated Frankland River posting, this has bright lifted fragrance, really pristine, some orange oil, ripe melon fruits and cashew nuts. The palate is supple and swirling, rich not thick, decent fruit drive and custrad spices to finish. They've used the oak to good effect, creating a richer opulent style.
Nick Stock, October 2008
The Penguin Good Australian Wineguide 2009
The 2007 Ferngrove Chardonnays are very impressive indeed...it's a superb cool area style with subtle barrel ferment components and brilliant oak handling. ($24.00) Excellent value
Vol 24 No 2. Winewise, June 2008
Ferngrove 2007 Orchid series Diamond Chardonnay is the product of the booming Frankland River in Western Australia's Great Southern- high quality grapes, fermented and matured in new French oak. A gem of a wine.
David Bray, May 2008
QHA Review
Young and angular and showing lots of promise. Some great peachy fruit, toasty, smoky background oak and crisp acidity.
Best of the West, June 2008
Winestate WA Magazine
Senior Winemaker at Western Australia's Ferngrove Vineyards, Kim Horton puts the success of his stunning 2007 Diamond Chardonnay down to two things- a bit a juggling in the vineyard and a bit more in the winery. Kim chose fruit from four blocks carrying two different vine clones for his 2007 Diamond Chardonnay, picking one parcel before the hot weather and the second after it... the resultant wonderful nectarine, lemongrass, ginger and spicy oak make this beautifully creamy drop one that enthusiasts of the Ferngrove label will quickly snap up- particularly as only limited supplies are available.
David Ellis, 23 April 2008
Daily News
2005 Dragon Shiraz
A very ripe style of Great Southern Shiraz with less spice and more sweet fruit and warmth than might be expected. A touch of oak and some tannin grip on the finish. Generous flavour and body: a real cowd-pleaser.
Huon Hooke, Feb/March 2007
Gourmet Traveller Wine
An amazing double for Ferngrove with trophies for two of its $25 reds. This is elegant, fine and opulent and shows seamless integration between the ripe blackberry fruits and spicy oak. A sensational wine.
Peter Forrestal, 22 October 2006
STM
2006 Majestic Cabernet Sauvignon
This has a sweetly concentrated nose of violets and cassis with a briary edge and some noticeable spicy oak. The palate has a plush velvety mouth feel and flavour that's rich and ripe. It is still a cool-grown style of cabernet, but the flavour is uncommonly rich and ripe with a floral fragrance in the mouth that's very seductive. Ripe tannins are in balance with a core of varietal fruit. Gold (18.6)
Scoop Magazine- Pick of the Region, 1 July 2008
2006 King Malbec
...I cannot remember a Ferngrove of the past few years that didnt deserve at the very least a bronze medal. But one red wine stood out among the latest releases for quality and novelty, the 2006 King Malbec...This one stands alone as a single varietal and stands tall and proud. Profound flavour, sturdy structure, huge cellaring potential.
Paddy Kendler, 3 June 2008
Herald Sun
THE STIRLINGS
2005 The Stirlings
This has berry and leather nuances, with pepper and licorice/anise on the palate. The flavour is intense. It's a wine of good weight and density, and the tannins underpin the palate structure. 93 Points. 5 stars
Huon Hooke, 1 March 2009
100 Top New Release Wines, Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine
Every year, Ferngrove blends the best batches of Frankland River fruit, and this classic vintage is 57 per cent shiraz and 43 per cent cabernet. It has concentrated fruit and layer upon layer of flavour framed with fine tannins. 4.5 Stars
Sally Gudgeon, 23 November 2008
Sunday Age
Stunning blend from the Frankland River region of Western Australia. Impressive level of richness and intensity. A mix of black olives, cassis and dark berries. Enjoyable now but will be much better in five, even 10 years. Try with wagyu beef cheeks. 94 points.
Ken Gargett, 26 August 2008
Courier Mail
2004 The Stirlings
This has emerged as one of the State's best reds in recent years. It's a shiraz cabernet blend, delivering deliciously sweet ripe fruit flavours on a perfectly balanced and integrated palate. Lush blackberry and dark plum flavours, with nice oak treatment.
Ray Jordan, 26 June 2008
The West Australian
The Ferngrove flagship red is an ultra-concentrated blockbuster that has sweet, dark-berry and pure redcurrant flavours and lush silky texture. 17.5 points
Peter Forrestal, 20 April 2008
Sunday Times
Intense dark berry nose- very obvious good quality oak. Similar story on the generous, well-balanced palate. A fresh, long and extremely classy wine.
Winestate's Best Wines of 2007
Stirlings won golds for its 2004 and 2005. This one is ultra concentrated, silky smooth and generously flavoured.
Peter Forrestal, 11 November 2007
Sunday Times
Silky-smooth and elegant, with intense blackberry, blueberry and cassis-like fruit tightly partnered with assertive sweet oak and fine, supple tannin. Brightly lit and seamless, with a spicy, peppery perfume of violets, white pepper and cinnamon backed by sweet oak and suggestions of mint and menthol, it builds on the palate to a crescendo of vibrant dark plum and cherry fruit. 94/100
Jeremy Oliver, The Australian Wine Annual 2008.
Western Australia's Great Southern region is producing outstanding wines, with Ferngrove among the pacesetters. This cabernet and shiraz blend has intensity and depth of flavour. A red for enjoying with French food, or for laying down in the cellar for a decade. Outstanding.
Winsor Dobbin, 7 October 2007
Sun Herald
