Grand Cru (Perth) Tasting Group – Western Australian Sparkling Wines

[Waiters Friend]

G’day

Western Australia is making some spectacular sparkling wines these days. Our group’s previous tastings have included Champagne and sparkling wines generally, but we've never focussed just on W.A.

Grape variety, vintage / NV, region was unrestricted provided the wine was genuinely from Western Australia. We were also looking for the unusual as well as the excellent. The wines were poured into all-purpose wine glasses, not flutes.

So what did we get?

Sittella Chenin Blanc NV (Swan Valley): Pale yellow with a persistent bead. The palate is mildly toasty with lemon, pear, ripe red apple and honeysuckle. The palate also shows a little autolysis, with cashew nut, bruised apple, nashi pear and good supporting acid. A good opening wine.

Forester Estate Georgette Pinot Chardonnay NV (Margaret River): Pale yellow with a coarse mousse which flattened pretty quickly. It shows a yeasty, cheesy nose, with lemon pith, apple and aldehydes. The palate showed red fruits, lemon, and good supporting acid. Short finish.

Swings and Roundabouts NV (Margaret River): 78% Chenin Blanc, 20% Sauvignon Blanc, 2% Semillon. Like the Forester, this went flat very quickly. The nose is showing lemon sherbet, apricots, Pink Lady apples and is herbaceous. The palate shows very tangy lemon, red apples, and is overtly sweet, with high acid.

Howard Park Petit Jete NV (Pemberton): Pale yellow, with a strong mousse. The delicate nose is more floral than fruity, with some minerals, oyster shell, and a touch of yeast. The palate is acid dominant, with some citrus (lemon) and more minerals. Short finish.

Howard Park Jete Rose NV (Great Southern): Salmon colour. Musk, fairy floss, maraschino cherry and strawberry on the nose – we were fairly certain there was some Pinot Noir in the wine. The palate is zesty – strawberries with a tart red fruit overlay. There’s a little residual sugar, and lingering red fruits. Good length. We discovered this is 100% pinot noir and has had 2 ½ years on lees. Highly regarded by the group.

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Wills Domain D’Elevage Rose NV (Margaret River): 100% Merlot. Only the slightest hint of rose colour. Persistent mousse. The nose shows delicate strawberry, grilled pineapple (in sweet and sour sauce – a very specific descriptor!), citrus, Fruit Tingles and sour beer. The palate is also initially delicate but the intensity builds towards the finish. There’s a little sweetness on the nose, while the palate is dry. Good length and highly regarded by the group.

Dukes Duchess Sparkling Riesling 2021 (Porongorup): Straw colour with a fine and persistent mousse. The nose is dominated by candy – musk sticks and lolly bananas. The palate is reminiscent of barley water. It is acid dominant and no noticeable mid-palate. Zero dosage.

Myattsfield Pinot Chardonnay 2019 (Perth Hills): Pale yellow with a fine bead. Balanced nose with lemon, strawberry, pear, green apple and some yeast autolysis. The palate is similar, with pear, strawberry, brioche and Mayer lemon. Cleansing acidity and good length.

Idee Fixe 2019 Blanc de Blanc (Karridale, Margaret River): Vasse Felix’s bubbles. Pale yellow with a frothy and velvety mousse. There’s some toast / brioche / sourdough, honeycomb, lemon pith, and red apple. The palate is full and rich, and one taster described the acid as ‘frisky’. There’s tangy red apple, strawberry and lemon pith, and the wine finished long and full. Harmonious, and highly regarded by the group.

Howard Park Grand Jete 2017: 58% pinot noir and 42% chardonnay from Howard Park’s Mount Barrow vineyard. Yellow, with good bead. The nose is yeasty, with lemon, strawberry, vegemite, fennel and mustard seed (?). A well balanced palate with refreshing acid, fruits and yeast present but not dominating. Good finish and well regarded by the group.

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Sittella ‘Marie Christien Lugten’ Grand Vintage 2016: 60% pinot noir, 40% chardonnay. Pale yellow with a persistent bead. Lemon blossom on the nose, with melon and a little yeast. The palate shows high acid, lemon cordial and cashew. Medium length only, and the wine is intense but unbalanced.

Howard Park Grand Jete 2015: 50% each of pinot noir and chardonnay. Yellow with a fine and persistent bead. The nose is cheesy, with honey and beeswax. The palate is expressive, with passionfruit, strawberry and brioche. Some autolysis and tertiary notes. Good length and intensity, and highly regarded by the group.

Jane Brook Estate ‘Elizabeth Jane’ Blanc de Blanc 2012 (Margaret River): Deep yellow in colour and a fading mousse. Yeast autolysis, walnut, malt and rancio on the nose. The palate has Worthers butterscotch, caramel, and stale buttered popcorn. Reasonable length, and probably past its best.

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This tasting showed the variety of sparkling wines that Western Australia can produce, both good and not so good, and was probably a representative sample.

Wine of the night was the Howard Park Grand Jete 2015, with the Idee Fixe, Howard Park Jete Rose NV and Wills Domain also rating well. Thanks to all of those who contributes in both wine and opinions.

Cheers