This is our fourth chardonnay vintage, the first under Stelvin. Pre release tastings have ranked this as our best and the most complex to date, and a worthy successor to our first three highly acclaimed vintages. The fruit was picked at Baume 12.5 to achieve high acid levels and at 13.5 to obtain full flavour development. It was partly barrel fermented, with lees stirring and 10 months of maturation in carefully selected French oak barriques.

The colour is pale straw with a light green hue. The nose strikingly develops additional complexity in the glass. There is a typical varietal chardonnay nose with citrus, fresh apple with melon and cashews. The wine is fresh on the palate with tight tangy acid and some mineral characters.

The controlled, partial malolactic fermentation delivers a smooth richness and elegant mouth feel, without loss of fruit flavour. We expect these characters will develop with careful cellaring over 5 years. The finish is clean with a delightful mouth filling persistence, enhanced by the subtle oak influence.

There is a fine balance of fruit, natural acidity and oak which results in a wine which represents a true varietal regional expression of Margaret River chardonnay.

tasting notes

Sparkling Chardonnay
Pinot Noir 2004

The wine style was developed with Harold Osborne, formerly of Schramsberg and Pelorus. Harold supervises production in Margaret River. The fruit is hand-picked at 19 Brix. The blend is 80% chardonnay, 20% pinot. The base wine was made at Pierro winery, using whole bunch pressing. The primary fermentation is completed in the barrel.

The wine lays on French oak for six months before triage and secondary fermentation using selected yeasts. The wine is in lees contact for two years before riddling and disgorgement.

On the nose, there are fresh fruit and some nutty bready characters. On the palate,the chardonnay imparts a rich toastymouth filling creaminess and the pinot provides an austere balance. The oak treatment, unusual for a sparkling wine, adds complexity and depth.

A rich but fresh style of sparkling wine with a satisfying elegance and mouth feel.

tasting notes

This classic Margaret River blend combines the depth and intensity of Semillon with the freshness and crispness of Sauvignon Blanc. The Thompson SSB has developed the style further by selecting fruit from among the best growers in the Margaret River region and fermenting a portion of the Semillon in French oak barriques.

The Sauvignon Blanc was picked from the cooler, more southern subregions of Margaret River to avoid tropical fruit over-expression and to enhance the herbaceous sauvignon blanc characters The final blend is 60% Semillon and 40% Sauvignon Blanc.

It is bottled using Stelvin caps to retain freshness. The lime fresh aromas of the Semillon complement the stone fruit and gooseberry of the Sauvignon Blanc. There is a refreshing crisp acidity with a mouth filling, complete finish. The result is a crisp, elegant and balanced wine, ideal for drinking now but likely to develop further complexity with cellaring for 3-5 years.

tasting notes

Cabernet Merlot 2003

This wine is primarily driven by the strength and subtlety of our Margaret River cabernet sauvignon (75%), softened by merlot (20%) and intensified with a small addition of cabernet franc (5%).

Fruit of unusual intensity was produced by meticulous viticulture including bunch thinning, and leaf plucking, and was hand picked at optimal ripeness.

Our cabernet merlot winemaker, Janice McDonald, combined traditional and modern viticulture techniques with part maturation in French oak barriques to produce a wine which is ready for drinking now, but will benefit from cellaring for another 2-3 years.

The nose is characterised by freshly crushed red berries, with a hint of cassis. There is a mouth filling flavour with well-balanced fruit sweetness and tannins, and a hint of tobacco and cedar. The result is a rich and elegant but approachable wine typical of the great cabernet merlot styles of Margaret River.

tasting notes

Cabernet Sauvignon 2003

Cabernet sauvignon (85%), merlot (10%) and cabernet franc (5%) are selected from the best cabernet vines on our vineyard, with obsessive canopy management, limited yields, and hand-picking at optimal ripeness and flavour.2003 was a typical Margaret River

vintage, with steady ripening and flavour development.

Made by Mark Messenger, previously at Cape Mentelle and now at Juniper Estate in Margaret River. Hand plunged, with carefully judged skin contact. Matured for 12 months in the highest quality French oak (one third new, one third one year, one third older) and a small portion of American oak, and then another year of bottle age.

Fresh cabernet fruit red berry flavours, complex cassis bouquet and early chocolate and cigar box characters and nice richness developing.Silky tannins from the high quality fruit and meticulous oak treatment, intense and persistent in the mouth.

An elegant example, in the forefront of Margaret River cabernets.

tasting notes

Our Margaret River pinot has created quite a stir with wine judges and critics. How come Margaret River is producing good pinot?

We set out to produce a fruit driven Margaret River pinot which acknowledges its burgundian ancestry but allows a generous and relaxed, more sunny regional character to develop. We combined traditional pinot clones with newer clones to lift the bouquet and flavour.

The colour is medium density with paler red edges. There is a strong characteristic pinot forest floor nose, but with refreshing berry highlights, and strong hints of cherry.

There is a mouth filling persistence with tight, well- balanced tannins. This is a delightfully fresh early drinking style of pinot noir, but surprisingly rich and intense.

tasting notes