Runner-up Wine of the Year 2024

2018 Rolling Stone

Q: Vintage Notes

Vineyard: Hazel’s Vineyard reflects our commitment to regenerative farming and the pursuit of quality through responsible agriculture. Located in Forest Grove, this southern Margaret River site is defined by free draining ironstone gravel soils, a cooling maritime influence, and a north-facing aspect ensuring optimal exposure to the sunlight. Sustainable farming practices have brought enhanced vitality into these soils, enabling us to produce wines with exceptional texture, vibrancy, and site expression. The 2018 vintage delivered near-perfect growing conditions. A warm, dry spring was followed by consistent summer weather, punctuated by 20mm of rain in late January—ideal for dry-grown vineyards. Warm days and cool nights supported even ripening and fruit purity, with optimal acid and tannin development in the reds. Later ripening varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon benefited from mild conditions in March, contributing to the exceptional flavour concentration, balance, and structure seen in the 2018 Rolling Stone.

$160.00

Rolling Stone represents the pinnacle of our red wine production—made from the finest parcels of fruit at Hazel’s Vineyard and made with precision, restraint, and time. This single vineyard wine has earned 99 points (WA Wine Review), 97 points (Halliday Wine Companion), and was awarded Best Cabernet Blend in Ray Jordan's WA Wine Review, securing its place as one of Margaret River’s most distinguished reds.

Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon (%), Malbec (%), Merlot (%), Petit Verdot (%)
Alcohol: 14.4%

2018 Rolling Stone

$160.00

Tasting Notes

Fragrant and layered, the nose opens with violets, cassis, and fresh earth. Savoury complexity follows, with notes of black olive, bay leaf, and dark chocolate adding depth and dimension.

The palate is powerful yet refined, with a dense core of blueberries, gravel dust, and cedar spice. Firm but fine tannins frame the wine beautifully, providing structure and impressive length. A wine of elegance, concentration, and unmistakable vineyard identity.

Vintage Notes

Vineyard: Hazel’s Vineyard reflects our commitment to regenerative farming and the pursuit of quality through responsible agriculture. Located in Forest Grove,
this southern Margaret River site is defined by free draining ironstone gravel soils, a cooling maritime influence, and a north-facing aspect ensuring optimal
exposure to the sunlight. Sustainable farming practices have brought enhanced vitality into these soils, enabling us to produce wines with exceptional texture,
vibrancy, and site expression.

The 2018 vintage delivered near-perfect growing conditions. A warm, dry spring was followed by consistent summer weather, punctuated by 20mm of rain in late January—ideal for dry-grown vineyards. Warm days and cool nights supported even ripening and fruit purity, with optimal acid and tannin development in the reds. Later ripening varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon benefited from mild conditions in March, contributing to the exceptional flavour concentration, balance, and structure seen in the 2018 Rolling Stone.

Winemaker Notes

Sourced from selected parcels at Hazel’s Vineyard, this blend was fermented in traditional open stone fermenters using indigenous yeasts. Some batches remained on skins post-fermentation for several weeks to build savouriness and structure, while others were pressed earlier to retain freshness and aromatic lift. Each variety was matured separately in the finest selection of French oak barrels for 18 months. The final blend was bottled unfined and unfiltered to preserve purity and complexity.

Awards

Runner-up Wine of the Year 2024

Reviews

99 Pts Ray Jordan WA Wine Review
“A thoroughly exquisite cabernet blend from the great ‘18 Margaret River vintage. Also has some malbec, merlot and petit to complete the picture. This is the finest Rolling Stone yet released. It’s sophisticated and so regally refined with fine tannins and fine-grained oak cradling such beautiful fruit. Perfumed with black fruits displaying ever so subtle mineral, black olive and cracked seashell characters. The palate is endless. A truly great wine. Ray Jordan, December 2024

97 Points Halliday Wine Companion
“78/16/3/3% cabernet sauvignon/malbec/merlot/petit verdot. The best parcels of fruit from the Hazel's vineyard. Matured in French oak for 18 months (40% new). We are coming to the end of the premium 2018 releases from Margaret River, so it is a thrill to be able to taste a few more before the tranche is exhausted. This is closed, restrained and cooling, with layers of graphite tannins and salty mineral acidity ... the fruit is supple and elegant, defined wholly by blackberries, mulberries and raspberry coulis. This has eons left in the tank. It would be impatient of you to drink it earlier than 2025 (we would forgive you if you did though, because it is already delicious).” Erin Larkin, August 2022

96 pts Wine Pilot
– “The very serious 2018 Margaret River Bordeaux blend focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, and unsurprisingly for the year delivers powerful aromas of just-ripe blackcurrant, graphite, dried herbs and granite with a strong backing of French oak. It then jumps out of the blocks with lashings of blackberry, blackcurrant and violets, before tightening up to a long, strong well defined finish with exceptional tannins that are significant yet fine – a real feature. Don’t be tempted for at least another decade.” Angus Hughson, September2023

96 pts The Wine Front
“Cabernet Sauvignon (78%), Malbec (16%) Merlot (3%) and Petit Verdot (3%). I’ve said before, that this Rolling Stone comes over as a kind of Napa Valley meets Margaret River style to me, perhaps with a little twist of Bolgheri. But don’t mind me. I’m fanciful. Black fruit (and some red), perfume, baking spices, dark chocolate and a smattering of dried herb. It’s muscular, deep and brooding, all the dark chocolate and spice, ripe graphite tannin with a firm ‘mineral’ feel, maybe a little black olive and nori too, and a fragrant yet serious finish of outstanding length. Quality and density of tannin is a highlight. Serious business. Terrific.” Garry Walsh March 2022

95 pts James Suckling
“A classic, cabernet-dominant Bordeaux blend. Gravel over clay, alluvial and maritime. This is rather loosely knit for the top wine of the suite. Perhaps I am getting the puppy fat stage. Clove, tea tree and cassis. A douse of sage, dried lavender and mint. A swab of tapenade. A dense finish that showcases plenty of layers, textural rivulets and classy oak. This is destined for a long life ahead, as with all of the top wines at this address. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold.” Ned Goodwin MW, 28 June 2023

94 pts The Real Review
“Deep-ish red to brick-red colours with a faint reminder of purple; there are crushedleaf, blackcurrant and smoky oak-derived aromas superimposed with toasty/smoky and tobacco savoury notes from age development. The wine is full-bodied and powerful, loaded with drying tannins and firm structure that speaks of a cool cabernet climate—not sunny, fruit-sweet and generous but elegant, stately and reserved.” Huon Hooke, January 2023

2018 Rolling Stone

2018 Rolling Stone

Reviews

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