Forest Hill Vineyard (Western Australia)
The vineyards of Western Australia only account for a small percentage of Australia's vinous output in volume terms but their relatively cool climate and free-draining elevated soils yield some of Australia's finest wines in qualitative terms. Sited in the far south-western corner of Australia, the Lyons family took over this historic estate in the mid-1990s. Their dry-farmed coastal vineyards in Mount Barker - some 400km south-east of Perth - extend to some 95 hectares of unirrigated vines that are planted with classic grape varieties that are hand-harvested and benefit from regular rainfall and cool night time temperatures with winds starting in the Antarctic.
Wine-maker Guy Lyons seeks to make wines of freshness and finesse that have strong varietal character and drink well from release. His Chardonnay has a limpid, straw colour ripe orchard fruit scents and a smooth, yellow stone-fruit palate offset by nervy mineral nuances. A new addition to these pages in 2023 is Guy's Block 8 Chardonnay. Reviewed by Erin Larkin in Australia's Wine Companion magazine as "...a - if not the - greatest chardonnay in the Great Southern region. It is sensational." Praise indeed. It comes from a plot of dry grown, old vine fruit and has racy acidity, seductive stone fruit and citrus aromas and flavours while remaining nervy and mineral-driven. Still young, it benefits from 2 to 3 years bottle age to unfurl its secrets.
His Cabernet Sauvignon has an inviting blackcurrant and mint bouquet with hints of graphite and a core of ripe black fruit supported by supple tannins. A Riesling (last seen pre-pandemic) makes a welcome return with its zestly lime-blossom notes, racy acidity and intense minerality. Lastly, a sleek Shiraz has inviting plum and damson scents, blackberry flavours and gentle, peppery undertones. All are bottled under screwcap and can age well for 3 to 5+ years.
