James Halliday gives Passel Estate 5 Stars!

We are thrilled to announce that James Halliday has given Passel Estate a five star rating (the top rating that can be awarded to a new winery), in his newly released Halliday Wine Companion 2018. To top it off, he has written wonderful reviews on all three Passel Estate wines released and reassured us that our wines make great choices for cellaring.

95 points: Passel Estate 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon

“Includes 12.5% merlot, blended post-fermentation, crushed and destemmed, fermented in tank with cultured yeast, 12 days on skins, matured in French oak (one-third new) for 10 months. Passel Estate has quickly established a distinct house style, with fine-grained tannins derived from both the fruit and the new oak woven through the medium-bodied palate. The bouquet is entirely at one with the palate, blackcurrant/cassis to the fore, elegance derived from the timing of the harvest. Throw in the perfect balance, and say no more.”  Drink to 2030.

95 points: Passel Estate 2015 Shiraz

“Machine-harvested, whole berry-fermented in tank with cultured yeast, 10 days on skins, matured in French oak (one-third new) for 10 months. Bright crimson-purple; there’s a lot of high quality French oak stamped on the bouquet and medium-bodied palate, creating both flavour and texture for the plum and savoury black cherry fruit. The finish is long and convincing, and gets it over the oak line.”  Drink to 2030.

92 points: Passel Estate 2015 Chardonnay

“Machine-harvested, 100% Gin Gin clone, fermented in French oak (35% new) with cultured yeast, matured for 10 months. Elegant and invigorating, its freshness turning on the carefully managed and balanced between barrel ferment oak and fruit. Chabliesque, the question is whether the fruit will develop so that it won’t have to rely on freshness and natural acidity.”  Drink to 2021.