"Ethereal" 98 point Palladian

"Ethereal" 98 point Palladian

"Could he produce a wine better than (and distinct from) Parterre?" asked renowned critic James Halliday in The Australian. We'd love you to be the judge, and both the 98 point Palladian Chardonnay and 97 point "ethereal" Palladian Cabernet Sauvignon are available to purchase and taste in our cellar door every weekend while stocks last.

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Read below Halliday's full article from The Australian, published 2 February 2019:

Fraser Gallop Estate

From time to time, Clive Otto must pinch himself in wonder at how he came to be chief winemaker of Fraser Gallop Estate. He presides over a 300 tonne capacity winery built in 2008 specifically to handle the production of chardonnay, cabernet and semillon sauvignon blanc blends. There is no intention to increase the throughput of the estate’s vineyards, or to undertake contract winemaking. And one look at the immaculately groomed vines in summer will tell you this is a special place, the vines surrounded by acres of mowed grass.

Otto is the first to admit he loves tinkering around the edges of making the wines of the estate. He hit the ground running when he made the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon (his first vintage), which in 2009 won the Decanter World Wine Awards for Best Cabernet Sauvignon in the World.

And then there are founding owners Nigel and Dorothy Gallop. Nigel, whose investments outside wine allow him to fund whatever his pride and joy needs, began tinkering with the Parterre Cabernet Sauvignon. Could he produce a wine better than (and distinct from) Parterre? The first decision was to carry out all the fermentation in new, custom built 500l French oak puncheons.

But how? The answer was a very large aperture that would allow conventional plunging. Bunches were destemmed, and at the end of 40 days on skins each puncheon was rolled with the aperture open, the marc taken direct to the press, the free run juice returned to the barrels for 22 months’ maturation. And so Palladian Cabernet Sauvignon was born, its first vintage 2013.

Palladian Chardonnay’s first vintage was in 2017. Vinification was similar to that of other top end versions, the answer in the vineyard where multiple passes through the growing season reduced the yield to 6.3 tonnes per hectare and the alcohol to 13 per cent.

2017 Fraser Gallop Estate Palladian Wilyabrup Margaret River
Chardonnay

Whole-bunch pressed straight to new 500l puncheons in a cool room at 12°C for a long, slow, wild yeast ferment. It has an incredibly pure, intense and long palate, grapefruit and white peach locked in an eternal embrace. 13 per cent alc, screwcap 98 points, drink to 2030, $110

2015 Fraser Gallop Estate Palladian Wilyabrup Margaret River
Cabernet Sauvignon

This has an extraordinarily long finish and aftertaste, built on varietal purity. It’s ethereal, a word I cannot remember using for a cabernet. The texture, too, is exceptional, the oak absorbed into the wine’s essence. 14.5% alc, screwcap 97 points, drink to 2045, $110

2018 Fraser Gallop Estate Wilyabrup Margaret River Ice Pressed
Chardonnay

The grapes were frozen for five days then whole-bunch pressed, the skins and ice discarded, the juice coldsettled
for another five days, then transferred to barrel for a slow fermentation with 155.6g/l residual sugar retained before fermentation was stopped. 375ml. 12.5 per cent alc, screwcap 95 points, drink to 2021, $34

Palladian's Critical Acclaim

Palladian is the purest expression of place, and the result of our absolute focus on quality. Over twenty years we've learnt exactly which vineyard rows produce the finest grapes, and these are handpicked for the Palladian wines. 

For five years Clive Otto made just three barrels of Palladian Cabernet Sauvignon, and in 2017 he began crafting the first ever Palladian Chardonnay. Both the Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are wild (natural) yeast fermented. 

Critical acclaim for the inaugural Palladian Chardonnay is rolling in, as is praise for the latest Palladian Cabernet Sauvignon. Both debuted at the recent Gourmet Escape with a fantastic response from critics, chefs and our loyal clientele.

Palladian Chardonnay​ 2017
"A fine modern Chardonnay" Huon Hooke

Released in November 2018, the Palladian Chardonnay comes from select rows of our very best low yielding Gin Gin vines. The juice is run cloudy into a mixture of puncheons and barriques, and only 1000 litres is made.

Huon Hooke called it the #1 2017 Chardonnay from Margaret River;

"Fraser Gallop wines are among the best value in the region, and this one is typical. The youthfully subtle bouquet has elements of cashew, almond, honey and butter while the palate is lively with mouth-watering acidity and is tense, refreshing and invigorating. A fine modern chardonnay."

Gary Walsh of Winefront awarded it 95+ points;

"Spicy biscuit oak, zesty lime and grapefruit, kaffir lime leaf, touch of nougat, whisper of struck match. Medium-bodied, intense fruit backed with tasteful spicy oak, gently chalky texture, a bit of sunshine pineapple and vanilla on a long crisp finish. Savoury elements in play, but not thick with winemaker influence, more into purity here. A spicy little unit. Shy as a youngster, and more open coming back to it having been open for a day." 

"Big and rich and gorgeous with masses of acidity. Exotically floral." 18/20 - Jancis Robinson, tasted unfinished in November 2017.

Palladian Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
A 96 point "Beauty"

The Cabernet is fermented in new 500 litre vinification puncheons as whole berries. Both Huon Hooke and Gary Walsh scored it 96 points.

"Deep red/purple colour, with a superbly intense bouquet of violets and blackcurrants. Oak has been sensitively handled. The tannins are fine-grained and soft, the concentration outstanding without sacrificing the elegance and finesse of the wine." - Huon Hooke

"Beautiful smelling wine. All the violets, sweet dark fruit, tobacco and cigar box, spice, nougat. Full-bodied, thick with fine tannin, fresh, savoury, intense, great line through the mouth, big finish, baking spices and sweet tannin. Settled acidity. Napa-like, in a sense. Red fruits and creamy cassis linger. Beauty." - Gary Walsh

"Subtle, layered, deep ruby. Tight and youthful and shows what Clive Otto can do." 17+ - Jancis Robinson, previewed in November 2017