WA Sparkling Spotlight - Lunch | Masterclass | Dinner
Bellebonne | Chandon | Frazer Woods | House of Arras
Howard Park | Idee Fixe | Mandoon Estate | Sittella
“There are a number of Australian regions crafting exceptional sparkling wine that are
true competitors to serious Champagne.”
Angus Hughson, Winepilot, Chasing Down Champagne 2025.
The WA wine industry is putting a significant and disciplined effort into sparkling wines.
Despite the supposedly unfavourable climate, the west nationally unknown for this style,
is producing some of the nation’s finest.
Sunday April 13
Lunch: 12-3pm, 17 Wines & 5 Courses $180
Masterclass: 4-6pm, 17 Wines with nibbles $75
Dinner: 6:30pm, 17 Wines with 5 Courses $180
The Wines and Menu
2021 Bellebonne Vintage Cuvée
2018 Chandon Brut
A vintage sparkling of 50/50% pinot noir/chardonnay; five years on lees; 5g/L dosage. A bright green, lemony gold. Expressive, with aromas of white peach, red apple and lemon zest together with some white flowers and spice. Subtle brioche. Very bright and energetic on the youthful, chalky and very long palate. A bargain at this price and a wine that will continue to evolve in bottle.
96 Points Phillip Rich, Halliday Wine Companion (January 2025)
Frazer Woods NV Pinot Noir Chardonnay
John Frazer has been a champion of West Australian sparkling for years. The wine is a blend of largely Pemberton fruit with about 31 per cent Margaret River. It has character and style and shows what can be done in this State.
Ray Jordan.
THE WEST AUSTRALIAN - TOP 100 WHITES
2016 Frazer Woods La Cache Blanc de Blancs
Dedicated to the art of Traditional method sparkling wines comes this 2016 vintage from Frazer Woods in their La Cache bottling. The base wine remained on wild yeast lees and underwent partial malolactic fermentation. In bottle and aged on lees for over 7 years, disgorged in November 2023. Tarte-tatin apples, poached pears and lemon biscotti. Candied lemon twists, hazelnut skin and freshly baked croissants. A hint of Rainier cherries, terra cotta and ground ginger. Beautifully ripe Margaret River chardonnay explodes on the palate with a freshness that's hard to believe. A slurp of pineapple and lemon curd acidity turns to a delightful almond meal creaminess. This is in its peak drinking window with the ability to age for another 3-4 years as well. Traditional method sparkling wine is a true labour of love. This is outstanding drinking. Pour a glass, enjoy with prawn toast and be grateful Aussie winemakers love what they do.
96 Points, Shanteh Wale - The Wine Pilot
GOLD MEDAL - Langton's Margaret River Wine Show 2023
Miso eggplant, warm toast, petite greens
House of Arras Grand Vintage 2015
The new release of the Grand Vintage sees a blend of 66.7/33.8% chardonnay/pinot noir sourced from the East Coast, Derwent Valley, Coal River Valley and Pipers River. On tirage seven years, dosage 2.6 g/L. Medium straw in the glass with an über-fine bead and energetic mousse. Aromas of juicy white peach, green apple, pithy grapefruit and pear cut with hints of soft spice, grilled nuts, fresh brioche, dried honey, orange blossom and stone. There are some umami notes on the palate – a gentle ache is all, but its presence is felt nevertheless. Notes of sea spray, honeycomb and fresh pastries swell on the mid-palate and the finish is long and true with tight acidity, impressive tension and a wash of biscuity tones on the exit.
96 Points Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion (September 2023)
Howard Park Jeté Premium Brut NV
Fruit is based in the 2021 vintage with 30 months on lees, 47% Chardonnay, 43% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meunier and made in an extra brut style. Candied golden peaches, baked apple and lemon curd. Some honeysuckle blooms that lead to a delectable array of almond praline and toasted pine nuts. The good proportion of Chardonnay allows the wine to slither over the palate and the addition of reserve wine adds further complexity with sand stone, sea spray and oat milk creaminess. This is drinking beautifully and would work equally well with poached chicken salads but also has the ability to cut though creamy carbonara dishes too. A very reliable wine for all occasions.
93 Points Shanteh Wale, Wine Pilot (January 2025)
Howard Park Jeté Grand Vintage 2019
74% Chardonnay and 26% Pinot Noir from the distinguished Mount Barrow vineyard within the Mount Barker subregion of the Great Southern. 52 months on lees and the addition of reserve wines and made in an extra brut style. Yellow sapphire hues in the glass the wine opens with glace ginger, peach melba and drizzles of honey on buttered toast. Some hazelnut skin, cashew cream and a core of pineapple. There are added dimensions of crème brûlée torched bitters and flavour length for days. This walks the line between decadence and succulence, a small sip and you are left, still tasting it, moment after but equally blink and the bottle is empty. A worthy contender for fried chicken buckets or a perfect piece of grilled miso cod.
94 Points Shanteh Wale, Wine Pilot (January 2025)
Idée Fixe Premier Brut Blanc de Blancs 2022
The unmistakable DNA of southern Margaret River Chardonnay and its cool, coastal influence runs through the core. Delicate layers of orange blossom and coastal Jasmine lead into wisps of oyster shell, wet stone and ocean mist above tempting notes of yellow plum and golden kiwi. Zesty lemon and crunchy Granny Smith carry through on the mid-palate while the sea foam mousse dances gracefully along the palate to unfurl a lingering, fine acid finish. 100% Chardonnay with 21+ months on lees and dosage of 5g/L.
Winery Notes, Idée Fixe Margaret River
Shark Bay whiting, tempura, shaved fennel, lemon
Mandoon Estate Reserve 2016
From chardonnay fruit grown in Karridale. Matured on lees for a significant seven years. Scents of ginger, lime and pink grapefruit with whiffs of butter brioche and cinnamon in the mix. Fresh whiffs, all very pleasing and bright. Refreshing and clean to taste, brisk bubbles with a core of very saline and minerally acidity. Slightly slick, rich texture suggestive of stone fruit nectar with licks of woody spices, waxy green apple, ginger and more pink grapefruit. The message is 'lots going on'. It's a delight to drink.
92 Points Mike Bennie, Halliday Wine Companion (August 2024)
Mandoon Estate Vintage 2021
Sitella Cuvèe Blanc NV Brut
This wine represents the first of the future of Sittella’s signature sparkling house style, which, is a detailed array of regional fruit expression combined with complexity and a delicately poised palate. This wine has been ten years in the making but portrays a long term family vision of a true but uniquely Australian and importantly Western Australian Non-Vintage sparkling wine consisting of a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from several vintages crafted in tank, bottle and barrel.
Tasting Notes: Vibrant aromas of fresh citrus, red apples and subtle roasted almond nuances complement this wines long fine and effervescent finish.
(Winery Notes)
Sitella Grand Vintage 'Marie Christien Lugten' 2017
Fabulous mousse and bead, presents really well in the glass. Aromas of just-ripe strawberry, green apple, brioche, talc and a dab of complexing aldehyde. Full flavoured, focussed and long; there's nutty, doughy red fruits, crunchy acidity and a creamy mouth-feel. Long and impressive
95 Points Aaron Brasher, The Real Review (February 2023)
Seared salmon, salsa verde
Bellebonne Vintage Rosé 2021
100% pinot noir straight to old French oak puncheons; disgorged early December 2023. Light salmon pink with a fine, energetic bead and mousse. Notes of redcurrant, strawberry and red forest fruits with a light struck flint tone and hints of violet, oyster shell, ozone, light pastis, brioche, light mushroom broth and stone. Umani, creamed manuka honey and pristine red fruits on the palate with great harmony, flow and tension. A great release.
96 Points Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion (August 2024)
Howard Park Jeté Rosé NV
It’s a coppery/pale-pink hue with plenty of fine bead then inflections of cherries and spice, red apple and a hint of woodsy spices. While it’s racy across the palate, partly due to perky acidity, it’s super dry and ultra-refreshing.
93 Points Jane Faulkner, Halliday Wine Companion (May 2024)
Idée Fixe Brut Rosé 2022, Our Price $
A poised Rosé of pale salmon hues with a fine, energetic bead. Alluring notes of freshly gathered strawberries, red cherry and goji berries unfold above fragrant intimations of crunchy white nectarine and baked pastries. Exuberant with perky minerality, the palate transitions elegantly from hints of Australian finger lime pearls, racy cherry and pink rose petal, to an energetic sea foam mousse. Fruit purity is celebrated by the delicate dosage. 73.5% Chardonnay, 26.5% Pinot Noir and with dosage of 4.75g/L.
Winery Notes, Idée Fixe Margaret River
Sitella Avant-Garde Rosé 2019, Our Price $
Slightly dull smoked salmon colour, showing development, spicy and quince-paste aromas, hint of almond bread, pot-pourri, the palate lean and slightly angular, even a little hollow in the centre, but a fair sparkling rosé, with a slight grip at the end-palate.
93 Points Huon Hooke, The Real Review (January 2024)