I first met Nigel Gallop of Fraser Gallop in 2007 when I was in Western Australia for a month (see the report of my travels here). The estate was conceived in 1998 and Clive Otto (ex-Vasse Felix) joined in 2006. Until 2008 when the winery was built, the wines were made elsewhere. Though the vines were young, I thought Nigel’s wines showed promise and I liked the fact he hadn’t clobbered them with oak to “build them up.”
We met up again earlier this year in London to taste his latest vintages. The Chardonnays, impressed, especially the more subtle 2008. The 2007 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, which won the Decanter World Wine Awards 2009 International Bordeaux varietal trophy, looks very smart too.
Talking with Nigel, it’s clear that he’s out to make wines with a sense of place at the restrained, elegant end of the spectrum. Based in Wilyabrup, home to some of Margaret River’s finest (Cullen, Howard Park, Moss Wood, Pierro, Vasse Felix, Woodlands and the like), with more vine age under his belt, I suspect he’s going to give some established names a run for their money. And he’s not planning to take any shortcuts – he didn’t make his top red in 2006 – a cool, not great year for reds (fab Chardys though!), which I suspect affected younger vineyards like his in particular. Anyway, all good signs.
The estate is based in upper Wilyabrup on the Metricup Road, 6km inland, so exposed to moderating Indian Ocean influence. It’s planted to Cabernet Sauvignon (17 acres – WA’s original Houghton clone). Merlot (1 acre), Cabernet Franc (1 acre). Petit Verdot (1 acre), Malbec (1 acre). Chardonnay (17 acres – WA’s classic gin gin clone) and Semillon (7 acres, a further 8 acres planted in 2007). He buys in Sauvignon Blanc for his white Bordeaux blend from Karridale further south, generally regarded as a better location for the variety (it’s cooler).
Margaret River Semillon/Sauvignon 2008 – a blend of 62% Semillon from Wilyabrup and 38% Sauvignon Blanc from further south in Karridale, this shows a “smoky”, flinty Semillon nose with herbaceous and citrus notes behind; quite stony and fresh. A dry, zesty palate, quite tight and austere with crisp acidity, herbal edges to its citrus, quite long and subtle. Good with a small percentage of complexing oak lending a touch of gravitas. 12.2% abv
Just to flag, he’s planning to release a flagship white, an oaked Semillon Sauvignon blend, from the 2009 vintage. It’s a blend which is, of course, famous in Bordeaux and, to emphasise his commitment to making a serious expression of Western Australia’s classic white style, last year, Nigel invited Olivier Bernard of Domaine de Chevalier to co-host a comparative tasting of Bordeaux and Australian Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blends. He intends to run the event annually.
Wilyabrup Chardonnay 2007 – quite rich on nose and palate with smoky oak (70% new oak here), tangerine, melon, peach and pear. It’s a generous mouthful, kept in check by its core of grapefruit, so typical of WA’s gin gin clone which, prone to hens and chickens, naturally has fruit and acid in good measure. Good.
Wilyabrup Chardonnay 2008 – a different kettle of fish and more representative of where Nigel wants to go with Chardonnay (one third new oak) – I liked this very much. It has a tighter structure with delicate pear, grapefruit and floral notes to nose and palate. The oak is more hands off than in 2007 giving gentle support with vanilla and spice. Cleaves to the palate in a subtle way – lovely saturation of flavour. Very good.
Margaret River Cabernet Merlot 2008 – Nigel has insignificant plantings of Merlot so this component, 30% of the blend, was bought in. Good Margaret River typicity with plum and chocolate to the nose. Very well modulated palate, elegant, with good purity of cassis, briar and blue fruits. Bay leaf and toast add lift and depth. Well made.
Margaret River Cabernet Merlot 2005 – this was made in a contract winery. It’s quite developed with savoury, gamey notes and a little hollow – underscores the impressive evolution of this estate.
Wilyabrup Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 – the Decanter World Wine Awards International Bordeaux Varietal Blend Trophy bagger – an inviting nose with balsamic and chocolate which follow through on the palate, together with bayleaf, plum and mulberry. Atrractive powdery tannins. Finely wrought, elegant and very promising – I like the lift and succulence that a small proportion of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec bring to the blend – see my notes on the Great Wine Estates of Western Australia Masterclass here for more on this.
The wines have yet to hit these shores but recently appointed distributor Clarke Foyster (who also work with the very talented Mac Forbes – see here) expect to receive the first shipment mid-November. They sell by the case retail and will be able to point you in the direction of other retailers once the wines arrive. Lance Foyster has given me approximate prices as follows: Fraser Gallop Sem/Sav 09 £15, Chardy 08 £22, Cab/Merkot 08 £15 & Cab 07 £25.
Sarah Ahmed
The Wine Detective
19 June 2009
