When Hilde and Ian (Duke) Ranson sold their clothing manufacturing business in 1998, they were able to fulfil a long-held dream of establishing a vineyard in the Porongurup subregion of Great Southern with the acquisition of a 65ha farm at the foot of the Porongurup Range. They planted shiraz and cabernet sauvignon and riesling. Hilde, a successful artist, designed the beautiful, scalloped, glasswalled cellar door sales area, with its mountain blue cladding. The appointment of Rob Diletti as winemaker will, if it were possible, increase the quality of the wines.

If you've been following this vineyard, you'll be expecting great things from this wine, and well you should. The cool-climate Porongurup vineyard has been responsible for a number of startlingly impressive cuvées over the years and this is no exception. Silky texture in the mouth, plump, concentrated black fruit and layers of sweet spice. It's a marvel. Love the plum through the finish ... Date: Nov 2021; Alcohol: 14.1%; Price: $42.00; Drink by: 2031; Rating: 96 Points & Special Value Star; Erin Larkin; James Halliday Wine Companion