By Dr Craig Drummond, Master of Wine
It is always exciting to review new wines and indeed a pleasure to experience the wines from Ampersand Estates.
The first thing that intrigued me was their name. Ampersand is the name of the symbol we use for ‘and’ (&).
To quote co-owner Corrie Scheepers “and is much more acceptable than ‘or’ or ‘but’.” Their philosophy is we shouldn’t have to choose – we should have it all.
The Estate is located between Pemberton and Nannup amongst the magnificent Karri forests and the Donnelly River. Originally Donnelly River Wines, the property has been revitalised by Corrie and co-owner Melissa Bell.
The 20 hectares of vineyards focus on Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – varieties for which the region has become well known. They also lease another Pemberton vineyard and source fruit from Frankland River, which offers varieties like Syrah, or Shiraz, which are not as suited to the Pemberton region.
RELATED: Marq of distinction
Wine making is contracted out to the skilled hands of Rob Mann.
The Pemberton Estate offers wine tasting, accommodation, and hosts events and weddings. On-site the Rainfall Distillery produces Gin and Vodka and soon the addition of a Gin Botanicals garden will add a further unique dimension.
My next visit to Pemberton will certainly include Ampersand.
Ampersand Estates, Pemberton, Sauvignon Blanc 2024 (RRP $36)
A vibrant wine, the aromatics are amazing. Fresh guava, herbaceous green pea and tropical pineapple leap from the glass, backed by minerality and crisp acidity.
A fresh 12% alcohol and easy drinking style, this will give pleasure for another year or two.
Ampersand Estate, Frankland River, Syrah 2024 (RRP $50)
From Shiraz sourced from Frankland River, this wine displays a youthful deep garnet colour, the nose is spicy and shows cardamon and blackcurrant.
The palate, sweet fruited and supple, include flavours of spices, black olive and mulberry. Tannins are soft for its youth. Very enjoyable and will reward for a further six-to-eight years.
Ampersand Estates, Pemberton, Esperluette 2022 (RRP $80)
Esperluette is French for ampersand. This is a limited release wine, only produced in 2022 and 2024.
The 2022 is an interesting blend of Merlot – just dominant at 53% – Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon, just 5%. It displays a ruby colour with a purple meniscus. Aromas are initially subtle but open up with floral characters of redcurrant and oak, evident but not over dominating.
The palate is harmonious, supple and mellow. Great balance of fruit/acid/oak/alcohol. Merlot adds velvet fruitcake characters and herbal elements, while Petit Verdot, often called the winemakers spice, adds tannic structure. The touch of Cabernet gives a bit more weight.
A great food wine that will drink well for eight or 10 years.
RELATED: Fermoy – an established quality producer
Ampersand Estates, Pemberton, Pinot Noir 2024 (RRP $60)
The 2024 vintage was warm, dry and early. The berry size was smaller, giving great flavour concentration. This is a terrific Pinot.
It shows a brilliant beetroot red colour, the nose gives fresh vibrant red fruits of cherries, strawberries and plum which glide across the tongue. High acidity for the level of ripeness suggests fruit of high quality. A lighter, fresher, brighter style when compared to the 2022 Pinot. Wonderful drinking now and will be good for three or four years.
Reviewers pick
Ampersand Estates, WA, Pinot Noir 2022 (RRP $56)
A wet winter and spring resulted in moderate fruit set and lower yields, A cooler summer and late vintage gave good acid levels, fine tannins and wines of elegance.
This wine has an attractive deep crimson-purple colour, the nose is exotic, spicy and ethereal. More complex than the 2024, the palate is elegant with black cherry and cranberry, alongside complex background flavours of cinnamon. Tannins are fine and elegant, firm acidity binds this wine together structurally.
This is a very complete Pinot, drinking beautifully now and with the structure to give quite a few more years.
Are you in need of a luxury winter getaway complete with wine tasting in a gorgeous vineyard setting?
Ampersand Estates is giving one lucky Medical Forum reader the chance to win a $4600 getaway. You can also win wine from Ampersand Estates.
See our competitions page for more.
Want more news, clinicals, features and guest columns delivered straight to you? Subscribe for free to WA’s only independent magazine for medical practitioners.
Want to submit an article? Email editor@mforum.com.au