Windows Onto Quality

Windows Estate is a family owned and operated vineyard and winery belonging to Chris and Joanne David situated on the border of the Yallingup and Wilyabrup sub-regions of Margaret River. Chris is both farmer and viticulturist/winemaker. He began his wine pursuit at the tender age of 19, planting vines in 1996 and making his own wines from 2006. He has 7ha under vine. Chris is trained in viticulture but is a self-taught winemaker and his amazing achievements typify ‘the great Aussie spirit’. I could say more but I think their wines do the talking.

The Wines

Reviewer’s Pick

2016 Windows Margaret River Petit Lot Chardonnay

Wow! The wine of this tasting. This Chardonnay exudes class. Delectable, refined, intense, elegant and fragrant. I have never used frangipani as an aroma descriptor before but it is certainly there with flavours of white peach and nectarine. Wonderful characters of cashew and a nuttiness from oak. Beautiful acid backbone gives power and purity, and long, clean, refreshing, lingering flavours. Compared to famous White Burgundies, this price is amazing value. (RRP $60)

2017 Windows Margaret River Estate Grown  Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

The inviting ‘fresh cut grass’ aromas signify Semillon dominance and typify Margaret River’s Semillon. Light-to-medium bodied; palate profile simple, linear and intense. Herbal characters, gooseberry and white peach. Racy, ‘crunchy’ acidity gives a clean finish. Enjoyable short-to-medium term. Good with seafood. (RRP $27)

2017 Windows Margaret River Petit Lot Fume Blanc

The ‘Fume’ on the label implies oak treatment. Chris was inspired by the wines of Sancerre in France. The complexity of this wine reminds me more of Pouilly Fume (opposite bank of the Loire River to Sancerre) where the soils are more loamy and the wines more full bodied. Exhibits aromas of citrus, grass, complex nettle characters and a funky element from natural yeast fermentation. Palate shows lemon citrus, green skins, a touch of lanolin with flinty minerality, crisp acid and a clean finish. Shows strong wine making influence with fermentation on skins adding texture, and 11 months in three-year-old French oak and a year in the bottle before release giving it body and definition. (RRP $35)

2017 Windows Margaret River Estate Chardonnay

A very ‘Margaret River style’ Chardonnay for which the region has become famous. Fruit driven with rich, ripe flavours and succulent textural mouth feel. Stone fruits, grapefruit, dominate the palate. A fine acid core and added creaminess from malolactic fermentation. It is difficult to find the oak in this wine, which if present is well integrated. Shows good balance and evolving complexity. (RRP $45)

2016 Windows Margaret River Basket Pressed Syrah

Syrah is how most of the world know what Australians call Shiraz but Syrah is becoming a popular term for some local producers. Nose is restrained, with cinnamon, blackberry and a savoury edge. Palate is full bodied with gripping firm tannins, defined flavours of Satsuma plum and black cherry, some background spice and black pepper. Oak is not a dominant feature. It is a young wine that needs time to mellow but very pleasing and, with cellaring, will open up. (RRP $36)

2016 Windows Margaret River Basket Pressed Cabernet Sauvignon

A well-crafted Margaret River Cabernet never disappoints and this wine certainly lives up to the region’s big reputation. The nose is restrained at first but then opens up in the glass. Black cherry initially, then comes the blackcurrant and cedary oak. Palate is elegant and refined; smooth and silky, linear, but with a ‘bite’ at the end palate perhaps from the addition of 3% Petit Verdot (often called ‘the winemakers spice’) prior to bottling . Dominant flavours of blackcurrant/cassis. The tannins are fine grained and drying, the acid, perfectly balanced, the quality French oak integral. A great wine for long-term cellaring. (RRP $45)

For more information regarding Windows Estate, visit: http://www.windowsestate.com/