Our Acclaims at Fermoy Estate

Please view our acclaims and news for wine making commencing in 2001.

2009-2010 Acclaims

James Halliday Australian wine companion 2010 Edition

Must Wine Bar Margaret River

2009 Acclaims

Download our 2009 Releases

2005 Fermoy Estate Reserve Cabernet GOLD MEDAL.
2009 Sydney Royal Wine Show

2008 Acclaims

Fermoy Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2005

One of the best reds from this established Margaret River producer. Love the lifted

scented notes of cedar, red berry and light fruitcake. The palate is medium-weight but with full intense and ripe flavours, showing multi-layered complexity. Excellent wine.

GREAT RED TASTING, cabernet blends $20-$25

RAY JORDAN, THE WEST AUSTRALIAN “FRESH”

thursday, june 26, 2008

Fermoy Estate Margaret River SEMILLON 2005

Good structure and texture, suggesting fermentation in old oak; totally dry, but not the least heavy; needs patience to see the best. Screwcap. 13° alc. Rating 90 To 2010 $18. 5 GLASSES.

James Halliday

Australian Wine Companion

2008

Fermoy Estate Merlot 2005

I reckon this is the best yet from Fermoy and it has a handy reputation for its

merlots. Complex perfumed aromas lead into a thoroughly beautiful, elegant palate.

The fruit is supplemented with a perfumed cedary oak and it adds up to an engaging wine of great poise and style.

GREAT RED TASTING, MERLOT $25-$40

RAY JORDAN, THE WEST AUSTRALIAN “FRESH”

thursday, june 26, 2008

Margaret River Semillon 2007

Unusually fine, delicate and long given the usual Margaret River Semillon

profile; great line and fluid mouthfeel; lemony fruit with a slash of mineral. Screwcap. Rating 94 To 2015 $20. 5 GLASSES.

James Halliday

Australian Wine Companion

2009 Edition

Margaret R iver Chardonnay 2007

A very refined wine which goes against normal regional patterns with excellent length and line, but less depth and complexity; should repay cellaring.

Screwcap. 13.5° alc. Rating 91 To 2015 $28. 4 ½ GLASSES.

James Halliday

Australian Wine Companion

2009 Editio n

Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc 2007

A clean bouquet; positive flavours throughout with a mix of gooseberry and a squeeze of lemony acidity on the finish. Screwcap. 12.5° alc.Rating 90 To 2010 $18. 4 ½ GLASSES.

James Halliday

Australian Wine Companion

2009 Edition

Margaret River Merlot 2005

A wine without any concessions whatsoever, dark and brooding, with tannins through the length of the palate; very difficult to tell where it is headed down the track, but leave it be now. Cork. 13.5° alc. Rating 89 To 2017 $30. 4 GLASSES.

James Halliday

Australian Wine Companion

2009 Edition

Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Slightly diffuse, hazy colour; a medium-bodied palate, with flavours ranging from herb through to cassis, tannins present throughout. Cork. Rating 89 To 2020 $30. 4 GLASSES.

James Halliday

Australian Wine Companion

2009 Edition

2007 Acclaims

Royal Melbourne Wine Show 2007

Fermoy Estate Merlot 2005 awarded GOLD

Scoop Magazine

Autumn Edition March to May 2007

New Release Tasting by Alex Hudak, Alan Dineen, David Watson, Nick Stacey, Langdon Farelly,Shaun Maher, Paul Carruthers.

….. a classy first effort nebbiolo that would put some Italian wines to shame. It has upfront tar and cherries with a new world twist, yet is very varietal.

Awarded: Silver (17.5)

This wine shows all the varietal characteristics of nebbiolo – cherry fruits along with some tar and spice notes, with a fennel-like lift. The palate offers black cherries, a mix of spices, and the tannin is there along with the acidity but it is balanced and is a long, great effort.

2007

Scoop Magazine

Autumn Edition March to May 2007

New Release Tasting by Alex Hudak, Alan Dineen, David Watson, Nick Stacey, Langdon Farelly,Shaun Maher, Paul Carruthers.

….. a classy first effort nebbiolo that would put some Italian wines to shame. It has upfront tar and cherries with a new world twist, yet is very varietal.

Awarded: Silver (17.5)

This wine shows all the varietal characteristics of nebbiolo – cherry fruits along with some tar and spice notes, with a fennel-like lift. The palate offers black cherries, a mix of spices, and the tannin is there along with the acidity but it is balanced and is a long, great effort.

Fermoy Estate Merlot 2005

Gold Award
ECTION-
2005 VINTAGE RED-

DRY RED-Merlot

Class: 48

Exhibit No.: 14

2007 ROYAL MELBOURNE WINE SHOW

Fermoy Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvingon 2004

Awarded: Silver (17)

Deep and dark in colour, this is dense, tight and youthful. The fruit is ripe, sweet and powerful with plenty of extract and warm alcohol and the wine shows some classy oak handling. An impressive package—refined with the best still to come. ($45)

SCOOP - WINTER 2007 (Tasting Panel: Jessica Zoiti, Alex Hudak, Alan Dinneen, David Watson, John Griffiths & Max Veenhuyzen).

Fermoy estate Sauvignon blanc 2007

Quality «««««

Value «««««

Availability «««««

Crisp Wine From Older Vineyard

Fermoy Estate is one of the older vineyards in Margaret River, producing a consistent range of whites and reds. Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon have been very strong and this newly released Sauvignon Blanc is another beauty. You won't get the big powerful herbaceousness with these wines but rather a more refined and controlled expression that keeps the palate quite tight and lean. This wine follows the very good 2006 which came from an exceptionally cool vintage. Hence this 07 has more weight and power and yet is still delivered with the same control and focus. It's tight and beautifully crisp with some nice gooseberry and tart lime juice adding a freshness to the palate. You will still get a hint of herbaceousness but it's more reserved. The palate is typically long.

Ray Jordan, The West Magazine, 28/07/07

Fermoy Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2007

Bronze Award

2—2007 VINTAGE SECTION—

DRY WHITE—Sauvignon Blanc

Class: 15

Exhibit No.: 43

2007 Royal Melbourne Wine Show

Fermoy Estate Margaret River SEMILLON 2005

Good structure and texture, suggesting fermentation in old oak; totally dry, but not the least heavy; needs patience to see the best. Screwcap. 13° alc. Rating 90 To 2010 $18. 5 GLASSES.

James Halliday

Australian Wine Companion

2008 Edition

Margaret River Semillon 2007

Unusually fine, delicate and long given the usual Margaret River Semillon

profile; great line and fluid mouthfeel; lemony fruit with a slash of mineral. Screwcap. Rating 94 To 2015 $20. 5 GLASSES.

James Halliday

Australian Wine Companion

2009 Edition

Margaret R iver Chardonnay 2007

A very refined wine which goes against normal regional patterns with excellent length and line, but less depth and complexity; should repay cellaring.

Screwcap. 13.5° alc. Rating 91 To 2015 $28. 4 ½ GLASSES.

James Halliday

Australian Wine Companion

2009 Editio n

Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc 2007

A clean bouquet; positive flavours throughout with a mix of gooseberry and a squeeze of lemony acidity on the finish. Screwcap. 12.5° alc. Rating 90 To 2010 $18. 4 ½ GLASSES.

James Halliday

Australian Wine Companion

2009 Edition

Margaret River Merlot 2005

A wine without any concessions whatsoever, dark and brooding, with tannins through the length of the palate; very difficult to tell where it is headed down the track, but leave it be now. Cork. 13.5° alc. Rating 89 To 2017 $30. 4 GLASSES.

James Halliday

Australian Wine Companion

2009 Edition

Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

Slightly diffuse, hazy colour; a medium-bodied palate, with flavours ranging from herb through to cassis, tannins present throughout. Cork. Rating 89 To 2020 $30. 4 GLASSES.

James Halliday

Australian Wine Companion

2009 Edition

2009 Acclaims

James Halliday Australian Companion 2010 Edition Reviews

Scoop Magazine Review

2006 Acclaims

Scoop Magazine Summer 05/06 - 'Best in the West Regional Wine Tasting'

The Reds

"The judges thought they may have been looking at duplicate samples with the Fermoy Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, but ultimately decided the pair were subtly different. This long established producer is now showing what to expect of classical Margaret River cabernet sauvignon – intensely varietal and regional characteristics stand alone in these two wines."

Pick of the Region

Fermoy Estate 2003 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon - Awarded: Gold (19)
“Intense leafy dusty cabernet aromas lift from the glass with rich, fleshy, blackberry, briary aromas, this wine offers great length and a thick chewy finish, but needs time to shine.’’
Fermoy Estate 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon - Awarded: Gold (18.5)
“Like the Reserve – leafy dusty varietal cabernet aromas, with lovely fleshy sweet briary fruit and oak flavours, which follow through with a thick chewy finish.”

The Whites

Fermoy 2005 Sauvignon Blanc - Awarded: Bronze (16)
"This has a clean aroma and flavour of herbal, grapey sauvignon blanc with slight honeyed touches. It’s also quite rich on the nose and palate, with more “oomph’’ than the light zesty sauvignons that consumers dictate."

2005 Acclaims

Tuggy Meyer, Huntsworth Wine Company Limited. Fermoy Estate Shiraz 2002 Margaret River, Western Australia (£12.95)

"I have to confess that I really don’t like Australians! My grandfather was a wool trader down under so I feel I can criticize without too much prejudice! Yes they won three times as many medals at the Sydney Olympics (their squad was also three times the size of ours!); yes they excel at half-a-dozen high profile sports like cricket; tennis; rugby league & swimming but the depth and cultural complexities are not exactly in the same league as us beleaguered Poms. Are they as good as us at Cinema; Television; Comedy; Rock & Pop Music; Opera & Classic; Architecture; The Arts period!; Horse Racing; Football; Rugby Union; Rowing; Angling; Motor Sports; Snooker & Darts; Aviation; Mountaineering & Exploration; Literature and a million other things? A bit like their wines I’m afraid – upfront, fruity, forceful but lacking finesse and complexity!

Having been cleared out of our mature Henschke stock we have an embarrassing solitary Australian wine on our shelves. It is not for want of trying as at each Aussie tasting I go to I am bombarded with Shiraz that tastes more like cough mixture and quite frankly I am weary of it! I had high hopes at The Wine fair last week but again was left little impressed in this field. The following day however Michael Kelly of Fermoy Estate appeared in our shop and I sampled all seven of his wines. Jaundiced on arrival I was however immediately turned round by the nose of his straight Shiraz. For all those fed up with the overtly one-dimensional Shiraz of Barossa fame here is a restrained yet seriously elegant Shiraz. Lovely ripe fruit but this is as rich as it is restrained and as balanced as one could hope for. I have usually found subtlety from Australia to emanate from either Adelaide Hills or parts of Western Australia so I wasn’t overly surprised that this delightful Shiraz came from Margaret River.

This is an Aussie that won’t jump down your throat or call you a whingeing Pom; it is in my view an Aussie that is better suited to the cut of Jermyn Street or Saville Row, a rarity indeed." (Apologies to Skippy; Rolf Harris & Madge.)

June 2005

Huon Hooke, June 2005... "the ’03 Fermoy Merlot is a ripper! It is one of the best merlots I’ve seen all year!”

2004 Acclaims

Winestate Magazine - Annual Issue 2004/2005 Best of Style **** (4 Stars) Fermoy Estate Margaret River Merlot 2003.

Decanter Western Australia 2004 Fermoy Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2001 ****1/2 (4 and a half Stars).

Possibly the best Fermoy red yet to be released. The 2001 vintage in Margaret River was superb and this is reallyshowing the benefits of the wonderful fruit expression from that year. Rich and deeply intense yet with a velvety softness that belies its underlying strength and power. 8-10 years.

The West Magazine
White noise, story by Ray Jordan, November 13, 2004

Fermoy Estate Reserve semillon 2002.

This is a beauty from one of the state's best semillon producers. Fine and quite delicate yet it has intense and concentrated fruit with a little oak treatment. A fine wine showing classy winemaking.

The West Australian - Ray Jordan, Thursday, October 7, 2004

Fermoy Estate Chardonnay 2003.

Oak freaks should stay away from this. It's a wine that gently works quality, intensely flavoured fruit with a subtle dab of oak. It results in a wine that you can drink, not simply taste and sip. Excellent mouthfeel and texture. 88/100.

Donna Hay Magazine - Annual Favourite Wine Awards 2004

Winner - FERMOY ESTATE RESERVE MARGARET RIVER SEMILLON 2002

Highly Commended Semillon category.

The Courier-Mail - WINEGUIDE 2004 (Tuesday June 8, 2004)

REDS $15 - $30 -> Fermoy Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

Elegant cedar blackberry aromas with soft, yet long taste and quite lingering tanins - very food fiendly. Excellent quality Margaret river cabernet at a reasonable price.

2003 Acclaims

Winestate - September/October 2003

Nationally, the spring issue of Winestate magazine rated three Fermoy wines highly.

The 2001 Reserve Semillon rated four and half stars for its "intense varietal aromas within the ripe tropical range with a full, flavoursome palate with lovely viscosity and beautifully balanced."

The 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon got four stars and was described thus: "Lovely crushed berry aromas balanced by cedary oak. Good length of fresh, clean medicinal-like fruit. A touch tart and acid and up-front."
Fermoy's 2002 Semillon (three stars) had a nose that "was all green beans and mown lawn and a fine, elegant palate moderately long with fresh lemon flavours and a clean acid finish".

The West Australian - The West Magazine 25 and 18 October 2003

Ray Jordan, The West Australian's wine writer, had Fermoy's 2001 Reserve Semillon and 2003 Sauvignon Blanc in his annual listing of the best premium white wines.

He wrote of the Reserve Semillon: "It has typically a tighter, more restrained structure. I like the wine now but it will gradually fill out with more age to deliver a lot more weight and palate richness."

And the Sauvignon Blanc: "This has been one of Fermoy's signature wines for some years now. This is a lively wine with a mix of gooseberry and grassy characters. It has complexity and a lifted finish."

Melbourne Herald Sun - 20-21 October 2003

And the Melbourne Herald-Sun's Bob Hart, when advising readers where to eat and drink before the AFL grand final, gave a Michael Voss-type rating to the 2000 Fermoy Estate Sentinel shiraz.

Sunday Times - June 2003

Sunday Times food and wine writer Bill Thompson gave a big wrap to four Fermoy wines.

He said the 2002 Sauvignon Blanc had a terrific nose, like inhaling a handful of oranges and yellow and green fruit jubes and boasting a refreshing, crisp and intensely fruity palate.

He thought the 2002 Semillon was pleasantly meaty with loads of fruit, a stylish nose and long finish while the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon took some time to open up in the glass but then offered dark cherry and chocolate aromas and a touch of smoky oak.

He described the flagship 2000 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon as a generous wine with a beautiful rich, spicy nose and a palate of ripe fruit, chocolate, delicious oak and fruit tannins.

2002 Acclaims

Jancis Robinson - www.jancisrobinson.com

WHEN it comes to accolades in the wine business, you can't go past Jancis Robinson. This London-based Master of Wine with an international reputation of the highest ranking selected two Fermoy Estate semillons, the 2000 and 2001, as the Wine of the Week on her web page in July (2002)

She wrote: "While Fermoy Estate produces a pretty good cabernet, it is its semillon that has impressed me the most. A lively blend of semillon and sauvignon is a bit of a Margaret River specialty but Fermoy's straight semillon is a delicious full bodied white with just enough grassy aroma to keep it appetising. The 2001 is still vibrantly youthful and the 2000 just settling down to comfortable later adolescence. Both are big, bold lemony dry wines with lots of vaguely fig-like fruit but have enough subtlety and structure to be worth buying. I actually prefer them to the oaked, stirred Reserve Semillon of which 2000 is the first vintage. Fermoy claim that all of their semillons have the capacity to age for many years and I have no reason to doubt them."

Sydney Morning Herald - Good Living October 2002

Sydney Morning Herald wine writer Huon Hooke is another fan of the 2001 semillon, describing it as a perfect match for something like barbecued marinated chicken.

"The distinctive grassy straw-hay and snapped twig aromas of Margaret River come through strongly here. An expressive wine: dry, tangy and intensely flavoured with plenty of body and a degree of richness. Generous flavour for your money."

West Australian Business News - Gustovino with David Pike, May 9-15 2002

Another wine I came across was a shining example of just how good the Sauvignon Blanc from 2002 is looking.

Winemaker Michael Kelly only bottled his Fermoy Estate 2002 Sauvignon Blanc wine last Friday, making it one of the first 2002 releases from wineries around WA.

It is an explosion of vibrant fruit that will liven up your day, so I suggest that you search it out from the Fermoy stand.

May 16-22 2002

Fermoy Estate 2002 Sauvignon Blanc rrp $18.99
Wow, my first 2002 complete wine.

If this is an indication of how good Sauvignon Blanc will be from 2002 then this will be an amazing year for a number of WA producers. This offering is vibrant and rampant with fresh grassy, herbaceous aromas that just explodes and an intriguing hint of juniper berries. The lively palate shows more dynamics with snow pea and green capsicum flavours.

It will need just a little time to settle down as it has been in bottle a week. While possibly a change in style for Fermoy, this is among their top whites. "One of the first 2002 releases from WA wineries, it is an explosion of vibrant fruit that will liven up your day - my first 2002 complete wine." This offering is rampant with fresh grassy, herbaceous aromas that just explode and an intriguing hint of juniper berries.

The lively palate shows more dynamics with snow pea and green capsicum flavours. While possibly a change in style for Fermoy, this is among their top whites."

The West Australian - The West Magazine, May 18, 2002

The West Magazine's Great Red Wine Tasting. Wine writer Ray Jordan sampled more than 200 of the best reds to be found in Perth.

$20-25 - For quality and value for money, the wines were superb.
Sentinel Shiraz
There's a fruit bomb of flavour in here with fleshy, plump shiraz on a soft, plump palate that rolls off the tongue. Nice oak treatment has fused things together and the finish is full and lingering.

$25-30 - Fermoy Estate Merlot 2000
Here is a merlot as it should be-the flesh of merlot fruit dominates. It opens with aromas of fruitcake, earthy plums and touches of spice. Fine tannins and a slightly sappy finish retain its palate friendliness.

Sunday Times - 15 September 2002

Sunday Times wine writer Bill Thompson had a big wrap for the 1999 Fermoy Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon in his "Top Drops" panel on September 15.

"This is the best Fermoy red I have tasted and it promises much as a short to medium-term cellaring proposition. There is good concentration of elegant fruit, plenty of soft, chalky tannin and equally soft fruit acid. Two to three years down the track, this should emerge as an elegant red that will do justice to a rare steak."

The West Australian - The West Magazine May2002

Ray Jordan, wine writer for The West Australian, sampled more than 200 of the best reds to be found in Perth in his Great Red Wine Tasting.

In the $20-25 bracket he had Fermoy Estate's Sentinel Shiraz and wrote: There's a fruit bomb of flavour in here with fleshy, plump shiraz on a soft, plump palate that rolls off the tongue. Nice oak treatment has fused things together and the finish is full and lingering.

In the $25-30 group was the Fermoy Estate Merlot 2000 which he described thus: Here is a merlot as it should be - the flesh of merlot fruit dominates. It opens with aromas of fruitcake, earthy plums and touches of spice. Fine tannins and a slightly sappy finish retain its palate friendliness.

In August, Jordan gave a four out of five rating for Fermoy Estate's 2002 Sauvignon Blanc, saying that just after bottling it was taut and coiled spring tight, yet a few weeks later was showing beautiful gooseberry and fresh tropical fruits.

"A more restrained style and all the better for it," he wrote. "Crisp searing acidity keeps it keeping on. A terrific current season drink."
The West Magazine May2002

Ray Jordan, wine writer for The West Australian, sampled more than 200 of the best reds to be found in Perth in his Great Red Wine Tasting.

In the $20-25 bracket he had Fermoy Estate's Sentinel Shiraz and wrote: There's a fruit bomb of flavour in here with fleshy, plump shiraz on a soft, plump palate that rolls off the tongue. Nice oak treatment has fused things together and the finish is full and lingering.

In the $25-30 group was the Fermoy Estate Merlot 2000 which he described thus: Here is a merlot as it should be - the flesh of merlot fruit dominates. It opens with aromas of fruitcake, earthy plums and touches of spice. Fine tannins and a slightly sappy finish retain its palate friendliness.

In August, Jordan gave a four out of five rating for Fermoy Estate's 2002 Sauvignon Blanc, saying that just after bottling it was taut and coiled spring tight, yet a few weeks later was showing beautiful gooseberry and fresh tropical fruits.

"A more restrained style and all the better for it," he wrote. "Crisp searing acidity keeps it keeping on. A terrific current season drink." More

2001 Acclaims

The West Australian - Ray Jordan, The West Australian U, September 5, 2001

Fermoy Estate Reserve Chardonnay 1999
A step up from the standard Fermoy, which has been a consistently good wine. It comes with all the trimmings and gloss you expect from going the extra step to a reserve. Rich texture is the feature of the palate, which delivers plenty of full-on flavour but with a biting acidity.
Score: 85/100 YYY

September 26, 2001
Sentinel Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2000
This is the other label - so to speak - from Fermoy, and apart from the stylish bottle. There's also a very stylish wine inside. Brings out the best in both varieties with the subtle herbaceous characters working nicely with the ripe grassy and tropical influence. Lovely palate texture.
Score: 83/100 YYY1/2

Melbourne Weekly - June 2001, Patrick Walsh

Life is a cabernet
Margaret River cabernets

Because of its maritime climate and great soils, Margaret River produces cabernet that are among Australia's best.
Look for Fermoy Estate, Moss Wood, Vasse Felix, Brookland Valley and Leeuwin Estate.

Patrick Walsh is a wine marketer, importer and Sommeliers Association president.

Aussie Post - September 15 2001, David Naylor, Wine Watch

Fermoy Estate Semillon 1999 YYYY
If you want a good Margaret River Semillon, just close your eyes and pick one-any one. I chose a 1999 Fermoy Estate, which sounds like a republican stronghold in Belfast, but is actually an idyllic West Australian vineyard producing Semillon from the gods. At $20 a bottle, it's well worth twice the price. Contrary Mary claimed it was the best white she's ever tasted, then polished off the bottle while I was still on my second glass.
Goodbye Chardonnay. Contrary Mary has moved on.

The West Australian - Ray Jordan, The West Magazine, May 2000

Fermoy Estate Merlot 1999
Great to see a Margaret River merlot that isn't overly extracted and firm and relies more on the generosity of fruit-especially important when it comes to merlot. Appealing savoury earthy characters with a supple and fleshy palate structure. Excellent stuff.

Sentinel Shiraz 1999
This is a new label from Fermoy Estate Margaret River. It has weight from this very good year delivered with some meaty flavours that show real complexity. The palate is full and round and carries plenty of intensity. I love drinking it now.

Overseas Snips
It is nice to be acknowledged by one of Europe's best-known wine writers and authors. Under the heading "Most beautiful merlot", Hubrecht Duijker, writing in the newspaper T Financieele Dagblad, described the award winning Fermoy Estate 2000 Merlot as "beautifully integrated in all the elements and the 14% alcohol is in good balance with the rest". He also alerted readers to be on the lookout for Fermoy's 1999 reserve chardonnay - "a full wine in which toast and tropical fruit are going very well together".