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David Moore author of Wine Behind the Label reviews UMAMU and gives us a Rosette in his 11th edition. '

❁ Umamu (Margaret River) www.umamuestate.com

This excellent small Margaret River property produces a range of first class reds and whites. One of the more interesting aspects of the estate is that a number of the wines are released with significant bottle age. The fruit is all sourced from the East-West facing estate vineyard which was first planted in 1978. 10 km to the south east of the Margaret River it provides grapes of increasing old vine complexity. Everything is done as naturally as possible to achieve the best results in the wines. Sauvignon Semillon is richly textured with a honeyed waxy character emerging with age, nicely balancing the citrus fruit. The varieties are vinified separately and a portion is barrel fermented. Sauvignon Blanc is fresh and zesty with expressive complex citrus rather than raw green fruits and has an edgy minerality. Chardonnay comes from close to 20 year old vineyards and has a restrained Burgundy quality with barrel fermentation in new and used oak. Sparkling Chardonnay is in a real Blanc de Blancs style with a rich citrus and bready quality from four and a half years on lees. The range of whites is completed by a cane cut Sauvignon Blanc. This is rich, sweet and honeyed but with a zesty fresh balance it weighs in at just around 10 % alcohol. Cabernet Merlot also has a little Cabernet Franc included and is supple and rounded with a fine balance of black fruits, plum and creamy oak. It gets 10 months in wood. Shiraz also impresses, with black fruits, spices, a hint of pepper and well judged oak in which the fermentation is completed. The Cabernet Franc is a really stylish example, one of the very finest. Supple, structured with 10 months in wood which you barely consider. A mix of red and black berry and cherry fruits are apparent with great length and intensity. Cabernet Sauvignon is among the leading examples from the region. There is an elegant and restrained cedar quality that many of Umamu’s near neighbours fail to achieve. It comes from vines planted in 1978 & 1982 and is aged for 18 months in 50% new French oak which is seamlessly handled. (DM)

Recommended Reds:

Cabernet Sauvignon ★★★★✩ £F

Cabernet Franc ★★★★ £E

Shiraz ★★★✩ £D

Cabernet Merlot ★★★✩ £E

Recommended Whites:

Sparkling Chardonnay ★★★★ £F

Chardonnay ★★★★ £E

Sauvignon Blanc ★★★★ £D

Sauvignon Blanc Semillon ★★★ £C

Sauvignon Blanc Cane Cut ★★★✩ £D

This excellent small Margaret River Property produces a range of first class reds and whites. One of the most interesting aspects of the estate is that a number of the wines are released with significant age.  

We recently released our 2010 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon at the Sunset Wine event in Scarborough beach on February 2017.  Stylistically we release our wines after they have had time to develop in the bottle, when they are ‘ready’. 

This lovely Sauvignon Blanc Semillon has received 94 points from James Halliday and most recently 4.5/5 stars from Winestate March April 2017 edition and has been described as "a prime example of the way the best of these blends – even where Sauvignon Blanc is the dominant partner – can age with intense grace."

Wine Selectors features this wine in their ‘The best Premium Aged Wines’ and writes, "offering incredible value, this aged line-up of 2016 highlights is a rare find. Most Australian wineries now sell their wines when they're young, so we really had to search to uncover these aged gems. [...] This includes a Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc Semillon from our friends at Umamu who specialise in crafting wines that mature gracefully."

Ray Jordan who gives 90 points writes: "A lot more complex than the standard version of this blend. Shows the normal fresh citrus grassy tropical characters, albeit in more subdued fashion, but the background of slightly smoky oak adds a new dimension. A beautifully precise and focused wine."

This blend drinks well on its own and it is also an incredibly versatile wine.  We find it pairs with all sorts of food styles and cuisines from seared fish to sashimi to a bowl of noodles.  Please do refer to our food wine pairing article.

Our 2010 comes from a long line of award winning Sauvignon Blanc Semillon.

• Our first Semillon Sauvignon Blanc was a 2005 vintage and we had the pleasure of trying this from the museum stock recently.  It continues to be a delight.  Winestate awarded this a five star and included it in their Annual 2016 guide: "This wine is developing nicely and showing flinty notes on the peachy bouquet with a lovely soft fruity palate that has a combo of orange rind and buttered toast flavours."
• The 2006 was featured in Decanter Magazine UK as wine of the month in February 2010: "The two varieties have combined to produce a zesty but broad and full wine, with a leesy base and a waxy undercoat augmented by citrus fruit, smoke and grapefruit peel. Stylish stuff, with a fine structure and good freshness."
• The 2007 received a Top Gold from the Sydney International Wine Competition in 2013.  We were thrilled that the wine was listed at The Ledbury in London, UK’s top restaurant. 
• The 2008 received 95 points from James Halliday. 
• Wine & Viticulture Journal who noted that the two older vintages, our 2007 and 2008, in their tasting in 2013 delivered two of the best wines in the line up according to the tasting panelists. "I would assume those two wines have been made to age and they definitely show a lot more focus than some of the other wines in the tasting", wrote Richard Langford. 
• The 2009 received 92 points from Halliday. And Winestate gave three and a half stars.  "Lovely purity and finesse of toasty marmalade fruit with some smokiness, bottle age complexity and nice acidity."

UMAMU Is all about Balance & Contentment - one prong is about the reflection of our lives - it is good to sit here and reflect on the different vintages and our hardwork, to appreciate the various reviews and awards the wines have received.

Umamu Estate is proud to announce our continued five-star (5R) Winery rating by James Halliday in his 2016 Australian Wine Companion.

The five-star rating explained:

Umamu Estate is proud to announce our five-star (5R) Winery rating by James Halliday in his 2015 Australian Wine Companion.

The five-star rating explained:

Shiraz 2007 receives 93 points by Huon Hooke and is featured in Gourmet Wine Traveller Oct/Nov13 issue - Top 100 New Releases & Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide.