96 / 100 James Halliday
Flametree S.R.S. Margaret River Chardonnay 2010
"From the 'golden triangle' of the Wallcliffe area; light, bright straw-green, the wine has exceptional power, presence and length to its grapefruit, white peach and apple flavours that have eaten the oak in which it was fermented. Screwcap. Rating: 96 Drink by: 2018 Alc: 13%." Published 11/1/12 Wine Companion Enewsletter.
90 / 100 Flametree Cabernet Merlot 2010
Gary Walsh - The Wine Front.com - 27/10/11
"Dark cherry, Barossa shiraz like, oranges, chocolate, gum leaf. Dried fruit component. Ripe and silky, some spice, very ripe tannin, lots of hang time. Quirky. Lot's of silky tannin. Reasonably fresh. Doesn't want for complexity. Drink 2012 - 2018."
91/100 Embers Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
Gary Walsh - The Wine Front.com - 27/10/11
"Gum leaf, slight green bean edge, musty, blackberry - pretty vanilla oak. Sweet blackcurrant and blackberry fruit, fresh acid, fine grained tannin. Firm finish. Plenty of volume. A nice sort of wine all round. Drink 2012 - 2016."
Silver Medal 17 / 20 Scoop Magazine Summer
Flametree SRS Sauvignon Blanc 2011
"Sophisticated with a wiff of oak and illusions of gooseberries, cut herbs and citrus. A vibrant acidity keeps it confined, neat and tight to the finish."
95 / 100 Wine Business Magazine - Wine 100 - December 2011
Flametree SRS Sauvignon Blanc 2011
"The heart of the Sauvignon Blanc press from the finest zones of Margaret River's cool south, barrel fermented with wild yeast and high solids producing a crafted wine of great finesse and finely textured minerality." Reviewed by Tyson Stelzer
96/100 Wine Business Magazine - Wine 100 - December 2011
Flametree SRS Chardonnay 2010
"New wave MR Chard may be the most captivating wine style this year and Cliff Royle leads the way in this brand new sub regional series, ticking every box of wild ferment, low alcohol, no malo and solidsy texture. Epic." Reviewed by Tyson Stelzer.
92/100 Embers Semillon Sauvignon Blanc
James Halliday www.winecompanion.com
"A tank sample of the very successful second label of Flametree. The bouquet is driven more by tropical sauvignon blanc flavours than semillon, with passionfruit and kiwi fruit to the fore, but on the palate citrus and grapefruit come through at least partly from the semillon component. The two streams are synergistic, and the overall impact is seriously enjoyable."
Tasted 28/06/11. Published 07/11/11.
94/100 Flametree Cabernet Merlot 2010
James Halliday www.winecompanion.com
"Bright red-purple; the highly fragrant bouquet of blackcurrant and cedar flows into an elegant medium-bodied palate, the red and black berry fruits lengthened by exemplary tannins, part berry-part french oak-derived, but harmonious." Tasted 05/09/11. Published 18/11/11.
93/100 Embers Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
James Halliday www.winecompanion.com.au
"A tank sample, with bright crimson colour. It has the stature of a top label, rather than a second-tier, with all the components of fruit, tannins and oak in place. The palate is no more than medium-bodied, but has many layers of red and black fruit and oak flavours, before ascending on a vibrantly juicy finish. There is no hurry whatsoever to drink the wine. Drink by 2018." Tasted 28/06/11. Published 07/11/11.
Jane Faulkner, 17/12/11, The Age
FLAMETREE S.R.S. CHARDONNAY 2010
"SOME of the most thrilling chardonnays released this year have been from Margaret River and Flametree's S.R.S. (sub regional series) is one of them. I've long been a fan of Cliff Royle's finely tuned winemaking. This chardonnay is superbly balanced and ethereal with spicy citrus nuances and stone fruit. It is gloriously refined and flinty without being overworked, linear but with generosity on the palate. Moreish, tangy and outstanding value, this wine will match brilliantly to turkey, chicken or seafood."
94 / 100
Flametree SRS Chardonnay 2010 - 18/12/11 - By Gary Walsh - The Wine Front.com
"SRS means Sub-Regional Series, which in this case is Walcliffe. It’s sporty sounding too, appropriately for the style of the wine. Racy and tight, not a smash ‘n grab style, but one that needs time to unfurl. Grapefruit, spice, almond and milky flavours – barrel work adding texture and savoury character – though the flavour influence of new wood is toned right down here. I raised a question mark over its borderline tart and lean nature at first, but it built flesh with extended airing. Clarity and precision here. Modern Australian style. 93+ or 94 points – touch and go either way. Give it some time."
James Halliday has now published a fantastic magazine, it has great wine, food, beer and travel articles, along with some really great recipes!
96 / 100 Flametree Chardonnay 2010
[94 - 100 points = OUTSTANDING - wines of the highest quality, often with a distinguished pedigree]
"The grapes were grown in the central Wilyabrup area, and the cooler southern Wallcliffe area. Light straw green, this is an exceptionally intense wine, with zesty grapefruit, melon skin and white peach flavours threaded around a high tensile chord of acidity running through the palate; oak did the job required of it, but no more. Will live for a very long time. 13.5% alc. Drink 2023."
95 / 100
Flametree RESERVE Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 [RRP $50]
“Classic cabernet with that tight angular structure holding a stack of robust yet smoothly textured blackcurrant and minty cabernet fruit. The tannins are firm and the oak adds a little astringency. Its beautifully fragrant and perfumed with hints of violets and chocolate. A wine built for extended cellaring. Cellar 13 years.”
93 / 100
Flametree Cabernet Merlot 2010 [RRP $30]
“This was the blend that started it for Flametree a few years ago. Deep and concentrated with immense power and sustained length. The tannins are firm and ripe, the oak liberally applied and the fruit opulent. This is a wine with structure and weight sitting behind it and one which will cellar for a number of years. Cellar 10 years."
94 / 100
Flametree Chardonnay 2010
“Boy this is an exciting development from Flametree. The nose is a heady mix of pear and spices with typical Margaret River grapefruit nuances. The palate displays an elegance and finesse reserved for the best chardonnays. Tight and parched dry yet with deep underlying fruit intensity. Like to see this in a couple of years. Cellar 6 years.” RRP $30.
17 / 20 [Silver]
Flametree Chardonnay 2010
Balanced and clean with good direction and a crisp finish, an attractive, polished wine that slips down effortlessly. A credit to winemakers Cliff Royle and Julian Scott.
“The top of the tier for Flametree and quite a long way from the style winemaker Cliff Royle was making at Voyager. This is a serious beast, from the Wallcliffe Sub-region of Margs (SRS stands for sub regional series), instead of a reserve or single vineyard wine, the aim is to make a wine that best defines one of the six sub regions in the Margaret River. Whole bunch pressed and settled, then transferred to barrel where it was wild fermented and Malo was blocked as Royle believes that MLF can thicken wines and interfere with fruit character and he think that the Margaret River wines already exhibit enough texture. Finally barrel fermented in 33% new French oak, the remainder two-three year old seasoned wood. It’s really quote restrained with an element of grapefruit and citrus and a subtle note of wheat germ and wet pebbles. It’s much more in the Chablis mould. Indeed, the palate is all about a fine citrus line that starts in grapefruit, moving through lemon, before, whisps of spicy oak fill out the finish. Sure it’s lean but it’s not mean, however it might be a little bit too subtle for some. More skin and bones than hourglass but an interesting wine nonetheless, showing less is more, more or less”
17 October 2011
96/100 Tyson Stelzer, Wine Taste, 9th September 2011
Flametree Sub Regional Series [S.R.S.] Chardonnay 2010
“A new star has ascended in the West. Cliff Royle has glowed for every one of the 14 vintages he’s been in Margaret River but his latest creation is about to draw the attention of a supernova. It’s proof that MR chard doesn’t need high alcohol, rich fruit, malolactic fermentation or buckets of new oak to shine. Taut, pure, lively, with sensational texture and a line and length of celestial proportions. Drink 2015 – 2025."
95/100 Tyson Stelzer, Wine Taste, 9th September 2011
Flametree Sub Regional Series [S.R.S.] Sauvignon Blanc 2011
"A subregional focus makes perfect sense in Margaret River, and Cliff Royle has embraced it in a new Sub Regional Series that's about to create quite a stir. In the far south, the cool Karridale subregion produces enticing granny smith apple, gooseberry, nashi pear and grapefruit flavours at restrained alcohol levels. Wild ferment and old oak create wonderful texture and carry. More, please. Drink 2015 – 2021."
94 points
Bright crimson; a fragrant red berry bouquet, then an elegant medium-bodied palate, cassis and blackcurrant to the fore, tannins and oak to the back.
94 points
Bright crimson; an expressive bouquet of cherry, plum, spice and oak leads into a classy medium-bodied palate, the fruit of the bouquet in full display supported by soft fruit and oak tannins.
95 points
Clear colour, the bouquet offers a complex array of black fruits and a touch of cedar, the elegant, medium-bodied palate with admirable line, length and balance to the varietal fruit.
95 points
Green-yellow, showing some development; a complex bouquet with cashew/almond nuances (along with the colour) suggests a full-bodied chardonnay, but the palate is in fact medium-bodied; fine, intense and long, it is driven by grapefruit and white peach fruit and precise, dry finish.
92 points
Light purple-crimson; stacked full of red and blackcurrant on the bouquet and medium bodied palate alike, the tannins persistent but fine on the palate and finish.
93 points
An aromatic, flowery bouquet leads into a juicy, flavoursome palate with some citrus/grapefruit notes alongside riper guava and stone fruit flavours.
94 points
Pale-green straw; obviously a considerable, but clean, botrytis infection; this is a luscious wine of at least Auslese sweetness, lime juice and candied fruit provide a blast of flavour balanced by acidity.
94 points
A classy wine, with considerable drive and energy to its palate, the ripe citrus flavours drawing saliva from the mouth on the back-palate and finish, the aftertaste lingering for some time.
This is a fruit driven wine with ripe, dark berry aromas in a medium bodied style. The palate displays ripe fruit with hints of spice, subtle oak and soft tannins.
2009 Flametree Cabernet Merlot was one of my favourites, although the colour was mite advanced for a two year-old. I loved the complex, cigar-box nose and the rich flavours, which continue nicely across the palate in a seamless line, to finish with fine tannins. Caillard agreed. "Minty, leafy, sweet fruit, with herbs and cherry," he wrote. "Fine, chalky, chocolaty tannins. Firm, but great flavour length." It will age further for at least five years.
MT was trying to work out whether this wine - an imitable MR classic - was worth getting excited about. I suppose the wine gave it away too easily. In some regards it's formulaic. Rich, ripe, juicy. Clever winemaking with a touch of sweetness to draw the non-red drinker on in. AM noted the commercial slant of the wine but rewarded the "blackcurrant nose, heaps of pepper and menthol in the background - seamless and soft, dark chocolaty and easy to drink". My notes echoed hers, the acidity was high, the tones fruit driven, little use of oak and succulent finish. For those entering into red-wine territory, this wine is a safe bet.
It is an uncomplicated and honest Margaret River Cabernet. The bouquet exhibits ripe dark plum and chocolate box characteristics with a very slight hint of mint and eucalyptus. Soft tannins provide the backbone for the ripe blackcurrant flavours accompanied by the slightest touch of liquorice.
This medium-bodied, youthful wine tells no lies and makes no pretences to be anything it is not. It is a very-drinkable wine at a great price.....
For the full review please visit our News page. http://www.flametreewines.com.au/news/embers-will-fire-you
93/100 points
Fresh and fragrant, summer pudding and fresh-cut cedary oak. The palate delivers smooth tannins, rich mixed berry, cocoa and chocolate flavours.
5 Stars - Straightforward, long and juicy wine with nice varietal fruit characters of cherries and raspberries showing a slight green edge and laced with firm, supple tannins. Has quite an angular finish.
3 Stars - Young and simple wine - bright and clean, with gooseberry fruit characteristics.
3 Stars - Very forward for a 2009. Grapefruit aromas, with oak a touch brazen, and mouth-filling lemon flavours.
Cliff Royle stamps his mark on this Margaret River label in impressive fashion. Plush, velvety and generous, this blend shows persistent cassis and dark plum flavours that meld seamlessly with restrained oak. Excellent value.
Intense fresh and grassy with a hint of green pea. A barrel ferment component contributes an impressive silky texture and the palate finishes with cleansing acidity.
Rich and ripe but still shows cassis varietal character. Quite fine, but mouthfilling and slightly forward, showing its oak.
4 Stars - Very varietal nose - lots of leafy, blackcurrant, green bean aromas. Soft and warm in the mouth, with blackcurrant flavours and long, savoury tannins.
3 Stars - Zesty, light-bodied wine with good length of asparagus / tinned pea characteristics.
Plush and soft and sans the edgy herbal aromas and acid that often scares punters off cabernet sauvignon. Medium-bodied with good mid-palate weight showing Ribena and sweet plum flavours, framed by gentle tannins. Brilliant value for money at the price.
4 Stars - Some fabulously complex aged characters on the bright, funky nose. Palate has a great acid backbone, good fruit and plenty of oaky richness.
2009 Flametree Cabernet Merlot
5 Stars - Very well crafted wine. Great colour. Bags of luscious sweet fruit without being over the top, and well-matched, crisp acidity to balance. Youthful and tight and needs more time.
2008 Flametree Shiraz
5 Stars - Silky-smooth wine with beautifully intense colour. Super-ripe black cherry and plum-like fruit with a splash of some smart new oak. Not overly complex but good drinking.
Ideal growing conditions last year helped produce this Margaret River wine showing herbal aromas with a grassy edge. There's an attractive citrus freshness permeating the palate with a hint of sweetness. Enjoy with grilled scallops.
Fresh, citrussy and tropical on the nose, this wine provided crisp refreshment from the sun outside. With an almost spritzy tingle and lively mouth feel, I was impressed by the length and palate of the wine - stone fruits and lemon zest and a roundness that said "Drink Me Now".
"Soft, smooth, easy-drinking Margaret River red that's value personified."
95 points and listed in the "Unlucky Misses" from James Halliday's top 20 chardonnay's reviewed in the Weekend Australian
SILVER: Flametree Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2010
BRONZE: Flametree Embers Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2010
BRONZE: Flametree Chardonnay 2009
GOLD: Flametree S.R.S. Chardonnay 2010
SILVER: Flametree Cabernet Merlot 2010
BRONZE: Flametree Chardonnay 2010
Another Gold...
GOLD Flametree SRS Chardonnay 2010
BRONZE Flametree Embers Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2011
BRONZE Flametree Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2011
BRONZE Flametree Rose Pinot 2011
BRONZE Flametree Embers Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
BRONZE Flametree Cabernet Merlot 2010
BRONZE Flametree Chardonnay 2010
2010 Blends of Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon Margaret River Wine Industry Association
