Ben Cane & Sarah Date | Summer Update
Happy New Year! 2025 is here and we hope those of you in the southern hemisphere have been enjoying some summer fun and good weather. While the sunshine is welcome, we'd like to see some showers in the Porongurups as winter was very mild and the dams are low as we head into the pre-harvest peak growing season.
To celebrate Summer, you can purchase 6 packs of '23 Invitational Shiraz•Riesling, '23 Margaret River Chardonnay and '24 Magpie Hill Reserve Riesling at 15% off (plus shipping if required). Choose one wine or mix and match to make up packs of 6.
There is a lot going on in the world at the moment, so we are grateful for simple pleasures - like sipping a glass of Duke's chilled '23 Shiraz*Riesling in the hammock while gazing at the Stirling Range north of the vineyard. Reminiscent of a Gamay, this Invitational Range wine is 14% Riesling which lifts colour and aromatics of the Shiraz, creating a light, crunchy, peppery red that has been catching people by surprise. It pairs well with afternoons spent in the sunshine with friends while you tend the BBQ.
Also often in our glass this season is the '23 Margaret River Chardonnay. Made from famed Victory Point Vineyard in Cowaramup, the 2022 was the first ever Chardonnay from Duke's Vineyard and it has won a legion of fans, including the owners of Victory Point. They in turn invited us to purchase fruit again in 2023 and the wine was released in November 2024. A wine of finesse and richness, it has bloomed into a delicious drop with notes of grapefruit, white nectarine and honeysuckle. A real stunner, though only on the start of its journey…
And warm days always shine brighter when there is a dry Riesling on the table! The 2024 Magpie Hill Reserve Riesling is unfurling with vibrancy and gusto from the warm season and reinvigorated vines. Ripe green apple and unctuous tropical notes clamber out of the glass cradled by a mineral fine acid and heady floral lift. Drink now, drink later, 2024 has arrived and it is truly compelling.
BEN'S NOTES FROM THE VINEYARD - Growing Season 2024-2025
Emerging from the driest year since 1911, we have continued to reshape and sculpt the future of the Duke's Vineyard site, trimming back the old arms on the vines to rejuvenate them and evolving to cane pruning to allow better spacing, airflow, and development of smaller bunches with more intense fruit. With great rainfall and a later budburst, the shoots are even and verdantly green, with small perfectly formed bunches of fabulous potential. The growing season has largely been warm and dry delivering low disease pressure necessitating minimal irrigation.
Pinot Promise:
The grafted Pinot Noir has surprised everyone with its strength of growth and the balanced fruit development, promising a beautiful tiny first crop, perhaps enough for a few barrels. The real question becomes whether these wines will make it to market or be consumed mysteriously in-house...
And the New Chardonnay Project:
Several months ago, we grafted Gingin clone of Chardonnay onto the short rows of Cabernet behind the cellar door - a tiny half hectare clos with much potential. Now we wait to see how this French chameleon shapes herself in our backyard, and how it will compare to the Margaret River expression.
EVENTS ETC.
Join us at these upcoming events and have a great day out while tasting the latest vintages plus past favourites.
• Sunday, 30 March - Wine Tasting Lunch, Masterclass and Dinner at Lamont's in Cottesloe, Perth. Hosted by Winemaker Ben Cane with the inimitable John Jens. Featuring the '23 Magpie Hill Reserve and Halo reds. Details to come. Please check our website or Lamont's page for further information.
• Sunday, 2 March, Save the Date - There are whispers about a Porongurup Picnic at the new Scrubby Creek Bush Camp on Sunday 2 March. A very casual party to launch our good friend Jack Shiner's bush camp which might host a relaunched wine festival in 2026. Wine tasting, paella, music and fun in the sun. Check our website and socials for more information and how to get tickets in the next couple of weeks.
SOME RECENT ACCOLADES from Huon Hooke at the Real Review
'24 Magpie Hill Reserve Riesling - 95 points
'22 Magpie Hill Reserve Shiraz - 96 points
'22 'The First Cab' - 95 points
Thank you for enjoying Duke's wines in your glass and cellar. We literally couldn't do any of this without you.
Cheers!
Ben & Sarah & the Duke's Team
