Great Southern Malbec 2023

Reviews 🏆

2023 Vintage

93 points, Ken Gargett, WinePilot, July 2024
92 points, Tom Kline, WinePilot, July 2024
93 points, Ray Jordan Wine, May 2024
92 points, Wine Showcase, March 2024

Tasting Notes:

• Colour: Vibrant, deep purple hue, reflecting the wine’s richness.
• Aromatics: A welcoming bouquet of dark fruits like plums and blackberries, accented by hints of chocolate and spicy oak.
• Palate: The wine is lush and mouth-filling, with a juicy red fruit flavour profile complemented by natural acidity and soft tannins.
• Finish: The finish is long and smooth, with the fine tannins giving the wine structure and leaving a satisfying aftertaste.

Food Pairing Suggestions:

• Grilled Lamb: The fruitiness of the Malbec pairs beautifully with the rich flavours of grilled lamb, enhancing the meat’s natural taste.
• Mushroom Risotto: For a vegetarian option, try this wine with a hearty mushroom risotto, where the soft tannins complement the earthiness of the mushrooms.
• Cheese: Pairs well with aged cheeses like Gouda or sharp cheddar, adding another layer of enjoyment to the tasting experience.
• BBQ Dishes: Perfect for a relaxed meal with friends, particularly with BBQ meats like steak or sausages, where the wine’s fruit profile stands out.

Vineyard & Winemaking:

Malbec, a grape variety originally from the Cahors region of France, has found a perfect home in the Frankland River sub-region of the Great Southern. The 2023 vintage was carefully harvested and sorted on the 6th of March. The grapes were cold-soaked in small fermenters for two days, followed by an extended and gentle maceration to soften the tannins. This technique ensures a wine with both structure and texture, while showcasing the natural juicy flavours that are characteristic of Malbec.

• Oak Maturation: 25% of the wine was aged in new Bordeaux oak barriques, while the rest spent nine months in two- and three-year-old barrels, allowing for a balanced integration of oak.
• Fermentation: Cold-soaked and macerated to soften tannins and enhance fruit flavours, creating a round, approachable wine.
• Harvest: Handpicked and sorted on 6 March 2023, ensuring the highest quality fruit for this Malbec.

Technical Data:

• Grape Variety: Malbec
• Region: Frankland River, Great Southern, Western Australia
• Alcohol: 14% by Vol | 8.4 Standard Drinks
• pH: 3.56
• Titratable Acidity: 5.6 g/L
• Cellaring: Can be enjoyed now or cellared for up to 5 years.

Vintage Conditions:

The 2023 vintage benefited from ideal growing conditions in the Great Southern, with a mild and dry season allowing for slow and even ripening of the Malbec grapes. The cool nights and warm days helped preserve the natural acidity of the fruit, contributing to a balanced and vibrant wine profile.

Best Serving Temperature:

• Ideal Serving Temperature: 16°C
  Serving the wine slightly below room temperature helps highlight its fresh fruit flavours while allowing the oak influence to shine through. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes prior to serving.

FAQ Wine Terms 🤔

• Maceration: The process of soaking the grape skins in the juice to extract colour, flavours, and tannins. Extended maceration helps to soften tannins and develop a smoother texture.
• Bordeaux Oak Barriques: French oak barrels used for aging the wine, which contribute to the wine’s texture and complexity, adding subtle oak spice and depth without overpowering the fruit flavours.
• Titratable Acidity: A measure of the wine’s acidity, which influences its freshness and balance. This Malbec has a well-balanced acidity, enhancing its juiciness and making it more food-friendly.
• pH: A measure of the wine’s acidity. This wine’s pH of 3.56 reflects a good balance between freshness and richness.

About Singlefile Winery

Singlefile Winery is located in the prestigious wine region of Denmark, part of Western Australia’s Great Southern. With an impressive collection of awards, medals, and accolades, the winery meticulously selects grapes from premium vineyards. The main vineyards are set in the scenic Great Southern area, specifically in Denmark, Frankland River, Mount Barker and the Porongurups, while also sourcing from renowned regions like Margaret River. The Denmark property enjoys a cool maritime climate, ideal for growing aromatic varietals such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, which showcase the region’s elegance. In contrast, the Frankland River vineyard, characterised by its continental climate, produces robust varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. This diverse, multi-regional approach allows Singlefile to craft an exceptional range of wines, each reflecting the unique terroirs of their origins and the winemakers’ dedication to quality.

Family History

Singlefile Wines was co-founded in 2007 by Phil and Viv Snowden, both geologists, alongside their daughter Pam and son-in-law Patrick Corbett. Each member had established successful careers before coming together to create Singlefile, united by a deep passion for wine. Pam and Patrick’s time living in Italy as a young couple solidified their appreciation for fine wines, while summer reunions with Phil and Viv provided opportunities to explore Old World wine regions, planting the seeds for their own winery.

After selling their successful consultancy, Snowden Mining, in 2004, Phil and Viv sought a new venture. They, along with Pam and Patrick, immersed themselves in learning about Australia’s key wine regions, determined to find the ideal site for producing exceptional cool-climate wines. Their journey led them to Denmark in Western Australia, where they discovered a slice of paradise. Leveraging their geological expertise, Phil and Viv chose an established vineyard that promised to showcase the true essence of Denmark’s terroir. This site, which now houses the cellar door, became the foundation for Singlefile and its celebrated Chardonnay wines.

Following the construction of the Cellar Door, Patrick and Pam relocated to the east coast of Australia for a year to establish distribution channels, working with sommeliers, trade partners, and consumers to build awareness of Singlefile. Meanwhile, Phil and Viv focused on refining their viticultural practices and enhancing the cellar door experience for visitors.

Today, Patrick plays a crucial role in producing all Singlefile wines, while Pam manages the daily operations. Phil and Viv reside on the Denmark property, keeping a close watch on the vineyards and cellar door activities.

From its family origins, Singlefile has evolved into a respected winery, largely thanks to the dedicated team that supports the founders in realising their vision. Despite its growth, Singlefile retains a family essence, remaining true to its boutique beginnings.

At Singlefile, quality is paramount, achieved through a minimal intervention philosophy in both vineyard and winery. The wines are crafted as naturally as possible, allowing the unique characteristics of the environment to shine in each bottle.

Singlefile is proud to be recognised as one of the premier wineries in the Great Southern region. The entire Singlefile family is driven by a commitment to produce top-quality wines, encapsulated in the Latin motto on their crest: Semper Superne Nitens – “the pursuit of excellence.”

Singlefile’s dedication to making exceptional wines is paralleled by its commitment to the Great Southern region. It’s as large as it is diverse. Its geography is a patchwork of coastal maritime land, gently undulating hills, open grazing country, eucalypt forests and granite outcrops. A true liquorice all-sorts of land girt by sea. And this variety is what makes the Great Southern so convincing as a supreme winemaking region.

Since its inaugural vintage in 2008, Singlefile Wines has been forging relationships with growers across the Great Southern region, under the guidance of wine luminary Larry Cherubino. Together, we meticulously select sites and varieties renowned for their excellence. Join us on a journey through the Great Southern as we explore each of its unique regions.

They have a long list of awards such as winning the International Rose Competition. Not to mention outstanding scores from the likes of Wine Companion & Ray Jordan.

We can order in a Singlefile Wine we don’t stock, email us at info@partnersinwine.com.au