2018 Evoi The Satyr Reserve, Margaret River

72/17/11% cabernet sauvignon/petit verdot/malbec. Fermentation finished in barrel; matured in French oak. 2018 was a sensational vintage in Margaret River, one of the very best on record. The wines across the board are, ripe, dense and powerful. This is no exception. The tannins here encase the wine – it is closed and reticent, but the power is unambiguous. It needs a decant if drinking it in the short term, however it will age prodigiously, so cellaring is going to be a cinch. Firm, rich and flavoursome – the tannins are a highlight – they add texture and flavour to the fruit. Drink 2022 to 2036.

93 points Erin Larkin for Halliday Wine Companion, May 2022

The 2018 The Satyr Reserve is oak-driven and luscious, bursting with chocolate and cassis aromas. It is bulky in a big, show-stopping Margaret River style, with heavy oak and jammy licorice flavors that fade on a weighty finish. Drink 2025 to 2030.

90 points Angus Hughson for Vinous, January 2026

Nigel Ludlow started Evoi from two barrels of Chardonnay made in his lounge room in Margaret River in 2007. The name comes from the ecstatic cry of the Maenads, the female followers of Bacchus, and the winery has ambition to match it. Nigel has built one of Margaret River's most acclaimed boutique operations in less than two decades, earning a Halliday 5 Red Star producer rating.

The Satyr is a Bordeaux-style blend centred on Cabernet Sauvignon with Petit Verdot and Malbec contributing structure, colour depth and mid-palate richness. The 2018 season in Margaret River was dry and mild, and considered exceptional in quality. Fruit was fermented as small separate parcels with manual punch downs, the free run juice finishing fermentation in French oak barriques. Unfined and minimally filtered before bottling.

Deep crimson with a developing garnet rim, the nose is intense and layered — cassis, blackberry and dark plum with black olive, tobacco leaf, dark chocolate and truffle notes. The palate is full and velvety with concentrated fruit, fine-grained tannins and a long, savoury finish.

Decant for an hour before serving. Roasted beef is one of the classic companions to Bordeaux wines, and mature bottles work well with roast fowls at a Cantonese banquet.

Drink now through 2030