2022 Pierro L.T.Cf Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Margaret River

Such a good drink on release, thanks to its approachability and core of quality fruit. Plenty of cassis, plums and mulberries doused in baking spices with a whiff of ironstone, fresh herbs and a little toasty oak. Mid-weighted at best, with neatly shaped tannins and fine acidity.

92 points Jane Faulkner Halliday Wine Companion 

There is a precision to Pierro that has made it one of Margaret River’s quiet overachievers, founded by Dr Mike Peterkin in Willyabrup with a focus on meticulous viticulture and low yields. The L.T.Cf blend, Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot, is a nod to the classic Left Bank style, but shaped by the maritime influence of the region, where warm days are tempered by cool ocean breezes and those gravelly soils bring both structure and finesse.

Cassis and blackcurrant sit at the heart, with Merlot softening the edges through plum and a gentle chocolate note. There is a savoury lift of bay leaf, tobacco and a touch of cedar, all woven together with fine, polished tannins. It feels composed and balanced rather than showy, the kind of wine that builds slowly in the glass, revealing layers of fruit, spice and that subtle graphite edge that speaks clearly of place.

Already drinking well with a decant, though it has the bones to age comfortably over the next ten to fifteen years, gaining complexity and a more earthy, secondary character over time.

A great match for slow roasted lamb shoulder with garlic and thyme, beef short ribs with a rich jus, or even a charred mushroom and lentil dish that leans into its savoury side. This is a wine for long evenings and proper meals, where the conversation stretches as the bottle slowly disappears.