40 Years of Riesling with Castle Rock
13 Wines, Three Sittings, One Granite Hillside
Wendy and Angelo Diletti planted here when almost nobody was looking at the Porongurup, on ancient granite at some of the highest elevation in Western Australian viticulture. Their son Rob has spent his career proving they were right.
Ray Jordan calls him one of the state's finest winemakers. James Halliday gave the 2022 Diletti Pinot Noir 96 points and wrote that "a silken thread takes hold of the senses."
Thirteen wines across the range: three Rieslings including the flagship A&W, two Chardonnays, four Pinot Noirs spanning the Estate, A&W and Diletti tiers, the estate reds, and a Muscat to finish. Rob is hosting all three sittings.
Sunday, September 20th
Hosted by Rob Diletti
Lunch: 12–3pm | 13 wines and 4 courses | $115
Masterclass: 4–6pm | 13 wines & canapés | $50
Dinner: 6.30–9.30pm | 13 wines and 4 courses | $115
The Porongurup, and Forty Years on One Hillside
The Porongurup is a small range of granite domes north of Albany, roughly a billion years old and among the oldest exposed rock on earth. The vineyards sit high on its slopes, cool, wind-exposed and slow-ripening. It is a difficult place to grow grapes and an exceptional place to grow Riesling.
Wendy and Angelo Diletti planted the estate vines in 1986. The A&W range is named for them. Their son Rob makes the wine, and has built a reputation as one of the most technically gifted and least self-promoting winemakers in Western Australia. Ray Jordan puts it plainly: "Rob Diletti has proven himself one of the state's finest winemakers, particularly in his handling of Pinot Noir."
The style is consistent across four decades and every tier. Restraint over power. Talc and musk minerality in the Rieslings, sitting on acid that is naturally high rather than adjusted. Pinot Noir at the lighter, finer end of the spectrum, with granitic tannin and real length. These are wines built by someone with nothing to prove and forty years of data on one hillside.
Meet your host… Rob Diletti
Rob Diletti has made every Castle Rock wine for more than two decades, working from the estate his parents planted in 1986. He is a repeat presence at the top of Ray Jordan's Western Australian rankings and in the Halliday Wine Companion, and is regarded as one of the country's most assured handlers of both Riesling and Pinot Noir. He will host all three sittings.
Rob is pouring across lunch, masterclass and dinner. The wine list is identical at all three sittings.
The Wine List
First Course: three Rieslings, one hillside
2025 Castle Rock Estate Porongurup Riesling
96 Points, Ray Jordan, WA Wine Review 2026
“Another cracking riesling from this wonderful Porongurup vineyard under winemaker Rob Diletti. Captures the season perfectly, all the fresh vibrant intensity of riesling delivered with an almost understated textural feel. Slight lemon scent with deeper lemon pith, obvious talcy, musk-like minerality. The palate is delicately poised and fine, yet the flavour lingers and lingers. Delivers so much, but with wonderful restraint.”
2024 Castle Rock Diletti Riesling
95+ Points, Mike Bennie, Halliday Wine Companion
“Delicious drinking. A more relaxed riesling, inky in a way, powerful and yet very fresh. Frangipani, lemon ginger tea, pickled Japanese ginger, slate mineral characters and a light sizzle of just-ripe green apple. A lacy feel to texture, soft but with tendrils of minerally tension. Structure, focus, drive, some generosity. Drink by 2033.”
2024 Castle Rock A&W Riesling
96 Points, Barry Weinman, Weinman on Wine
“The best fruit for the vintage is used in the A&W range. A step up in concentration and depth of flavours, stunning acid balance and impressive intensity. An extra four months on lees compared to the Estate has a very positive impact on the finish, with lovely mouthfeel and texture. Gentle fruit handling eliminates almost all skin-contact influence, giving the purest expression of Riesling. Delicate yet immensely impactful and powerful.”
Second Course: the Chardonnays
2025 Castle Rock Estate Chardonnay
New Release
“A lively cool climate chardonnay, full of flavour, texture and intrigue. Pale straw in colour. White florals and stone fruit leap from the glass, with a nice hint of toast. The palate is bright, with a nice richness on entry. Creamy texture compliments ripe peach and nectarine flavours. There’s a subtle green olive saltiness woven throughout the palate. Good acidity bringing freshness and length, finishing clean and crisp.”
2022 Castle Rock Diletti Chardonnay
Producer tasting note
“Supple and well weighted. The stone fruit and mealy texture framed by French oak cedar and toast notes create an elegant richness to the mid-palate. Balanced by a seamless line of cool climate acid structure, providing length and drive. The complex flavours linger thanks to a long, fine finish.”
Third Course: four Pinots, three tiers, two vintages
2025 Castle Rock Estate Pinot Noir
95 Points, Ray Jordan, WA Wine Review 2026
“Rob Diletti has proven himself one of the state’s finest winemakers, particularly in his handling of pinot noir. This shows elegance, with slightly savoury, truffly characters and vibrant fruit purity. Aromas of strawberry and cherry lead into a palate that rolls effortlessly, supported by fine tannins and well-integrated oak. Fleshy and textural, while retaining fine acidity.”
2024 Castle Rock A&W Pinot Noir
96 Points, Ray Jordan, WA Wine Review 2026
“A tribute to Castle Rock’s founders, Wendy and Angelo, an exquisitely crafted wine of polish, texture and depth. The colour is luminous and alive, belying its lightness with a driving intensity. Tannins and oak are finely tuned, harnessing the fruit into a wine that is focused and long through the palate. Despite the warm vintage, the higher-altitude Porongurup site has delivered a refined, balanced expression.”
2024 Castle Rock Diletti Pinot Noir
95 Points, Ray Jordan, rayjordan.com.au
“A different expression from the standard pinot at Castle Rock, this wine reflects greater winemaking influence. Hand-picked and whole bunch fermented, it opens with perfumed aromas of cherry and strawberry. The colour is lighter, yet the wine possesses immense power. Fine chalky tannins and neatly integrated oak carry the wine through to an endlessly long finish. Classy and structured, with the quality to support extended cellaring.”
2022 Castle Rock Diletti Pinot Noir
96 Points, James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion
“Bright clear crimson, much lighter than its midnight-plum A&W sibling but similar to the ’21 Diletti. Fragrant, with rose petals leading the field of spices; take the glass away from the nose and a silken thread takes hold of the senses. Drink 2024–2029.”
Fourth Course: the estate reds
2023 Castle Rock Estate Shiraz
90 Points, Mike Bennie, Halliday Wine Companion
“Nicely played. Medium-weight, soft-textured, red-berried, sweetly spiced shiraz. Toasty clove on dark cherry, mocha and chocolate. Mint-coconut notes, faint terracotta and a marshmallow-like thing happening too. Pleasing stuff. Drink 2025–2030.”
2022 Castle Rock Estate Cabernet
Tasting note to follow
2021 Castle Rock Estate Cabernet
Tasting note to follow
To Finish…
NV Castle Rock Muscat
Tasting note to follow