Fermoy
One of the Regular Capital City Trophy Winners
Fermoy’s Reserve Cabernet has quietly built a reputation as one of Margaret River’s most consistently awarded wines.
Achieving 'Platinum' at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2025…their latest accolade continues a remarkable streak at the Decanter World Wine Awards - highlighted by Best in Show in 2024 for our 2020 vintage and Gold medals for every vintage since 2017.
“To have our Reserve Cabernet recognised as the very best is not only a win for Fermoy, but it shines the light once again on Margaret River being a consistently world-class producer of Cabernet Sauvignon.”
- Jeremy Hodgson, Senior Winemaker at Fermoy
Sunday, June 28th
Fermoy – One of the Regular Capital City Trophy Winners
Hosted by Jeremy Hodgson, Senior Winemaker
Lunch: 12–3pm | 13 wines and 4 courses | $155
Masterclass: 4–6pm | 13 wines and Kate Lamont nibbles | $65
Dinner: 6.30–9.30pm | 13 wines and 4 courses | $155
About Fermoy
“Fermoy Estate is a well-established producer in the Wilyabrup subregion (since 1985), whose wines have risen to a higher level in recent years. Jeremy Hodgson is winemaker.”
Huon Hooke, The Real Review
Fermoy Estate was established in 1985 by John and Beryl Anderson. It was named in honour of one of John Anderson's ancestors, a Scottish-born businessman who acquired part of Fermoy Estate, just north of Cork, Ireland. The purpose-built winery was built in 1987 & the first vintage was produced in 1988. In 1999, the Estate was purchased by Dutch/Swiss businessman Hans Hulsbergen and most of the winery's output was exported to Europe. Then in December of 2010, Perth brothers Aaron and John Young bought the Estate. The Estate’s vineyards are managed by a dedicated full-time, team who still pick and prune by hand to ensure the quality and consistency of the grapes.
Vineyard and Winery
Wilyabrup, with its rich, loamy, well-drained soils, perfect temperatures and quality old vines is a purveyor's paradise. Little wonder it is considered the ‘golden triangle’ of Margaret River. The main varieties grown are Cabernet Sauvignon, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Shiraz. The winery is located right next door to the vineyard, so the grapes can be processed without delay, ensuring their premium qualities are retained. The winery processes some 350 tonnes of grapes each year.
Fermoy is one of the original established vineyards of the Margaret River region, but continually seeks to incorporate new ideas and technology. This reflects Fermoy’s ongoing quest to bring you the very best wines, while ensuring that everything we do is environmentally sustainable.
fermoy.com.au
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Fermoy has been ranked #27 in the International Wine & Spirit Competition’s (IWSC) list of the Top 50 Wine Producers globally.
This ranking is no small feat, it’s drawn from 2,268 wine producers who entered the IWSC over the past three years, making this recognition very special.
Fermoy’s position reflects consistent excellence, highlighted by their Gold medal-winning wines:
2018 Reserve Cabernet – GOLD (2023)
2022 Reserve Cabernet – GOLD (2024)
2024 Reserve Chardonnay – GOLD (2025)
Halliday Wine Companion 5 Red Star Winery
The Decanter World Wine Awards:
London based & I of the world’s 2 great wine shows - with 17-18000 entrants annually & 230+ judges.'Platinum' at the Decanter World Wine Awards
Our 2022 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has been awarded a coveted Platinum medal, placing it among an elite group of wines on the global stage.Platinum medals are among the highest honours at the Decanter World Wine Awards, bestowed on just 137 wines worldwide. With thousands of entries blind-tasted by leading experts through a rigorous, multi-stage judging process, Platinum winners represent the pinnacle of winemaking excellence.
Fermoy’s Reserve Cabernet has quietly built a reputation as one of Margaret River’s most consistently awarded wines. This latest accolade continues a remarkable streak at the Decanter World Wine Awards—highlighted by Best in Show in 2024 for our 2020 vintage and Gold medals for every vintage since 2017.
The WA extra-ordinary “Best of Show”
results, against the wine world’s 18000
entrants, in the UK’s prestigious
Decanter World Wine Award’s
2020 to 2024 results of the 50 “Best in
Show” certificates Awarded Annually
MR awarded 4 of 21 “Best in Show” Chardonnays
since 2020. Fermoy’s 2019 Reserve Chardonnay won
this award in 2021. Ie, 1 of 21 given internationally,
and 1 of 4 given to Australia - since 2020MR Awarded 5 of 10 Best in Show Cabernet/
Cabernet Dominant Wines worldwide since 2022 -
50%!!! Fermoy’s Reserve Cabernet 2020 won this
award in 2024. I.e. I of 10 given internationally since
2022.
Huon Hooke on the
Decanter World Wine Awards.“Also of special note is Fermoy Estate, a Margaret
River winery that has been acing it recently, mostly
with its cabernets and chardonnays. And it was its
Fermoy Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 that won
a Best In Show.Fermoy Estate is a long established vineyard and winery, first planted in 1985, a neighbour of Moss
Wood and also sited on the prized gravelly loams of Wilyabrup. …. but in the last six or so years has
really upped the ante. The improvement in quality has been across the board and The Real Review’s tastings of recent times reflect this.Incidentally, the 2021 vintage of the same wine won a gold medal at DWWA this year, and the 2022
vintage has also recently gone gold, at the International Wine & Spirit Competition.”
Huon Hooke, The Real Review.Fermoy Estate has been crowned with the supreme award for World’s Best Cabernet in France, the birthplace of Cabernet Sauvignon, at the 2015 Concours International des Cabernets for its Fermoy Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.
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The winery experienced a revival under new ownership and the stewardship of senior winemaker Jeremy Hodgson. Jeremy’s expertise brought a renewed focus on sustainability, small-batch winemaking and crafting site-expressive wines, positioning Fermoy for its rise to global recognition. This rise was marked by two major Decanter World Wine Awards wins. Fermoy’s Reserve Chardonnay earned Best in Show in 2019, followed by the same prestigious title in 2024 for its Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.
Senior Winemaker Jeremy Hodgson said,
To have our Reserve Cabernet recognised as the very best is not only a win for Fermoy, but it shines the light once again on Margaret River being a consistently world-class producer of Cabernet Sauvignon.”
Crafting exceptional wine starts in the ground. Andy Keig has been the vineyard manager for almost 25 years, starting at Fermoy in March 2000, when the team was much smaller, the vineyard was heavily focused on Cabernet and there was no irrigation.
Over time, Jeremy and Andy have worked side by side, redeveloping 70% of the vineyard, installing irrigation and working toward equilibrium in the vineyard. Andy Keig knows that balance is the best approach for Fermoy: “Balance is key when it comes to our vine and fruit management. This is achieved by a ‘less is more’ approach – giving the fruit space to grow. The more balanced we can make the fruit on the vine, the better it is when we get it into the winery.”
This ‘less is more’ approach is a natural segue toward sustainability. Fermoy is now a member of Sustainable Winegrowing Australia. In recent years, there has been a conscious effort to minimise herbicides and pesticides, limit tractor usage and implement a water management schedule. The use of oats as a mid-row cover crop will improve soil structure, increase biodiversity and act as a natural weed preventative. All these small steps add up to the bigger picture: making winegrowing and winemaking sustainable for the future.
The Wine List & Menu
First Course
2024 Fermoy Cold Fire Fume Blanc
2023 Fermoy Reserve Semillon
Colour: Bright straw yellow with green tints.
Nose: Rich, complex aromas of citrus zest, nougat, kaffir, frangipani, five spice, smoked cedar and roasted hazelnuts.
Palate: Depth and complexity garnered from fermentation of beautifully ripe fruit in new French oak. Bold fruits of preserved grapefruit and kaffir lime meld into woodsmoke char, roasted hazelnuts and crème caramel richness. A ripe and rich salted lime acid line adds further complexity whilst focusing and refreshing the finish.
Winery Tasting Notes
2019 Fermoy Reserve Semillon
With 5% chardonnay. Matured for 11 months in French oak (80% new for 3 months, then 8 months in seasoned). At this stage, the sweet, marzipan/crushed coffee oak dominates the wine. However, the fruit has a concentrated jalapeño pungency that suggests it may be up to the task of consuming this mains-size dish of French oak. The brilliant length of flavour further backs up the suspicion that this may yet come up for air.
95 Points - Erin Larkin, Halliday Wine Companion
Abrolhos scallops, green pea pesto
Second Course
2025 Fermoy Chardonnay [New Release]
Appearance: Pale straw with green highlights.
Aroma: Delicate fruit aromatics of white peach, grapefruit and rockmelon with white blossom, lightly toasted cashew and chipped shell complexity.
Palate: A tight, yet delicate & textured palate. The wine shows good tension, balancing subtle stone & citrus fruits with a moreish seaspray minerality and succulent acidity. Toasted nuts and wood spice complement a textured phenolic crunch ensuring a long and mouth-watering finish.
Winery Tasting Notes
2024 Fermoy Chardonnay
Lemon butter, brine, baked apples, and cinnamon—this wine is value for money. Winemaker Jeremy Hodgson (Jez) has a knack for crafting balanced, effortless wines with typicity. Classic Margaret River concentration on the nose, with gentle white and yellow peaches, that softly roll into an unexpected perfume of fresh-cut flowers. And who doesn’t like flowers? The palate is fresh and balanced, with crushed nuts and plenty of texture. Full solids and wild ferment build depth, while 100% barrel fermentation and nine months in oak, bring richness and structure. It’s a vibe. Eat with a grilled chicken burger.
91 Points - Cyndal Petty, Wine Pilot
2024 Fermoy Reserve Chardonnay
Gold & 95 Points, 2025 International Wine & Spirit Challenge (IWSC)
Silver Medal - 2025 Perth Royal Wine Awards
Silver Medal - 2025 Halliday Chardonnay Challenge
Silver Medal - 2025 Margaret River Wine Show
The reserve chardonnays from Fermoy have emerged in recent years as some of the best in the region. It follows the format of hand-picking and whole-bunch pressing, with wild fermentation followed by nine months in oak. The fruit integrity is preserved while still showing the influence of oak, expressing a gun-smoky, flinty character with traces of honeycomb, cashew, and nectarine. Precise, focused, with excellent length and persistence, this is another first-rate example of what Fermoy is achieving with chardonnay.
96 Points - Ray Jordan, rayjordanwine.com
2023 Fermoy Reserve Chardonnay
Another wonderful example of the outstanding chardonnays coming off this established Margaret River vineyard. Follows a line of handpicking and whole bunch pressing with wild fermentation and nine months in oak. The primary fruit of grapefruit and cut lime with some light brioche reveal their subtle qualities on the nose. The palate has a steeling linear feel to it but that in many ways conceals its sustained power and intensity. A precise and focussed wine with so much potential.
97 Points - Ray Jordan, rayjordanwine.com
Chevre gnocchi, mushrooms, almond XO
Third Course
2020 Fermoy Cabernet Sauvignon
Expect lots of flavour from licorice, cedar, menthol, and brambleberries to cassis. There’s some density as much as intensity with lightly drying tannins and cedary oak adding to them, too. Thankfully there’s an attractive sweet spot midway, the fruit tempers that and it keeps unfurling the longer it’s in the glass – no surprise there, but it’s lovely to taste the changes. It’s wrangling its way out of youth and will be an upstanding fine mature wine one day. Drink 2024-2035.
94 points, 2024 Halliday Wine Companion - Jane Faulkner
2021 Fermoy Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
A stylish and seamlessly presented cabernet from this slightly cooler Margaret River vintage. It displays the refinement and elegance of the year, while retaining power and intensity. Bright red and black fruits are integrated with olive, oyster shell, and a hint of bay leaf. Currently tight and controlled, it will benefit from long-term cellaring.
95 Points - Ray Jordan, rayjordanwine.com
2020 Fermoy Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
“Best in Show” - 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards 17,000 entrants
Good depth of bright red, purple-tinted, the aromas meaty and faintly reductive, with deep-set dark berries, a hint of toasty oak, the palate full bodied and fleshy, rich and high-extract, with abundant tannins that are refined and smooth textured. Elegant but concentrated wine, with fine grained tannins in attractive harmony. High cellaring potential.
95 Points Huon Hooke, The Real Review (October 2023)
Twice cooked lamb, cauliflower cream, mint sauce
Fourth Course
2019 Fermoy Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Trophy - Dan Murphy's Trophy for Best Cabernet Sauvignon -
2022 Sydney Royal Wine Show.
Gold Medal - 2022 Sydney Royal Wine Show
Top Gold - 2021 Halliday Australian Cabernet Challenge,
Trophy - Best Margaret River Regional Cabernet
2021 Halliday Australian Cabernet Challenge
Gold - 2022 Decanter World Wine Awards
Gold - 2022 Perth Royal Wine Show
Gold - 2022 Royal Adelaide Wine Show
Gold - 2022 Wine Show of WA
Gold – 2022 Margaret River Wine Show
Gold 2021 - Royal Adelaide Wine Show
Gold – 2023 Halliday Wine Companion
…the density of tannin and fruit in the mouth, sculpted as it is by high-class French oak, speaks more of quality Bordeaux or Napa. Yet, once the origins of this wine become clear, the fruit shines with the obvious red/purple fruit spectrum endemic in the Houghton clones... This is a super wine. I love the tannins through the middle palate and finish. This will live an age. Easily the greatest Cabernet made at Fermoy Estate so far. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
96+ Points Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate (July 2023)
2018 Fermoy Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Gold Medal - Royal Adelaide Wine Show2021
Gold Medal - Decanter World Wine Awards 2023
Supple, briny cassis rises up to greet you on first sniff. In a word, pretty. Vibrant. Also joyful. The wine takes a very serious turn on the palate. This is finely structured, shaped by chalky tannins that carry ripe, medium-weight fruit over the tongue and through to the finish. Caresses more than it asserts, making it a subtly spicy, elegant and willowy cabernet, capable of years of grace in the cellar. Brilliant fruit.
96 Points, Erin Larkin, Halliday Wine Companion (August 2021)
2017 Fermoy Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Gold - 2021 Wine Show of WA
Trophy 2021 Best Older Red Wine Wine Show of WA
Gold – 2021 Halliday Wine Companion
Gold – 2021 Decanter World Wine Awards
Gold – 2020 Perth Royal Wine Show
Gold – 2020 WA Wine Show
Gold – 2021 Ray Jordan WA Wine Guide
Maffra cheddar, crostini , cumquat