Singlefile Pre-Release Tasting: The Inimitable Great Southern Region
Singlefile is one of Australia’s great wineries …based on the reviews alone. See the almost overwhelming list of extraordinary & consistent reviews and accolades below.
“… the Great Southern’s Singlefile is just another of these incredibly competently-handled boutique wineries that seem to have a never-ending string of superb and reasonably priced wines that are amongst the very best…”
- John Jens, Western Suburbs Weekly
“The consistency of the quality of the Singlefile wines is outstanding, as is their value for money.”
- James Halliday’s Wine Companion 2021
“If I tasted this blind on a good day, I may think it a fine producer's Meursault from a top site.”
- Ned Goodwin MW on the sold out Singlefile Vivienne Chardonnay 2015
Singlefile
Sunday, August 2nd
Hosted by:
Patrick & Pamela Corbett, Co-Founders & Managing Directors & Coby Ladwig, Winemaker
Lunch: 12–3pm |13 wines and 4 courses | $145
Masterclass: 4–6pm |13 wines & canapes | $65
Dinner: 6.30–9.30pm |13 wines and 4 courses | $145
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Singlefile Wines was co-founded in 2007 by geologists Phil and Viv Snowden, along with their daughter Pam and son-in-law Patrick Corbett. They all had successful careers prior to the establishment of Singlefile, but their pathways became inextricably woven together thanks to their shared love of wine. Patrick and Pam lived in Italy as a young couple, which crystallised their appreciation for exceptional wines. Reuniting with Phil and Viv over summer holidays gave the family an opportunity to discover Old World wine regions together, planting the seed for creating their own winery.
When Phil and Viv sold their successful consultancy, Snowden Mining, in 2004 they went in search of their next venture. Together with Patrick and Pam, they dug deep to learn more about the principal wine regions of Australia, with a goal to uncover the best site for producing outstanding cool-climate wines. Their search took them to Denmark in Western Australia, where they discovered their piece of paradise. Drawing on their unrivalled geological experience, Phil and Viv selected an established vineyard they felt promised the ultimate expression of Denmark’s terroir. This property, where the cellar door is now located, became the home of Singlefile and the foundation of its acclaimed Chardonnay wines.
After building the Cellar Door, Patrick and Pam moved their family to the east coast of Australia for a year to build the distribution, working with sommeliers, trade partners and consumers to grow awareness of Singlefile. Phil and Viv worked on refining their viticultural practices and growing the cellar door presence to invite people into their winery home.
Today Patrick plays a vital role in the production of all Singlefile wines. Pam administers the day-to-day business operations. Phil and Viv live on the Denmark property, keeping a keen eye on the vineyards along with the Cellar Door.
Quality always comes first, and this outcome has been achieved by a minimal intervention approach in both the vineyard and the winery. Singlefile wines are made as naturally as possible, allowing the nuances of the environment to shine through in the final product.
Singlefile is proud to be widely recognised as one of the finest wineries in the Great Southern region. What drives the entire Singlefile family is the desire to craft wines at the top of their game, manifested in the Latin motto on Singlefile’s crest, Semper Superne Nitens – “the pursuit of excellence”.
singlefilewines.com -
Top 100 Winery in the World - Wine & Spirits Magazine 2015
Top Wineries of Australia -The Real Review 2022 & 2024
Top 50 Wine Experiences in the World - Gourmet Traveller Wine’s 2023
Top 10 Best Value Winery in Australia 2018 & 2020 - James Halliday Wine Companion
Ray Jordan's Producer of the Year 2024
“Singlefile moves quickly to join state's best”
&
Ray Jordan's Top 100 Reds 2022, 2023 & 2024
"Singlefile really excelled as the most successful producer"Gold Medal Winner 2023 -Perth Airport Western Australian Tourism Awards
Top 10 Best Value Winery in Australia 2018 & 2020
James Halliday Wine Companion37 Wines score 95 points or above in last 3 years with 36 highlighted for their value.
The 2022 Great Southern awarded 3 trophies:
Best Wine, Best Dry Riesling (International) and Best Riesling In Australia at the Canberra International Riesling Challenge 2022
(ahead of over 400 Rieslings submitted by producers from regions across Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Austria, France and USA)The Singlefile Vivienne Chardonnay 2021 awarded Gold Medal and Best in Show by Varietal at 2024 London Wine Competition
The Singlefile Vivienne Chardonnay 2020 scored 98 points, Equal Top in Category, at Winestate Chardonnay Tasting,
Dec 2022. Also named Top of Chardonnay Class by Huon Hooke, The Real Review 2024The Singlefile Vivienne Chardonnay 2017 is equal 4th in Halliday’s 2021 Wine Companion Chardonnay rankings, on 98 points, & on a point below the 99 point and best ever 2016 and 2017 Leeuwin Art series Chardonnays and the best ever 2017 Penfolds Yattarna.
The 4 highest ranked WA Chardonnays in the 2021 Wine Companion are the 2 greatest Leeuwin Estate Art Series ever, the 2016 and 2017, the best ever Vasse Felix Heytesbury 2018 …and … and… Singlefile’s The Vivienne Chardonnay, 2017! From Denmark! And they do this consistently.
The Singlefile Vivienne Chardonnay 2015 received 98 points and Best Chardonnay in the 2019 James Halliday Wine Companion Edition.
Another eight Singlefile wines received 95+ points (gold) in the Halliday Wine Companion 2019 Edition.
Singlefile’s The Vivienne Chardonnay 2012 was Equal Top Chardonnay with the 2013 Vasse Felix Heytesbury In Australian Gourmet Traveller’s Chardonnay Issue
(In 2015?Singlefile’s 2014 Reserve Chardonnay was WineState Magazine’s Chardonnay Winner, any price range, in their 2016 Chardonnay issue from the several hundred Chardonnays tasted AND also Winestate’s Chardonnay of the Year 2016.
The Singlefile SSB 2016 was JJ’s most delicious SSB of the year.
The 2015 Singlefile Single Vineyard Riesling was James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion equal third highest riesling in the 2018 edition.
The Singlefile The Vivienne Chardonnay 2014 was Halliday’s equal highest pointed chardonnay of the Wine Companion 2018 edition.
Singlefile had a 98 point and five 97-point reviews in the Wine Companion 2018 edition.
Singlefile’s 2017 Great Southern Riesling (18.5pts) & Mt Barker (18.4pts) were equal 1st and 3rd in one of JJ’s masked 22 premium rieslings panel tasting.
And the Cabernets? Well, is it enough to say that Singlefile placed…
No.3 in Halliday’s top 24 for the year at 97 points or above in the 2018 Wine Companion edition
Oh yes, and the 2015 & current Philip Adrian, Singlefile’s premium Cabernet Sauvignon release, is listed at No. 10 in the 2019 Wine Companion’s Best of Variety ranking – against the finest of this country’s simply marvellous Cabernet Sauvignons.
Other Awards:
Dark Horse Winery of the Year (2014) - James Halliday Wine Companion
Singlefile was the only producer in all of Australia to have four wines selected in The Weekend Australian’s Top 100 Wines of 2018
The Wine List
On Arrival
2025 Singlefile Single Vineyard Mount Barker Riesling
95 points, James Halliday, Wine Companion
Powerful drive here; the natural acidity seems to reverberate the flavours and sound of fruit, lime zest, pithy grapefruit, white florals, apple blossom. Infinitely juicy, and anchored by a gentle phenolic grip, stony minerals, bath salts and riverstone. I'd quite like to buy a dozen of these to document the evolution. Gorgeous. Closure: Screw cap. 12.3% alcohol. (Drink by 2040)
2025 Singlefile 'The Pamela' Porongurup Riesling (Limited Release)
96 points, Ray Jordan, rayjordan.com.au
This has developed into one of the state's finest and most consistent rieslings. It comes from the cooler environs of the Porongurup, and on the nose there’s a flinty, crushed wet pebble character working with a spicy, lemony citrus touch. The palate delivers a distinctly linear but intense flavour profile with chalky acidity, citrus notes, and regional minerality. It's delicate yet deceptively powerful and intense, just a lovely wine for current drinking or extended cellaring, where it will really come into its own.
Jamon, olives, sourdough
First Bracket
2024 Singlefile Family Reserve Denmark Chardonnay
96 points, Ray Jordan, rayjordan.com.au
Thoroughly beautiful chardonnay from a Denmark vineyard planted in 1989. It was whole bunch pressed and fermented in a one third new and two thirds one year old French barriques. Partial malolactic fermentation with regular lees stirring over six months. On the nose grapefruit and zest lemon emerge. The palate has a fine minerality and delicate acid to sustain through to a long finish. Really impressive chardonnay.
2022 Singlefile 'The Vivienne' Denmark Chardonnay
96 points, James Halliday, Wine Companion
The Vivienne is a true celebration of Denmark chardonnay. This limited release was hand harvested across three select picks, the fruit was whole-bunch pressed to new and old French barriques, where it matured for 10 months. A rich and decadent wine, yet, for all its billowy grandeur, the mineral tension of the ‘22 vintage imparts electric energy and vitality, unlocking the equilibrium of the wine. Plumes of stone fruit, white peach and grilled mango cheeks, with crème fraîche spooned atop and lime zest sprinkled over. It is detailed, pithy and resolute. A remarkable wine. Closure: Screw cap. 12.8% alcohol. (Drink by 2035)
Abrolhos scallops, nori, tobiko
Second Bracket
2024 Singlefile Family Reserve Denmark Pinot Noir
95 points, Ray Jordan, rayjordan.com.au
This is a variety that is just starting to make its presence felt in certain areas of Australia. And in Frankland, it's certainly found a home. It's one of the small batches that Singlefile does from time to time. This is a beautifully fragrant, exotic, medium-bodied red with a variety that hails from Spain. Shows some delightful spicy lifted red fruit notes, with a colour that is quite soft and yet with enough structure to give it poise to extend through to a long finish. So bright and vibrant, and I have to say, it's pretty damn hard to put down.
2024 Singlefile Small Batch Mencia
95 points, Ray Jordan, rayjordan.com.au
Another super impressive pinot noir under the Family Reserve label from Singlefile. This is a combination of classic Burgundian clones 777 and D5V12, which were planted relatively recently. The season allowed excellent flavour development, and this wine captures that perfectly with deep and lingering intensity, while retaining classic pinot elegance and restraint. The aromas show a combination of red fruits, strawberry and raspberry, with a nice aromatic lift of floral and dark cherry notes. The palate shows a slightly grainy tannin influence, sitting perfectly with the sweeter, plush fruits to achieve excellent balance and poise, carried through to a sustained long finish. A cracking good wine.
Roasted mushrooms, goats curd, almond XO
Third Bracket
2025 Singlefile Single Vineyard Frankland River Grenache (Pre-Release)
2020 Singlefile Small Batch B Mataro
93 points, James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com
Charming aromas of sliced strawberries, oolong, nutmeg and thyme. Medium-bodied with tight tannins. Fresh and pretty on the palate. Juicy. Lightly chewy. Drink now.
2025 Singlefile Single Vineyard Frankland River Shiraz
Winery, Singlefile
Deep, plum-red in the glass, this wine displays vibrant aromas of currant and blackberry, laced with white pepper spice and subtle herbal notes of tarragon and rosemary. The oak profile presents as gentle cedar nuances. The palate offers primary flavours of succulent dark fruit and spice, with crushed rock minerality and hints of mint and anise. A medium bodied and elegantly-styled wine, this cool climate shiraz shows intensity and savoury complexity, with smooth, drying tannins which provide structure to a long finish. A shiraz to be enjoyed with fine food, this vintage would complement herb-rubbed lamb, duck breast with a berry sauce, or a peppery beef stir-fry.
Twice cooked lamb, melted beetroot, shaved fennel, orange , olive
Fourth Bracket
2024 Singlefile Single Vineyard Frankland River Cabernet Sauvignon
96 points, Ray Jordan, rayjordan.com.au
This was a warm to hot vintage throughout Western Australia, but the slightly cooler Frankland River region has tempered the heat, resulting in wines of impressive quality. This is certainly a powerful and expressive cabernet from the season. The colour is deep red and the aromas show a distinct blackcurrant and plummy character with a lift of leafy, cherry-like notes. The palate is plush and opulent through the middle, expressing the variety perfectly, while the support of tannins and neatly weighted oak ensures the wine is carried through to a sustained long finish.
2016 Singlefile Single Vineyard Frankland River Cabernet Sauvignon
95 points, James Halliday, Wine Companion
From the Riversdale Vineyard, 10 days cold soak, 8 days post-ferment maceration, matured for 16 months in Bordeaux barrels (40% new). Good colour; in the line of prior releases, with flavour coming from every direction you look. Blackcurrant/cassis flavours are first up, then high quality French oak still settling in for the journey, a contributor both now and later; the tannins were well managed/massaged. Special. Closure: Screwcap. 14.5% alcohol. AUD$37 (Drink by 2036)
2021 Singlefile 'The Philip Adrian' Frankland River Cabernet Sauvignon
97 points, Ray Jordan, rayjordan.com.au
This is the pinnacle of Singlefile's red wine portfolio, and it comes from the famous Riversdale Vineyard in Frankland River. Okay, this was a cooler year, and yet the vineyard has certainly pumped out some classy fruit that has been captured in this quite tightly refined expression of cabernet. First things first—give it a decent splash and decant to open it up. These tighter, cooler years need that. But this one then reveals all that you expect, with a leafy, slightly bay leaf, dark chocolate, blackcurrant combination on the nose and a seamlessly integrated and intricately woven palate that brings together the fine ironstone minerality, deep dark fruits with a little red fruit lift, and some well-managed oak. It's a wine that's been harnessed and developed to certainly handle some extended cellaring.
