Clairault Streicker releases its flagship “Streicker Nysa” - a Margaret River Cabernet Franc dominant blend

Clairault Streicker is pleased to announce the release of their flagship wine, the Streicker Nysa, a Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon blend.

The release is the first flagship by Clairault Streicker and a regional rarity as a Cabernet Franc dominant flagship wine.

The fruit for the Streicker Nysa is grown at the Clairault Vineyard in Wilyabrup, with the first vines planted in 1976 by geologist Ian and wife Ani Lewis.

Senior Vineyard Manager and Viticulturist Chris Gillmore explains, “Cabernet Franc is the oldest Bordeaux varietal and the father of Cabernet Sauvignon.”

“The climate, the soil, the landscape, the heritage clones come together at this special site we refer to as the A Block to present pristine fruit worthy of our flagship.”

The A Block is ideally suited to Cabernet varieties due to its ironstone gravel soils and gentle sloping NE-SW position. The vines have been carefully developed on an open lyre trellis system to enable cooling of the fruit zone and canopy, particularly in the warmer months as the fruit is ripening.

The fruit is hand-picked early in the morning when the berries are still cool. The fruit is destemmed and lightly crushed. It soaks on its skins for 14 days, before gentle pressing and barrelling down. The Cabernet Sauvignon portion is aged in French oak barriques for 15 months. The Cabernet Franc on the other hand, requires a gentle ageing platform and environment, and so, is aged in larger French oak puncheons for 15 months.

Chief Winemaker Bruce Dukes says, “Nysa is a precedent in innovation and tradition.”

“The leading role of Cabernet Franc in a luxury Margaret River cuvee is indeed rare, as Cabernet Sauvignon typically earns that mantle. We are delighted with this leading role because the Franc brings such approachability and suppleness to the cuvee, yet still with great definition and support from the equally old Cabernet Sauvignon vines.”

After 44 years of producing Cabernet in Margaret River and countless hours of hand-tending to the old vines of the A Block, Chris Gillmore believes the best is yet to come.

The 2015 Streicker Nysa will be available as of Monday 19 October at the Cellar Door and via our website here.

Clairault Streicker Achieves Best Results Yet in the 2021 Wine Companion

It was another stellar year for Clairault Streicker Wines in the 2021 Wine Companion, continuing our 5 Red Star streak. The 5 Red Stars indicate an outstanding winery regularly producing wines of exemplary quality and typicity. 

The Clairault Cellar Release Petit Verdot 2014 was awarded by James Halliday and his team as “The Best of the Best”. After reviewing a pool of more than 9000 Australian wines in 2021, a handful of standouts are chosen for The Best of the Best. The Petit Verdot made it into the Other Red Varieties and Blends category. With a score of 97/100 and a Special Value Star, we only make this wine in years of warm growing seasons.

The Streicker Ironstone Block Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon received an outstanding score of 96/100 with a Special Value Star. Whilst another three wines were scored 95/100, the Clairault Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Streicker Ironstone Block Old Vine Chardonnay 2018 and the Streicker Blanc de Blanc 2015 – it’s highest score yet.

Clairault Cellar Release Petit Verdot 2014
97/100, Special Value Star & Best of the Best
“This rich, luxuriant wine has aged beautifully to early middle age, with plenty more in store. A glossy mid-ruby. Aromas of graphite, pencil lead, blood plum, mulberry and cedar are pixelated by juicy acidity and impeccably honed granular tannins. Coffee-bean-mocha flavours linger long, yet they are a conflation of well judged extraction, the right riff of oak and optimally ripe fruit. Nothing excessive here. Bravo!”
- SOLD OUT -

Streicker Ironstone Block Old Vine Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
96/100 & Special Value Star
“Hand-picked and gently crushed, to the point that the berries just split, without gleaning excessive astringency. Pumped over for 18 days, three-times per day. The sort of extraction regime more should adopt. Fermentation was then finished in French barriques and aged for 18 months (45% new). Straight cabernet No adulterant agents. A whiplash of cassis, black olive, bouquet garni and clove. Compelling intensity here, with gravelly graphite tannins keeping it all on the straight and narrow. There is no doubt that this rich red will provide riveting drinking in maturity. Now, still structural; almost sculptuesque of composition.”
 

Clairault Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
95/100
“A pleasure to taste a wine that is firmly of its turf, while offering a savoury, restrained complexion in keeping with the better addresses in this part of the world. Bouquet garni, lead and pencil shavings intermingle with blackcurrant, sage and mint. The oak guides the flavours long while providing a bit of cedar bristle across the seams. This will settle across the long life ahead. Very fine, pointed, graphite-complex, compellingly long and highly regional.”
 

Streicker Ironstone Block Old Vine Chardonnay 2018
95/100
“This is sumptuous chardonnay, standing out across a range of very fine reds. From the heart of Wilyabrup, this was barrel-fermented across an arsenal of new (33%) to partly used wood, stirred periodically and aged for 9 months. A portion underwent malolactic conversion. Peaches and cream. A luxuriant core of creamed cashew and praline, with vanilla pod oak sewing the seams. An alluvial pulse with a maritime thrum, carrying it long. Very.”

Streicker Blanc De Blancs 2015
95/100
“This ambitious fizz spent 30 months on lees which, to be frank, is just long enough. While there is the salty tang of maritime acidity driving the wine long, it is not high enough to cope with more yeast-embellishment. Well judged! Brioche, lanolin and lots of praline scents mingle with stone fruit allusions and a whiff of jasmine. This is a very good sparkling. Rich, but fresh. Poised and authoritative. It sits in the mouth without any hard angles.”
- SOLD OUT -

Streicker Bridgeland Block Fume Blanc 2018
94/100 & Special Value Star
“Hand-picked, cold crushed and barrel-fermented (33% new oak), remaining in barrel for 9 months. Such a more interesting, drinkable style than the bang-in-and-out styles too often seen. Oak threads a loom of complexity with sauvignon otherwise seldom seen: lanolin, lemon drop, spearmint, red currant and greengage, woven across a quilt of mineral detail and crunch with a seam of great length and calm. Nothing tangy or sour. A very good wine auguring well for mid-term ageing.”
- BUY NOW -

Clairault Estate Chardonnay 2018
93/100
“Barrel fermented following whole-bunch pressing. Fermented across a judiciously selected oak swag, punctuated by 40% new. A tight wine, marked by classy oak. I mean this in a good way. While there are ample stone fruit scents with an emphasis on nectarine, the oak cladding curtails any precocity, setting this wine up for a bright future for those patient enough. A creamy core of nougatine provides immediate sustenance.”

Clairault Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
93/100
“This is a delicious first cab off the estate's rank. A smidgeon of franc (13%) in the mix. Mid-weighted of feel, with ample fruit honed by a stamp of sinewy, savoury, gently verdant tannic astringency. This works better with a wine such as this: less ambitiously extracted, built for imminent to mid-term pleasure and nevertheless, marked by a fealty to place. Impressive and fine value. Currant, blue berry and anise, if you must know.”

Halley & Lex Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
93/100 & Special Value Star
“Very well put together, the intricate, striking label, the gently spiced bouquet likewise hitting the spot. The medium-bodied palate has all the length you could hope for at the price, its texture and structure the framework for a drink anywhere, any time. Impressive value.”

Clairault Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2018
92/100
“Grist to the regional mill of blackcurrant, satsuma plum, mulch, mint and a sash of sage to black olive-clad tannins. A bit verdant in youth, but I have full confidence that this will settle with patience. Medium to full-bodied and highly savoury.”

Clairault Margaret River Chardonnay 2018
91/100
“A tightly wound chardonnay, still in the grip of its oak handling. Fermented and matured in French wood, with its vanilla-pod-cedar creases dominating a whiff of stone fruits and leesy curd and nougat notes. Time will tell.”
- BUY NOW -

Clairault Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2019
91/100 & Special Value Star
“Largely tank-fermented, albeit, 22% goes into oak for textural pedigree. The yeast is flavour enhancing, exuding passion fruit to guava notes. Mid-weighted and intense, the wine careens along a rail of tangy acidity mitigated by a slaty rail and a curb of oak. This is all poolside slushy with a wink of sophistication.”
- BUY NOW - 

Halley & Lex Sauvignon Blanc 2019
90/100 & Special Value Star
“Long on flavour, intensity and depth. The ride is a wild one, the wine made to measure for fish soup or other full-flavoured marine dishes.”

Nick Stock reviews our wines for JamesSuckling.com

Recently Nick Stock visited the Margaret River region and tasted over 500 bottles for James Suckling.com. We were lucky enough to have a selection of our Clairault and Streicker Wines reviewed and all were met with very positive feedback. Many of the wines listed are currently available in our Online Shop Here.

Read through Executive Editor Nick Stock's scores of our wines and tasting notes below...

Clairault Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River Wilyabrup Estate 2016
Score: 93 Points
17 Mar, 2020 – There’s an air of cedary oak and an almost tarry edge to the red berries and blueberries with sage, gun smoke and bay leaf, too. The palate has a very succulent feel with impressively juicy, spicy berries, wrapped in sturdy, smooth-honed and fresh tannins. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Clairault Estate Chardonnay Margaret River Estate 2017
Score: 92 Points
20 Mar, 2020 – Some toasty and flinty complexity here with a grilled-peach and lemon nose, leading to a palate that has a wealth of savory, peach-kernel and spiced-almond flavors. Drink now. Screw cap.

Clairault Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Margaret River 2019
Score: 92 Points
18 Mar, 2020 – Super pure, upbeat and fresh aromas of peaches, lemons and mangoes lead to a palate that has such juicy, vibrant and smooth-honed style. Delicious peaches and lemons and some pears to close. Drink now. Screw cap.

Clairault Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River 2017
Score: 92 Points
17 Mar, 2020 – This has aromas of brambly ripe dark berries and plums that intersect with cedar, leaves and cocoa powder. The palate has such smooth, fluid tannins and delivers ripe dark-berry flavors in abundance. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Streicker Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River Ironstone Block Old Vine 2014
Score: 92 Points
17 Mar, 2020 – This slightly older cabernet has developed such attractive earthy and leafy aromas, across the blueberries and blackcurrants. Plenty of herbal kick and tobacco, too. The palate is delivered in such smooth layers of flavor-soaked tannin. Blueberry and plum flavors abound here. So long and fluid. Drink or hold. Screw cap. 

Streicker Sauvignon Blanc Margaret River Bridgeland Block Fumé Blanc 2018
Score: 92 Points
18 Mar, 2020 – This has very attractively fresh aromas of guava and spiced lime curd, as well as lemon butter. The palate has freshness with a gently creamy, plush textural build. Spicy finish. Drink in the next four years. Screw cap.

Streicker Pinot Noir Margaret River Bridgeland Block 2018
Score: 91 Points
16 Mar, 2020 – Attractive red berries and a gently leafy, sappy and herbal edge make for appealing pinot. The palate has fine-grained tannins and a fresh red-berry core with bright, crunchy acidity delivering a lively finish. Drink now. Screw cap.

Streicker Chardonnay Margaret River Ironstone Block Old Vine 2017
Score: 91 Points
20 Mar, 2020 – This has a vibrant, fresh and upbeat stone-fruit nose with plenty of fleshy, lightly tangy peaches on the palate. Drink now. Screw cap.

Halley & Lex Cabernet Sauvignon Margaret River 2017
Score: 91 Points
17 Mar, 2020 – Attractive violets and fresh purple berries abound here with a very juicy array of fine, sweetly ripe tannin, delivering rich, mulberry and blackcurrant flavors in approachable mode. Drink now. Screw cap.

Streicker Syrah Margaret River Bridgeland Block 2014
Score: 90 Points
20 Mar, 2020 – This shows some savory development with dark, toasted spices, bacon fat and dried red plums. Some earthy notes, too. The palate has a spice, mocha and meat thread with plenty of ripe dark berries. Sleek tannins. Still fresh at the finish. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Streicker Chenin Blanc Margaret River Ironstone Block 2017
Score: 90 Points
19 Mar, 2020 – An attractive, lemon-centered style with a little toasty edge adding interest, as well as some flinty notes. The palate has a fine, juicy and elegant feel with smooth, supple, fleshy build. Drink now. Screw cap.

Clairault Chardonnay Margaret River 2018
Score: 89 Points
20 Mar, 2020 – The bright, fresh melon and peaches here are appealing with a smooth and easygoing, fresh-peach palate. Drink now. Screw cap.

If you'd like to read more results from the Margaret River tasting by Nick Stock, you can subscribe to JamesSuckling.com here.