Nocturne

Julian Langworthy, the man behind Nocturne, is one of Australia’s brightest winemaking talents. Born and raised in Margaret River, Julian made his name working for well-established wineries in Western Australia. He has won countless awards and trophies in the process, including two of Australia’s most cherished titles, the Jimmy Watson Trophy in 2014 and Halliday’s Best Winemaker in 2019. Nocturne is Julian’s solo venture. He creates small quantities of Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon from exceptional sites, highlighting the distinct qualities of Margaret River’s Treeton, Wilyabrup and Yallingup sub-regions. What began as a side hustle in 2010 has grown to become one of Australia’s most exciting producers. Highly sought after and in short supply, the Nocturne wines sell out every year soon after release.

The Nocturne range is simple, comprising two sub-regional wines and two single vineyard wines. They are made with minimal intervention, or ‘careful neglection’ as Julian describes it, with indigenous yeast fermentation and no fining. Both Chardonnays are whole bunch pressed and aged on their lees in puncheon for nine months before bottling. Fruit for the sub-regional Chardonnay is sourced from two vineyards in Treeton, which Julian describes as “a weird little place full of hillbillies, dairy cows and some exceptional Chardonnay vineyards.” The only landlocked sub-region of Margaret River, Treeton has warm days, cool nights and deep sandy soils, which produce Chardonnay with excellent natural acidity and finesse. The single vineyard Chardonnay, made in tiny quantities, hails from a small ridge section in the middle of the ‘Forrest Vineyard’ in the sub-region of Wilyabrup. It is wonderfully expressive, with a flinty, saline character and abundant stone fruit on the palate.

Both of the Cabernet Sauvignon wines are made with fruit sourced from Julian’s pride and joy, his own four-hectare ‘Sheoak Vineyard’. Located in Yallingup, the most northerly and warmest sub-region of Margaret River, the vines are planted on deep, gravel soils and are moderated by fresh Indian Ocean breezes. A small amount of Merlot and Malbec from the neighbouring estate are used in the Yallingup Cabernet to add generosity to the mid-palate. It is medium-bodied with vibrant red fruit characters and silky tannins. The ‘Sheoak Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a stunning expression and showcases why Cabernet is king in Margaret River. It is a highly complex and perfumed wine, with crunchy cranberry flavours complementing notes of cassis and cedar.

Buy Nocturne wine below.