Nikola Estate Swan Valley, Western Australia
Monica Tindall
Australians love a good bushranger story, and one that involves wine only makes it all the juicier. Western Australia’s most famous outlaw, Moondyne Joe, has legendary status in the eyes of many for his resilience and resourcefulness. Sentenced for stealing food in England, he was transported to WA in 1853 as a convict. He repeatedly escaped, even from a supposedly escape-proof cell in Fremantle Prison, and spent months surviving the harsh Australian bush. On one such breakout, he was caught attempting to steal wine from the cellars of Houghton Winery, now Nikola Estate.
Nikola Estate sits on historic grounds dating back to 1836, formerly home to Houghton Wines, one of the state’s oldest wineries. In 2019, the Yukich family, known for their work with Oakover Wines, took over the property. They brought with them a fresh perspective while honouring the legacy of the land with several nods to history, like preserving old wine-making equipment and the story of Moondyne Joe in its cellars.
The grounds are striking, with sprawling vineyards and lawns shaded by giant jacaranda, pine, and eucalypt trees. An on-site chapel is a popular venue for weddings, Woodcutters Restaurant is full for weekend lunches, the lawn is often dotted with families picnicking, and the cellar door is the place to get a taste of Swan Valley’s tradition and innovation.
Nikola Estate Cellar Door
Nikola Estate has the most diverse selection of grapes we’ve seen in the region, developing both the classics and experimental plantings. The Nikola Estate Range features approachable and expressive wines highlighting Swan Valley’s unique terroir. The Nikola Regional Range showcases the best of Western Australia’s wine regions, focusing on regional expression and varietal character. Inspired by art, the Gallery Series names each wine after an artistic movement and is where we find some interesting small-batch varietals. Finally, the Nikola Fortified Range has an average age of 35 years; each “Rare” classified wine is blended via the Solera system and aged in seasoned casks to ensure natural vibrancy and freshness.
Regional Sparkling Chenin Blanc 2022 (AUD 40)
Bubbly is always a good beginning, right? Nikola Estate’s Regional Sparkling Chenin Blanc 2022 is bright straw yellow in the glass with a faint yeast aroma. It’s been fermented in stainless steel tanks and bottle fermented, spending 14 months on the lees. It’s balanced with a crisp, tart palate with red apple and a lemon curd finish. It’s great now, but it could be kept for up to 10 years.
Estate Chenin Blanc 2024 (AUD 30)
Chenin Blanc is a must in Swan Valley, and the 2024 Estate Chenin Blanc is a fine example. It boasts ripe, high-quality fruit from an early January harvest. Crafted from hand-picked grapes from premium old vines, this wine offers lifted aromas of yellow fruits and a palate of talc and pomme fruit with an oily, aromatic finish. Aged on fine lees, this wine has excellent aging potential, up to 15 years. We love it, and it also scored Gold 95 points at the Swan Valley Wine Show 2024.
The Impressionist 2023 (AUD 60)
Now, here’s where things take an interesting turn. Nikola Estate’s The Impressionist 2023 is made from 100% Arneis, a rare and fussy grape from near Piedmont in Italy. It is so temperamental that it almost went extinct and earned the name “little rascal” in Italian. Fortunately, local growers saw the potential and increased plantings in the 1970s, saving the grape from erasure in the history books. Seeing it do so well on this side of the world is exciting. This waxy, aromatic wine, aged three months in a barrel, features lemon, honeydew, and a textural mouthfeel. It’s almost as if we can smell the wildflowers from Monet’s art in the glass. They’re accompanied by green pear on the nose, strudel, and soft spice, earning 95 points from Ray Jordan.
The Surrealist 2022 (AUD 60)
The Surrealist 2022 is another thrilling blend, a melting pot of the Old World with distinct Spanish, Italian and Portuguese roots. It’s brimming with ripe red fruits, enhanced by spice and a mild herbaceousness. It presents a well-structured palate with subtle powdery tannins, a thread of oak, and balanced acidity in the finish. Ray Jordan (WA’s answer to James Halliday) scored it 95 points!
The Modernist 2022 (AUD 60)
Nikola Estate’s The Modernist 2022 is a beautifully balanced wine crafted from Shiraz, Malbec, and Grenache sourced from Frankland River, Perth Hills, and the Swan Valley. Its dark red hue offers layers of luscious red fruits with integrated oak. The palate provides a plush and polished sensation with generous, supple tannins, ideal for pairing with ragu pasta or braised osso buco and aging for 8-10 years.
The Minimalist 2023 (AUD 60)
Nikola Estate’s The Minimalist 2023 Montepulciano brings me back to memorable gourmet travels exploring Abruzzo, dining on arrosticini and spaghetti alla chitarra, and drinking seemingly bottomless glasses of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Its berry bouquet is interwoven with purple blooms and bitter chocolate, reminiscent of Black Forest cake. It’s fruit-forward and luscious, with smooth tannins and integrated oak, and it could be cellared for 8-10 years.
Reasons to visit Nikola Estate: one of the oldest wineries in Australia; fun historical connection to bushranger Moondyne Joe; beautiful scenery; awesome spot for a picnic on the lawn or lunch at Woodcutters; knowledgeable staff at the cellar door; must try Estate Chenin Blanc, The Impressionist, The Surrealist and if you’re a sweet wine lover, don’t miss trying some of the estate’s rare fortified wines.
Nikola Estate
148 Dale Road, Middle Swan
Swan Valley 6056, Western Australia
Link to Nikola Estate on Google Maps
www.nikolaestate.com
Nikola Estate Cellar Door Opening Hours
Wednesday to Sunday: 11:30 am – 3:30 pm
Monday & Tuesday: Closed
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