Reviews

Nick Stock  |  Fleurieu Living Magazine 

The Follett family holds pride of place among winemakers of Langhorne Creek. The Follett’s early recognition of the region’s ability to make reds with such bold flavours and early appeal has paved their path to success over many years. There’s barely a South Australian backyard that hasn’t played hot to a bottle or three of their wines.

2020 Bernoota

I’ve long held a special place for Lake Breeze Bernoota in my repertoire of classic barbecue bottles.  Having written countless lists recommending the top value wines, this is a red that always makes the top order, it is really hard to beat and is justifiably famous in local circles. The varieties marry so well in an embrace of red plum and dark berry fruit flavours. Drink or hold. 

2021 Section 54 Shiraz

This takes the effortless richness of the region’s shiraz and tunes it gently in French oak to good effect. Supple and smooth tannins caress this fleshy shiraz softly with plenty of richness in the flavour department. Drink now.

2020 Arthur’s Reserve

In essence, this is a best of vintage wine for cabernet which is a variety that excels for Lake Breeze. Aromas of blackcurrant, chocolate, mulberry, cedar, plum and mint all delivered so freshly. The palate has a robustness that is underscored by nicely judged tannin structure. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, malbec and petit verdot. Drink or hold. 


2020 Bernoota  |  Country Style  Nick Ryan

Twenty-five years ago, I was working in a wine shop when a mate asked me for the best value wine I know. I gave him this. It’s soft, with berry fruits, a flicker of dry mint and chocolate, and that Langhorne savoury seam.


lake breeze wines halliday 

Halliday 2024 Wine Companion

On the back of our Best Value Winery of the Year award in the 2022 Wine Companion and Greg being a finalist in the 2023 Wine Companion's Best Winemaker award, this years Halliday's results are terrific.

In actual fact, this year’s results are better than those when we won the Best Value Winery of the Year.  Each of our wines submitted received a value ‘rosette’ and three quarters of them scored above 94 points.

98 pts  Arthur’s Reserve 2020                      
97 pts  The Drake 2018             
95 pts  Winemaker’s Selection Shiraz 2021    
95 pts  Cabernet Sauvignon 2021     
95 pts  Section 54 Shiraz 2021
95 pts  Vermentino 2022 
94 pts  Bernoota 2021                
94 pts  Nero d’Avola 2022           
94 pts  Reserve Chardonnay 2021 

 


 

lake breeze 2021 section 54 shiraz

 

2021 Section 54 Shiraz

94 pts Tyson Stelzer - WBMagazine    

"A beautifully crafted Shiraz that captures the black fruit and liquorice density of Langhorne Creek and frames it impeccably in fine-grained tannins, the bright acidity of an exceptional and cool season and excellent, classy oak. The result has a feeling of polished refinement and deliciousness. Classic Follett craftsmanship and value."
June 2023


 

Greg Follett Lake Breeze Wines Vintage forecast 2023

Our 2023 Vintage is almost upon us.
Here are some insights from Greg on the eve of harvest, which is going to be at least a few weeks later than usual ... but we'll let him tell you all about that.

Click HERE to watch now!


 

Champion Wine Lake Breeze Cabernet Langhorne Creek Wine Show

Our 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon was the highest scoring wine of this years Langhorne Creek Wine Show, picking up the Champion Wine of Show along with the Best Cabernet trophy.

We've been fortunate to be awarded the Champion Wine Trophy for four consecutive years and this is the sixth occasion our Cabernet Sauvignon has won.

Champion Wine of Show | 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon

Best Cabernet Sauvignon | 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon

Best Sparkling Wine, White Wine or Rosé | Lake Breeze Wines

Best Blended Red Wine | 2019 Arthur’s Reserve

Best Shiraz | 2020 Bull Ant Shiraz

Best Museum or Fortified Wine | 2013 Arthur’s Reserve


 

The Australian - James Halliday

A great feature in The Australian by James Halliday.  Backing up our 'Best Value Winery of the Year', Jame Halliday has pointed three of our wines as:

97 pts Section 54 Shiraz 2020

96 pts Old Vine Grenache 2021

95 pts Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 - to be released later this year.

Read more here.


SA Life Tony Love Arthur's Reserve

SA Life   |   Tony Love                      Dec 2021

Arthur’s Reserve 2018

"Cabernet and malbec are the hero varieties of this much treasured region, just an hour south of Adelaide. Old vineyards occupy the floodplain between the Angas and Bremer rivers, while Lake Alexandrina immediately to the south offers a shoreline drive and endless horizons, as well as a unique climatic influence for the region’s elegant red wines. The much-awarded, classic Lake Breeze blend captures the essence of fine cabernet aromatics with the blue fruits and rusticity of regional specialty malbec."


 
sa wine tourism award lake breeze wines

We are proud to have been awarded winners at the Great Wine Capitals - SA Best of Wine Tourism awards in the  Architecture and Landscape category for our new function space, The Barrel Room.

 

lake breeze best value winery of the year

Halliday Wine Companion 2022 Best Value Winery of the Year 
This award is not only great recognition for the hard work of our entire family and staff over the years, but for Langhorne Creek.

"Line ’em up, wine for wine and dollar for dollar and the value for money represented by Lake Breeze is nothing short of extraordinary: four wines under $20 scoring 90–95 points and four wines under $30 scoring 92–97 this year. Case closed.Tyson Stelzer & Tony Love

97 pts 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon    [not yet released]
95 pts 2018 Arthur's Reserve
95 pts 2019 Section 54 Shiraz
95 pts 2020 Rosato


 

Lake Breeze 2019 Bernoota

Halliday Wine Companion Magazine  |  Tony Love 
2019 Bernoota Shiraz Cabernet
“Average vine age in the popular red blend (60:40 shiraz/cabernet) is more that 40 years. Each vintage shows a gradual easing back of American oak with more French in use, new oak also reducing now to under 20%. That said, the barrels ar still an important part of the personality of this wine. It’s a traditional style, abundant dark fruits, captured ripe and vibrant and with a heap of black pepper in the spice profile. A wine that keeps on giving with every glass full. And will do so for many years.”


halliday wine companion best value wineries lake breeze wines

We're thrilled to be shortlisted for Halliday's Best Value Winery of the Year!

"The Follett family is privileged to a deep history; the family has been tending its vines on the shores of Lake Alexandrina since the 1880s and picking up hundreds of trophies and gold medals in major wine shows across the country for decades. They are fabulous ambassadors for an oft-neglected region and embody the heart and soul that we all love about Australian winemaking. It’s a bonus that their wines also happen to represent some of the best value in the country" – Tony Love & Tyson Stelzer


langhorne creek wine show lake breeze wines

Champion Wine of the 2021 Langhorne Creek Wine Show

This years' Multi-Color Langhorne Creek Wine Show is certainly the one of our most successful!

Of the 20 wines we entered in the show, all received medals including 7 gold, 9 silver and 4 bronze.

Champion Wine of Show   |  2019 Malbec

2019 Malbec     |   Best Malbec Trophy

2019 Arthur's Res |   Best Red Blend Trophy

2012 Arthur's Res |   Best Museum Trophy

+ Producer of the Year Trophy

gold medal   2018 Bernoota
gold medal   2019 Arthur’s Reserve
gold medal   2012 Arthur’s Reserve
gold medal   2019 Malbec
gold medal   2019 Bull Ant Cab Merlot
gold medal   2019 Cabernet Sauvignon
gold medal   Naughty Nanny 


2018 Arthur's Reserve
Tyson Stelzer     Australian Wine Business Magazine

“A grand juxtaposition of the power, endurance, energy and even elegance of Langhorne Creek. Brilliant blackcurrant and blackberry fruit is backed with fresh liquorice and dark chocolate oak. An intricately assembled framework relies equally on bright acid line and fine-grained tannins, making for a cellaring special.”

96 points


the real review top aust wineries 2021.

The Real Review Top Wineries of Australia 2021

We are chuffed to again this year be included in The Real Review Top Wineries of Australia 2021.

2018 Arthur's Reserve             rated 94 pts

2019 Malbec                            rated 94 pts

2018 Winemaker's Selection   rated 93 pts

2019 Cabernet Sauvignon       rated 92 pts 


Halliday 2021 Wine Companion

James Halliday's 2021 Wine Companion

5 RED STAR WINERY

2018 Section 54 Shiraz  |  94 pts
Select parcels where fermented in small ope-top fermenters before ageing in high quality French oak for 15 months. This is delicious. Pulpy. Floral. An easy flow of rich dark-berry fruit references splayed across detailed tannins and ample spice. The oak is there. But is serves a purpose: to corral the wine’s inherent generosity.”   Ned Goodwin MW

2014 The Drake   |   94 pts 
A blend of cabernet (70%) and shiraz, this is a fully loaded homage to a quintessential Australian blend. The cabernet, the dough; the shiraz, the warmth in the centre. Fermented in French wood (90% new) for a whopping 20 months, this is aspirational. The old vine material provides ample stuffing, with the result a seamless, highly savoury mould floral scents, berry fruits, finely tuned sage-brushed tannins and ambitious oak tones that, nevertheless, fit the billing. This will age very well.”   Ned Goodwin MW

 

the real review

The Real Review Top Wineries of Australia 2020

We are proud to announce that Lake Breeze Wines is one of The Real Review Top Wineries of Australia 2020.

2018 Cabernet Sauvignon rated 95 pts

2016 Arthur's Reserve rated 95 pts


2018 Bernoota 
"Deep, dark purple colour. Oak-derived toast and vanilla leads an otherwise richly-fruited nose of plums and blackcurrants. Some charming complexity; cured meats and dried herbs. The palate shows more red berries than blue or black - oak is firm. Still settling. A terrific wine at this price."

NICK BUTLER - The Real Review


 

lake breeze

Langhorne Creek's Star Cellar Door & Best Tasting Experience

"It’s a welcoming place with friendly, knowledgeable staff and a lovely view out over the vineyards. The wines are cracking: superb cabernet and shiraz blends, pure with deep, resonant fruit and a wonderful pair of fortifieds, a rare tawny and rare frontignac, that hark back to an undisputed historical lineage that continues to burn brightly. The kitchen offers a number of delicious dishes and if you are in need of a bed, look no further than Lake Breeze’s bed and breakfast, The Creek Cottage.

David Brookes - Gourmet Traveller Wine Magzine


 section 54 shiraz lake breeze

2018 Section 54 Shiraz 
"Dark cherry in hue. Cedary oak is currently firm and forceful ahead of black plum and dark cherry aromas.  There's lovely intensity to the palate - raspberry liqueur and mulberries - oak returns, along with skin tannins to taper and drive the finish. Concentration and quality well beyond the humble price point."

92/100  
NICK BUTLER - The Real Review


 

"one of the country's most awesome red wines"

“It’s not from Margaret River, nor Coonawarra, but from Langhorne Creek: and Lake Breeze’s Arthur’s Reserve ’16 is one of Australia’s great cabernet sauvignon-based wines. One of our country’s most awesome red wines full-stop in fact, and has been - vintage conditions permitting - for a decade and a half. So too the straight cabernet sauvignon.”   

TIM WHITE


 

James Halliday's 2020 Wine Companion

Lake Breeze has been selected in James Halliday's Top 10 Best Value Wineries. And to top that off, we've received some great scores!

Arthur's Reserve 2016  |  97 pts

Winemaker's Selection Shiraz 2016   |   95 pts

Section 54 Shiraz 2017  |  95 pts

Cabernet Sauvignon 2017  |  94 pts

Lake Breeze Wines
"Fourteen wines submitted, 11 with value rosettes. It did well at the top end, with all but one in the rosette mix, and 100% for the wines rated at 90 to 94 points. Langhorne Creek has a perfect climate for shiraz and cabernet sauvignon, and was the making of Wolf Blass."  James Halliday


 

MATTHEW JUKES   |  100 TOP AUSTRALIAN WINES 2019/20 

Well respected wine scribe, Matthew Jukes has unveiled his 16th edition of the 100 Best Australian Wines, in which our 2016 Bernoota has been selected.

“This is a very smart wine which takes the best part of Shiraz and blends it with the best elements of Cabernet and Lake Breeze is one of the finest exponents of this craft in the world. The 2016 is a 60/40 split and it spends 20 months in French and American barriques before release. I am not sure I can think of a finer way to spend £20 on a big juicy red wines, but then I would say that, wouldn’t I, given I love this blend and this property so much."

Matthew Jukes


 

#1 cabernet

#1 FLEURIEU 2016 CABERNET TASTING

Our 2016 Cabernet has been listed top in Huon Hooke's The Real Review Fleurieu 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting.
It was ranked #1 of the 37 wines tasted.
Check out the top 4 ...

1. Lake Breeze 2016 Cabernet $25
2. Hickinbotham 2016 Trueman Cabernet   $75
3. d'Arenberg 2016 The Coppermine Road $75
4. Pertaringa 2016 Tipsy Hill Cabernet        $250 


 champion wine

2016 CABERNET CHAMPION WINE

Our 2016 Cabernet was awarded the CHAMPION WINE OF SHOW again at the 2019 Langhorne Creek Wine Show.

We also hosted the Wine Show Luncheon on the lawns at Lake Breeze, with 290 guests in our backyard to celebrate the end of the 2019 vintage and witness Greg collect 4 trophies.

This is the 6th time in 10 years we’ve won Champion Wine of Show.

Other trophies we were awarded:

2016 Cabernet  |   Best Cabernet Sauvignon Trophy
2016 Bernoota  |   Best Red Blend Trophy
2012 Cabernet  |   Best Museum Trophy


 

   

AUSTRALIA'S WINE BUSINESS MAGAZINE  [WBM]

Greg features on the Jan/Feb 2019 cover of the revered industry magazine, WBM.  The charming Katie Spain interviewed Greg for an entertaining read.


Hooke  |  The Real Review

"Which regions produce the most under-priced cabernet in Australia?
Your answer needs to include Langhorne Creek ..."

HUON HOOKE published a great article singing the praises of our cabernets this week.  Read more on THE REAL REVIEW here.
Both our cabernets were ..."nestled among the highest rated wines of the line-up, which were much more expensive..." 
Huon tasted 115 wines in the line-up and scored our 2015 Cabernet 95 points and the 2014 Arthur's Reserve 96 points.

Read more here.

 


The Australian |  Nick Ryan  |  2015 Cabernet Sauvignon

Trophy winner for best cabernet sauvignon of show and best wine of show.

"Greg Follett must be one of the most highly awarded and little-known winemakers in the country. Every year he does a Michael Phelps at the wine show and this year was no exception, yet again taking out the trophy for most successful exhibitor. This wine is benchmark Langhorne Creek cabernet, showing a lovely dry leafiness amid polished red fruits. It’s lithe and sinewy, alert and refined, and just may be the best value cabernet in the country."

May 15, 2018

 


 

BEST LARGE CELLAR DOOR + CELLAR DOOR WITH THE BEST FOOD

We're chuffed to be awarded the Best Large Cellar Door for the second year running!

Check out the Apr/May edition of Gourmet Wine Traveller Magazine.

 


 

CABERNET ... IN ALL ITS GLORY

Tony Love - Herald Sun
2015 Cabernet Sauvignon

"The Creek’s cabernet has long been regarded as one of the region’s natural gifts, and here you see it in all its glory: pure cassis/black currant crush that has such wonderful fruit concentration that the oak and other herbal elements usually expected in such a wine find their best role as a supportive backdrop. The drive and reverb in the palate is excellent, with a slightly dusty/cedar/pencil case note in the finish adding further integrity and length. A delightful wine."
best with: duck breast

Mar 20, 2018


 

BERNOOTA ... A GREAT AMBASSADOR

Tony Love - The Advertiser
2015 Bernoota Shiraz cabernet

"From one of the district’s original farming and then wine biz families, Greg and Robyn Follett now steering traditional regional reds and also some newer varieties. The shiraz/cabernet red blend has brought considerable fame to the district, and this iteration is a great ambassador, the shiraz adding a plushness while the cabernet brings aromatic power with distinctive eucalypt leaf and forest floor notes, followed by palate richness and fine, dusty tannins to its dry Aussie red finish."

Feb 18, 2018


 

WINE OF THE WEEK - 2014 CABERNET SAUVIGNON

"An amazing buy: this is a superb cabernet and the price is a gift. Fresh, clean, beautifully made cabernet with lots of cassis and negligible regional gum leaf aroma. It’s full-bodied, rich and perfectly ripe, with good structure for ageing and a long aftertaste." 

Score: 95 ★★★★★ – view on HuonHooke.com
Ageing: Best drinking at two to 20 years
Food: Pink roast leg of lamb
Ranked #2 of 25 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon tasted from Fleurieu
Price Benchmark: AUD $57.50 Avg 95pt 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon tasted from Australia

Feb 8, 2017


"WHAT A LEGEND THIS GREAT AUSSIE WINE HAS BECOME ..."

Tony Love - The Advertiser

"... topping the $25 and under class at the Great Australian Red judging - and not for the first time.  It's a 60:40 shiraz dominant blend, but says a lot about the power of Langhorne Creek cabernet, which brings its glorious aromatics and bold fruit as well as adding its big bones to the structure, yet remaining deliciously soft to finish."


James Halliday's 2017 Wine Companion  -  5 red star winery rating

95 pts    Arthur's Reserve 2013              
95 pts    False Cape 2013 The Captain Cabernet Sauvignon                                           
94 pts    Winemaker's Selection Shiraz 2014 Shiraz 
94 pts    Section 54 2014 Shiraz                                         


 "A YOUNG BUT DELICIOUS CAB-SAUV FROM LAKE BREEZE", SAYS 'TIM' WINE EDITOR JANE FAULKNER.

Lake Breeze Cabernet Sauvignon 2012

score: 93             value: Brilliant

"Lake Breeze’s winemaker Greg Follett is pretty chuffed with the 2012 vintage, arguably the best in the past decade or so. The cabernet fruit is sourced from 40-year-old vines on his property and it turns into this fragrant and delicious – if youthful – wine. It smells really good and enticing" ... read more here.


James Halliday's 2016 Wine Companion  -  5 red star winery rating

97 pts    The Drake 2010
96 pts    Arthur's Reserve 2012
95 pts    Section 54 Shiraz 2013
94 pts    Winemaker's Selection Shiraz 2013
94 pts    Cabernet Sauvignon 2013


THE WINE FRONT - Campbell Mattinson

Lake Breeze Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
"Grown on 40 year old vines. Awarded Champion Wine at the 2014 Langhorne Creek Wine Show. Matured in 100% French oak, 40% of which is new.
Strong, bold and vivid. Lively for a cabernet. Flavours and aromas of pure blackcurrant, smoky vanillin oak, musk and violet. Healthy serve of eucalypt/mint character. Smooth through the palate, succulent through the finish. Fruit-filled tannin. Crowd-pleasing but well structured and balanced. In short, it’s very good."

Rated : 93 Points   Drink : 2016 - 2024

Lake Breeze Bernoota Shiraz Cabernet 2012
"Grown on 40 year old vines. Gold medal winner at the 2014 Langhorne Creek Wine Show. 60% shiraz, 40% cabernet sauvignon. Slightly less new oak than used for previous vintages.
If you’ve been known to enjoy a bottle of Lake Breeze’s famed Bernoota red, then you will love this. It’s a classic example of the label. Balanced, bountifully-fruited, slapped with sexy vanillin/coffeed/musky oak but, importantly, beautifully well balanced. Tickled with fine tannin through the finished. Spot on example of the style."

Rated : 93+ Points    Drink : 2015 - 2025


Lake Breeze amongst Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine's 'Best Cellar Door Awards'

BEST TASTING EXPERIENCE Langhorne Creek: Lake Breeze Wines.

 


James Halliday's 2014 Wine Companion  -  5 red star winery rating

95 pts    Winemaker's Selection Shiraz 2010 Shiraz             
95 pts    Arthur's Reserve 2009                                         
94 pts    Section 54 2010 Shiraz                                        
94 pts    False Cape 2010 The Captain Cabernet Sauvignon  


 
It’s an Aussie icon – an institution, declares Tyson Stelzer – wine author and the Wine Communicators of Australia 2013 Wine Communicator of the Year. The timeless blend of shiraz and cabernet sauvignon, first championed in Australia in the late 1800s, is being ‘resurrected’ thanks to The Great Australian Red challenge, conceived and run by Tyson and UK wine communicator, Matthew Jukes

The one wine that scored the most comments from sommeliers and trade this afternoon at our tasting was the Lake Breeze Bernoota Shiraz Cabernet 2009 from Langhorne Creek – out of all our wines on show. You can pick this up for around $18. It was by far, everyone said, the wine that was the most consistent,” said Tyson. 


 

Jeremy Oliver's Australian Wine Annual 2013
2008 Arthur's Reserve Cabernet Petit Verdot "A classy, very polished wine whose deep, heady bouquet of violets, cassis, blackberries, blueberries and cedary oakreveals undertone...
 
Halliday's Wine Companion 2013 STANDOUTS
Bullant 2010 Shiraz 94 Points  "Langhorne Creek's Lake Breeze continue to impress with high-quality red wines of exceptional quality. This newly released 2010 Lake Breeze Bullant...
 
Section 54 Shiraz 2009
From bold and brooding to floral and silky, there's diversity of local styles to suit all tastes and budgets, writes Jane Faulkner. "Winemaker Greg Follett comes from a long line... 

The Great Australian Red
TROPHY FOR 'BERNOOTA'! The yet to be released 2009 vintage of our 'Bernoota' Shiraz Cabernet blend, has been awarded a gold medal and the trophy for BEST WINE $20 & UNDER at T...