A Conversation in White: Jo & Holly Taste Tahbilk’s 2025 Releases
There’s something about that very first swirl of a new vintage, when the wine has yet to meet anyone beyond the winery walls. We sat down with Jo Nash, Tahbilk Winemaker, and Holly Cusworth, Cellar Door Manager, to taste through Tahbilk’s 2025 white wine releases.
For Jo, white wines are her speciality and her passion, crafted with precision and care each year. For Holly, every sip is imagined through the eyes of the guests she welcomes, wondering how these wines will be received across the Cellar Door counter or alongside a meal at the Estate Restaurant.
“This is the best part of the job,” Jo said, lifting the first glass. “When you finally see the season in the wine.”
“And for me,” Holly added, “it’s picturing that first pour for a guest, the surprise, the delight. That’s when the story begins.”
Why These Varieties?
Tahbilk’s history with white wine goes back generations, most famously with Marsanne, planted here since 1927 and still one of the world’s oldest and largest surviving vineyards of its kind. But in recent years, the estate has looked beyond its Rhône heritage, planting Mediterranean varieties such as Fiano, Albariño, and Verdelho.
“We planted these grapes with the future in mind,” Jo explained. “Our climate here is warm and dry, and these varieties thrive in those conditions. They’re naturally resilient, they hold their acidity, and they bring something new to the Tahbilk story. It’s about honouring tradition while also looking ahead.”
Holly adds:
“Guests love the chance to try something different. When we pour Fiano or Albariño at the Cellar Door, people’s eyes light up, it’s something they don’t see everywhere. And the fact that some of these are exclusive to us here makes the experience even more special.”
2025 Fiano | 12.5% | Enjoy Now–2030/31
Fragrant citrus, apple juice, ripe pear, and fresh minerality.
A Cellar Door exclusive, Fiano is one of Tahbilk’s newest plantings and already a prizewinner, taking home a gold medal at the 2025 Perth Wine Show.
Jo: “It’s Mediterranean at heart, but here it shows citrus, ripe pear, even apple juice, all wrapped in vivid minerality. What excites me most is the texture, it’s a wine you don’t just taste, you feel. To see our very first release recognised with a gold medal, it’s hugely rewarding, and a sign of what Fiano will mean for Tahbilk in the years ahead.”
Holly: “I love how Fiano gives people something unexpected. It’s a wine they won’t have seen on many shelves, and that sense of discovery makes it special. Guests will love knowing it’s not only unique to Cellar Door, but already medal-winning. I can imagine it alongside a spring vegetable risotto or roast chicken with herbs, pairings that really let it shine.”
2025 Albariño | 13.0% | Enjoy Now–2030/31
Nectarine, grapefruit, lime, and savoury spice.
Another Cellar Door exclusive, Albariño has settled beautifully into Nagambie Lakes.
Jo: “It brings nectarine, grapefruit, lime, and a savoury spice that reminds me of ocean spray. Spanish by origin, yes, but here it feels distinctly Tahbilk. I think this first vintage is the beginning of something that will become a signature for us.”
Holly: “For guests, it’s the familiar brightness of Riesling with a surprise ending. They take a sip, expect citrus, and then get that savoury lift, it catches them off guard in the best way. People will remember their first Albariño here, and they’ll come back asking for it.”
2025 Viognier | 13.5% | Enjoy Now–2027/28
Rose petal, ginger, spice, stone fruit, and citrus.
Jo: “Viognier is one of those wines that rewards patience in the vineyard. Picked too early, it’s sharp, too late, it’s flabby. This vintage hits that sweet spot, rose petal, ginger, spice, with stone fruit and citrus carrying the palate. It’s lush, but still refreshing.”
Holly: “I see Viognier as a ‘wow’ wine. People smell it before they even sip, and the aromatics are enough to make them pause. It’s the kind of wine that starts conversations, whether they’re new to wine or seasoned drinkers.”
2025 Verdelho | 13.5% | Enjoy Now–2028/29
Green apple, stone fruit, tropicals, herbaceous lift.
An Australian classic and another Cellar Door exclusive.
Jo: “Verdelho is honest and joyful. This year has green apple, stone fruit, a touch of tropicals, and a herbaceous edge. It finishes crisp, clean, and refreshing. It’s the sort of wine you can pour at a picnic or a long lunch, and it always fits.”
Holly: “Verdelho is the one that always makes people smile. It’s approachable, instantly enjoyable, and just so easy to love. I think of it as the glass you hand to a friend who says, ‘I’m not really a wine person.’ Suddenly, they are.”
2025 Pinot Gris | 12.5% | Enjoy Now–2028/29
Spice, nashi pear, citrus zest, Granny Smith crunch.
Jo: “Pinot Gris is all about subtlety and balance. Spice, nashi pear, citrus zest, Granny Smith crunch, even a flinty savoury note. It has a brightness that makes it perfect for drinking young, but enough texture to give it substance. It’s a wine that over-delivers.”
Holly: “What I like about this Pinot Gris is that it challenges people’s expectations. Guests often think of Gris as light and simple, but this one has depth. They sip, pause, then say, ‘That’s not what I expected.’ It’s quietly impressive.”
2025 Riesling | 11.5% | Enjoy Now–2029/31
Lemon, lime, florals, lime curd, papaya, taut acidity.
Jo: “Riesling is our classic white, it’s pure, elegant, built to last. This vintage gives lemon, lime, florals, lime curd, and papaya, all tied with that taut acid line. It’s refreshing now, but I know it will evolve beautifully over the next decade.”
Holly: “Riesling fans are some of our most loyal visitors, and this vintage gives me something exciting to tell them. Yes, you can cellar it. Yes, it will reward patience. But also, it’s absolutely delicious right now, paired with the right dish. It’s a wine that offers both instant pleasure and long-term reward.”
Discover the 2025 Whites
From the nutty elegance of Fiano to the age-worthy purity of Riesling, Tahbilk’s 2025 whites capture both tradition and innovation, wines shaped by the land, the season, and the people who love them.
These new releases are available now at Tahbilk Cellar Door, with Fiano, Albariño, and Verdelho poured exclusively for visitors. They can also be enjoyed alongside Chef Tracey Young’s spring menu at the Tahbilk Estate Restaurant, where seasonal dishes find their perfect match in the glass.
Be among the first to taste the story of the 2025 vintage.
