Julian Langworthy, the man behind Nocturne, is one of Australia’s brightest winemaking talents. Born and raised in the 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. Here 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.
Cabernet Sauvignon wines are made 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, these vines are planted on deep, gravel soils and are moderated by fresh Indian Ocean breezes. The ‘Sheoak Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon shows why this grape is king in Margaret River. It is a highly complex and perfumed wine, with crunchy cranberry flavours complementing notes of cassis and cedar.
The low-yielding 2023 vintage produced wines of striking quality, flavour concentration and elegance. Winter temperatures were lower than average and while rainfall levels followed a similar trend, the vineyards received sufficient supply to replenish soil moisture levels. January brought warm, sunny days and February remained dry with no extreme heat, which provided perfect ripening conditions.
