Larry Cherubino Wines — Western Australia's Most Celebrated Winemaker
Larry Cherubino is one of Western Australia's most gifted, celebrated, and prolific winemakers — a producer of extraordinary range and ambition whose wines span the full breadth of Western Australia's diverse and remarkable wine regions, from the cool maritime vineyards of Margaret River and Pemberton to the continental grandeur of Frankland River and the pristine cool-climate sites of the Great Southern. With a career that has taken him from some of Australia's most prestigious wineries to the establishment of his own label, Larry Cherubino has built a body of work that is as diverse and expressive as the Western Australian landscape itself.
Larry Cherubino: The Winemaker
Larry Cherubino's winemaking career is one of the most distinguished in the Australian wine industry. After training and working at some of Australia's most celebrated wineries — including Houghton, where he served as Chief Winemaker — Larry established his own label with a clear and ambitious vision: to produce wines of genuine terroir expression from Western Australia's finest and most distinctive vineyard sites, across a range of styles and price points that would make his wines accessible to the widest possible audience without compromising on quality or character.
Larry's approach to winemaking is built on a deep respect for the vineyard and a commitment to minimal intervention — allowing the character of the fruit and the terroir to express itself in the wine without the heavy-handed winemaking that can mask or distort the natural character of a site. His extraordinary knowledge of Western Australia's diverse wine regions — accumulated over decades of working with vineyards across the state — allows him to select fruit of exceptional quality and character from the sites best suited to each variety, producing wines of genuine regional authenticity and distinction.
The Regions: Western Australia's Wine Diversity
Frankland River is one of Western Australia's most exciting and rapidly emerging wine regions — a remote, continental sub-region of the Great Southern, approximately 350 kilometres southeast of Perth, that produces wines of extraordinary intensity, structure, and cool-climate character. The region's continental climate — hot summers, cold winters, and the dramatic diurnal temperature variation that is the hallmark of inland wine regions — produces Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Riesling of exceptional concentration and longevity. Frankland River is the source of Larry Cherubino's Cruel Mistress Pinot Noir, Middle of Everywhere Shiraz, Avant Gardening Cabernet Malbec, and The Yard Riversdale Cabernet Sauvignon.
Great Southern is Western Australia's largest and most diverse wine region — a vast, cool-climate area in the southwest of the state that encompasses a number of distinct sub-regions, each with its own distinctive character. The Great Southern is celebrated above all for its Riesling — wines of extraordinary purity, natural acidity, and mineral precision that are among the finest expressions of the variety produced anywhere in the world. Larry Cherubino's Wallflower Riesling is sourced from the Great Southern.
Margaret River is Western Australia's most celebrated and internationally recognised wine region — a narrow peninsula approximately 270 kilometres south of Perth, bounded by the Indian Ocean to the west and the Southern Ocean to the south, whose Mediterranean climate and ancient gravelly loam soils produce Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon of world-class quality. The Hen & Chicken Chardonnay draws on Margaret River fruit alongside Pemberton.
Pemberton is a cool, elevated wine region in the southwest of Western Australia, known for its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of elegant, cool-climate character. Pemberton fruit contributes to the Hen & Chicken Chardonnay alongside Margaret River.
The Ad Hoc Range
The Ad Hoc range is Larry Cherubino's approachable, everyday tier — wines of genuine character, regional authenticity, and exceptional value that showcase the diversity of Western Australia's wine regions in an immediately enjoyable style. Each wine in the Ad Hoc range is named with the wit and irreverence that characterises the range's personality, and each is crafted with the same precision and attention to detail that defines everything Larry Cherubino produces.
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Ad Hoc Wallflower Riesling — Great Southern — Nearly transparent with great purity and refinement. Fragrant bouquet of lemon peel and bath salt. Soft texture and long, fine acidity — a Riesling of exceptional cool-climate elegance and ageing potential.
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Ad Hoc Hen & Chicken Chardonnay — Margaret River & Pemberton — Pale and perfectly balanced. Hints of vanilla on the nose with refreshing acidity from the cool climate. Expertly treated with oak for unmatched depth and balance.
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Ad Hoc Cruel Mistress Pinot Noir — Frankland River — Aromas of graphite and minerals with juicy black cherries and a hint of spicy oak. Softly textured, fresh, and vibrant on the palate with black cherry and earthy beetroot. Soft, silky finish.
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Ad Hoc Middle of Everywhere Shiraz — Frankland River — Alluring aromas of red earth, black pepper, and rich dark berries. Polished, elegant tannins with lively flavours of blueberry and dark cherry, enhanced by delicate spice accents. A cool-climate Shiraz of genuine distinction.
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Ad Hoc Avant Gardening Cabernet Malbec — Frankland River — Medium-bodied cool-climate blend. Opens with citrus and violets complemented by earthy graphite. Cedary tannins intertwined with cassis and plum, delivering a long, refined finish.
The Yard: Riversdale Cabernet Sauvignon — Frankland River
The Yard range represents Larry Cherubino's single-vineyard tier — wines of greater depth, concentration, and site-specific character sourced from distinguished individual vineyard sites across Western Australia. The Riversdale Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from the Riversdale vineyard in Frankland River — a site of exceptional character and distinction that produces Cabernet Sauvignon of remarkable depth and elegance. Deep ruby-red. An inviting bouquet of ripe plummy fruits revealing layers of complexity and richness. Seductive, dusky character on the palate balanced by juicy fruit flavours and seamlessly integrated oak. Velvety tannins providing structure and elegance, leading to a long and gentle finish. A Cabernet Sauvignon of genuine single-vineyard distinction.
How to Enjoy Larry Cherubino Wines
The Wallflower Riesling is best served well chilled at 8–10°C and is outstanding with fresh seafood, Asian cuisine, and soft cheeses. The Hen & Chicken Chardonnay is best at 10–12°C and outstanding with grilled chicken, seared scallops, and creamy pasta. The Cruel Mistress Pinot Noir is best at 14–16°C with duck, salmon, and mushroom dishes. The Middle of Everywhere Shiraz and Avant Gardening Cabernet Malbec are best at 16–18°C with grilled lamb, beef, and aged cheeses. The Riversdale Cabernet Sauvignon rewards decanting for 30 minutes and is outstanding with premium red meat dishes and aged hard cheeses.
Explore our full Larry Cherubino Wines range below and discover why this Western Australian winemaker — with his extraordinary knowledge of the state's diverse regions, his commitment to minimal intervention, and his passion for expressing the genuine character of each site — is producing some of the most exciting and authentic wines in Australia.
