QWine Reviews - Australian Wine Reviews: 2021

Thursday, 30 December 2021

The Best of 2021

2021 has certainly been a rollercoaster ride of emotions. Everyone has had a very different Covid experience but it has been wonderful to see the human spirit in these unforeseen times. In the wine sector, so many were challenged once again be it in the vineyard, winery, cellar door and on-premise. In times like these, the best thing you can do as a consumer is to reach out and support small business. As I wrote back in March 2020, the small businesses are the ones putting their children through school, paying off mortgages, paying growers for their fruit, etc as opposed to large chain companies whose focus is on profitability for their stakeholders. Here's to a more prosperous 2022!

I am often asked to name the top wines I come across. So for 2021, here is a snapshot. Mind you, trying to narrow the field from all the wines tasted this year is no easy feat, but I'll give it a go...

Christmas pudding in a glass is a more than apt description of this hypnotic dessert wine from Pizzini. Per Gli Angeli is Italian for 'For the Angels". Made in the Vin Santo style, when you consider the winemaking process, the angels seem to have taken their fair share too. This is simply sublime.

A fair Cabernet from Parker Coonawarra Estate.

Arila Gardens Quartz and Gardens Shiraz 2020

All rise. What a superstar we have here! Handled with white gloves it would seem such is the precision. Sure it's young, but oh my, embrace this with two hands and savour every drop.

A Barossa Shiraz that slides down with ease. Dripping in class, you'd be inclined to think this was an old-world wine on inspection - it's just so captivating to absorb. A brilliant wine from Yelland & Papps.

Michael and Susan Papps' ability to keep their customers immersed in a journey of texture and elegance deserves respect. Their creativity with the Second Take range does this impressively but this Limited Cuvée range just cranks the dial that bit more adding prestige on a grand scale. And, oh my, this Shiraz is something.

Wines you don't expect to bowl you over and they do. Add this one to that surprise packet list. What a cracker we have here! It's a big, voluptuous number. Just on 10 years old, the heft it carries could potentially have Covid curing capabilities. Don't quote me but we'll wait for the lab to confirm that...

Cool climate Shiraz smashing it out of the park. A fabulous wine, it's hard to resist.

Jim Brand The Remnants Shiraz 2019

Think of this as a classic muscle car. It won't beat those fancy European sports cars over a mountain, but as time goes on and things straighten out, it'll leave that fancy piece behind. Showing fabulous age-worthy traits, this Coonawarra Shiraz is a keeper in great form.

A wonderfully structured and balanced sparkling from Howard Park. I'll have another glass thanks.

In bottle for two years prior to release, this Eden Valley Riesling offers good refreshment that will continue to develop with bottle age.

This time of year is cricket season and sparkling Shiraz season. Here is a handy wine from Penley Estate.

There is a lot to like about the shape and flow of this wine. Montepulciano from the Hunter Valley, it is infused with organic Australian Ginseng as an alternative preservative - a unique approach. This is a wine worth checking out.

A Rosé made from Shiraz and Cabernet, I found the Cabernet to really stamp its authority. It's the type of wine more suited for a casual BBQ than sipping on the sun on its own.

Good gear. Find me that chicken salad.

There's good refreshment offered here with a slight texture and a lick of sweetness on close.

The last time I saw this wine was the 2019 release. I'm not sure what happened with the 2020 but this 2021 is not where it's been before and is a bit ho hum.

Ballandean Estate Fiano 2021

Fiano is a white variety hitting its straps around Australia. Ballandean Estate has been producing this variety for several years now and each vintage is as appealing and energetic as the previous. This is a great wine and one worth befriending when in search of an alternative to the main white wines seen on the shelf.

Gundog Estate's Matt Burton seems to be the Energiser Bunny with so many things going on at once. To add another string to his bow, 100% of the profits from this wine go to Path 2 Change - a charity working to support the homeless and disadvantaged youth. Respect.

I was gifted this Riesling a little while ago and held off for the right moment. Warming up for six kilos of Porchetta seemed an appropriate occasion. Good gear this with years left in the bank.

Soak your dried fruit in this overnight and then spoon over ice cream. There is a Christmas hack. Or just sip slow. A fab non-vintage Muscat made from Golden Grove Estate's 65-year-old vines - the oldest and the original vines planted on the estate.

Onannon Chardonnay 2020

Love Chardonnay? You'll love this. A new label to me, it comes courtesy of Joe Caruso who runs the brilliant Somm Wine Store on the Gold Coast. A superb recco and then some - thanks Joe!

Medium-bodied Cabernet done right. Another example of why you should explore more of this variety from the Yarra Valley.

Soumah Pinot Grigio 2021

I love a Pinot Grigio (and Pinot Gris) with a blush appearance. That copper tinge - just beautiful! This wine is pretty damn fine too. Another very well-executed release from Soumah.

A butcher's dreamboat, fistfuls of dark fruits flow with ease. Fine spices and a dash of pepper, there is an incredible moreishness that flows.

An easy-going and simple white wine.

Life is made easy when you can buy a bottle off the shelf with some significant aging already under its belt. All that is required is for you to decant then sit back and enjoy. Lovers of 'old school' Cabernet wines will be rapt with this.

Yelland and Papps Limited Cuvée Grenache 2014

Pushing Grenache to the limits. This wine is not about being a "Barossa" Grenache per se. It's an expression of the variety and a culmination of acquired learning over years of winemaking. It's pulverising - you'll love it or not.

A little pink fizz to keep you smiling during these warm summer afternoons. An easy-drinking wine made for casual catch-ups.

As Kenny Rogers once said, "You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em." So with this Riesling, do you hold or drink now? You'll be rewarded either way that's for sure. A ripping Riesling from the Clare Valley sub-region of Watervale.

Lots of friends with big smiles and plentiful plates of food would welcome this fab Rosé with two hands. Clever gear from Dr Plonk.

Barbecues all the way. It's a good time of year for that activity too.

Thick as Thieves Driftwood 2021

This is something. It's smashable deluxe! Juicy, dancy and pretty, it was recommended to me by Joe Caruso - the owner of the uber cool Somm bottle shop on the Gold Coast. If you're in the hood, drop by. And if you ever see one of these on the shelf, reach out and grab one - quickly!

A kick arse label for a kick arse wine. It's so playful and energetic. Who would have ever used those words to describe Cabernet Franc? Kate Goodman and Lauren Hansen keep dishing up the goods at Penley Estate and it's best you get on board too.

Like its siblings, this is a cracker for the price. Only 25 bucks for a whole load of Cabernet delish.

Bright and joyous, this is a tasty number from little Granite Belt producer Twisted Gum.

Tim and Michelle Coelli run a cute cellar door and rely on their 3 hectare site to supply all their fruit. With testing weather conditions in recent years, they've pushed on resisting to buy in fruit. Here they have combined two white varieties rarely paired with one another. It's a neat summertime drink.

Yelland and Papps Limited Cuvée Roussanne 2016

Find me a better producer of Roussanne in Australia - I dare you. The consideration, judicious handling and layers of interest Yelland & Papps generate from this variety are simply incredible. Here is a Roussanne of unrivaled proportions. An excellent wine hands down.

Wow! Clare Valley Riesling in the zone. A personal project of Keeda Zilm, she has packed nearly 20 years of Riesling knowledge and experience into this mightily impressive wine.

It's zippy and personable, bright and fresh - it's all things you want in a Riesling as you cool your heels on a warm afternoon.

I haven't seen this Savarro for a couple of years and little has changed - it's still a delicious and refreshing wine. Nicely done team Soumah.

Even the most pompous wine snob would acknowledge the quality of this Pinot from Oakridge. As an entry-level wine, this is quite something for $24.

Miss Zilm Fiano 2021

I haven't had the pleasure of tasting a Miss Zilm wine previously, but it seems the work of Keeda Zilm has come across the tasting bench previously through her work at O'Leary Walker for 16 years. This Fiano is a beauty. There's a precision here and an abundance of flavour too. Very expressive, it's that friend you could chat to all night.

The Gold Coast has a lot of things but one thing it lacks is good independent bottle shops. Enter Somm at Nobby Beach. Masterfully curated by former Fesq rep Joe Caruso, the diversity that has been jam-packed into this space is quite something. I was having dinner at a BYO nearby and I was on a mission. Qwife was after Pinot but Joe and I hatched a plan with this Pinot Meunier. In short, it hit the mark and we both loved it. What a juicy and joyous wine it is!

A burst of prettiness leaps from the glass. It has that, "Pick me. Pick me!" vibe about it.

Oakridge Vineyard Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

A super classy and elegant Cabernet that shows everything that's great about this variety. Well played team Oakridge. Highlighted by wonderful fruit and impressive savoury characters, it's long and moreish and whispers you closer.

What a pleasure to drink. This Shiraz just glides through. Silky, elegant weight, it prances about on its toes. Lovely stuff.

For the time of year when fizz flows freely, here is an impressive sparkling wine sure to impress. A pre-dinner drink - yes please!

Sunday picnics, crowd-pleasing deluxe, there is so much to keep you engaged with this easy-going wine.

Dr Plonk FU Manchu Carignan 2021

Smackdown Carignan! This is a variety McLaren Vale does well and is getting more and more airplay in recent times. Often blended away, in the right hands it sings. One could say FU if you don't agree... Grab one of these, it's a fab drop.

A mate brought this round to share. He was gifted it by a friend who received it as a free bonus bottle from one of those online clearance stores. A $90 bottle was thrown in for free... Naturally, we were both curious.

Dumplings anyone? Let me loose at a large plate with a glass of this Riesling by my side.

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