Yalumba Y Series Pinot Grigio 2017
Clovely Estate Saperavi 2014
A big guy with a big heart. This is all dark fruit and dark chocolate with the cocoa percentage cranked up.
Golden Grove Estate Malbec 2016
Something worth sticking in your glass when the weather cools and your insides need a cuddle. Satisfaction comes in spades.
Tim Smith Bugalugs Grenache 2017
Clovely Estate Semillon 2013
Right in the slot for a five year old Semillon. Tremendous value too for 20 bucks.
Ballandean Estate Messing About Fiano 2017
Fiano has found a happy home on the Granite Belt. So much so, one of the comments from the judges at the 2017 Queensland Wine Awards was to pull out all Pinot Noir and plant more Fiano. Fair call that too. Ballandean Estate were the trendsetters with Fiano and have continued to maintain a high standard with subsequent vintages.
Leconfield Coonawarra Old Vines Riesling 2017
Slurpable Riesling off 44 year old dry grown vines. Hot days can be washed away easily with a generous pour.
Max & Me Mirooloo Road Eden Valley Riesling 2017
Yalumba Old Bush Vine Grenache 2016
Yalumba have some excellent parcels to draw from, some of which are 80+ years in this case. Consistently delicious, worth tracking down for a glass of happiness.
Yalumba Y Series Riesling 2017
This is humming. Bow down to the Riesling Gods and be thankful for the quality we are blessed with in this country. Hunt around and you can find this for about $12 - incredible value.
Yalumba Y Series Sauvignon Blanc 2017
Take a whiff and there's a good tropical fruit pulse running through this wine.
Clovely Estate Sangiovese Rosé 2016
d'Arenberg d'Arry's Original Shiraz Grenache 2014
Just like the old boot - it's a snug fit and oozes comfort every time. Another delicious release of this long held Shiraz Grenache blend from d'Arenberg.
Shottesbrooke Estate Merlot 2015
A combination of two, three and four year old French and American oak was used to help the fruit sing. Good drinking McLaren Vale Merlot.
La Petite Mort Shiraz Viognier 2017
Where hipster street styling meets suave sophistication. Glen Robert isn't afraid to push boundaries and he's at it again here. Partial fermentation in amphora (the remainder in tank) and on skins for 135 days, there's something here for everyone seeking pleasure factor.
Blackbilly Shiraz 2016
Clarence Hill Shiraz 2012
An interesting exercise in part to see this 2012 alongside the 2016. The latter showing its youth whereas this has tipped over the parabola.
Clarence Hill Shiraz 2016
Pretty easy drinking for the asking price. Sourced from various vineyards around Adelaide from what I can gather.
Witches Falls Unwooded Chardonnay 2017
A new label and it's a clever step up from the previous. The word 'co-inoculated' which used to adorn the front label has now been relegated to the back - where it belongs. Bright and fresh Chardy for your drinking pleasure - refreshment factor is high.
Ocean View Estates Wild Ferment Chardonnay 2017
Nestled away in the hills near Dayboro, some 45km north of Brisbane and perched 450m above, you will discover Ocean View Estates. The business has grown considerably in recent years with visitors now regularly swinging by via helicopter and even horseback tours. On-site accommodation plus a multi-award winning restaurant has ensured diners gravitate to the venue, now even more so with a newly constructed function area used for various gatherings and weddings which take place on many weekends.
Dirt Candy The Inheritance Liqueur Muscat NV
Ridgemill Estate The Czar Saperavi 2015
Recently awarded a Gold medal at the World Saperavi Competition on the variety's home soil in Georgia. Layered with interest, it is easy to see what the fuss is about.
Ballandean Estate Messing About Saperavi 2016
The 2015 vintage was just awarded a gold medal at the World Saperavi Championships in the variety's homeland of Georgia. This comes as a pre-release sample, just to get a gauge where things are at. And I must say, things are looking pretty damn good...
Angove Nine Vines Grenache Shiraz Rosé 2017
De Bortoli The Estate Vineyard Pinot Blanc 2017
Ocean View Estates Viognier 2017
Nestled away in the hills near Dayboro, some 45km north of Brisbane and perched 450m above, you will discover Ocean View Estates. The business has grown considerably in recent years with visitors now regularly swinging by via helicopter and even horseback tours. On-site accommodation plus a multi-award winning restaurant has ensured diners gravitate to the venue, now even more so with a newly constructed function area used for various gatherings and weddings which take place on many weekends.
Australia's Vintage 2018 Preview
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| Shiraz - Barossa Valley |
For a quick snapshot from around the country, here's a summary from some of Australia's leading winemakers detailing how Vintage 2018 is looking in their respective region.
Schwarz Wine Co Barossa Shiraz 2016
Hayes Family Wines Shiraz 2016
Big Shiraz not for the faint-hearted. From Greenock and Ebenezer vineyards, the fruit was hand-picked, fermented on skins for 18 days and sent to new and second use oak for 20 months.
Giant Steps Pinot Noir 2017
Oh my! What a treasure this is - and it's only the vineyard blend. Smooth and seductive, absolutely bang on target Pinot.
First Drop Wines Mother's Milk Barossa Shiraz 2016
Shottesbrooke Estate Shiraz 2015
No complaints here. Solid Shiraz in the slot. And it's generous too - an 'everyone's a winner' type.
Xanadu DJL Chardonnay 2016
I've got great memories of Xanadu. My wife and I had lunch at their restaurant while on our honeymoon in Margaret River well over a decade now. We feasted on marron and were treated to a fabulous tasting and winery tour. A brilliant place and someday I'd love to go back.
I haven't seen many Xanadu wines since actually and this is my first review of one on this site. Funnily enough, this is a wine I shared over a meal with my wife, on the opposite side of the country this time. A great wine to jog the memory.
Witches Falls Wild Ferment Verdelho 2016
A different take on Verdelho moving away from the clean and fresh tropical fruit which adorns most.
Even Keel Pinot Noir 2016
To call this an 'entry level' wine for Polperro could be seen as bullying despite the reality. A beautiful wine. So pleasurable and alluring. Sam Coverdale has a knack of demonstrating a fine touch. I lined this up with other Pinots of similar price and vintage - this shone. Big tick.
Witches Falls Wild Ferment Pinot Noir 2017
A number of varieties work well on the Granite Belt. The region is a melting pot of sorts where alternate varieties are making all the noise of late. Pinot Noir has been one variety which has always seemed to swim against the current and never really made a splash. Some wineries have even pulled their Pinot vines such their inability to make it work. I was interested to see how this first release from Witches Fall would shape up though.
Whiskey Gully Wines Reserve Chardonnay 2015
Punch Down Boys Field Blend 2017
Along with good mate Tim Bailey, these two wanted to create a Coonawarra Cabernet expressing juicy and bright fruit ready to leap into now. And leap into it you should - this is absolutely delicious!
Cooks Lot Allotment 9 Handpicked Pinot Noir 2016
Gee I like the aromas here. So pretty and inviting. Think red flowers, ripe strawberries, red currants and some twiggy action.
Gundog Estate Vernon Vineyard Semillon 2014
The Vernon Vineyard hails from Mt View - a gorgeous part of the Hunter Valley. While you're there you should eat at Bistro Molines. Just do it. Super Semillon this too - double thumbs up.
Gundog Estate Sunshine Vineyard Semillon 2014
Hunter Valley Semillon from the ripping 2014 vintage. A ripping wine this is too!
Gundog Estate Somerset Vineyard Semillon 2014
Delicious purity here. Planted in 1965, the Somerset Vineyard sits on sandy loam soils.
Witches Falls Wild Ferment Chardonnay 2017
Jon Heslop produces quality across the board. Here's another. A Chardonnay to tuck away for a couple of years, mind you, before it unfurls to show its best.
De Bortoli Bella Riva Sangiovese Rosé 2017
The Rosé game is being played hard by clever winemakers now attuned to what consumers seek. Here's a smart take on Sangiovese.
Singlefile Wines Denmark Family Reserve Chardonnay 2016
Downright delicious and classy. A super Chardy from Denmark in Western Australia!
Rowlee Wines Nebbiolo 2016
On the back of a terrific Chardonnay release from Rowlee Wines comes this Nebbiolo. What a surprise packet this is!
De Bortoli Down The Lane Pinot Grigio Arneis 2016
'Like a dirty wet martini' as per the back label. A tasty little number for splashing about and not to be taken all that seriously. Good drinking.