QWine Reviews : December 2024

Best of 2024

The Qwine Reviews machine kept powering on in 2024 and I couldn't be prouder of how things have progressed for my humble independent wine reviews site that is now in its 14th year. Over 630 reviews were posted this year (taking the all-time total beyond 7000) and my website landed 700K+ hits!

To cap things off, QwineReviews.com was awarded the Lux Life Most Engaging Australian Wine Review Blog 2024 with another award soon to be announced in February - stay tuned!

I made my judging debut at the Orange Wine Show and the Australian Small Winemakers Show and I was fortunate to be a participant in the Wine Communicators of Australia mentor program. Articles were published for Salt Magazine and Wine Business Magazine and I also made two appearances on The Wine Show podcast. Another highlight and certainly one that was an unforgettable opportunity was being awarded the Fellowship for the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show held in Mildura. What an experience that was and one I'm most thankful for.

Serafino Bellissimo Fiano 2024

A cool label and a very cool wine. This is an excellent Fiano from McLaren Vale's Serafino.

Gundog Estate Hilltops No. 2 Shiraz 2023

A medium-bodied Shiraz with effortless flow, I preferred this Hilltops No.2 from Gundog Estate much more than its Hilltops No.1 sibling.

Pewsey Vale Contours Riesling Museum Release 2017

A museum release at seven years young, this Pewsey Vale 2017 is a most respectable example of an aged Riesling.

Max and Me Old Vine Grenache 2023

Pretty, vibrant and dancy, the vivacious medium-bodied delight that is this Max & Me Grenache seems to evaporate from the glass with absolute ease.

Huntington Estate Special Reserve Grenache 2023

Quite the showstopper, this Huntington Estate Grenache stole the Grenache gong from the usual McLaren Vale and Barossa suspects at the Royal Sydney Wine Show - well played!

Gundog Estate Rare Game Shiraz 2023

Another cracking medium-bodied delight from the Gundog Estate stable. These wines are humming at the moment and this Rare Game 2023 is in great form.

Huntington Estate Special Reserve Chardonnay 2023

Winemaker Tim Stevens produces wines that shine with bottle age. With 40% new French oak used in this Special Reserve Chardonnay, its shape improved over a couple of days of tasting.

Max and Me Mirooloo Road Eden Valley Riesling 2024

Seamless, this is a delicate and silky Riesling from Max & Me. Tasted beside the 2023 release, I'm firmly in the 2024 camp - oh to play favourites...

Golden Grove Estate Joven Tempranillo 2023

For an Italian, Ray Costanzo knows how to smash out a Spanish variety with aplomb. The Golden Grove Estate Joven Tempranillo has built a cult following both from retail customers and those dining in restaurants, and it is easy to see why. This is excellent once again.

Lyons Will Rosé 2024

From the cool climes of the Macedon Ranges comes this killer Rosé from Lyons Will that is sure to put the chillax into your afternoon wind down.

Heggies Vineyard Reserve Chardonnay 2022

A bit of work has gone into this Heggies Vineyard Reserve Chardonnay delivering a clever, balanced drink.

Golden Grove Estate Vermentino 2024

Considered refreshment describes this Golden Grove Estate Vermentino best. The use of free run juice, skin contact and new and seasoned French oak portions all build interest and detail leaving you salivating for more. It's a mighty delicious drink indeed.

Max and Me Mirooloo Road Eden Valley Riesling 2023

A wine that walks calmly and is very comfortable in its own skin, this Mirooloo Road Riesling from Max & Me takes the steam out of your day with absolute ease.

Golden Grove Estate Rosé 2024

This Golden Grove Estate Rosé is such a great slurp. It has been that way for some time now due to the effort invested into the making. This is bandwagon material and once you are on, you may never get off.

Pewsey Vale Estate Riesling 2024

Let's be honest with one another... If I'm down to my last thirty bucks and a bit thirsty, I'm running at Riesling. The quality and value you get is immense. This Pewsey Vale is one I'd easily chase down. Always a reliable performer, this 2024 is no different.

Heggies Cloudline Chardonnay 2024

An easy-going Cloudline Chardonnay from Heggies with enough interest to tickle your curious bone. It's good value too.

Mount Majura Vineyard Riesling 2024

Jimmy Watson winning winemaker Jeremy Nascimben has shifted camp to Mount Majura - haven't they snared themselves a gem! Canberra Riesling is not a common feature on this tasting bench so I was thrilled when this 2024 release arrived and it's a beauty!

Golden Grove Estate Chardonnay 2023

Oak driven on opening, there is a respectable volume about this Golden Grove Estate Chardonnay. It's a wine that flows with ease as it rolls around the mouth like a big ball of happiness.

Golden Grove Estate Mourvedre 2022

I've bought a few Golden Grove Estate Mourvedres over the years and they get better with bottle age. I suspect I'll pick up a couple of these 2022s too - a great drink bristling with joy.

Golden Grove Estate Malbec 2022

A tense little ball of muscle, there is longevity in the veins of this Golden Grove Estate Malbec. Give it some time a decanter and it will be humming.

Gundog Estate Marksman Shiraz 2023

The Gundog Estate Marksman Shiraz makes its first appearance since 2019 and it is back to its brilliant best. Hampered by bushfires and weather issues, it has bounced back with a vengeance.

Larnook Blewitt Springs Shiraz 2023

From sustainably farmed vines planted in 1999 with their roots deep in the Blewitt Springs sand comes this impressive Shiraz from Larnook.

Oliver's Taranga Chica Mencia Rosé 2024

Oliver's Taranga Chica Mencia has forged its way to being a reliable drink since its inception. Sunsets surrounded by those who laugh a lot are calling once again.

DAOSA Rosé 2022

We've all got that friend who has expensive taste (hello Teah!) and if I served this blind, I reckon she may suspect this would have come from a historic Champagne house. Like all wines in the DAOSA range, this Rosé is excellent and again shows the supreme quality of Australian sparkling.

Yelland and Papps Greenock Shiraz 2023

Get to know the brains behind Yelland & Papps, Michael and Susan, and you'll soon come to realise their love of all things French. Their approach to winemaking reflects this and makes them quite an outlier in the Barossa Valley - even more reason to get to know this brand.

Wild Game Cellar Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

What a beautiful cellar reserve release from Coonawarra's Wild Game Wines. Give it some air, sit back, loosen the belt buckle and sip slow - this is a treat for those who enjoy aged Cabernet.

Gundog Estate Canberra Shiraz 2023

Snuggle up to this medium-bodied delight from Gundog Estate. Sourced from the Canberra district, attractive aromas of pretty red flowers hook you in.

Oliver's Taranga Shiraz 2023

Length for days, this is a cracking McLaren Vale Shiraz from Oliver's Taranga. A wine proven to age well, this is a good buy for $35.

Gundog Estate Hilltops Shiraz No. 1 2023

From lower-yielding vines on heavier soils in the Hilltops region comes this Gundog Estate Hilltops No.1 Shiraz. Medium-bodied, it gets better the more air it breathes.

Juno Wines Shiraz Grenache 2023

Everyone needs a wine like this Juno Shiraz Grenache to lean on as their house pour. A really tidy go-to, I'd be more than happy to share it with my friends.

Juno Wines GSM 2023

There is a lot to like about this Juno Wines GSM. It's an easy-going wine that goes about its work without much fuss. A wine that is firmly placed in the 'reliability' basket, casual meals and gatherings are sorted.

Welland Wines Valley and Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

A very young Cabernet, the Welland Wines Valley & Valley Cabernet is a blend of Barossa and Eden Valley fruit. Quite tense initially, this needs some time to compose itself.

Pikes The Merle Riesling 2024

I'd be happy to lie on my back and have someone drip feed this Pikes The Merle Riesling into my mouth for the rest of my days. What an impeccable wine this is. Pure, focused, detailed and delicate all at the same time, class oozes from every pore.

Oliver's Taranga Mencia 2024

Absolutely brilliant, this is such a good slurp. A sexy medium-bodied wine that seduces you with little effort, pour this Mencia from Oliver's Taranga large.

DAOSA Blanc de Blancs 2020

A cut above, this DAOSA Blanc de Blanc 2020 is sublime. Pure and clean, it is one of Australia's premier sparkling wines.

M Burton Riesling 2023

Made in small quantities, the M Burton wines demonstrate innovation and express what drives winemaker Matt Burton. Tight, austere, steely, this is a delightful Riesling.

DAOSA Natural Reserve 7th Release NV

The seventh release of the DAOSA Natural Reserve comes mostly from the 2022 vintage (85%) with the balance from 2021 and 2021. This is an impressive sparkling and much better than those mass produced French Champagnes at the same price point.

Oliver's Taranga Grenache 2024

Wonderfully medium-bodied, there is an element of excitement about this Oliver's Taranga Grenache.

M Burton Shiraz 2023

This M Burton Shiraz is not the best Shiraz you'll ever have, but gee I like the cut of its jib. Suave, rustic and damn delicious, wines that throw a lasso around your soul like this are the ones I want to sit down with and savour every drop. And perhaps, maybe I did just that. What a beauty!

Oliver's Taranga Falanghina 2024

Potentially the new taste of the Australian summer, a big welcome to Falanghina courtesy of Oliver's Taranga. This debut release is an absolute belter. Do yourself a favour and stretch your curiosity a little further and splash this beauty in your glass over the next couple of months.