QWine Reviews : January 2025

Jericho GSM 2022

A cracking GSM, this slice of joy from Jericho is well worth hunting down. Juicy, sheets of savoury delight and some spice wrap themselves around your soul and don't let go.

3 Rings Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

I must admit, this 3 Rings Cabernet caught me on the hop. Wines around $20 can be a hit and miss, but damn, this is a great expression of the variety.

Even Keel Chardonnay 2023

Sourced from Tumbarumba in NSW, this charismatic Chardonnay speaks of the cool vibes and chilled swagger of its maker Sam Coverdale.

Angove Regional Selection Shiraz 2022

When you see Angove on the shelf you can be assured to get your hands on a quality wine. This Regional Selection McLaren Vale Shiraz ticks the boxes and will satisfy more than a few.

Colours of the South Rosso 2022

A gorgeous drink with an endearing flow, this release Colours of the South Rosso is a fabulous drink. A blend of Negroamaro, Aglianico and Montepulciano, it oozes food-friendly appeal.

Oenotri Montepulciano 2022

The Montepulciano game at Purple Hands is strong and this Oenotri 2022 release is a cracker.

After Five Wine Co Montepulciano 2023

Splash this in your glass and it is easy to see how this wine swept the floor at the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show. Fragrant, silky and with plenty of fruit to charm, this is an excellent expression of Montepulciano.

Ben Murray Wines Shiraz 2022

Was this the best wine I went through in a bracket of Shiraz? No. But this is the one I wanted to go back and drink. And that says it all really. This is a very good piece of work from Ben Murray Wines.

Bloc Wines The Sich Shiraz 2023

Four mates have banded together to make some wine and the result is Bloc Wines from the Barossa Valley. A big framed wine with a fair chunk of oak, if you like them old school, head on over this way.

Jericho Tempranillo 2022

The quality and consistency of these Jericho Wines, not to mention the value for money, is hard to fault. For $27, this Tempranillo is a fabulous and most approachable slurp. Hello weekend barbecues!

Lambrook Amelia Reserve Pinot Noir 2024

The best of the Lambrook Pinot Noirs, there was an incredible consistency with a cedar and pine needle presence in all three.

Lambrook Seed Pinot Noir 2024

This Seed Pinot Noir from Lambrook comes in as the entry-level wine and I actually prefer it to its more expensive sibling the Plant Pinot Noir. A wine with better flow, I found more joy here.

Lambrook Plant Pinot Noir 2024

One of three Pinots from Adelaide Hills producer Lambrook, there is some density and spice here that pushes me away.

Planta Circa Ancestor Vine Grenache 2024

Svelte and smashing the brief, this is precisely what a delicate and juicy Grenache should look like courtesy of Purple Hands.

Jericho Bracken Vineyard Grenache 2022

From vines planted in 1955 comes this savoury Grenache from Jericho Wines. A wine for serious contemplation, find a spot beside your love or a fire pit (or both) and you're set.

Lambrook Emerson Sparkling Pinot Noir 2018

Wonderfully balanced with a lethal alluring complexity, this Lambrook Emerson is an excellent sparkling wine that impressed me deluxe.

Soumah Wild Savagnin Solero No. 3 NV

A nod to ancient techniques, this Soumah Wild Savagnin folds five vintages (originally commencing in 2015) into one another to produce this very impressive Solero No. 3.

Purple Hands Grenache 2024

Juicy, silky and incredibly delicious, this Grenache from Purple Hands is very hard to ignore.

Huntington Estate Special Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

The same vintage as the Estate release but the better fruit parcels find themselves a home here. I've walked the vines at Huntington Estate and the vine age of these blocks is impressive.

Huntington Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

I like this. A lot! This is a really tidy expression of Cabernet Sauvignon from Mudgee's Huntington Estate.

Ben Murray Wines Anima Grenache 2021

What a big unit this is from Ben Murray Wines. This Anima Grenache comes in a hefty bottle, wax cap and some serious dumbbell appeal when I try to pour a glass.

Jericho Fiano 2024

Sourced from the Adelaide Hills, this Jericho Fiano kicks off in a spritely manner but a tinge of greenness pulls this back from where it could be.

Jericho Grenache 2023

I was in McLaren Vale last week and I spotted the Jericho vineyards just over the ridge from the famed Upper Tintara vineyard. This Jericho site would be roughly two kilometres from the famed High Sands vineyard. There is still a fair bit of sand around these parts too mind you.

Bright in the glass, this Jericho Grenache is gorgeously floral and attractive. I just want to dive in.

Rusty Mutt Original Shiraz 2020

Big, ripe and drying, this Rusty Mutt Shiraz is generous and softens fabulously over a couple of days of tasting.

Rusty Mutt Rocky Ox GSM 2022

A pre-release sample from Rusty Mutt, this GSM is a 65/22/13 blend. Juicy fruit is wrapped up by dark chocolate and puffs of earthiness, we have a tidy steak night wine on our hands right here.

Lambrook Spark Sparkling Pinot Noir 2024

A pretty start with a rose gold appearance greeting the eye, this Lambrook 'Spark' Sparkling Pinot Noir will get the party started with a little something different. Loaded with interest, there is a little more body here to elevate your aperitif.

Lambrook Seed Chardonnay 2024

A really enjoyable Chardonnay, this Seed release from the Adelaide Hills' Lambrook Wines ticks the boxes. Interest, length and well-priced, it sails past the winning post with ease.

Jericho Fumé Blanc 2023

Regulars to my site would know that Sauv Blanc is not my favourite at all, but the goalposts move when it is produced in the Fumé style. 100% barrel fermented, this Fumé Blanc release from Jericho has me standing to attention.

Jericho Pinot Grigio 2024

What a beauty this is. Shapely, lengthy and with a good dash of interest, this Pinot Grigio from Jericho Wines nails the brief.

Bloc Wines Paddy's Grenache 2023

Bloc Wines brings four mates (Daniel, Leon, Adrian, Michael) together from Australia, Scotland and Argentina. But this is Paddy's Grenache. So who the hell is Paddy? I digress. A robust and spicy number, throw this at your pulled pork tacos.

Bloc Wines Rosé 2024

This is my first look at Bloc Wines and this Rosé laid a solid and most pleasing platform. Ready for Friday afternoon picnics in the park, there is a calm and reflective vibe about this wine.

Yalumba Y Series Tempranillo 2022

Slot this Yalumba Y-Series Tempranillo in the frame as a reliable mid-week go-to. The meatiness and dark berry fruits encourage you to roll out the pizza dough.

Yalumba Y Series Pinot Noir 2024

Good Pinot Noir doesn't come cheap - I reckon I could have lost my voice from the number of times that I've said that over the years... This Y Series Pinot Noir delivers some pleasant varietal traits and mighty value along the way and it may well buck the trend of that aforementioned statement.

Yalumba Y Series Lighter Shiraz 8% 2023

Another newbie in the Y Series range, this Lighter Shiraz is exactly that. Lighter in alcohol and lighter bodied, it's a simple drink.

Yalumba Y Series Prosecco NV

A brand new wine in the Y Series, this Prosecco NV is a simple delight sure to procure a legion of fans.

Yalumba Y Series Cuvée NV

An easygoing fizz, this Y Series Cuvée rolls along without much fuss. Could I be controversial and say I prefer the lower alcohol "Lighter Cuvée 7%" to this?

Yalumba Y Series Lighter Cuvée 7% NV

What a neat little surprise packet we have here! This "Lighter Cuvée" is a new addition to the bargain Y Series range. Most light wines are flavourless and boring, but not here people. With only 7% alcohol and 50 calories to its name, I'd happily recommend this bottle of fizz.

Huntington Estate Special Reserve Shiraz 2021

Made for the long term as these Huntington Estate reds often are, there is some more energy with this 2021 compared to the 2019. This edition of the Special Reserve Shiraz is really well done.

Huntington Estate Special Reserve Shiraz 2019

Tasted alongside the Special Reserve Shiraz 2021, this 2019 shows some of its old school roots. A traditional style of Shiraz, the more recent 2021 appears to offer a shift in the winemaking.

Redman Wines Sangiovese 2023

A most welcome addition to the Redman Wines lineup, this Sangiovese sourced from a nearby site in Padthaway screams for little plates and long lunches. Big love for the new label - it's eye-catching and a fabulous touch for this traditional Coonawarra producer.