Willunga 100 Sheer Madness GSM 2024

 

The fruit that contributes to this Willunga 100 Sheer Madness Grenache/Shiraz/Mataro has some serious vine age, planted in 1968, 1936 and 1940 respectively. Let's not gloss over the name either - Sheer Madness. What a cracker! 

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Gundog Estate Indomitus Albus 2025

 

Thoughtful experimentation sums up the Indomitus range of wines from Gundog Estate. This Albus Semillon sits on skins for 175 days and is a blend of sites from the Upper Hunter and around Pokolbin.

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Ridgemill Estate WYP Fumé Riesling 2023

 

Ridgemill Estate winemaker Peter McGlashan is never afraid to give things a crack. His creative mind has no bounds. Fumé Riesling? Sure. Why not? I can't recall coming across one, so here goes...

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Running With Bulls Tempranillo 2024

 

As with the Yalumba Bush Vine Grenache, this Running with Bulls Tempranillo is reliable as ever. I noted that this 2024 offers a bit more of a floral lift.

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Yalumba Bush Vine Grenache 2024

 

I've often referred to this Bushvine Grenache from Yalumba as reliable as old boots. It just keeps fronting up year after year with a determined consistency.

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Ox Hardy 1891 Ancestor Vine Upper Tintara Vineyard Shiraz 2022

 

I walked through this vineyard with Ox Hardy and his son Henry back in January 2025. Such opportunities are valuable and give a sense of place as you experience the contours of the vineyard, the micro-climates, not to mention the dirt and vines. This Ancestor Vine Shiraz from the Upper Tintara Vineyard is exceptional.

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Oakridge The Apex Twin Chardonnay 2023

 

Just when you thought Oakridge couldn't scale any more heights with their incredible range of Chardonnays, along comes The Apex Twin. A single-barrel wine, it's said to not be a limited release, but rather an exclusive release.

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Ox Hardy Slate Shiraz 2023

 

This is a seriously cool wine that is only enhanced by its incredible history. Fermented in the original slate fermenters at the old Upper Tintara winery, history pulsates through every vein of the Ox Hardy Slate Shiraz.

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Ridgemill Estate Vermentino 2025

 

Fresh, crisp and incredibly irresistible, a chilled glass or two of this Ridgemill Estate Vermentino will disappear from your glass in no time.

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Sutton Grange Fairbank Viognier 2024

 

This Viognier is a beauty! With a beguiling freshness, it's a delightful drink with a gentle thread of spice that keeps drawing you back for more.

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Ridgemill Estate Lincoln Shiraz 2023

 

The essence of an impressive medium-bodied Granite Belt Shiraz. Say, "Hello deliciousness," to this Ridgemill Estate Lincoln.

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Parker Estate Kidman Shiraz 2023

 

I reviewed this Parker Estate Kidman Shiraz 2023 12 months ago and the additional bottle age has certainly been its friend.

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Oakridge Hyde Park Shiraz 2024

 

Sleek, delightful and supremely delicious drinking, get aboard this cool climate Oakridge Hyde Park Shiraz pleasure machine.

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Parker Estate 95 Block 2023

 

Let's not beat around the bush... This is the best Parker Estate Block 95 I've seen to date. A consistent performer over many years, as I retrospectively checked my notes, it has been hovering around 93 points. This is the first time I have slapped 95 beside its name. Well played by Ox Hardy and his team.

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Parker Estate SBW Shiraz Mataro 2023

 

A wine built for thick cuts of protein cooked over open flames, this Parker Estate SBW is a rustic and muscular blend of 60-year-old Coonawarra Shiraz and 110-year-old Barossa Mataro.

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Chapel Hill Road Block Shiraz 2023

 

Much like its Gorge Block Cabernet Sauvignon sibling, this Chapel Hill Road Block Shiraz is rich and generous and it will benefit from more bottle age.
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Chapel Hill Gorge Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

 

Big and generous, this Gorge Block Cabernet Sauvignon from Chapel Hill is not for the faint-hearted.

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Paulmara Estate The Marriage 2022

 

Big, bold, broad and oaky summarise this Paulmara Estate Cabernet Shiraz. It's quite overbearing, actually, with plenty of clout. You definitely need a knife and fork to cut through it.

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Squitchy Lane Cabernet Franc 2024

 

Woah! Give this Squitchy Lane Cabernet Franc a decant and you're in business as it unfurls into a wine with poise and silky pleasure.

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Parker Estate Terra Rossa Cabernet Franc 2025

 

Brand new to the Parker Estate Terra Rossa range is this Cabernet Franc.

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Oakridge Horst Riesling 2025

 

1970s planted Riesling named in honour of the Oakridge founder. Most wouldn't associate Riesling with the Yarra Valley, but there are a few pockets of the variety throughout the district.

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Sutton Grange Fairbank Fiano 2024

 

Consider this a richer, more generous style of Fiano from Sutton Grange.

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Lambrook Spark Sparkling Pinot Noir 2025

 

I really enjoyed the 2024 release and I'm pleased to report that this Lambrook 'Spark' Sparkling Pinot Noir steps things up another notch.

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Sutton Grange Fairbank Ancestrale Sparkling Rosé 2022

 

The Sutton Grange Fairbank Ancestrale Sparkling Rosé is a blend of Viognier and Shiraz made in the Pet Nat style (pétillant naturel).

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Oakridge Vineyard Series Hazeldene Pinot Gris 2025

 

A solid Pinot Gris from Oakridge.

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Lambrook Amelia Reserve Pinot Noir 2025

Only released from the best vintages, this Lambrook Amelia Reserve Pinot Noir shines with patience.
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Lambrook Plant Pinot Noir 2025

 

Composed, silky and elegant, this Lambrook Plant Pinot Noir really shines with time in the glass.

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Lambrook Seed Pinot Noir 2025

 

A bright, fruit-forward Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir that is laced by an attractive crushed red petal perfume.
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Oakridge Coldstream Shiraz 2024

 

I might be wrong, but this Coldstream Shiraz is a newbie in the Oakridge range.

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Sutton Grange Fairbank Rosé 2025

 

A terrific food wine that screams for tapas, pizza and paella, this Sutton Grange Fairbank Rosé is a reliable go-to.
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First Ridge Uova Bella Fiano Vermentino 2025

 

From the first swirl of the glass, this brand new blend from First Ridge wines immediately announces its individuality.

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Parker Estate Terra Rossa Merlot 2024

 

Give this Parker Estate Terra Rossa Merlot some time to breathe and the difference is immeasurable.

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Sutton Grange Fairbank Syrah 2023

 


What a delightful Syrah this is from Sutton Grange. A welcoming embrace in a bottle, yes please!

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Cooks Lot Allotment 333 Riesling 2025

 

Another reliable and well-made wine from Cooks Lot, these wines are great value for $25. This Riesling hits the mark with pretty aromatics and delightful fruit. Yes!

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Cooks Lot Allotment 1010 Shiraz 2023

 

A stand and deliver type, this is a solid Shiraz from Cooks Lot that does the job well without the bells and whistles.

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Vickery Watervale Riesling 2025

 

It's always a delight to sit the two Vickery Rieslings alongside one another. This set of 2025s is eye-catching, but I'm all in here with team Watervale. Bright, fresh, crisp, it's wonderfully delicious!

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Vickery Eden Valley Riesling 2025

 

As with previous vintages, this Eden Valley Riesling is produced the John Vickery style with extra hang time, gentle handling, cool ferments and pressings used in the final blend. 

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Usher Tinkler Paper Wasp Chardonnay 2025

 

Off the back of an excellent 2024 debut, the 2025 edition of the Usher Tinkler Paper Wasp Chardonnay elevates its standing and demands attention.

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Oakridge Meunier 2025

 

A gobful of juicy delight, run to this Oakridge Meunier with gusto. Damn, this is a delicious slurp.

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Sutton Grange Fairbank Sangiovese 2024

 

An inviting food-friendly Sangiovese from Sutton Grange that ticks the boxes with ease.

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Cooks Lot Allotment 666 Pinot Gris 2025

 

A tidy Pinot Gris, it possesses a blush appearance that catches the eye.

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Cooks Lot Allotment 689 Sauvignon Blanc 2025

 

This is what Sauvignon Blanc should look like. An excellent wine and a steal for 25 bucks, what a beauty!

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Parker Estate First Growth 2022

 

From a cool, wet year comes this Parker Estate First Growth, the flagship of the brand. Silky and refined, it exhibits elegance and class in equal doses.

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Ox Hardy Blewitt Springs Grenache 2024

 

An avalanche of red fruit keeps this Ox Hardy Blewitt Springs Grenache buoyant.

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Brand & Sons Dalliance Shiraz 2021

 

In a rare venture north from their Coonawarra base, Brand & Sons have seized a parcel of Barossa fruit from one of Australia's most revered vineyards. The Dalliance Shiraz was born.

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Lambrook Plant Chardonnay 2025

 

Tasted beside its Seed Chardonnay sibling, the serious step up in sophistication is obvious with this Lambrook Plant Chardonnay.

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Lambrook Seed Chardonnay 2025

 

The Lambrook Seed range offers great value drinking for the $25 asking price. Be it the Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris or Rosé, you can be assured of a quality drink in your glass. Add this Chardonnay to the list as well.

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Lambrook Seed Rosé 2025

 

An enjoyable interplay between fruit and savoury elements ensures that this Lambrook Rosé will be a perfect partner for a weekend barbecue.

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Lambrook Pinot Gris 2025

 

An inviting Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris, this Lambrook release is etched with a neat textural presence that enhances its complexity.

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Lambrook Sauvignon Blanc 2025

 


Overflowing with tropical fruit, the approachability and pleasure factor of this Lambrook Sauvignon Blanc is high.

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