Cullen vineyard has established a triumphant benchmark for Australian SBS, articulately expressing a unique and pronounced mineral structure. With an almost two-thirds lead of sauvignon blanc, matured for six months in French oak (two-thirds new), one would expect fruit power and heavy structure. Remarkably, it is quite the contrary, backward, floral, understated, crunchy and fine. […]
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The Champenois say the most distinguishing feature of champagne is its ability to retain finesse with age. Achieving this in Australia is perhaps the holy grail of sparkling winemaking, and Jansz has nailed it here. At almost a decade of age, its Late Disgorged has spent eight years on lees (double that of the regular […]
readFrom a blend originating in the late 1920s, this is an impressive statement of aged complexity. Such is the stature and maturity of Chambers that it’s fair to consider each of its fortifieds a tier higher than their classification, making this more like a rare in its layers of rancio complexity, roast nuts, bitter dark […]
readFrom Yalumba’s 1889 planted Nursery Block, this was previously labelled Tricentenary Grenache. 2008 was characterised by the heatwave of 5-17 March, but harvested on 5 March, it captures wonderfully intense and ripe strawberry and raspberry fruit, without becoming too ripe or jammy. Instead, this is an alluringly savoury and textural grenache with lifted violet notes, […]
readSpy Valley’s Envoy has marked out a benchmark for Marlborough pinot noir for no fewer than seven vintages, but its Outpost vineyard has only been bottled separately a few times, and such is its rarity that I’ve never seen it outside NZ. It projects a remarkably elegant rose hip and understated exotic spice demeanour for […]
readBill Downie’s three pinots are more distinctive than ever, and presented blind it wasn’t hard to pick them on their bouquets alone. From vines now fifteen years of age, his Mornington is often my favourite of the trilogy, with an ethereal bouquet of rose petals, brambles and dried flowers. The palate is immaculately poised, with […]
readWho would have imagined that one of Kym Teusner’s most captivating mataros would emerge from the cool, wet 2011 season? This is a culmination of all the things I like most about this vintage. It’s impeccably fragrant on the bouquet and palate, laced with rose hip, rhubarb, tobacco, lively red berry fruits and rich, lingering […]
readBill Downie reckons it isn’t trendy to make pinot from the Yarra Valley floor at the moment, but he considers the fruit of the densely planted Denton vineyard in Yarra Glen to be outstanding. It’s the only vineyard in the region on granite, which he says accounts for a flinty mineral line through the palate. […]
readRegular visits to Australia by Chateau Coutet’s delightful proprietor Aline Baly provide opportunities to compare many vintages of one of Sauterne’s great sweet wines. She recently pulled 2002, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010 out of her bag, and this was my pick. A vintage of great definition, projecting wonderful freshness of pristine peach, apricot, fig […]
readI was privileged to have the opportunity to showcase trophy winners of my Great Australian Red competition in London earlier this year, and one of the finest wines in the room was the 1990 vintage of The Reserve. The confident longevity of the greatest cabernet shiraz blends is perhaps uncontested in Australian wine. In 2004, […]
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