It takes quite some skill to preserve such purity of aromatics in a warm vintage, and Cliff Royle has captured a lovely perfume of violets and blackcurrants with notes of sweet red capsicums, reflective of a dose of outstanding merlot in the blend. The palate leads out with a firm, finely gravelly tannin structure, true […]

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Chapel Hill has elevated itself one plane closer to the gods with one of the most profound $30 shirazes I’ve tasted in a long time. A monumental testament to the incredible 2010 season, this wine will age magnificently and shows every sign of going down as the finest Chapel Hill McLaren Vale Shiraz yet. It’s […]

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Fraser Gallop is now harvesting chardonnay at a slightly lower baumé than previously, which suits the generosity of the Gin Gin clone extremely well, producing a classy chardonnay of tense acidity and well-defined structure. This serves the double benefit of pulling its fruit profile back to delightfully fragrant lemon blossom and precise white peach fruit, […]

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Chapel Hill has crafted one of the great McLaren Vale cabernets of the modern era, from a single vineyard of seventeen-year-old vines; a wine of poise and intricate definition, with an immense future before it. The bouquet is remarkably evocative, leaping out of the glass with glorious violet fragrance, crunchy red capsicum, precise tobacco leaf […]

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This is my fizz of choice when I’m entertaining hundreds on a shoestring. It’s elegant (there’s a word you don’t often hear at this price) with white peach, lemon and honey flavours, a refreshing palate and creamy bead. Full dosage lends a honeyed sweetness to the finish, which benefits from a solid chill to tone […]

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By far the most colourful gris out of Marlborough in 2012 – a salmon-peach approaching rosé hue – this is also one of the most textural wines of the vintage yet. Crucially, its textural palate does not produce hardness on the finish, but culminates in lively acidity, fresh pear, peach and lemon zest, with a […]

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Fine-grained, structural tannins place this wine clearly on Watervale limestone, while classic mint notes make it unmistakably Clare. Impressive geopositioning in the glass for a wine that can be yours for just $18 (Cracka). Varietal leaf and green capsicum characters meet generous blackcurrant and crunchy redcurrant fruit of impressive persistence.

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The great 2010 season has been at work here, building impressive depth of blackberries, black cherries and liquorice, scaffolded with a firm, chewy tannin profile that will see it out for a couple more years yet. For the price, its lingering black fruits definition is something to behold. $18 at Nicks and Purvis.

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The level of refinement at Geographe’s top estate rises a notch with each passing season, and this year its premium wines are really taking on an interesting edge for the first time. This is an edgy, tangy and taut sauvignon, bringing the zesty energy of this variety under control with the creamy, textural notes of […]

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Gewürztraminer of true structure is a rare thing in Australia, and Henschke has captured a delicate balance between acid and phenolic texture that makes for a serious contender. It’s crisp, clean and pure gewürztraminer with pretty aromatics of Pink Lady Apple and rosewater. The palate carries a pure apple and pear fruit profile, with an […]

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