Proper French sauvignon under $15? I’ve never seen it this clean, crisp and well made at this price before. It’s quite backward for more than two years of age, shot with lively blackcurrant bud, cut grass, lemon and grapefruit. A tart backbone of tangy acidity promises to keep it vibrant and energetic for a few […]

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Quite the antithesis to the cool, wet vintage of the east, Western Australia enjoyed an outstanding, warm 2011 season. Houghton captures the mood of the year even in its bargain entry point. This is an impressively full, vibrant purple wine of admirable concentration of black plum and crunchy, rep blackberry fruits. The finish lingers with […]

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This is a very small price to pay for a wine that has led the way in new age Barossa semillon. Cut grass is the theme of the cool 2011, with a backdrop of pure lemon beginning to reveal the spice of preserved lemon and the faintest hint of toast. A semillon of outstanding fruit […]

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From Mount Crawford’s vineyard at the southern extreme of Eden Valley, this the finest vintage for Thorn Clarke Shiraz yet, a $20 benchmark of Barossa shiraz, for its fruit definition and density, layered with signature black plum and blueberry fruits, black pastilles and liquorice of considerable depth and precision. A firm tannin structure is finely […]

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Cliff Royle defines intuitive winemaking, tweaking and changing the finer details of production based on the expression of the vintage and its fruit. In the warm 2011 season, he picked early and avoided lees stirring and malolactic fermentation to accentuate the tighter white and pink grapefruit of the Wallcliffe area and the dried peach and […]

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2011 was kind to Southside, furnishing a value-for-money Margaret River Chardonnay in an elegant, linearly pure and textural style. Grapefruit and lemon zest are underlined by taut acidity, beautifully textured structure and well-handled oak, finishing with effortless persistence and poise. $21 at Wine Box Warehouse.

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A succulent and sweet botrytis that carries the spice of the cool 2011 season in nuances of kaffir lime and white pepper, making for a particularly enticing dessert style. Impressively fruit-focused and persistent, with a primary freshness and long, succulent, sweet finish. It will appreciate a stern chill, and will improve as it builds complexity […]

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With a cool lead-up to vintage, Adam Marks’ Heathcote shiraz gained flavour ripeness before stalk ripeness, so for the first time in ten years there are no stalks in the ferment. It seems the wine has its own memory, and carries a complex stalky note anyway. There’s quite a spectacle on show here: anise, sarsaparilla, […]

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An impressive Pizzini of refined balance, ready to enjoy right away, yet with the Nebbiolo tannin presence to see it out for a decade. Layers of alluring violets, dried flowers, anise, forest berries, mixed spice, dried herbs and tomatoes characterise a palate that leads out supple, finishes savoury and lingers with a very fine tannin […]

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A sheltered and warm site next to vineyards of Ata Rangi and Dry River produces the richest of Escarpment’s pinots. It’s a wine of great energy and endurance, with layers of black and red berry and cherry fruits permeating the finish with wonderful line and grace. It’s layered with exotic suggestions of dried herbs and […]

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