I’ve never seen a vintage quite like 2008 in the Barossa. There have been plenty of dismal vintages and the occasional triumph, but never one that has shown both extremes in the same season quite like this.

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Great value sauvignon from one of South Australia’s most exacting makers. Cut grass and lime are the themes of this clean, zesty style. It’s well balanced and finishes bone dry, with impressive fruit persistence for this price. If you’re on the prowl for a house sauvignon, this is your wine. $14 at 1st Choice

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Kiwi pinot, ready to party tonight! Enticingly fruit focused, consummately approachable and silky-structured, this is New Zealand’s best bargain pinot right now. A pretty, fragrant expression of violets, red cherries, pink pepper and blackberries lingers long into the finish, with gentle support provided by finely structured, silky tannins. $21 at Prince.

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A classic and graceful Marlborough pinot of expressive strawberry and red cherry fruits and mixed spice, framed in supple, fine tannins and refreshing acidity, persevering long and even through a tart finish. $30 at Cracka.

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Spy Valley pinot is ascending to a blacker fruits plane as its vines mature, with aromas of red and black cherries and brambles and a palate of well-defined and crunchy blackberry and cracked black pepper appeal. Finely poised, firmly textured tannins provide confident support, and a lick of morello cherry acidity brings tang to an […]

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2011 has produced a particularly savoury, honed and structured Forrest, with firm, fine tannins providing good textural profile and promising a long future. An elegant yet expressive and honed style of black cherry and tangy blueberry fruit and notes of ground black pepper. $23 at Wine Box Warehouse.

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There is true craftsmanship on display here, with a savoury backdrop of oak and firm, finely poised, textural tannins engineered for a strong future. Two unirrigated vineyards in Marlborough’s southern Waihopai Valley contribute impressive depth of ripe black cherry and plum fruits, lingering with impressive vibrancy and persistence. $32 at Cellar d’Or.

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Juicy and lively black cherry and black plum fruit is well supported by firm oak and supple, silky, fine-grained tannins, calling for some time to integrate. Notes of brambles and liquorice provide depth and interest to a long finish. $36 at Discount Wines.

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2011 was a rustic vintage, yielding bold wines in Central Otago, here bolstered in no small part by firm oak tannins, though showing more confident balance than most in this season. An accurate black cherry fruits bouquet, with oak lurking closely behind, leads into a honed and taut palate, with black cherry/berry fruit pulled in […]

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An impressively complete vintage for Two Paddocks, and my favourite in some years. Juicy plum, black cherry and tangy red berry fruits meet the complexity of exotic spice and beautifully silky, fine tannins. It coasts with considerable persistence and harmony. $48 at East End Cellars.

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