Clocking in at medium dry on the official riesling meter, a lick of sweetness tones this pure, fresh and finely crafted style. It reflects its cool season with lively kaffir lime spice and crunchy granny smith apple. A touch of textural, phenolic structure makes this one of the best sub-$10 Asian fusion partners. $9.50 at […]
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One day, early in the next decade, we will look back on the 2011 vintage and marvel at just how magnificently the Clare Valley managed to pull it off, and it’s rieslings like this that will likely prompt the conversation. This is the finest, most precise and longest-lived Paulett’s entry-level riesling in years. At $15 […]
readThe Strapper is the definition of classic Barossa GSM for just $16 (East End Cellars)! Low oak and low alcohol give its fruit wings to display its rose petal perfume and vibrant berry fruit character. Grenache leads with its greengage plum, rhubarb and red berry fruits, with the pepper and mixed spice of shiraz and […]
readDomaine Chandon is famous for its fizz, but with wines like this in its arsenal and the uber-talented Dan Buckle now taking the lead, look out, still wine world! It’s dry, textural, refreshing and elegantly balanced, with pretty pomegranate, guava and strawberry flavours. And, thank goodness, the colour is not nearly as vivid as it […]
readA core of plush, dark cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and malbec fruit is enveloped in beautifully honed, firm, fine tannins and dark chocolate oak. Red cherries, blackberries and plums all conspire to create an outstanding fruit profile, with cabernet’s classic violet lift to set it off. $24 at Wine Box Warehouse.
readTasmania is Australia’s sparkling capital, and despite Chandon’s extensive sourcing across south-eastern Australia and its grand headquarters in the epicentre of the Yarra Valley, this single vineyard in Tasmania’s Coal River Valley has again out-performed all else in its portfolio. This is a fizz of precision and sophistication, with taut lemon zest, white peach and […]
readLaurent Bénard crafts terroir-driven champagnes from old vines that encapsulate the power and definition of the majestic pinot noir of the great village of Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. There is a zesty edge of lemon offset by the complexity of brioche, ginger and white pepper. A concentrated, poised style with a clean, dry, long finish and chalky, salty […]
readThis is a wine that must be experienced to be believed. Ageing at the pace of a giant sea turtle, it’s still a vibrant straw-green at almost seven years of age. The freshness on the palate follows unerringly, singing with kaffir lime and lemon, pepper, cut grass and anise. With scintillating acidity, brilliant citrus cut, […]
readI have only been alive for a small chapter of Vat 9s illustrious history (spanning fifty years this year), but I have not tasted a young vintage as flattering as 2009. From the oldest and finest blocks of the Ashman’s vineyard, matured in large French oak casks (building texture rather than overt structure or oak […]
readThere is a definition to the 2009 vintage, enhanced with 30% new oak and massaged with 20% whole bunch, providing a firm, fine, textural tannin structure. Savoury nuances of dried thyme, earth and notes of iron almost reflect the structural shape of Côte de Beaune, though its long tail of black cherry fruit lands it […]
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