Rutherglen muscat is the only wine with the stature to withstand the sweet frenzy of Christmas pudding, Christmas cake and fruit mince pies. Chill it down to fridge temperature to prepare its honey, apricot jam and marmalade flavours for the onslaught. $16 at Dan’s, $17 at WineStar.
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Alex MacKenzie trumped The Great Australian Red with his new Quelltaler blend and here’s proof it was no fluke, because its brand new stablemate is about to storm the sparkling shiraz world. With an average age of more than five years and a deep, brooding palate complexity, it looks and feels like it should be […]
readThe Burgundy rule is to buy the grand crus in the (more affordable) lesser vintages and the lower-tier wines in the great vintages. 2009 was certainly the latter, producing the best Marchand & Burch Bourgogne yet. It accurately reflects the earthy, ferrous notes of its Marsannay and Pommard origins, with fine, dried herb complexity over […]
readThere is a distinguished elegance to Luke Lambert’s 2010 nebbiolo, accenting nuances of dried rose petal, red cherry, raspberry, dried herbs, vanilla and anise. A very finely poised tannin backbone gives it an appealing approachability, making this a nebbiolo not afraid to be uncorked right away.
read2005 CC has been a benchmark Clare riesling from day one, and I have spent the past five years puzzling over why it didn’t sell out overnight. It’s now one of the finest mature wines to unscrew for the summer of riesling, having built layers of butterscotch and roast cashew nuts while maintaining a lively […]
readBaby Piper gets better and better under the talented watch of Régis Camus and $36 at Kemeny’s this week makes it one of the best cheap champagnes on the shelves. Two-and-a-half years on lees instils its bright, fresh, citrus-driven fruitiness with a rounded maturity. Perfect for weddings, parties and Christmas!
readWaipara is a pinot noir hotbed to watch in New Zealand, and Pegasus Bay is one of its star performers. With vines now a quarter-century of age, this is a proper pinot noir of structure and longevity. Refined red cherry fruit, wood spice and subtle nuances of dried herbs carry seamlessly through a long finish […]
readI would never expect young vine graciano to rise to the calibre of this esteemed list, but such is the beauty of the pure morello cherry bouquet and elegant-bodied fresh cherry palate of this stylishly crafted wine that its position is secure. Finely structured, textural tannins add to its fresh appeal and drinkability. Give it […]
readPeg Bay is one of New Zealand’s greatest rieslings, and less botrytis makes 2009 a particularly alluring and poised expression. Gorgeous complexity of apricot, peach, baked apple, clove, even a hint of kerosene and lingering exotic spice, over a crunchy backbone of lime and lemon zest. It’s a full and rich style of medium sweetness […]
readSyrah, merlot and cabernet in almost equal parts makes for an unusual blend, and particularly for Martinborough, but the interplay of deep concentration and delightful freshness going on here is quite remarkable. Black pepper, mixed spice, plums and blackberries are propelled by a fine, gravelly tannin structure that captures the gravelly Martinborough terraces of its […]
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