Black Label is monolithic, powerful and bulletproof – there is not a single molecule of space within its perfectly polished fuselage. Cabernet, shiraz, malbec and oak are integrated seamlessly. Crucially, it’s still vibrant at five years of age and will live for decades yet. $98 at Kemeny’s.
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Your hotlist of the best deals on the finest wines this Christmas.
readHigh in the Adelaide Hills, The Lane is home to one of South Australia’s finest chardonnay vineyards, expressing itself with the same purity and fruit-focused precision in sparkling guise as it does in still. A refreshing aperitif style of pear, apple and lemon.
readAnother glorious Majella Sparkling Shiraz greets the world just in time for Christmas. There’s no better time to pop this pepper-, cinnamon- and nutmeg-infused thing. Like every Majella red, it’s a tribute to the finely manicured estate vines of one of Australia’s most celebrated vineyards, layered with plum and dark berry fruit and just the […]
readHervé Savès calls Bouzy “the Chambertin of Champagne,” and to temper its strength and dominance he adds a touch of chardonnay to this blend. Such is the presence and precision of pinot noir that if you close your eyes you could be drinking a pretty rosé. Open them and there’s no hint of blush to […]
readWith new contracts in place in the outstanding 2008 vintage and thirty percent declassified premier cru fruit in the blend, this is as cracking as I have ever seen Brut 17. A pristine bouquet of vibrant lemons and strawberry hull opens out into a palate of fantastic, linear freshness with great persistence, a fine, creamy […]
readA well crafted wine from noble fruit sources, showcasing the strength of its terroirs and the excellent 2008 season. It’s rich with white peach, yellow plums, lemon zest, red apples, wild honey and notes of mixed spice. The finish is fine and honed, with the structure of the grand cru village of Chouilly taking control […]
readHailing entirely from the 2009 vintage, this may be the youngest champagne you’ll taste this year, but such is its perfumed freshness that there’s no need to wait a moment before you dive in. A vibrant pink hue ushers in a bouquet of gorgeous strawberry and red cherry blossom fragrance. The palate is delicate, primary, […]
readIt takes great talent to capture such fine lemon blossom perfume in 100% pinot noir, let alone from such grandiose pedigree as the grand cru villages of Bouzy and Ambonnay. Typically a blend of three vintages, this wine brilliantly captures poise, elegance and purity within pinot’s style of primary strawberry hull, vanilla, cinnamon, brioche and […]
readUtilising both the maceration and blending techniques of rosé production, this is an assemblage not with red wine but with the pink of pinot noir macerated on skins (“for the joy of the wine!” as Rodez declares). For its depth of age it’s fresh and primary, with a pale salmon-copper hue and characters of tiny […]
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