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Tight, taut and truly grigio, this is a nervy style defined by the cool heights of the King Valley. With a cut of fresh lemon, a whiff of lemon blossom and a note of flint, it’s got the searing structure to stand in for champagne as an aperitif, or to wait in the cellar to […]

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A dose of cool Upper Yarra fruit provides a hit of crisp grapefruit and a softly mineral backbone for this fresh, fruit-focused chardonnay, nuanced with flavours of white peach and fig. Your entry ticket to an impressive estate.

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This fruity, fresh little quaffer has flavours of mandarin zest, guava and passionfruit, making it just the thing for lazy poolside afternoons in the sun or a partner for Asian fusion when the gathering is large and the budget is not. $9.50 at Dan’s.

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I once heard a famous critic admit that emotional impact was the only difference between 100 points and 98 points. Not so here. I tasted Clos Saint Hilaire for the first time at the end of my fourth tasting of a hectic day in Champagne. I’d been tasting since 8:30am and it was now 7pm, […]

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The lighter soils of Cornish Point slowed vine development compared with Felton Road, so this wine has always been a tad behind. No longer – the vines have reached a decade and they’ve hit their straps with great depth of black cherry fruit, violet perfume, layered exotic spice and textural tannins.

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Felton Road single handedly elevates the breathtaking peaks of Central Otago above the vast plains of New Zealand chardonnay, thanks to taut lemon zest, honed white peach and zesty acidity juxtaposed with complex, crafted, lees-derived bacon fat and charcuterie brilliance. $51 at Dan’s.

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Once upon a time, the oak regime at Stonier overpowered its flagships and left me hankering for its entry wines. It’s a brand new day at this hallowed Mornington estate, and Mike Symons has brought the barrels into line, letting pure red cherries, berries, plums and silky, textural tannins sing. $40 at WineStar, $44 at […]

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The new age of Burgundy has landed. Tight, clean, fruit-focused and, yes, screw-capped! Subtle Austrian oak lets fruit speak in tones of grapefruit, lime, white nectarine and guava. Good fruit concentration, length, well-gauged acidity and gentle minerality make it an attractive aperitif style. $40 at Nicks.

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This wine has awoken in perfect time for its release, revealing a length, line and clarity that define a remarkable pedigree of dry grown 1920s vines. It rides on rails of super fine, firm tannins and vibrant acidity, projecting its pure black plum, dark cherry and pepper fruit far into the future.

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Of a long line of 2010 Hunter Shirazes recently, First Creek ranked in the top four for its definition of black cherry and plum fruit, finely poised structure of textural tannins and nuances of violets and pepper. Exactingly crafted and seamlessly constructed, it’s poised for a long life.

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