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.
readArticles
There’s been great rejoicing and dancing in the streets at the arrival of the Yarra Valley 2010 pinots and I am jubilantly leading the parade! This wine, however, is one for the end of the day when things get more serious. Restrained, focused, pure, perfumed, textural, poised. Wait. $28 at Dan’s.
readScoop. Those McWilliams boys are on to something new again, and I was the first person in the world to be shown. “Freestyle winemaking,” in their words (trans. “minimal intervention”). Silky, perfumed, textural, persistent & concentrated. How do they do it for $19 at Grays Online, $20 at Cracka?
readSpring has come and it’s time to unscrew something new and intriguing. Beautifully textured, refreshingly dry and clean, enduringly persistent and captivatingly mouth-filling, this citrus-driven style with grapefruit pith, guava and nashi pear flavour is just the thing with sushi, sashimi and Vietnamese fusion.
readDave Bicknell trumps into the “low alcohol chardonnay is underripe” controversy with a gloriously complex and beautifully textural Yarra Valley style that clocks in at a breathtaking 11.7%. All the genius of Oakridge including natural old barrel ferment and lees ageing. Game over. $16 at Dan’s.
readSuperman chard. Clark Kent personality of exuberant, quaffing, ripe white peach, honeydew, pink grapefruit and guava. Superman talents of honed, taut, single vineyard unwooded chardonnay of high altitude nerves. A multitalented superhero that will confidently leap all manner of cuisines. $11 at www.mikepresswines.com.au
readVolnay is distinctive for its dried herb and pepper flavours, ironstone complexity and firm, coiled-up, gravel-like tannins. This is no exception, but here there is outstanding red cherry fruit presence, fine-wound acidity and well-gauged Austrian oak, allowing its fruit to speak in soft but articulate tones.
readEmmanuel and Charles-Henry Fourny craft wines of great purity from their old, organic vines in the premier cru village of Vertus at the southern end of Champagne’s Cote des Blancs. Beach-fresh, linear and very fine, with white peach, crunchy apple, taut lemon fruit and salty minerality.
readLovedale is among the world’s finest single vineyard semillons, and the brilliant 05 vintage is just beginning to grow nuances of toasty complexity. Primary citrus zest and white peach remain, but the signature minerality, undeviating line and lingering length of this vineyard are the real features.
readVoyager is legendary in wine circles as a lifetime member of Margaret River’s A-League at a fraction of the price of the rest. Its flagship has hit new dimensions of refined poise, a cool expression of this epic vintage, loaded with textbook tobacco, leaf, tomato and red- and blackcurrants. Go long.
read