Chardonnay of elegance and minerality takes the lead here, producing a fine, pure and pristine style, even in a year as exuberant as 2004. Subtle lemon fruit and fine minerality speak of Taittinger’s skill with chardonnay, while pinot noir provides body and balance. $88 at Dan’s.
readArticles
Epic potency and consummate balance make this a profound bargain of the wine world. Raisins, rancio, tea leaves and apricots, then powerful dried figs, prunes, roast hazelnuts, raisins and Christmas spices. The finish lingers for minutes, playing through its repertoire of complexity in ever-deeper grandeur. $57 at Dan’s.
readCreated to express the heart of granitic soils in an otherwise expanding region, this is an affordable introduction to one of the most legendary names in the Rhone. It lives up to it in its delightful texture, beautiful fragrance and complexity of spice, earth and herbs, finishing fresh and clean.
readAn excellent Hunter vintage, producing a wine of poise, elegance, completeness and longevity. Bright plum fruit, spicy dark berries, pepper and earth are laced together with delightfully silky, fine and textural tannins which weave through a long, bright finish of poise and finesse.
readProof that you should never write off a vintage on a generalisation, this is one of the most accurate, structured and long-lived Balnaves Cabernets yet. Textbook Coonawarra cabernet of black- and redcurrants, mint and dark choc oak, finishing with firm, mouth-filling tannins. Patience. $30 at WineStar.
readMajella groupies will spot that this is a calmer and more restrained vintage for Coonawarra shiraz, bringing nuances of violet perfume, cinnamon and cloves to its concentrated plum, dark berry and dark chocolate palate. $30 at WineStar.
readYou never know what you might unearth in Carl Lindner’s shed behind his Jaguar collection. How about a PX solera dating from 1944? For all of its age and monumental complexity, it’s refreshingly vibrant, balanced and without any hint of cloying sweetness.
readA beautifully restrained and focused Adelaide Hills Chardonnay that meets its brief in defining a new Pinnacle for Nepenthe. Cool lemon and grapefruit with nuances of mixed spice, meshing seamlessly with cashew nut French oak, finishing cool, mineral, crunchy and cracking.
readElena is one of the most refined grigios in the country, with her gorgeous air of lemon blossom, pink grapefruit zest, fresh guava and watermelon. Her palate is razor-edged with its grapefruit zest and exotic overnotes of guava and just picked passion fruit. Great texture and poise.
readEffortlessly medium-bodied and quite the contrast to the impact of Heartland, the strength of the Margaret River 2009 season is on full parade here. Lifted cracked pepper and violets burst from the glass, introducing black plum fruit, finely textured tannins and excellent poise. Great MR value.
read