An 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.
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Proof 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.
readA generous and glossy blend of Langhorne Creek and Limestone Coast, packed with regional mint, rich black plum and berry compote fruit, red liquorice and fine, textural tannins. Impressive fruit impact for $18 at Dan’s.
readWith plum, rhubarb and pepper flavours and finely structured textural tannins, Notty looks, tastes and feels like shiraz – and it’s not sweet, thank goodness! For $8.50, that’s a lot to ask, and for $7 at Dan’s you just might need to stock up ready for unwanted visitors.
readNew disgorgement, same mind-boggling wine. Beside Krug Clos du Mesnil and Billecart Clos Saint Hilaire, no champagne I have tasted in my thirty-three visits and hundreds of wines this trip has carried the untiring persistence of Nicolas Francois, nor its tremendous presence of mouth-consuming minerality. The legendary Billecart Grande Cuvée is sadly no more after […]
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