An elegant, spicy and refreshing Mudgee shiraz of pepper, greengage plum and watermelon fruit, underlined by fine, peppery tannins that carry a long, even finish. An enticing BBQ quaffer, that captures a refreshingly cool style for this warm region. $12 direct.

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Great value Spanish tempranillo that captures the black and red fruits and savoury, earthy spice of this variety, set off with fine, dusty tannins, making for an affordable quaffer. $10 at United Cellars.

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Australian wines have challenged the views of leading wine experts at Italy’s biggest annual wine fair, Vinitaly in Verona this week, who say screw capped wines are inferior. Australian wine writer and presenter Tyson Stelzer, who was named International Wine & Spirit Communicator of the Year 2015 at a gala dinner to open the fair, […]

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2014 was a concentrated season in which Eden Valley riesling shows heightened flavour and acidity. In the right hands, they unite to create balance and beauty. This is a beautifully pure and fragrant style of precise lemon blossom, spicy lime juice and crunchy granny smith apple. It’s generously full-flavoured and impressively persistent, making for alluring […]

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Ken Semmler planted merlot in his St Jakobi vineyard in 1980, and this release is one of the best Australian merlots I’ve tasted in a long while. It’s a bargain, too. Distinctly merlot and classically Barossa, this is bright, crunchy and engaging style that confidently confirms Wayne and Brenda Dutschke’s decision to make merlot a […]

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The low cropping 2014 season produced impressive intensity, great persistence and excellent acid line in Pewsey Vale, yet with the expansive body and textural mouth feel to make it engaging from the outset. It’s delightfully fragrant and expressive in its pure lime zest, granny smith apple and lemon juice characters. One of the greats in […]

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Elegantly medium-bodied and light on its feet yet closing with depth and persistence, this is a shiraz with a dash of viognier, enlivening all the theatrics of violets, rose petals, blueberries and red cherries. The fragrance and poise upheld here are something to behold, and the tannins are sufficiently fine and supple that there’s no […]

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Tim Adams regards his 17th release as his best grenache and tempranillo-based blend (with a little mataro and shiraz), putting a lot of time and effort into refining fermentation, maturation and blending. At five years of age, it’s a wonderful assemblage of violet perfume, succulent, vibrant berry fruits, exotic spice, and the dark chocolate and […]

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The fragrance is breathtaking, leaping out of the glass with exuberant lily blossom, pepper and almost ripe granny smith apples. The palate is off-dry, tactically utilising gentle residual sweetness to offset finely structured acidity and soft mineral mouth feel. An impeccable, pristine off-dry riesling of immediate allure. Best price direct.

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A medium-bodied elegance elevates Juniper Crossing to a special place in 2012. This is a classic Margaret River style of pretty violet/rose aromas and crunchy redcurrant and red cherry fruit that permeates long into a tangy finish, backed by confident, fine-grained tannins. French oak is well controlled by winemaker Mark Messenger to let the fruit […]

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