This is precise Eden Valley Riesling in all of its signature lemon blossom, green apple and lime glory, framed neatly in a fine, slatey, mineral mouth feel. The warm 2014 season presents excellent concentration of both flavour and acid line, with impressive persistence and ageing potential. $15 at Cracka, Grays Online and Dan Murphy’s.
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A shift to entirely estate grown fruit has elevated this label to impressive depth of blueberry, black plum, liquorice and dark chocolate character, while upholding admirable medium-bodied aspirations, fine-grained tannins, lively acidity and enticing mouth feel. $16 at The Pink Drinks.
readThis is my value for money find of the year in the sparkling shiraz world. It captures the fruit character of this family vineyard on the southern edge of the Flinders Ranges. Maturation in older American oak for a year-and-a-half before blending with older shiraz reserves heightens the intensity of black fruits of all kinds, […]
readIs this the best sub-$20 pinot of the moment? Yes. Just don’t drink it yet. Pristine purity of red berry and red cherry fruit of cool, high, Upper Yarra elegance is charged with an energising line of lively acidity and a finely textured backbone of well-crafted tannins. It has charisma, elegance and coiled potential, promising […]
readBy Tim Adams standards, this is a pale gris, though it’s lacking nothing in complexity. Lovely aromatics of lychees, white peach and wild honey announce a succulent and slippery style, accented with ginger and mixed spice, backed by well poised acidity and a long-lingering finish. Benchmark gris of carefully balanced fruit, sweetness, phenolic texture and […]
readCharacter and texture in a value-for-money GSM. This is a spicy and savoury assemblage of rhubarb and strawberry fruit overlaid with dried herbs. It’s finely structured and textural, with some dry grip on the finish, though upholding a vibrant focus thanks to well-balanced fruit. $17 at Wine Culture, Nillumbik, No Frills, Aussie Wines and Wine […]
readHoddles Creek overlays zesty, cool, high Upper Yarra chardonnay with layers of leesy, charcuterie barrel ferment complexity. The result looks a lot more sophisticated than its price lets on: structured, textural, tense and persistent, with plenty of potential in the cellar. $19 at Barrique.
readDavid Forrest’s vineyard has one of the highest elevations in the Barossa, producing cabernet of density and intensity, layered with cassis, blackcurrants, liquorice and dark chocolate. It declares the depth and glossy succulence of great Eden Valley fruit, yet at the same time it’s tangy, controlled and finely structured, with vibrant, high altitude acidity and […]
readImmediately after tasting this wine, I dove straight into my cellar and opened a bottle of Peter Lehmann Reserve Riesling 2002, the predecessor of Wigan and one of my favourite Australian rieslings of all time. My hope was that the 2009 might be on the same level. It’s not. But, blimey, it’s not far off. […]
readFrom the steep, gravelly, 1970s- planted slopes of the historic Langton vineyard in Mt Barker, this is a wine that sings of old vine character and great site expression. It’s magnificent now in its purity and drive of lemon, lime, red apple and crunchy pear, and it promises to live long, thanks to a backbone […]
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