We are proud to announce The Seventh Great New Zealand Pinot Noir Classification to highlight the importance of New Zealand’s finest pinots.
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A fresh and zesty SBS of impeccable varietal definition, holding beautiful freshness more than a year after harvest. Lemon zest accents are supported by tense acidity and soft, finely textured structure, thanks to one-third fermentation in old barrels. It elegantly fulfils the brief of achieving textural mouth feel without a hint of oak flavour. $19 […]
readLeeuwin acknowledges that Margaret River is not a cool climate, so works hard in the vineyard to maintain a shaded canopy to keep flavours in the lime/lemon spectrum. From the region’s oldest riesling vines, this is an impressive result, with no added acidity. It’s a complete riesling, varietal, zippy and fresh more than a year […]
readLeeuwin has worked like a demon in its vineyards for more than a decade now, achieving riper cabernet tannins, emphasising aromatics more and structure less. The effect has now filtered down to its Prelude second label, and the result is quite compelling, quite outclassing its price point. It’s beautifully medium-bodied and backward at four years […]
readYalumba’s EV Viognier looks more like Virgilius all the time, which Louisa Rose puts down to increasing vine age, sourced largely from vineyards planted in the eighties and early nineties. Full wild fermentation, two-thirds in old French oak barrels, has got to help, too. A classy new label sets off the 2013 impeccably. A vintage […]
readLeeuwin uses a dense canopy to shelter the fruit of its finest southern Margaret River sauvignon vines, so as to highlight fragrant lift and retain natural acidity. One-third fermentation in used barrels with lees stirring does nothing to interrupt the focused purity of its fruit. Restrained lime zest, cut grass and gooseberry are driven by […]
readThis is a stonking Yalumba Eden Valley Shiraz, and perhaps the best under this label yet. Just 2-3% co-fermented viognier is invisible, the focus instead remaining resolutely on the aromatic and perfumed character of shiraz in the cool Eden Valley. It abounds in violet perfume and deep layers of black plums, black cherries and liquorice, […]
readAn excellent Prelude of poise and balance, capturing the gravitas of this great chardonnay estate at an accessible point. A wine of detail, complexity, richness and focus, seamlessly melding fig, white peach and cashew nut French oak (one-third new) with well focused grapefruit acidity. It will benefit from a few more months for oak to […]
readLeeuwin ceased production of shiraz from its home block years ago as the site didn’t seem to work. Today, its top shiraz comes from a site further south and further inland, with cooler night temperatures that benefitted this warmer vintage. The result is pretty and elegant, a beautifully fragrant shiraz, with violet and rose petal […]
readDon’t let the name, label or cork seal put you off, FDR-1A is one of my favourite Barossa wines right now, and 2010 is one of the greatest. Three-quarters cabernet lends delightful aromas of violets, capsicum, leaf and blackcurrant, emphasising the pretty character of cool climate Eden Valley fruit. One-third shiraz builds great depth and […]
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