An elegant take on Mike Press Merlot, an attractive amalgam of tangy red cherry and cranberry fruit and mixed spice, supported by dark chocolate oak (French and American) and firm, fine, grippy tannin structure. At 14.8%, the alcohol dominates a little on the finish, leaving it a touch hot, but it gets away with it, […]

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For the miniscule yields inherent to botrytis, a bargain dessert wine that hasn’t been concocted by freezing or reverse osmosis in the winery is nigh-on unheard of, and this is why Vat 5 is nothing short of remarkable. Baby brother to the iconic Noble One, it’s matured in small portion in oak and spends a […]

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It’s getting tougher to find decent fizz under $10, and even the Jacob’s Creek Classics, all bottle fermented like champagne in their heyday, are now fermented in tanks like Prosecco. This is a single vintage 2012 blend, though labelled as non vintage. It’s simple, fruit-focused, short and primary, with well-balanced acidity and admirable elegance and […]

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Mike’s vines are maturing (now 15 years old) and so, too, is his approach in the winery, progressing toward more refined oak presence. This makes for one of the most elegant and poised Mike Press Cabernets, and one of his best, set to go down among the longest lived yet. It’s bracingly youthful on release, […]

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Windy Peak has long been my yardstick for entry pinot noir. Nothing else at this price is worth poking a stick at, and in the great 2012 vintage this label blew all before it out of the water, offering value for money completely off the scale. Pure red cherries, rose hip and cherry kernel meet […]

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If $10 is your budget, Windy Peak is your house chardonnay. It’s elegant, textural and remarkably stylish and sophisticated for its price. There are notes of white peach and grapefruit, finishing tangy, textural and beautifully balanced, with subtle grapefruit pith texture. Another great vintage for Windy Peak. $10 at Liquorland Direct.

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Early picked, fresh, delicate and crunchy, this is a bargain grigio packed with varietal integrity of pear and lemon zest. A blend of Adelaide Hills, Eden Valley and Barossa Valley, it’s lively and zesty, with soft, fine texture and surprising elegance. Gold medals in the Royal Adelaide and National Wine Shows are no surprise, until […]

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I adored the smashing inaugural 2011, even though the wizards at Lehmann received a few disturbed emails from those who found the reductive struck match and flint character to be too much. From a warmer season, the 2012 was never going to be its equal, even with the reductive complexity toned down. There’s still plenty […]

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Heggies is consistently one of the finest botrytis wines in South Australia, and 2012 is particularly impressive. Acid is the key, carrying the finish long and even, balancing succulent, juicy, ripe peach, fresh fig, honey and crunchy lemon zest character. There’s great complexity of mixed spice and baked apple along the way. $22 at Dan’s.

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This single vineyard on hard soil at the back of Mt McKenzie is on quite a trajectory. In 2009, it was the first in Eden Valley to make Lehmann’s highest classification of Stonewell. In 2013 it made the next tier down of VSV. Here it is in 2012, from 12 year old vines, standing alone […]

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