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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Eden Hall’s rieslings age beautifully, and at five years of age its museum release is but half way through its life. An impressively lively style, evolving in slow motion to build toast and spice character over a well-defined core of granny smith and lime fruit. A riesling of impressive carry and seamless persistence. $19 at […]

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Contours is one of the great Australian mature release rieslings and 2008 one of the A-league, particularly youthful for its age. It’s all about citrus and stone fruits, holding impressive fruit poise in spite of its years, just beginning to hint at toasty nuttiness. Outstanding persistence and even, enduring intensity. $25 at The Glass and […]

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