Varietal integrity and elegance rarely come together at this price. This zesty gris of pale straw hue is defined by soft pear, grapefruit and locut character, soft texture and gently balanced acidity. $11 at Jim’s.
The recipe reads like an expensive boutique wine: selectively hand picked with several passes through some vineyards, wild yeast fermented on full solids and kept on lees until final blending. The result is elegant, textural and crunchy, contrasting subtle nashi pear, guava, grapefruit and nutmeg with notes of earthy, leesy complexity. $9 at Purvis.
Chapel Hill Unwooded Chardonnay has completed its evolution, pepped up with a touch of French oak. The craftsmanship has never been more finely-tuned, and the focus remains resolutely on its vibrant, zesty, crunchy grapefruit and lemon character. Leesy texture draws out the finish long and linear. $15 at 1st Choice and Dan’s.
A sophisticated recipe of cloudy juice, partial wild fermentation and lees ageing provides funky charcuterie complexity to frame fig, white peach and grapefruit flavours. Balanced, fine acidity provides focus to a long finish. Such complexity and character are rarely found in chardonnay at this price. $15 at Prince and Barrique.
Freshness is the key to fino, and half bottles under cork tend to develop quickly, so this one is brought in frequently in small volumes. Check the bottling code to ensure fresh stock – the first two digits are the year (12 here) and the next three digits are the day of the year (199 […]
This is serious rosé, early picked from Barossa Valley grenache vines of 40-50 years of age and half fermented in old oak barrels. Quality fruit sourcing infuses aromas and flavours of rose petal, watermelon and pink pepper, while barrel work contributes subtle savoury spice and a texture akin to ice cream cone. $19 at Wine […]
A delightfully fragrant and alluring wine, and one of the bargains of the vintage. Pretty rose petal perfume and pepper accent crunchy red berry fruits. A wine of elegant restraint, sour berry tang and beautifully composed, fine-grained tannins of considerable class. Best price direct.
Bruce Tyrrell is on a mission, throwing every bottle out of his personal cellar that’s more than 14.5% alcohol. “We’ve totally changed the styles of the wine we’re drinking!” he reveals. His regime is toning even his entry Hunter shiraz. At just 13%, this is an appealing, lighter, lunchtime style of spicy, peppery, crunchy, red […]
A bargain Hunter shiraz of black plum skin, succulent black cherry fruits and lingering violet fragrance. It’s elegantly medium-bodied, reflecting the vibrant acid profile of the season, supported by well-defined, fine-grained tannins. $19 at Discount Wines.
Intense plum and crunchy black cherry fruit and subtle, old oak make Thommo’s déjà vu his most approachable and enticing shiraz for early drinking. Pepped up with a dose of early picked semillon, the lively, vibrant acid structure and finely textured tannins of 2011 charge it with some potential for the medium-term. Best price direct.