Baby Piper gets better and better under the talented watch of Régis Camus and $36 at Kemeny’s this week makes it one of the best cheap champagnes on the shelves. Two-and-a-half years on lees instils its bright, fresh, citrus-driven fruitiness with a rounded maturity. Perfect for weddings, parties and Christmas!
readWaipara is a pinot noir hotbed to watch in New Zealand, and Pegasus Bay is one of its star performers. With vines now a quarter-century of age, this is a proper pinot noir of structure and longevity. Refined red cherry fruit, wood spice and subtle nuances of dried herbs carry seamlessly through a long finish […]
readI would never expect young vine graciano to rise to the calibre of this esteemed list, but such is the beauty of the pure morello cherry bouquet and elegant-bodied fresh cherry palate of this stylishly crafted wine that its position is secure. Finely structured, textural tannins add to its fresh appeal and drinkability. Give it […]
readPeg Bay is one of New Zealand’s greatest rieslings, and less botrytis makes 2009 a particularly alluring and poised expression. Gorgeous complexity of apricot, peach, baked apple, clove, even a hint of kerosene and lingering exotic spice, over a crunchy backbone of lime and lemon zest. It’s a full and rich style of medium sweetness […]
readSyrah, merlot and cabernet in almost equal parts makes for an unusual blend, and particularly for Martinborough, but the interplay of deep concentration and delightful freshness going on here is quite remarkable. Black pepper, mixed spice, plums and blackberries are propelled by a fine, gravelly tannin structure that captures the gravelly Martinborough terraces of its […]
readThis is a chardonnay that boldly and confidently leads with texture and winemaking complexity ahead of pure fruit expression. With air and time, the fruit is given opportunity to shine. And shine it does, with reflections of apple, pear and grapefruit, focused and linear, streaming through a long, textural finish. $41 at Dan’s.
readAfter a morning at De Bortoli last week I’m stoked about what new releases next year will bring, and even the challenging 2011 vintage is full of surprises. The 2010s are on form, and Emu epitomises the diverse expression of De Bortoli’s vineyard sites. Not far from the De Bortoli estate, the soils here make […]
readI have admired its wines for years, but visited Wantirna for the first time just last week and discovered an immaculately tended vineyard on a glorious site in an unusual location that can best be described as Melbourne suburbia, mid-way between the Yarra and the Mornington. Amelia was the star, with sensational purity and poise […]
readA rosé that really does smell and taste like roses, from the delightfully named Champagne village of Chigny-les-Roses! Delicate and restrained perfume of just-picked strawberries, with a creamy bead and soft minerality melding seamlessly with subtle dosage. There is not a molecule out of place, such is its impeccable balance and pure refinement.
readIn its thirtieth vintage, Ata Rangi Pinot Noir is a classic rather than a blockbuster. This cool, early season has coaxed out bright, herbal purity. Red cherries, pink peppercorns, fresh rose petals and nuances of bouquet garni play over a silky tannin structure of firm texture, wonderfully integrated already but with the energy and endurance […]
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