The challenging 2009 vintage disqualified all but one parcel of fruit for The Tally: that which forms the linear vector of its honed backbone. The result is the most focused, precise and restrained Tally, that time may prove to rank among the finest and longest-lived. $73 at Kemeny’s, $80 at WineStar.
readA racy apéritif, as exactingly primary as NV champagne comes. PP is as cool, fresh and vinous as biting into a chardonnay grape from an ultra-cool vineyard – which is precisely as it is, sourced predominantly from the legendary grand cru of Le Mesnil. $65 at www.champagnegallery.com.au and www.princewinestore.com.au.
readSince the old days of The Vicar, Chapel Hill has dreamt of a premium cabernet. Winemaker DJ rockstar Michael Fragos says this block trumps it every time with its richness and varietal definition. Interplay between fruit depth and mineral tannin is captivating – no wonder they call it “gorge”!
readA show-and-tell-tour of Yalumba’s fanatical vineyard monitoring and testing regime last week explained this wine’s ascension to the gods in 2007. A remarkable result for a tough drought year, it sings with fresh, focused red- and blackcurrants, cigar box and textural tannin finesse. $38@Dan’s, $40@Kemeny’s.
readKT is the fast-ascending queen of Clare riesling, proving in 2008 that her charm works equal magic with shiraz and now, in 2009, cabernet. Fantastic vibrancy of persistent blackcurrant, capsicum, leaf and mint, meeting a textural, honed structure of firm, fine tannins.
readYering Station has grown up, returning to the heyday of its heady era of pinot noir glory with more delicacy of gorgeous rose petal, violet and cherry kernel perfume than ever. Whole bunch fermentation is masterfully controlled, slipping into a silky gown of fine, supple tannins. $24 at Dan’s.
readFor a decade, Majella has remained my benchmark for $30 Australian cabernet and countless wines have missed the cut in the presence of this comparison. 2009 is a textbook, definitive Coonawarra cabernet of concentration, structural poise and fine-tuned definition. $30 at Kemeny’s.
readThis is not merely a wine, it is a historical marker of Tasmania’s ascension to the elite of Australian pinot gris. The honed determination of cool, invigorating northern Tassie pear and apple fruit is immaculately offset by beautifully handled skin phenolics and subtle oak creaminess. $24 at Dan’s.
readMelody hit the bottle just a day before I found her prancing around the tasting room at Majella. Her pretty rose petal and youthful strawberry, cherry and redcurrant fruits are at their flirtatious peak right now so don’t hold back until summer before ripping her top off.
readWindy Pants is the undisputed benchmark of sub-$15 pinot, single-handedly responsible for converting a generation of white wine drinkers to the extravagant joys of the beguiling grape. Gorgeous perfume of violet, rose petal and cherry, with properly structured tannins. $11 at WineStar, $11.40 at Dan’s.
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