Cimicky Trumps Barossa Valley Shiraz 2007 $17–$20 Charles Cimicky, based at Lyndoch in the southern Barossa Valley, has been on the money with his rich, savoury, regional reds for decades. In the early days they enjoyed a cult following, but as the wines are now distributed nationally by Angoves you’re more likely to find them … Continue reading Wine review — Cimicky and Tapanappa
Maipenrai Canberra District Pinot Noir 2006 $23.33–$28 Maipenrai Canberra District Amungula Creek Pinot Noir 2004 $10–$12 Astronomer Brian Schmidt peers into the furthest corners of our expanding universe (see http://msowww.anu.edu.au/~brian/) but maintains a terrestrial base near Sutton. From his small vineyard, at 760 metres above sea level, Brian handcrafts the attractive, savoury, and complex Maipenrai … Continue reading Wine review — Maipenrai, Brown Magpie and Joseph Perrier
Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 $33–$50 Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2006 $40–$60 The bargain-basement pricing’s gone, but these are world-class wines with proven long-term cellaring ability. Bin 407 – sourced from Robe and nearby Coonawarra on the Limestone Coast, Langhorne Creek and the Barossa Valley – is as ripe, graceful and pure an … Continue reading Wine review — Penfolds, Punt Road and West End
Penfolds new release reds $23–$34 Bin 138 Barossa Valley Grenache Mourvedre Shiraz 2007 Penfolds Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz 2007 Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz 2006 This year’s release of Penfolds reds has been a demure affair. The customary retail price wars seem to have given way to stock pictures, tasting invitations and nary a price … Continue reading Wine review — Penfolds
Chateau Shanahan’s in the grip of a severe riesling addiction. Our pleasure comes reliably and economically. And it’s a direct result of Australia’s dramatic switch from cork to screwcap – precipitated in 1999 by a group of determined Clare Valley riesling makers. Thanks to winemaker Jeffrey Grosset and his Clare Valley mates we’re all enjoying … Continue reading A decade of screwcaps pays off for riesling drinkers
d’Arenberg The Stump Jump white range $9–$12 McLaren Vale Riesling, McLaren Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2008 McLaren Adelaide Hills Lightly Wooded Chardonnay 2008 We’re normally spruiking the virtues of d’Arenberg’s reds (like the delicious $25 Love Grass Shiraz). But their new Stump Jump whites deserve a nod at the price – especially if the retailers … Continue reading Wine review — d’Arenberg, Tahbilk and Anvers
Zonte’s Footstep Langhorne Creek Verdelho 2007, Pinot Grigio 2007 and Viognier 2007 $15–$18 A group of old schoolmates established a 210-hectare vineyard at Langhorne Creek in the late nineties and launched the Zonte’s Footstep brand about seven years later. The group sells a good deal of the grapes but winemaker Ben Riggs selects parcels for … Continue reading Wine review — Zonte’s Footstep
Ken Helm and his supporters launched Canberra’s riesling challenge in 2000, opened it to New Zealand wines in 2002 and then to the world, as the Canberra International Riesling Challenge, in 2005. The number of entries grew from 137 in 2000 to 512 from six countries this year, a record. The results, announced on Friday … Continue reading Canberra international riesling challenge results
There’s a buzz around the industry about the 2008 rieslings. It started during vintage and by April, many winemakers, including Chris Hatcher of the Foster’s Group (one of our leading riesling makers) rated the wines as the best since the legendary 2002 vintage. Quantities were up, too, as nature seemingly compensated vignerons for the harsh, … Continue reading Riesling — the Aussie buzz in 2008
This year’s regional wine show tells us more strongly than ever that Canberra’s reputation and future rests heavily on the two varieties that shine here — riesling and shiraz. Other styles play a niche role – or perhaps, in some cases, none at all in the long run – with the important caveat that we … Continue reading Canberra regional wine show 2008 — a judge’s perspective