Eperosa LRC 2009 $35 Light Regional Council Greenock Vineyard, Barossa Valley, South Australia Some time back Barossa viticulturist Brett Grocke turned to winemaking, determined to capture distinctive characters from “favourite sites throughout the Barossa and Eden Valleys”, he writes. In LRC we taste a unique, generous, elegant, spicy and savoury shiraz that could, at first … Continue reading Wine review — Eperosa, Jacob’s Creek, d’Arenberg, Juniper Crossing and Shelmerdine →

Chapel Hill Il Vescovo Tempranillo 2010 $20 McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills, South Australia Today we review two tempranillos, each emphasising a different facet of this Spanish variety. Chapel Hill’s version, made by Bryn Richards, leads with fruit – big, joyous buckets of it, ripe and mulberry like, gushing from the glass, up your nose … Continue reading Wine review — Chapel Hill, Tar and Roses, First Creek and Stefano Lubiano →

Lark Hill Gruner Veltliner 2011 $40 Lake George Escarpment, Canberra District, New South Wales Following a suggestion from Jancis Robinson, a visit to Austria tasting its signature variety – and the fortuitous discovery of two vines in Tasmania – the Carpenters of Lark Hill propagated gruner veltliner from cuttings, then planted 1,000 vines in 2006. … Continue reading Wine review — Lark Hill, Maipenrai Amungula Creek, Balnaves, Majella and Peter Lehmann →

Helm Canberra District Half Dry Riesling 2011 $25 Bang! Hear the firing gun? It’s the opening of unwooded white season, as our winemakers launch the first of their 2011 vintages. In Canberra the main game is crisp, mainly dry rieslings — with some exceptions, like Ken Helm’s mouth-watering semi-dry style. The cool season delivered high … Continue reading Wine review — Helm and Jacob’s Creek →

Jacob’s Creek Reserve Chardonnay 2008 $10.90–$17.99 Adelaide Hills, South Australia Reflecting the growing trend to regional marketing, Jacob’s Creek, part of French-owned Pernod-Ricard, recently moved to regional labelling on its reserve range. The range was originally launched in 2000 as multi-region blends. They’ve always hit the sweet spot for quality and value – especially during … Continue reading Wine review — Jacob’s Creek, Yalumba, Picardy, Coriole, Wynns and Robert Stein →

Louee Nullo Mountain Riesling 2010 $25 Rylstone, New South Wales It’s just 50 kilometres from Mudgee (450 metres) but Nullo Mountain vineyard sits at 1,100 metres. At that altitude grapes develop varietal flavour at low sugar levels while retaining spine-tingling acidity that’d make a German vigneron smile. Over at Mudgee David Lowe helps these wonderful … Continue reading Wine review — Louee Wines, Yering Station, Jacob’s Creek, Paxton, Innocent Bystander and Terra a Terre →

Jacob’s Creek Steingarten Riesling 2007 $22–$34 Barossa Valley, South Australia Colin Gramp planted the Steingarten vineyard on a high, exposed, stony east-facing slope in 1962. The tiny vineyard struggled but survived and was extended to two hectares early this decade. Even the 48-year-old vines look spindly. But in tandem with fruit from neighbouring vineyards on … Continue reading Wine review — Jacob’s Creek Steingarten, Yarrh, Tupari, Riposte, Holm Oak and Stoniers →

Brown Brothers Patricia Pinot Noir Chardonnay Brut 2005 $40–$50 Patricia comes from the cold Whitlands vineyard on a plateau above the southern end of Victoria’s King Valley. It’s cold enough to produce the intense but delicate flavours essential for top-end bubbly. Patricia 2005 is juicy and fresh but very delicate, with the varietal fruit flavour … Continue reading Wine review — Brown Brothers, Jacob’s Creek and Dal Zatto →

Willow Creek Vineyard Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay 2009 $40 Willow Creek is one of many beautiful Mornington Peninsula vineyards to make stunning chardonnay and pinot noir. Winemaker Geraldine McFaul writes that the wine is estate-grown, whole-bunch pressed, fermented in oak barrels (25 per cent new) and matured on yeast lees in the barrels, with regular lees … Continue reading Wine review — Willow Creek, Clonakilla and Coriole →

Jim Barry “The Florita” Riesling 2009 $40 Watervale, Clare Valley, South Australia This is a stunning riesling, sourced from selected rows of the historic Florita Vineyard, established by Leo Buring in the 1940s. Replanted to riesling under Lindemans in the 1960s, the vineyard provided fruit for the great Leo Buring Watervale rieslings made for the … Continue reading Wine review — Jim Barry, Tim Adams, Willow Creek, Mitchell, Rutherglen Estate and Cloudy Bay →