Led by a sensational Grange vintage, Penfolds will release its 2016 collection across Australia on Thursday 20 October. The predictably impressive line up, includes many highlights: Reserve Bin A Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2015, Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz 2014, Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz 2014, Bin 150 Marananga Shiraz 2014, Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz 2014, RWT Barossa … Continue reading Sensational 2012 Grange leads Penfolds 2016 releases
Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 – wine of the week Moss Wood vineyard, Wilyabrup, Margaret River, Western Australia $95–$125 Moss Wood cabernet rates among Australia’s greatest wines. It’s of a quality Hemingway surely had in mind when he wrote, “Wine is one of the most civilised things in the world and one of the most … Continue reading Wine review – Moss Wood, Grove Estate, Lerida Estate, Mr Riggs, Mount Monster, Greywacke
Gramp and Son St Hugo Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 – wine of the week Coonawarra and Barossa, South Australia $55 In the fickle world of corporate wine marketing, St Hugo began life in the 1980s as a Coonawarra cabernet under the Orlando banner. Early this century, it joined cellar mate Jacob’s Creek’s portfolio in a failed … Continue reading Wine review – Gramp and Son St Hugo, Penfolds, Pikes, Ross Hill, Red Knot, Jim Barry
Eldridge Estate Pinot Noir 2014 – wine of the week Eldridge Estate vineyard, Red Hill, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria $60 David Lloyd’s wines demonstrate the power of growing grape varieties in the right climate, then mastering vineyard management and winemaking. His 3.8-hectare vineyard, at around 200-metres altitude and 38 degrees south, provides the cool growing and … Continue reading Wine review – Eldridge Estate, Bremerton, Billecart-Salmon, Murrumbateman Winery, Arrogant Frog, Sandalford
Rabl Gruner Veltliner Spiegel 2013 Spiegel vineyard, Kamptal, Austria $24.50–$28 Rabl gruner veltliner brightens a short wine list at Canberra’s Akiba restaurant. Its shimmering fruit–acid harmony matches the vitality of the restaurant’s food, but doesn’t compete with it. The flavours, reminiscent of lime and green apple with a unique spicy, peppery note, carry through even … Continue reading Wine reviews – Rabl, Andrew Thomas, La La Land, Freeman, Seppelt, Bremerton
Hardys Bastard Hill Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2013 Bastard Hill vineyard, Yarra Valley, Victoria $60 Formerly released under parent company Accolade Wines’ Yarra Burn label, this gorgeous chardonnay comes from a single block of the very cool Bastard Hill vineyard. “At something like 32 degrees it’s a hard hill to work on”, says winemaker Paul Lapsley … Continue reading Wine review – Hardys, Domain Day, Eden Road, Stella Bella, Moppity Vineyards, West Cape Howe
Tim Adams Clare Valley Semillon 2012 $18.05–$22 Wines labelled “semillon”, unaccompanied by the magic words “sauvignon blanc”, appeal to a narrow audience. But there’s no reason why this should be so as the variety offers terrific drinking with distinctive flavour. The light bodied, low-alcohol versions from the Hunter Valley drink beautifully for decades. Tim Adams, … Continue reading Wine review – Tim Adams, Schild Estate, West Cape Howe
Bleasdale Langhorne Creek Second Innings Malbec 2014 $15.15–$22 Bleasdale, Langhorne Creek’s original winery, used malbec for table wines from 1961 (111 years after Frank Potts established the business). Although long a blending wine, malbec now stands on its own under a number of Bleasdale labels. Indeed, winemaker Paul Hotker writes, “We have recently planted three … Continue reading Wine review – Bleasdale, Kirrihill, Howard Park
Teusner Empress Eden Valley Riesling 2015 $21.90–$23 Bateman Bay’s Starfish Deli very sensibly offers good riesling by the glass. The current tipple, Barossa-based Kym Teusner’s Empress riesling, comes from two Eden Valley vineyards, one of them 50 years old. Teusner takes riesling in a lean, taut direction, sometimes described as “minerally” – well away from … Continue reading Wine reviews – Teusner, Craggy Range, Jacob’s Cree
Tapanappa Foggy Hill Pinot Noir 2014 Foggy Hill vineyard, Fleurie Peninsula, South Australia $55 After losing control of Petaluma Wines to Lion Nathan (now Lion Co) early this century, founder Brian Croser established Tapanappa Wines, based on existing vineyards in the Piccadilly Valley (Adelaide Hills) and Wrattonbully, near Coonawarra. In 2003, Croser planted a pinot … Continue reading Wine reviews – Tapanappa, Sassafras, Ravensworth, Cupitt, Pikes and Bremerton