Jacob’s Creek Reserve Chardonnay 2012 $10.70–$18 Adelaide Hills, South Australia The high quality of South Australia’s 2012 whites shines through again in Jacob’s Creek Reserve Chardonnay. We quaffed a couple of bottles with Thai food in Terrigal a few weeks back, alongside the Pewsey Vale Riesling 2012, also reviewed today. I rated Pewsey Vale a … Continue reading Wine review — Jacob’s Creek, Bay of Fires, Pewsey Vale, Dandelion Vineyard, Half Moon and Peter Lehmann →

Hartz Barn Eden Valley Reserve General Store Riesling 2012 $25 Sydney-based Estate Wines distributes Penny Hart’s and David Barnett’s wines in NSW, including Canberra’s south-coast holiday patch. We discovered the excellent 2011 vintage riesling at Quarterdeck Restaurant, Narooma, which prompted a request to taste the even better 2012. Typical of the vintage it reveals loads … Continue reading Wine review — Hartz Barn, Sibling Rivalry and Capital Wines →

Dandelion Wonderland of the Eden Valley Riesling 2012 $22–$27.50 Colin Kroehn Vineyard, Eden Valley, South Australia God knows where Colin Kroehn’s riesling grapes went before Dandelion’s bright young people came along. But since their arrival we’ve tasted some of the finest, most delicate Eden Valley riesling on offer – a particularly juicy, taut and delicate … Continue reading Wine review — Dandelion, Maipenrai, Moss Wood, Punt Road, Penny’s Hill and Hartz Barn →

Centenary of Canberra Chardonnay Pinot Noir Cuvee Centenary $30 In 2008 a group of local winemakers produced a shiraz and a riesling for release in Canberra’s centenary year, 2013. But, writes vigneron Allan Pankhurst, “Only about 300 cases of each were produced of which half is already earmarked for use by the ACT government and … Continue reading Wine review — Centenary of Canberra →

Henschke Johann’s Garden 2010 $36.09–$45 Barossa Valley, South Australia Stephen and Prue Henschke’s sensational Johann’s Garden 2010 combines grenache (66 per cent), mourvedre (26 per cent) and shiraz from old, dry-grown Barossa vines. In a recent afternoon’s tasting with Barossa wine merchant David Farmer, it equalled JJ Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett 2007 as wines … Continue reading Wine review — Henschke, Red Knot, Hungerford Hill, St Hallett and Hardy’s →

Jacob’s Creek Riesling 2012 $6.90–$10 The latest Jacob’s Creek shows the superior flavour qualities of a great riesling vintage. It won silver medals in the Melbourne and Hobart wine shows, then golds in Adelaide and Canberra’s National Wine Show of Australia. Winemaker Bernard Hickin says the fruit comes from the Barossa, Eden and Clare Valleys … Continue reading Wine review — Jacob’s Creek, Simmonnet-Febvre and Bay of Fires →

Peter Lehmann Barossa Valley Hill and Valley Semillon 2012 $22 Peter Lehmann’s new Barossa semillon offers light, fresh lemony varietal flavours on a delicate, soft, delicious, dry palate. It’s a unique dry white, softer and more approachable now, say, than a Hunter semillon of the same age. At just 11.5 per cent alcohol it’s less … Continue reading Wine review — Peter Lehmann and Mitchell →