Moorilla Muse Pinot Noir 2012 $48 Moorilla vineyard, Derwent Valley, Tasmania David Walsh bought Moorilla from the Alcorso family in 1995. But it’s only in recent years we’ve seen the wines consistently achieving outstanding quality under winemaker Connor van der Reest. Two new-release pinots demonstrate that quality. Praxis 2013 ($30), from the Matthias vineyard, Tamar … Continue reading Wine review – Moorilla, Brothers in Arms, Quara Estate, Port Phillip Estate, Xanadu and Mount Horrocks →

Four Winds Sangiovese 2013 $25 Murrumbateman, Canberra District, NSW Italy’s sangiovese is gradually carving a niche for itself in Canberra, with several successful wines, including this brilliant new release from Four Winds, Murrumbateman. Winemaker Bill Crow says he tends the property’s 300 sangiovese vines personally. They’re particularly vigorous, he says, and in 2013 he dropped … Continue reading Wine review – Four Winds,, Tyrrell’s, St Hallett, Howard Park, Horrock and Curly Flat →

Seppelt Drumborg Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012 $35–$45 Drumborg, Henty Region, Victoria Former Seppelt winemaker Ian McKenzie once described Drumborg as the first landfall north of Antarctica. Indeed, the cold vineyard site near the southwestern Victorian coast struggled for decades after Karl Seppelt established it in 1964. During the two-decade McKenzie era from the early 1980s, … Continue reading Wine review – Seppelt, Sugarloaf Ridge, Penfolds, Paxton, Yalumba and T’Gallant →

Penfolds Bin 138 Shiraz Grenache Mataro 2012 $32–37 Barossa Valley, South Australia After the skinny 2011 vintage, Penfolds Bin 138 returns to fleshy, juicy form in 2012. Though cooler than normal, the vintage provided sufficient heat to ripen the grapes fully – at the same delivering bold, heady, fruity aromas. The proportions of each variety … Continue reading Wine review – Penfolds, Ross Hill, Mawson’s, Andrew Thomas, Angullong and Kirrihill →

Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 $95–$112 Moss Wood vineyard, Margaret River, Western Australia Moss Wood earned its wine of the week possie by a slim margin over Houghton Jack Mann Cabernet Sauvignon 2011, also reviewed today. These are great cabernets by any measure, both with proven cellaring potential and both, therefore, collectible as either special-occasion … Continue reading Wine review – Moss Wood, Houghton Jack Mann, Penfolds, Hill-Smith Estate, Oakridge and De Bortoli →

Capital Wines The Ambassador Tempranillo 2013 $25 Murrumbateman, Canberra District, NSW Though volumes remain small, the Spanish variety, tempranillo is perhaps the strongest contender to be Canberra’s second specialty red variety after shiraz. Outstanding examples from Mount Majura, Capital Wines and, from 2013, Quarry Hill, all hit the excitement button. At a recent masked tasting, … Continue reading Wine review – Capital Wines, Quarry Hill, Trinity Hill, Mount Monster, Bleasdale and Forester Estate →

Vin De Savoie Le Feu (Domaine Belluard) 2011 $57 The village of Ayze, 450 metres up in France’s Savoie region, is home to Domaine Bulluard’s 12-hectares of the gringet vine. Jancis Robinson writes just 22-hectares of the variety remain in Ayze, with Domain Belluard now the only commercial producer. Robinson quotes 19th century writing on … Continue reading Wine review – Domaine Belluard, Forester Estate and Mount Monster →

Hewitson Miss Harry 2012 $21.85–$23 Barossa Valley, South Australia Dean Hewitson’s delightfully savoury, spicy Miss Harry combines the Rhone Valley varieties, grenache, shiraz, mourvedre, carignan and cinsault. Much of the fruit comes from “historic 100-year-plus, dry-grown bush vine vineyards dotted throughout the valley”, writes Hewitson. The venerable old vines gave their best flavours in the … Continue reading Wine review — Hewitson, Tyrrell’s, Chalk Hill, Clonakilla, Ravensworth and Mount Langi Ghiran →

La Linea Tempranillo 2012 $27 Adelaide Hills, South Australia If I had to bet the house on one of the so-called “alternative” grape varieties it’d be Spain’s tempranillo. We crush only about 3000 tonnes a year in Australia (equivalent to perhaps 225 thousand dozen bottles) – a mere splash compared to the more familiar varieties … Continue reading Wine review — La Linea, Hoddles Creek, Clairault, Mount Majura, Coriole and Buchot-Ludot →