Windy Peak Shiraz 2012 – $11.40–$14 Heathcote, Victoria Sometimes less is more. And that’s what makes modestly priced Windy Peak wine of the week. It isn’t over-oaked. It isn’t over extracted. It isn’t tricked up in any way as some cheaper wines can be. It simply delivers what it says on the label – shiraz … Continue reading Wine review — Windy Peak, Capital Wines, Tower Estate, Robert Stein and Clover Hill →

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 →

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 →

Hunting on Sundays Canberra District Shiraz Cabernet 2011 $22 Sommeliers Travis Cutler  (Thirst Wine Bar) and James Duffell (formerly of Lanterne Rooms) turned to winemaking and came up with this lovely luncheon red from the cold, wet 2011 vintage. Combining shiraz and cabernet, the wine displays the bright berry fruit and spice of shiraz with … Continue reading Wine review — Hunting on Sundays, Grant Burge and Plantagenet →

De Bortoli Yarra Valley La Boheme Syrah Gamay 2011 $18–$20 Research commissioned by Woolworths reveals that two thirds of Australians intend hosting Christmas meals in the backyard, enjoying an ever more adventurous range of fresh foods. This calls for light and refreshing wines of the styles reviewed today. The cool Yarra Valley vintage and use … Continue reading Wine review — De Bortoli and Brown Brothers →

Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Chardonnay 2011 $35.15–$40 Sexton Vineyard, Yarra Valley, Victoria Proprietor Phil Sexton offers three single-vineyard Yarra Valley chardonnays – the vineyards managed by Stuart Marshall and wines made by Steve Flamsteed. The wines reflect the fruit flavours of the different sites, some clonal variation and subtle variations in winemaking, including the use … Continue reading Wine review — Giant Steps, Tertini, David Hook, Andrew Thomas, Tulloch and John Duval →

Tertini Reserve Pinot Noir 20009 $58 Tertini Yaraandoo vineyard, Southern Highlands, NSW Tertini’s 2009 reserve pinot noir won gold medals in the 2012 Boutique Wine Awards and 2012 NSW Wine Awards. In the latter it won the trophy for best pinot, beating the gold-medal-winning Tertini Pinot Noir 2010 in the taste. I tasted the reserve … Continue reading Wine review — Tertini, Centennial, Vionta and Devil’s Lair →

Lark Hill Chardonnay 2010 $35 Lark Hill vineyard, Lake George Escarpment, Canberra District, NSW The 2010 vintage produced a particularly fine, appealing and potentially long-lived chardonnay from Lark Hill, Canberra’s highest and coolest vineyard. High natural acidity and intense nectarine-like varietal flavour underpin the wine, which also bears the funky thumbprint of a wild yeast … Continue reading Wine review — Lark Hill, Marquis de Riscal Rioja, Chapel Hill, Down to Earth and Peppertree →

Hugh Hamilton The Rascal Shiraz 2010 $25.50–$30 Bethany and Blewitt Springs, McLaren Vale, South Australia Hugh Hamilton’s latest Rascal shiraz demonstrates the outstanding quality of the 2010 vintage in South Australia’s warm regions. The wine appeals for its full, ripe, generous flavours, bright fruit and earthy, savoury undertones (typical of top-notch McLaren Vale shiraz). The … Continue reading Wine review — Hugh Hamilton, Good Catholic Girl, Topper’s Mountain, John Duval, Best’s and Kingston Estate →