Man O’ War Dreadnought Syrah 2009 $45–$50 Eastern Waiheke Island, New Zealand Waiheke Island, to the east of Auckland, lies at about the same latitude as Bendigo, Victoria, and Naracoorte (just north of Coonawarra), South Australia. The three regions, though, produce starkly different cool-climate shiraz styles – probably driven by significant climate variances. The flavour … Continue reading Wine review — Man ‘O War, Jip Jip Rocks, PHI, Seville Estate, Yalumba and Jeir Creek →

Shaw Vineyard Estate Isabella Riesling 2009 $28 Shaw vineyard, Murrumbateman, Canberra District, New South Wales Almost two years after its release, Graeme Shaw’s delicious Isabella Riesling 2009 remains available at cellar door and on the wine list at Flint in the Vines – the restaurant adjoining the cellar door. This is where we reacquainted ourselves … Continue reading Wine review — Shaw Vineyard Estate, Pewsey Vale, Skillogalee, Peter Lehmann, Grosset and Mount Horrocks →

Taltarni Shiraz 2008 $30–$39 Heathcote, Victoria We put this in an office tasting alongside several far more expensive reds, and for me it was the wine to come back to for a couple of glasses – each one as interesting as the first sip. Heathcote reds can be a bit heavy, alcoholic and over the … Continue reading Wine review — Taltarni, Yalumba, Shaw and Smith, Ballabourneen, Best’s and Grosset →

Handpicked Eduardo Jordan Selection Maipo Valley Carmenere 2008 Until a French vine expert identified it in 1994, Chile’s vignerons remained unaware that many of their vines, misnamed as merlot since the mid 19th century, were in fact carmenere – a variety that disappeared from Bordeaux after the phylloxera infestation. Chile now has a near monopoly … Continue reading Wine review — Handpicked, Clonakilla and Yalumba →