Search Results for: winemakers

Wine review – Sassafras wines from NSW high country

People, Vineyard, Wine, Wine review

Sassafras Tumbarumba–Canberra District Chardonnay Savagnin Ancestral 2017$30 Paul Starr’s sparkling white combines chardonnay from Tumbarumba with savagnin grown at Murrumbateman in the Canberra district. Both sites lie on the western side of the Great Dividing Range in southern New South Wales. Tumbarumba is slightly cooler than Murrumbateman and has produced very high quality wine from … Continue reading Wine review – Sassafras wines from NSW high country →

Wine review – Clonakilla wines for release 1 May 2018

People, Vineyard, Wine, Wine review

Clonakilla Canberra District Syrah 2016 $120 Clonakilla Syrah comes from T&L block, the warmest site on the Kirk family’s Murrumbateman vineyard. From its earliest vintages the block, planted in 1999, ripened early than its neighbours and produced a distinctive, comparatively robust shiraz, albeit within the medium-bodied Canberra District spectrum. On first opening the 2016 showed … Continue reading Wine review – Clonakilla wines for release 1 May 2018 →

The Canberra wine region 2017 wrap

People, Vineyard, Wine, Wine review

In 2017, Lonely Planet rated Canberra third best city in the world. But in keeping with a decidedly riesling mood enveloping the Capital’s winemakers, Gallagher Canberra Riesling 2017 topped 519 wines from seven countries in the Canberra International Riesling Challenge. Murrumbateman winemaker Ken Helm founded the challenge 17 years ago. At the time, Canberra riesling, … Continue reading The Canberra wine region 2017 wrap →

Wynns Coonawarra Cabernet – 60 vintages tasted

People, Vineyard, Wine, Wine review

Tasting Wynns Cabernet – vintages 1954 to 2017 A sixty-vintage tasting of Wynns Coonawarra Estate cabernet sauvignon on 12 and 13 July 2017 proved the amazing beauty and keeping power of this great Aussie red. Not that this was any news to the tasters. Many of us gathered at Wynns had participated in a similar tasting in … Continue reading Wynns Coonawarra Cabernet – 60 vintages tasted →

Wine review – Quarry Hill, Helm, Ravensworth, Clonakilla

People, Wine, Wine review

Quarry Hill Two Places Tumbarumba-Canberra Pinot Gris 2016 $24 Like other Canberra wineries, Quarry Hill uses grapes from higher, cooler Tumbarumba for some wine styles. In this instance Tumbarumba pinot gris (94 per-cent of the blend) joins grenache from Quarry Hill’s Murrumbateman vineyard in a fresh, zesty, light pink dry wine. The savoury palate offers a … Continue reading Wine review – Quarry Hill, Helm, Ravensworth, Clonakilla →

Wine review – Tar and Roses, Tapanappa

Vineyard, Wine, Wine review

Tar and Roses Sangiovese 2015 Heathcote, Victoria Winemakers: Don Lewis and Narelle King Tasting: over lunch, not masked $21–$25 Hot summer day. Swimming. Lots of people. Kaleidoscope lunch flavours: bread, salads, oily and vinegary salad dressings, ham, prosciutto, salmon gravlax, chicken, olives, olive oil, butter, eggs, mettwurst, zucchini slice, hummus, hard cheese, soft cheese. Coupla … Continue reading Wine review – Tar and Roses, Tapanappa →

Five top Canberra and NSW high-country wines

People, Wine, Wine review

On the back of two consecutive, bountiful, high quality vintages, winemakers in Canberra and the neighbouring NSW high-country released an amazing wealth of classy wines in 2016. Regional specialties lighted the way. Canberra 2015 shiraz and 2016 riesling sit with Australia’s best. So does chardonnay from Tumbarumba and shiraz and cabernet sauvignon from Hilltops. But … Continue reading Five top Canberra and NSW high-country wines →

Wine review – Gundog Estate, Chalkers Crossing, McKellar Ridge, Four Winds Vineyard

People, Wine, Wine review

Gundog Estate Canberra District Shiraz 2015 $40 The Burton family’s Hunter-based Gundog Estate owns a vineyard at Gundaroo and is soon to open a cellar door outlet in the old stables at the Royal Hotel. The family’s 2015 shiraz shows the deep, sweet, fruity–spicy depth of the excellent vintage, complemented by layers of soft, savoury … Continue reading Wine review – Gundog Estate, Chalkers Crossing, McKellar Ridge, Four Winds Vineyard →

Wine review – Clonakilla, Summerhill Road, McWilliams Tumbarumba, Long Rail Gully

Wine, Wine review

Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier 2015 Clonakilla vineyard, Murrumbateman, Canberra District $96 Even among all the sensational 2015 vintage Canberra shirazes, Clonakilla’s flagship shiraz viognier retains its number one position. Three times in the past four months it topped tastings I attended. Away from the austerity of the tasting bench, it seduced and thrilled recently at Aubergine … Continue reading Wine review – Clonakilla, Summerhill Road, McWilliams Tumbarumba, Long Rail Gully →

Canberra’s sensational 2015 reds

People, Vineyard, Wine, Wine review

Canberra’s 2015 vintage produced sensational reds, perhaps the best in the district’s history. The quality – now in the glass for all to enjoy – justifies the superlatives sprinkled around like water at harvest time last year. At Lerida Estate, Lake George, Malcolm Burdett says, “It’s the best ever. Better than the 2013”. Greg Gallagher, … Continue reading Canberra’s sensational 2015 reds →