Kaiora Bay Reserve Central Otago Pinot Noir 2013 $14.99 Marlborough, New Zealand’s biggest, most valuable wine region, accounts for a remarkable $NZ 1 billion of the country’s $NZ 1.3 billion wine exports. Sauvignon blanc makes up 86 per cent of Marlborough’s wine production, while pinot noir, the number two variety, claims only six per cent. … Continue reading Wine review – Kaiora Bay, St John’s Road and Port Phillip Estate →

Mt Monster Limestone Coast Shiraz 2013 $13–$16 The Bryson family owns two vineyards, totalling 170 hectares, at Padthaway on South Australia’s Limestone Coast, about an hour’s drive north of Coonawarra. By my estimate a vineyard of that size might produce around 120 thousand dozen bottles in a good year – fairly large production for a … Continue reading Wine review – Mt Monster, Chapel Hill and Tyrrell’s →

Majella Coonawarra Sparkling Shiraz 2008 $30–$35 At the 2014 Limestone Coast Wine Show, Chinese judge Fongyee Walker awarded her International Judge’s Trophy to Majella sparkling shiraz. ABC Rural quoted Ms Walker, “It is the one wine of the whole set [of 418 wines] that I could safely give to every single person in China and … Continue reading Wine review – Majella, Oxford Landing Estates and Peter Lehmann →

Bilgavia Estate Hunter Valley Shiraz 2013 $26 Leona and Phil Gunter’s shiraz comes from their vineyard in the Hunter’s Broke–Fordwich sub-region – a valley over from Pokolbin in the valley’s heartland. The Gunter’s bought the vineyard in 2011 and this is their first shiraz, made from just one tonne of grapes. Although the alcohol is … Continue reading Wine review – Bilgavia Estate, Shottesbrooke and Mr Riggs →

Tolpuddle Pinot Noir 2013 $75 Tolpuddle vineyard, Coal River Valley, Tasmania In 2011 Adelaide-Hills-based Shaw and Smith bought the mature 20-hectare Tolpuddle vineyard, located in Tasmania’s Coal RiverValley. The new owners sell the majority of their fruit to other winemakers, but make small quantities of pinot noir and chardonnay for the new Tolpuddle label. In … Continue reading Wine review – Tolpuddle, Langmeil, Bourke Street, Pikes, Four Winds and Hay Shed Hill →

Jacob’s Creek Reserve Barossa Shiraz 2013 $10–$17 The price of Jacob’s Creek Reserve Barossa Shiraz varies widely. But even at full price it delivers rich, ripe, satisfying Barossa flavours. On discount it’s a great bargain. A group of us tasted it recently alongside several more expensive Australian shirazes and the commentary leaned more towards differences … Continue reading Wine review – Jacob’s Creek, Tolpuddle and Mount Majura →

Lark Hill Gruner Veltliner 2014 $45 Lark Hill Vineyard, Lake George Escarpment, Canberra District, NSW Even in the difficult 2014 season, Austrian variety gruner veltliner made an outstanding wine at Canberra’s highest vineyard. The Carpenter family call 2014 “one of the most challenging vintages to date”. Frost and unsettled spring weather disrupted flowering, reducing the … Continue reading Wine review – Lark Hill, Serafino, Madfish, Freeman, Mount Majura and Hardys →

Long Rail Gully Shiraz $25 Long Rail Gully Vineyard, Murrumbateman, Canberra District, NSW Canberra winemakers became excited about the local 2013 shiraz even before the ferments began. Now the wines are rolling out, and they’re exciting. Ravensworth, reviewed a few months back, Nick O’Leary’s trophy winner and now Long Rail Gully and Clonakilla all show … Continue reading Wine review – Long Rail Gully, Clonakilla, Majella, La Maschera and Helm →

Heggies Vineyard Eden Valley Chardonnay 2012 $21.85–$$30 The Eden Valley sits on the Mount Lofty Ranges and forms the eastern boundary of the Barossa region. Although the best chardonnays now come from further south on the ranges, in the cooler Adelaide Hills, Heggies Eden Valley vineyard consistently produces an exciting chardonnay at a fair price. … Continue reading Wine review – Heggies, Larry Cherubino and Wirra Wirra →