Toi Toi Central Otago Clutha Pinot Noir 2012 $15.90–$18 Central Otago’s reputation for pinot noir stems largely from higher priced classics like those made by Felton Road. But the growing production of this cool region at 45 degrees south means not every drop wins a place on the top shelf. Toi Toi, made intentionally for … Continue reading Wine review — Toi Toi, Yalumba and Pikes →

Moppity Vineyards Lock and Key Chardonnay 2012 $17 Coppabella Vineyard, Tumbarumba, NSW At the 2013 regional show, Lock and Key topped a line up of 24 chardonnays, ultimately winning the trophy as best chardonnay of the show. Wines from Tumbarumba dominated the class, winning all five gold medals. Moppity entered four chardonnays and won four … Continue reading Wine review — Moppity Vineyards, Oakridge, The Winesmiths, Yalumba and Hahndord Hill →

Mad Fish Gold Turtle Margaret River Chardonnay 2012 $14.25–$15 A mad fish and a gold turtle seem unlikely companions in a wine name. But the wine, from Jeff and Amy Burch’s Howard Park Winery, Margaret River, offers extraordinarily good drinking at a bargain price. Sourced from the Wilyabrup and Karridale sub-regions, Gold Turtle Chardonnay offers … Continue reading Wine review — Mad Fish, Yalumba and Heartland →

John Duval Plexus 2010 $31–$39 Barossa Valley, South Australia Following the disastrous Southcorp acquisition of Rosemount, former Penfolds chief winemaker, John Duval, struck out on his own. In Duval’s Plexus we taste the plush and lovely combination of Barossa shiraz (52 per cent), grenache (29 per cent) and mourvedre – sourced from old vines (some … Continue reading Wine review — John Duval, Helm, Giesen, Yalumba and Parker Coonawarra Estate →

Brokenwood Stanleigh Park Vineyard Semillon 2007 $45 Lower Hunter Valley, NSW People tend to have or hate the Hunter Valley’s idiosyncratic semillon style. If, like me, you love it; or if you’ve heard of it but haven’t tried it, Brokenwood’s just-released 2007 provides the perfect opportunity. It’s travelled through the early, lemony, austere stage of … Continue reading Wine review — Brokenwood, Majella, Ten Minutes by Tractor, Yalumba, Vinaceous and Blandy’s →

Turkey Flat Shiraz 2010 $38–$42 Bethany, Stonewell and Koonunga vineyards, Barossa Valley, South Australia Christie and Peter Schulz say their magnificent 2010 shiraz is based on vines planted at Bethany in 1847 by Johann Fiedler. They compliment fruit from those venerable old vines with material from low-yielding vines at Stonewell and Koonunga. This is perhaps … Continue reading Wine review — Turkey Flat, Yalumba, Scorpo Estate, Quartz Hill and d’Arenberg →

Innocent Bystander Yarra Valley Pinot Gris 2011 $20 Innocent Bystander Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2011 $25 Winemaker Steve Flamsteed writes, “2011 was a cool, wet and challenging year. White varieties revelled in the cool conditions and those growers who avoided late season moulds by careful vineyard work, produced some of the best fruit we have seen … Continue reading Wine review — Innocent Bystander, Voyager Estate and Yalumba →

PHI Heathcote Syrah Grenache 2010 $35 About five years ago the De Bortoli and Shelmerdine families launched the PHI label, for wines made by Steve Webber (husband of Leanne De Bortoli) from fruit grown in Shelmerdine family vineyards. The original releases – chardonnay, sauvignon and pinot noir – came from the Lusatia Park Vineyard, Yarra … Continue reading Wine review — PHI, Mr Riggs and Yalumba →

Helen’s Hill Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010 $30 Helen’s Hill “old block” vineyard, Coldstream, Yarra Valley, Victoria Helen’s Hill, established in 1997, is an elevated 60-hectare Yarra property, with 44.5 hectares under vine and a winery producing under two labels – Ingram Rd and Helen’s Hill. When they established the vineyard, the owners paid great … Continue reading Wine review — Helen’s Hill, Yangarra Estate, Yalumba, O’Leary Walker, Capital Wines and Louis Roederer →