Indholdsfortegnelse for WINESTATE Wine of the Year Awards Annual Edition 2018 i Winestate Magazine

THIS YEAR WE ARE CELEBRATING our 40th Anniversary year of Winestate Magazine (our official birthday will be the May/June issue so stay tuned). Amazing how time flies when you are having fun! To begin the year we are combining our usual Wine of the Year issue into the Annual to create a giant blockbuster issue that covers all our best wines of the year. It is quite remarkable how many quality wines have been produced from both Australia and New Zealand many of which we can present in this issue. It is a great credit to the wine growers and winemakers to produce wines of this standard. These wines continue to win awards, not only with us but at all other major wine shows around the world, against all comers.…

OUR oldest vineyards date back to the 1860s and they are deservedly regarded as national treasures. But just like tending to the needs of our old-age pensioners it can be a challenge to keep these vineyards ticking over. But at what age does a vine become an old vine? There is no agreement on this. In France the term vieilles vignes is used on labels but there is no EU control on the name. In 2009 the Barossa Valley established its Barossa Old Vine Charter to enable old vineyards in the region to be registered. This classification starts at 35 years of age with the Barossa Old Vine category. Next is the Barossa Survivor Vine for vines 70 or above. The Survivor term is used to indicate vines that dodged…

TO the casual visitor the Caledonian Hotel is nothing exceptional. It has a good dining room, Bartons restaurant, with above average pub food and a strong focus on high-grade steaks. A further clue might be the range of Scotch whiskies in the front bar and the solid wine list. But it is the wine-matched dinners that really set the Caledonian apart from anywhere else in Adelaide, possibly Australia. Food and wine matching dinners are pretty commonplace these days, though nearly all of them are fancy affairs, with fancy prices to go with them. Not so at North Adelaide’s Caledonian Hotel, which manages to turn out an extraordinary 70 or so food and wine matched lunches and dinners a year - five courses of very adequate wine-friendly food matched with up…

TWO highly respected chefs opened own ventures in Melbourne and we got an inner-city vegetarian/ vegan pub, yep, not a parma or steak to be seen. Chef Joe Grbac’s first solo-business venture, Saxe, opened in October at 211 Queen St. Grbac who headed up the Press Club and was co-owner and executive chef of Collingwood’s Saint Crispin opened the doors of his 70-seater and is bringing his menu of contemporary Australian dishes to the law and corporate precincts of the CBD. Saxe (short for Queen St’s namesake Queen Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen) offers two-levels of city dining. The dining room upstairs brings a structured menu, with dishes such as asparagus and parmesan custard with white miso and pork scotch fillet, carrot picalili and taramosalata. Downstairs, on streetlevel, the bar and dining…

BEST OF THE BEST WINESTATE Magazine’s Wine of the Year Awards is the culmination of the past 12 months of judging wines. Here the best four-and-a-half and five-starrated wines are brought back for what amounts to a Trophy taste-off to decide the best Top Five finalists across 15 categories, plus a Best Value award category. Then the winning wine judged blind from each group is brought back and rejudged to select the best wine from New Zealand and the best wine from Australia, and ultimately the Winestate Wine of the Year. It is a laborious but most enjoyable process with over 400 elite wines judged over two days. This year our expert panel included former Senior Penfolds’ winemaker, Adam Clay; Classic Oak’s David Matthews, who was former chief winemaker at…

FOLLOWING A DREAM “Small, family owned wineries were the ones I enjoyed the most. Where wine was a lifestyle not a job.” Andre Bondar grew up in the inner southern suburbs of Adelaide. “Every summer though we would pack up and head for our beach house at Aldinga beach. This is along the coastline of the McLaren vale area, and surrounded by grapevines.” The wine industry was not necessarily on Andre’s agenda. “At Adelaide University, I initially studied a science degree and found that I loved plants and their biology. I headed in that direction, my honours project was on grapevine and phylloxera. A girl in that degree had a winemaking father – then a key part of my decision to do winemaking! He set me up with a job…

NOT RESTING ON THEIR LAURELS “The Ibbotson family continue to grow and develop their business.” Marlborough’s Saint Clair Family Estate is (once again) Winestate’s 2017 New Zealand Winery of the Year. Saint Clair has also previously received this accolade in 2014 and 2010. Montana Wines, one of NZ’s biggest wine companies, only decided to plant vines in the as-then untested Marlborough region as recently as 1973. So it must have been a big gamble for Neal and Judy Ibbotson to plant their own vineyards only five years later. Yet in 1978 the Ibbotsons decided to take the leap and plant grapes with the aim of supplying fruit to the local wine industry. However after a while the couple felt they wanted to make wine under their own label and established…

Nepenthe Winemakers Select Adelaide Hills Gruner Veltliner 2016 WINEMAKER: James Evers COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Pale straw, yellow. Spice and white nectarine. Hints of wild honey. Generous palate weight and length with grapefruit, pineapple acidity. FOOD SUGGESTIONS: Perfect with soft cheese such as goats cheese, camembert and fresh cheeses like ricotta or paneer. CELLARING: 2-5 years. VITICULTURE: The 2016 vintage turned out to be a beautiful vintage and will most likely be remembered as one of the great years in winemaking and wine-enjoying circles alike. After a winter with much lower than average rainfall, the season started with worried growers, but timely summer rainfall in late January and February came as a welcome relief and ensured fruit quality to be exceptional. In the early growing season higher than normal temperatures were…

WOLF BLASS WHITE LABEL EDEN VALLEY RIESLING 2015 WINEMAKER: John Ashwell COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Vibrant straw colour, slight green hints. Fantastic aromatic purity - lifted citrus notes, white flowers and lemon curd. Lime notes continue to palate, tight palate structure and a zesty, mouth-watering acid line that results in a long finish. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +61 08 8568 7172 Email: wendy.wilson@tweglobal.com Web: www.tweglobal.com KOONOWLA CLARE VALLEY RIESLING 2006 WINEMAKER: David O’Leary COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: The colour was pale straw with a green tinge but after 11 years in bottle has now taken on a golden hue. Floral lime and spice aromas precede a palate with mouth filling citrus flavour and a zesty long acidic finish. A pleasant smoky bouquet with herbal notes. The palate is full of crisp dried…

Brancott Estate Letter Series ‘F’ Marlborough Pinot Gris 2016 WINEMAKER: Patrick Materman COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: This well balanced, rich and textural wine shows aromas of pears, rock melon and apples supported by delicious spicy characters. Palate weight and complexity add depth balancing the apples, spicy pears and nashi flavours with some textural creaminess rounding out the package. This wine shows great concentration and perfectly poised palate, fruit brightness and depth. FOOD SUGGESTIONS: Best served slightly chilled on its own, or with delicate white meat and seafood dishes. CELLARING: This wine is best enjoyed upon release but could be cellared over the next two to three years if more complexity is desired. VITICULTURE: The southern side of the Wairau valley, where our Brancott Vineyard is situated, is characterized by older, more…

GARTELMANN BENJAMIN HUNTER VALLEY SEMILLON 2011 WINEMAKER: Liz Jackson COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Golden straw in colour. Subtle lime/citrus aromas buttered-toast bouquet showing aged complexity. Palate is soft and rounded, with seamless acid. The finish is soft with great balance. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +61 02 4930 7113 Email: wines@gartelmann.com.au Web: www.gartelmann.com.au COOLANGATTA ESTATE WOLLSTONECRAFT SHOALHAVEN COAST SEMILLON 2011 WINEMAKER: Andrew Spinaze COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Clean soft floral fruit expression on the nose with plenty of fresh limey citrus aromatic lift. Classic semillon fruit characters having a waxy lemon flavour with a long creamy fruit flavour finish balanced with soft sherbet citrus acid. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +61 02 4448 7131 Email: coolangatta@shoalhaven.net.au Web: www.coolangattaestate.com.au COOLANGATTA ESTATE WOLLSTONECRAFT SHOALHAVEN COAST SEMILLON 2009 WINEMAKER: Andrew Spinaze COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Bright straw colour…

Kalleske Buckboard Barossa Durif 2016 WINEMAKER: Troy Kalleske COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Buckboard Durif 2016 is thick inky purple-black in colour. Emanating from the glass are intense aromatics. There is fruit cake, dark plum, chicory, vanilla, cherry-ripe and clove spice. It is bright, uplifting and assuredly serious. The palate is rich and full-bodied. That’s putting it mildly. It is intense across the board. Strong black fruits dominate, complemented with toasty sweet oak and solid natural tannins adding structure and grip. This is a generous, muscular wine that is big, powerful and concentrated. A long, clean dry finish completes a lavish wine. Buckboard is a compelling and seductive Barossa durif that can be enjoyed now or over the next decade. FOOD SUGGESTIONS: Lamb shank and osso bucco. CELLARING: 10 years. VITICULTURE: Hand-pruned…

OAKDENE PETA’S BELLARINE PENINSULA PINOT NOIR 2016 WINEMAKER: Robin Brockett, Marcus Holt COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Deep garnet in colour with a bright hue. A perfumed bouquet of bright floral notes, red and black cherry fruit and lifted spice. Intense palate earthy cherry, dark plum notes, with spice and savoury characters. Full and fleshy mid palate, balanced by firm acidity, fine compact tannins and a long finish. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +61 0458 847 754 Email: steven.paul@oakdene.com.au Web: www.oakdene.com.au FOXEYS HANGOUT SCOTSWORTH FARM MORNINGTON PENINSULA PINOT NOIR 2015 WINEMAKER: Tony Lee COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Spice, oak, tobacco, ripe red and black fruits mix with light herbal freshness. Substantial tannin profile in easy balance with the wine’s length and aromatic intensity. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +61 03 5989 2022 Email: wine@foxeys-hangout.com.au Web:…

Wolf Blass Black Label Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Malbec 2013 WINEMAKER: Steven Frost COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Concentrated deep purple. A Black Label nose through and through, with plenty of fragrant blackberry, cassis and dark plum fruits reinforced with roast coffee, chocolate, black liquorice and toasted nut complexity derived from maturation and barrel fermentation. Hints of sage and tobacco leaf add attractive highlights, with classic cigar-box bottle-age development just starting to show. Rich, generous and complex palate, filled with sweet, ripe dark plum and blackcurrant fruit flavours layered with savoury secondary flavours of coffee and cedary oak. FOOD SUGGESTIONS: Great with roast rib of beef with horseradish Yorkshire puddings, or aged cheddar cheese with fig and walnut sourdough. CELLARING: 5-28 years. VITICULTURE: 62% Langhorne Creek, 30% McLaren Vale, 8% Barossa Valley. The…

CHURCH ROAD MCDONALD SERIES HAWKES BAY SYRAH 2015 WINEMAKER: Chris Scott COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Rich plum and berry-fruit is lifted by fragrant spice, violet and liquorice aromas. The palate is medium weight and supple with a long finish. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +64 6 833 8234 Email: info@churchroad.co.nz Web: www.churchroad.co.nz WOLF BLASS ESTATES OF THE BAROSSA DORRIEN SHIRAZ 2014 WINEMAKER: Steven Frost COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Deep purple with bright magenta highlights. Pure, dark fruit aromas of blueberry, boysenberry and blackberry, with raw dark chocolate, freshly ground coffee beans, and unobtrusive spicy French oak. An elegant, multidimensional shiraz of stature and finesse, the palate is beautifully proportioned, with a purity of intense blue and black fruits, definitive line and a silky texture. A backbone of defined tannins provides structural integrity. CONSUMER…

Gralyn Estate Artizan Rare Margaret River Muscat NV WINEMAKER: Dr. Bradley Hutton COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Deep amber brown in colour with a green rim. An aromatic bouquet of dried rose petals, spice, butterscotch and fruit cake. The luscious palate is balanced by mature rancio character and offers a complex array of wood spices, raisin fruit, chocolate, orange zest and burnt toffee. A wine with great concentration and complexity which imparts texture and layers of flavour. FOOD SUGGESTIONS: Pairs well with biscotti, sharp cheese, quince paste and nuts or quality dark chocolate. Also delicious with caramelized lemon tart and vanilla ice-cream. CELLARING: Ready to enjoy now. VITICULTURE: Produced from Muscat a Petits Grains Rouge (Brown Muscat) sourced from Northern Margaret River and Swan Valley wine regions in Western Australia. Grapes are…

MCPHERSON WINES FAMILY SERIES ANDREW MCPHERSON NAGAMBIE SHIRAZ 2015 WINEMAKER: Jo Nash COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Andrew’s shiraz is deep purple, with delicious ripe blackberries, plums and spiced aromas. This is a medium bodied, modern Australian wine with a rich and full palate, impressive length and a great finish. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +61 03 9263 0200 Email: info@mcphersonwines.com.au Web: www.mcphersonwines.com.au BLACKSTONE PADDOCK THE PLAYER BAROSSA VALLEY SHIRAZ 2015 WINEMAKER: Kym Teusner COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Deep purple – crimson red hues. Lifted notes of dark cherries with ripe wild plums, hint of rhubarb and complexing dark chocolate hidden in the background. An array of dark red fruits upfront, with complexing five spice, dark chocolate and fine oak tannins pronounced behind the fruit, with balanced acidity helping the fruit to linger on…

Always a pleasure! Riesling may confuse the punter but it is a favourite for those in the trade or fellow winemakers. At their best these are fine expressions of white elegance, with more citrus than a vitamin C tablet. And if you have the patience these are great aging propositions. RIESLING UNDER $20 21 TASTED 11 AWARDED Overall a good standard here with the judges enjoying the varietal character and “confidence” in the balance between sugar and acids. “Unlike the past more of these stripped my teeth,” quipped one judge. Em’s Table Organic Clare Valley Riesling 2014 A riesling with lovely intensity, balance and length and showing an interesting aged citrus rind-like nose and nicely retained varietal flavours with tart mouth puckering acidity. $19 Alkoomi White Label Frankland River Riesling…

We always talk about how great rosés are for summer lunch drinking, so here we go again. That’s not to say they get great scores just that these can be very pleasant wines that can reflect very pleasant warm weather, or with a bit more chilling, even hot weather. Here we look at a good range of rosé styles, from dry and crisp to fuller bodied, and even a touch sweet. The trend does seem to be more to the former these days which is a good thing! ROSÉ UNDER $15 10 TASTED 4 AWARDED The judges commented that, overall, not a lot of thought had gone into these wines. “A number were just white wines with a touch of red added!” said one judge. “Others were simply run-off juice…

A nice line up in this issue with a high strike rate. 2017 whites are showing up well with freshness and clarity. For the reds high quality varietal characters showed in the grenache, cabernet and shiraz categories. This time, rosés and alternative varieties, not so much. SPARKLING 8 TASTED 7 AWARDED A small solid group. “Two obvious commercial styles; one on the sweeter side, the other lean and dry,” noted one judge. Grampians Estate Rutherford Grampians Sparkling Shiraz 2014 Fresh, lively blackberry aromas lift off the nose with a long, firmly structured, palate showing simple fruit flavours and a savoury edge. $35 Grampians Estate Kelly’s Welcome Grampians Sparkling Chardonnay 2009 Green apple nose with oak/lees complexity. Nice balance between varietal fruit, bready notes, crisp acidity and aged characters. $35 1847…

“We will remember 2017 for its searing heat in February followed by some unwelcome rain during harvest, but in the end we somehow managed to pick a decent sized crop with surprising quality.” THE signing of a new memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the New South Wales Wine Industry Association and the state government signalled a positive step forward for the state’s wine industry in 2017. The MoU has been signed by NSW Wine Industry Association president Tom Ward, Primary Industries minister Niall Blair and Tourism and Major Events minister Adam Marshall. “This document represents much hard work done behind the scenes and a much closer working relationship between us and the government,” Ward said. “It is vital for an industry that not only provides regional communities with sustainable employment…

The New Zealand year in review, by Jane Skilton MW. As the vintage drew nearer, Cyclones’ Cook, Debbie and Donna wreaked havoc across the South Pacific in April and May and though their power had weakened by the time they reached NZ, winemakers could only watch in horror as epic levels of rainfall combined with winds of over 100kmh battered their vineyards. THE start of 2017 saw New Zealand Winegrowers organise a series of events to showcase the best of NZ to invited overseas guests. The Aromatics Symposium in Nelson kicked things off, with masterclasses on riesling, pinot gris, gewurztraminer and alternative varieties followed by Pinot 2017 in Wellington, a four day seminar where attendees listened to presentations by a number of eminent industry figures and tasted some of the…

HIGH thread count sheets, impeccable service and a hard-to-replicate atmosphere are always top of mind when choosing where to stay. But new hotel openings around the world offer much more - personal and cultural enrichment, real experiences and the opportunity to put something back. Backed by billions of dollars of government and corporate investment, Parramatta has morphed into Sydney’s second CBD. If the massive local Porsche dealership is a good indication, Parra was definitely overdue for its first five-star hotel. SKYE Hotel Suites, with 72 apartment suites, opened in August to “fill the gap” for business travellers, staycationers, and interstate visitors. A self-styled “vertical village”, the soaring towers were designed by leading architects Allen Jack + Cottier and Koichi Takada Architects. The plush property is only 200m from Parramatta Square…

SPARKLING The best here showed nice lees stirred complexity of mealy toast with citrus acid and age secondary complexity yet with retained freshness. PINOT GRIS/GRIGIO An interesting class of normally non-descript wines, but here we saw the winemakers art of combining ripe fruit with a touch of residual sweetness and balancing acid to lift the variety above its normal weight. RIESLING A great class of purity and elegance which defines the white variety. Here we saw the classic cool climate racy lime and lemon, flower and spice overtones that stand out. We also saw a beautiful older example that shows how well this variety can age. SAUVIGNON BLANC A very solid group above what we normally expect from this distinctive variety. Here we saw three styles, ranging from elegant, to…

HAMISH GETS THE HAT-TRICK “This year marks the 20th year of these awards and no other New Zealand winemaker has won the award as many times.” When I phoned Saint Clair and asked to speak to Hamish Clark my call was intercepted by Sarina, Saint Clair’s Marketing Manager and daughter of owners’ Neil and Judy Ibbotson, who told me Hamish had no idea as yet that he had won New Zealand’s Winestate Winemaker Of The Year for 2017, and could I keep it a secret (the official award ceremony had not yet been held in Queenstown)? Part of the reason for keeping it top secret from Hamish was no doubt that this marks the third time that Hamish has received the accolade of Winestate New Zealand Winemaker of the Year.…

Deutz Cuvée Marlborough Blanc de Blanc 2013 WINEMAKER: Greg Harris COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: The wine is light straw in colour with golden tinge. This wine displays aromas of biscuit, white flower and citrus notes. The palate has a creamy texture displaying lemon curd and appealing mealy notes. The wine also has taut acidity and is nicely balanced with a clean finish and great persistence of flavour. This is a refined, elegant wine with citrus fruit freshness and a very fine, creamy mousse. FOOD SUGGESTIONS: Whilst this wine makes the perfect aperitif, it also works well with particular foods due to the creamy citrus notes of the chardonnay. Good matches include fresh shellfish, savoury canapes and delicate white poultry dishes. CELLARING: Intended for drinking upon release, Deutz Marlborough Cuvee Blanc de…

MISSION ESTATE HAWKE’S BAY GEWURZTRAMINER 2016 WINEMAKER: Paul Mooney COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: The nose is very floral with the typical gewurztraminer rose petal bouquet. The palate is juicy, and with its good weight and full body, it is soft and very intense. This wine has perfect balance, with the flavours lingering well on to the smooth finish. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +64 6 845 9350 Email: john@missionestate.co.nz Web: www.missionestate.co.nz ESK VALLEY HAWKES BAY VERDELHO 2017 WINEMAKER: Gordon Russell COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: The fruit reflects the stony soils in which they are grown; the resulting wine has mineral notes with flavours of mandarin, passionfruit and peach. The vines were intensively managed and cropped at low yields to fully capture the potential of the site. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +64 6 872…

Bird in Hand Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2017 WINEMAKER: Kym Milne & Dylan Lee COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Light and pale with a hint of a green hue. Herbaceous, aromatic, varietal nose with hints of passionfruit and kiwi. Tropical notes of passionfruit and a touch of melon with a fresh and slightly textural palate that finishes dry, with a subtle citrus acidity. FOOD SUGGESTIONS: Our sauvignon blanc, with its zippy acidity and citrus characters pairs wonderfully with seafood dishes such as fried calamari and ceviche as well as eggplant dishes and grilled asparagus. CELLARING: Drink now. VITICULTURE: One of the wettest winters on record in the Adelaide Hills led to a much later start to the growing season than recent vintages. Mild temperatures in spring meant later flowering but we had…

BIRD IN HAND ADELAIDE HILLS PINOT GRIS 2016 WINEMAKER: Kym Milne & Dylan Lee COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Light to pale with a hint of a green hue. Nashi Pear and green apple with hints of spice and musk on the nose. Textural, creamy palate with pear and cashew finishes with flinty, crisp acidity. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +61 487 222 055 Email: sales@birdinhand.com.au Web: www.birdinhand.com.au HUNTER’S MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS 2016 WINEMAKER: James Macdonald COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Expressive floral, pear and green apple aromas. Honeysuckle and a hint of spice complement the full off-dry palate. A small portion is wild fermented in old French oak which adds texture and weight with a creamy finish. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +64 3 572 8489 Email: wine@hunters.co.nz Web: www.hunters.co.nz ABEL’S TEMPEST TASMANIA PINOT GRIS…

McGuigan The Shortlist Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2016 WINEMAKER: James Evers, Dane Croxton COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Straw with green tints. Pale. A modern style of chardonnay with struck match, lemon, honey and nectarine aromas integrated with some delicate cedar notes. The cool climate of the Adelaide Hills helps create a wine that has a fresh and zingy palate with a delightful complexity and lingering finish. The wine is stirred on lees once a week for 8 months in brand new French oak hogsheads which result in an underlying delicate vanilla oak influence. FOOD SUGGESTIONS: A delightful chardonnay that will combine with a range of dishes including creamy pasta or succulent poultry dishes. CELLARING: 5+ years. VITICULTURE: The Shortlist range is a selection of multi-award winning wines that represent the unique flavour…

919 WINES RESERVE COLLECTION RIVERLAND TOURIGA NACIONAL 2016 WINEMAKER: Eric Semmler COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Inky dark with bright crimson hues. Expressive of this variety, this wine has aromas of smokey, minty blackberry, blackcurrant and spice. The palate is bright and full, beautifully balanced, harmonious and layered with rich pepper, cinnamon, coffee and dark chocolate notes, and hints of savoury rare roasted beef. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +61 0408 855 272 Email: wine@919wines.com.au Web: www.919wines.com.au SALTRAM THE INVENTORS SERIES LIMITED EDITION BAROSSA MONTEPULCIANO 2015 WINEMAKER: Shavaughn Wells COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Vibrant blood plum. This montepulciano has a lifted bouquet with savoury notes of warm spice overlayed and perfumed by aromatics reminiscent of dark berried fruit: fresh cherries, mulberries and blackberries. The wines savoury and robust palate has textural tannins which linger,…

Villa Maria Gimblett Gravels Reserve Hawkes Bay Merlot 2014 WINEMAKER: Nick Picone COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: The 2014 Reserve Merlot reveals a saturated deep purple colour and perfumed aromatics of red and black plum, fruitcake and floral violet notes, interwoven with roasted coffee bean and complex herb nuances. The palate is concentrated and firmly structured in its youth with fine-grained tannins enhanced by integrated oak. FOOD SUGGESTIONS: Grilled eye fillet beef. CELLARING: This wine will certainly benefit and gain additional complexity from careful cellaring over the next decade. VITICULTURE: The fruit for this wine was grown entirely on the gravelly soils of the Gimblett Gravels growing region in Hawkes Bay. Our different vineyards contribute small parcels of exceptional fruit, each with their own unique characteristics. The free draining soils of these…

VILLA MARIA RESERVE GIMBLETT GRAVELS CABERNET SAUVIGNON MERLOT 2015 WINEMAKER: Nick Picone COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: This densely coloured wine shows lovely aromatics with layers of red and black plum, mingling with cassis, smoky roast coffee bean, dried thyme and complex cedary spice nuances. The palate is soft yet concentrated, with wonderfully fine-grained tannins and integrated oak. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +64 9 255 0660 Email: enquiries@villamaria.co.nz Web: www.villamaria.co.nz ANGAS & BREMER LANGHORNE CREEK CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015 WINEMAKER: Peter Pollard COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: The wine has lifted aromas of chocolate and dark cherries, with a richly flavoured palate of spicy ripe plum and blackberry that finishes with smooth tannins. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +61 08 8537 0600 Email: tijana@projectwine.com.au Web: www.angasandbremer.com.au BIRD IN HAND MARIE ELIZABETH ADELAIDE HILLS CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2013…

Pegasus Bay Encore Noble Riesling 2016 WINEMAKER: Matt Donaldson COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: It is a bright lemon-gold colour. The abundant aromas and flavours evoke impressions of ripe cantaloupe melon, mango, pineapple, lychees, and manuka honey. On the palate, the wine is rich and unctuous. Underneath this, however, there is a streak of minerality and fine acidity that keeps it fresh, lively and refined, drawing out its lingering after flavours. FOOD SUGGESTIONS: A fruit based dessert with acidity such as lemon tart, apple tarte tatin. Poached oranges with Grand Marnier. CELLARING: 10 – 15 years. VITICULTURE: The outcrop of land on which these grapes were grown consists largely of weathered stones and mineral rich gravels. These were shorn off New Zealand’s Southern Alps by an ice-age glacier, which carried them down…

919 WINES RESERVE COLLECTION RIVERLAND CLASSIC MUSCAT NV WINEMAKER: Eric Semmler COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Dark amber with golden and crimson hues. Intense, floral, rose petal, zesty citrus, raisins and spices, with honey, cold tea and malt notes. Luscious, complex and intense rose, honey malt, Christmas cake and spicy flavours are balanced by a full, long and harmonious palate and sweet, flavoursome finish. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +61 0408 855 272 Email: wine@919wines.com.au Web: www.919wines.com.au CHATEAU YALDARA 20 YEAR OLD TAWNY WINEMAKER: Alex Peel COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Amber colour with gold toffee hints. A fragrant combination of lifted nutty notes, raisin fruit and hints of vanilla on the nose. Palate is a harmonious blend of vanillin flavour with toffee and rancio complexity. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +61 08 8524 0200 Email:…

MW WINES (AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER REPORT, by ANTHONY CAPUTI) The secondary market continues to go from strength to strength. We have continued to see strong prices for wines from great producers in great years. Following on from the excitement of our greatest ever auction in July, August and September continued the trend with over $750,000 in sales spread over the two auctions. The August auction was particularly impressive, with $440,000 worth of wine changing hands at a healthy clearance - just over 60 per cent clearance by value. More than 14,000 bottles were consigned and there was an insatiable desire to purchase iconic wines from Australia, Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne, as well as the new darling of the secondary market, Barolo. Some excellent prices were achieved, with many of the…

These wines are for drinking, less for thinking. They are the definition of easy drinking and although they rarely achieve high accolades, they are great for communal gatherings. Watch the sugar balance! PINOT GRIS/ GRIGIO & BLENDS UNDER $10 10 TASTED 1 AWARDED The judges described this group as being, “A fairly miserable lot!”- with one exception. They saw no flavour and no excitement. “This is a line for those who are looking for the most inoffensive wines,” said one judge. Berton Vineyards Outback Jack SEA Pinot Grigio 2017 Pear and apple aromas with lifted florals. More pears and apples on the palate with balancing acidity. $6 PINOT GRIS/ GRIGIO $10-$20 17 TASTED 2 AWARDED “A lot of over cropped wines here,” said one judge. “The winemakers are taking the…

Kaiora Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Well made wine with nice gooseberry lift to the nose and lovely elegant tropical flavours on the balanced, textured and weighty palate. $8.99 Aldi Stores Phone: 02 9675 9382 Web: www.aldi.com.au Kaiora Bay Reserve Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Lovely lingering aromatics with a pleasant herbaceous edge and exotic tropical flavours on the lengthy palate. Very New Zealand! $11.99 Aldi Stores Phone: 02 9675 9382 Web: www.aldi.com.au Brygon Reserve Lion’s Lair Reserve Western Australia Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Lovely passionfruit aromas with just a hint of green grass characters. Light and simple in the mouth with fresh melon flavours. $18.99 Brygon Reserve Wines Phone: +61 419 865 556 Email: alifraserscott@hotmail.com Web: www.brygonreservewines.com.au Fuddling Cup Margaret River Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2016 A simple subdued tropical fruit bouquet…

BEST OF TASMANIA Derwent Estate Wines Ph: 03 6263 5802 Email: wine@derwentestate.com.au Web: www.derwentestate.com.au BEST OF VICTORIA Grampians Estate Ph: 03 5354 6245 Email: info@grampiansestate.com.au Web: www.grampiansestate.com.au Maygars Hill Winery Ph: 03 5798 5417 Email: airborne@mcmedia.com.au Web: www.maygarshill.com.au Oakdene Wines Pty Ltd Ph: 03 5256 3886 Email: info@oakdene.com.au Web: www.oakdene.com.au Rob Dolan Wines Ph: 03 9876 5885 Email: enquiries@robdolanwines.com.au Web: robdolanwines.com.au Sanguine Estate Ph: 0417 831 076 Email: jodi@sanguinewines.com.au Web: www.sanguinewines.com.au Scotchmans Hill Pty Ltd Ph: 03 5251 3176 Email: info@scotchmans.com.au Web: www.scotchmans.com.au Silver Spoon Estate Ph: 0412 868 236 Email: vineyard@silverspoonestate.com.au Web: www.silverspoonestate.com.au Willem Kurt Wines Ph: 0428 400 522 Email: daniel@willemkurtwines.com.au Web: www.willemkurtwines.com.au BEST OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA After Hours Winery Ph: 08 9758 7799 Email: afterhourswine@bigpond.com Web: www.afterhourswine.com.au Brash Vineyard Ph: 0427 042 767 Email: anne_chris@brashvineyard.com.au Web: www.brashvineyard.com.au…

OF the northern European wine regions Chablis is something of a signal of the effects of climate change, both negative and positive. Chablis has long been considered cool marginal for growing chardonnay and the continental feel to its climate has added significant spring frost risks, as both 2016 and 2017 have proved, rather devastatingly in cases. Michel Laroche, of Domaine d’Henri, explained: “in 2016 we got a quarter of a normal crop. We did 250mm worth of rain of frost protection, but then mildew followed.” So first they sprayed to protect the buds from frost, but it takes time after the ice has melted for all that moisture to drain away. Enough time for mildew to take hold. Then frost hit again in 2017, making things a real struggle. The…

FRENCHMAN Andre Simon’s book The wines, vineyards and vignerons of Australia attracted much interest on its publication in 1966. A perceptive review by journalist Pamela Hudson appeared in a leading Australian newspaper under the heading “Oracle of the bottle”. It immediately demanded the reader’s attention. “When Mr Andre Simon speaks, wine lovers all over the world listen. And with good reason,” she writes and then summarises his many achievements, including his four and a half months’ visit to Australia three years earlier, on which the book is based. She quotes Simon tellingly that “there are in Australia a great many wines from fair to fine in quality which are characteristically Australian wines”. Like most of the book’s readers, she anxiously awaits the great man’s opinion on our wines. “It is…

A LOVE of the land runs in Marnie Roberts’ blood but winemaking is a path she’s forged on her own, successfully turning a passion into a serious talent. Growing up in Mildura on her family’s citrus, dried fruit and wine grape property, the wine game may have been in full swing somewhere on the periphery of her life, but it wasn’t until she backed up a few vintages at Mildura’s big Buronga Hill production facility with an internship at Buena Vista in the Las Canerous sub-region of the Napa Valley that a plan to make a career out of winemaking started to take shape. 2018 will see Marnie celebrate her second anniversary as winemaker and vineyard manager of Clare Valley’s Claymore Wines, although her working relationship with the company spans…

PUNCHING ABOVE THEIR WEIGHT “Ultimately our winemaking team are driven by a passion to create world class, artisan, hand crafted wines that speak of place and provenance.” Haselgrove Wines nestled in the heart of McLaren Vale for over 35 years, has just been awarded ‘2017 Winestate Wine Company of the Year’ a welldeserved accolade. Established in 1981, the sleeper was revived in 2008 by 4 determined Italian-Australian mates over a game of cards and probably a few too many reds. The two Don’s, Luca and Totino banded with Steve Maglieri and Tony Carrocci hatching a plan to purchase the winery. The enthusiastic scheme was to overhaul the Haselgrove brand, takes its position up a few notches, re-vitalise its range and maximise the winery’s operation, adding contract crushing to the mix.…

SARACEN ESTATES MAREE MARGARET RIVER SPARKLING 2010 WINEMAKER: Bob Cartwright COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Light gold (excellent considering its age). Delicate fruit with beautiful autolysis and good depth with good maturity. Excellent mousse. Nice autolysis with a hint of sweetness and a clean fresh acid finish. Drinking very well now and years to come. A very harmonious and well balanced wine. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: 08 9486 9410 Email: dennis@saracenestates.com.au Web: www.saracenestates.com.au DEUTZ CUVEE MARLBOROUGH BLANC DE BLANC 2014 WINEMAKER: Greg Harris COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: The wine is a very pale gold colour. The wine displays toasty aromas of fresh baked biscuit, with citrus notes. The mousse is fine and creamy textured, with great persistence in the glass. The palate is pure and elegant, displaying lemon curd and appealing pastry flavours.…

Millon Estate The Roots 26 Eden Valley Riesling 2014 WINEMAKER: Simon Gilbert COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Pale straw with light green hues. Delicate aromas of lime juice and orange blossom are present alongside soft hints of fresh pear. White nectarine and green apple flavours characterise the palate of this riesling, all supported by a long and lingering finish that leaves the drinker feeling refreshed and invigorated. FOOD SUGGESTIONS: A great match alongside freshly shucked oysters and sashimi. CELLARING: As the wines age, marmalade and toasty nuances appear on nose and palate. Good Eden Valley riesling will take ten years or more to reach its peak. VITICULTURE: Our riesling single site vineyard is nurtured very carefully over the growing season, with high quality water onsite and our higher rainfall we are able…

BRANCOTT ESTATE TERROIR SERIES MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC 2016 WINEMAKER: Patrick Materman COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Bright citrus aromas of limes are interlaced with nettle notes and subtle tones of tomato leaves. The palate shows juicy citrus fruit flavours with a lingering finish of passionfruit and nettles. The huge fruit concentration is supported by crisp, mouth-watering acidity and textural middle palate leading to a lovely fine finish. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +61 2 8874 8222 Email: cellardoor-restaurant@brancottestate.com Web: www.brancottestate.com/en-au PEGASUS BAY SAUVIGNON SEMILLON 2015 WINEMAKER: Matt Donaldson COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: The colour is pale gold with aromas of citrus fruit, greengage, gooseberry and passionfruit. There is also a hint of struck match and freshly crushed thyme. The semillon component helps fill out the palate, adding fruit weight, richness and ageability, while also…

Saddler’s Creek Classic Hunter Valley Semillon 2005 WINEMAKER: Nick Flannigan, David Flett COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Deep iridescent golden hues, toasted aromatics enveloping lemon thyme and nectar, displaying subtle acidity of lemon zest combined with honeysuckle. Resulting in a beautifully balanced mouth filling wine. FOOD SUGGESTIONS: Roast pork, salmon, smoked trout and lobster. CELLARING: Drink now or up to 5 years. VITICULTURE: 2005 offered excellent growing conditions for semillon. The vintage delivered even rainfall with mild conditions. This resulted in an abundant crop, good flowering with the potential of an exceptional vintage. VINIFICATION & MATURATION: All care was taken by hand picking the 2005 vintage. The fruit crushed and the must chilled before draining the juice. After settling the juice was racked, warmed and the ferment was slow and cold to…

FIFTH ESTATE WINES GEOGRAPHE CHARDONNAY 2016 WINEMAKER: Peter Stanlake COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Light golden colour with green hues. This wine shows hints of lime peel, crème brulee and a rich full palate with great length and flavour. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: 041 985 1269 Email: info@fifthestatewines.com.au Web: www.fifthestatewines.com.au PENFOLDS RESERVE BIN 15A ADELAIDE HILLS CHARDONNAY 2015 WINEMAKER: Kym Schroeter COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Very pale straw. Almond nougat, white peach, pink grapefruit, quince, Pink Lady apple peel/ skin, custard apple appear on the nose. Palate of custard apple, white peach, pink grapefruit and creamy, lees induced textural notes. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +61 08 8568 7172 Email: wendy.wilson@tweglobal.com Web: www.tweglobal.com WOLF BLASS WHITE LABEL PICCADILLY VALLEY ADELAIDE HILLS CHARDONNAY 2015 WINEMAKER: John Ashwell COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Bright straw colour, slight green…

Merricks Estate Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2016 WINEMAKER: Simon Black COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Deep crimson in colour, dark red fruits and spice punctuate the bouquet of this perfumed and seductive pinot noir. The palate displays a core of intense dark cherry, violets and floral spices interwoven with a fine line of acidity and soft lingering tannins. The subtle oak handling plays a supporting role. FOOD SUGGESTIONS: Peking duck or wild mushroom risotto. CELLARING: 5-8 years. VITICULTURE: A warm and dry growing period in 2016 brought the earliest vintage on record at Merricks Estate, with the pinot noir harvested on 4th March. Meticulous work by hand in the vineyard including intensive management of the canopy during the drier than usual ripening period produced fruit of premium quality. All decisions made in…

SACRED HILL RESERVE HAWKES BAY MERLOT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2016 WINEMAKER: Jenny Dobson COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: The nose is complex and enticing. Reminiscent of a spice cupboard with some vanilla pods and dark chocolate along with a bowl of chopped dark fleshed plums and crushed berry fruit. In the mouth the wine is lush and supple yet packed with a wealth of moreish yet refreshing flavours of red fruits laced with a sprinkling of spice. A touch of graphite and cedar give this wine a fine structure and lingering finish. Great depth and concentration with elegance and charm. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +64 06 879 8760 Email: enquiries@sacredhill.com Web: www.sacredhill.com CHURCH ROAD HAWKES BAY MERLOT CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2015 WINEMAKER: Chris Scott COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: A deeply coloured merlot cabernet blend with…

Shingleback Red Knot Classified McLaren Vale Shiraz 2016 WINEMAKER: John Davey, Dan Hills COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Deep magenta. Intense aromas of freshly crushed blackberries with nuances of heritage rose petals abound. Typical of McLaren Vale shiraz, the medium to full-bodied palate is an overflowing compote of dark berries, garnished with milk chocolate. Tightly woven tannins, subtle hints of French and American oak and a balanced acidity focus the powerful fruit into the moreish, lingering finish. FOOD SUGGESTIONS: Osso bucco, fillet of beef, veal ragout. CELLARING: To 2028. VITICULTURE: Select parcels from our Davey Estate Vineyard, situated in the Whites Valley district in the south of the McLaren Vale region. Black and red clays high in calcium grow vibrant, richly flavoured and textured shiraz. Situated between hills and sea the vineyard…

BROWN BROTHERS PATRICIA MILAWA NOBLE RIESLING 2013 WINEMAKER: Cate Looney COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: The 2013 Noble Riesling has a bright, rich golden yellow colour. The nose has fresh lifted aromatics and classic botrytis characters of orange marmalade, citrus and honey. These aromas flow through to the palate which is concentrated and complex with a silky mouth feel. The high natural acidity balances the residual sweetness to provide a refreshingly clean finish. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +61 03 5720 5500 Email: info@brownbrothers.com.au Web: www.brownbrothers.com.au ALPHA DOMUS THE PILOT LEONARDA LATE HARVEST 2015 WINEMAKER: Barry Riwai COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Apricot, orange zest and rose aromas give this wine an exotic bouquet. Marmalade and grapefruit characters result in an appealing citrus lift. The palate is rounded and luscious with flavours of pineapple, marmalade…

Penfolds Autumn Eden Valley Riesling 2016 $13.40 WINESTATE BEST VALUE BUYS MAGAZINE WINEMAKER: Kym Schroeter COLOUR, BOUQUET, PALATE: Colour of pale straw. Elderflower, lime pastille, sherbet, citrus fruits, mandarin, cinnamon and nutmeg spice, curry spice on the nose. Palate of curry spice, mandarin and sherbet with balanced taut acidity. FOOD SUGGESTIONS: Asian food, spicy foods. CELLARING: Now to 2020. VITICULTURE: VSP pruning, irrigated vineyards, silty loam over shale and rock, dappled light canopy, east/west facing on terraced slopes. VINIFICATION & MATURATION: Machine picked at night, cool and long fermentation at 12 degrees celsius, stainless steel ferment and maturation for 6 months. CONSUMER CONTACT DETAILS: Phone: +61 08 8568 7172 Email: wendy.wilson@tweglobal.com Web: www.tweglobal.com…

The wine with the most obvious varietal character of all whites, it is fair to say that these wines make great lunch time drinking where a bit of personality is required without heavy overtones. The best are in the drier spectrum and whilst cool climate versions can take a little sugar a deft hand is required. SAUVIGNON BLANC UNDER $15 20 TASTED 5 AWARDED The judges noted that there were a lot of tired wines here. Some commented on the “clumsy sweetness” or lack of fruit flavour. “Sweaty lanolin is not a good look,” said one judge. Wahu Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Lifted nose; smells of tinned asparagus. Crisp palate dominated by gooseberries and asparagus. $6.95 Ocean Drift New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Tropical aromas with a gunflint thread. Nicely…

And now for something completely different! This is the second year that we have blind judged a selection of Austrian wines. These do offer a point of difference from what we are used to in Australia; maybe less so from New Zealand. The most interesting variety is gruner veltliner, which is also attracting interest in Australia and New Zealand. RIESLING 23 TASTED 18 AWARDED “What a class! Some really strong wines here with tightly wound acid and minerality,” said one judge. These are different from what we see in Australia but similar to a few cool climate New Zealand examples. Weingut Muller Silberbichl Kremstal Riesling 2016 A fresh vibrant wine with excellent varietal expression. The nose is like orange peel with a perfumed lift with strong citrus flavours and lovely…

“It is amazing what a vineyard can withstand to recover and produce quality fruit.” SOME called it a national disaster, others the worst vintage in 50 years. Then there has been the call: “Never seen such high-water flooding even in winter.” This was the unprecedented situation in early 2017 in the Swan Valley - West Australia’s historic heart of viticulture - when heavy summer rains caused widespread severe flooding and crop damage. Some producers were inundated. Declaring the area and other flooded parts of the state a natural disaster zone, premier of the day Colin Barnett said it meant commonwealth and state funds would be available for those in need and to repair damage. Third-generation winemaker James Talijancich said he had never seen such Swan River flooding. “But it is…