Oakdene 2025 Chardonnay

 

What a fun and affordable wine this is: perfect for midweek tippling. From reliable Bellarine Peninsula producer Oakdene, it is unmistakably chardonnay, but without all the un-needed bells and whistles. 100% chardonnay and 100% Geelong, this did spend some time in a combo of new and old oak but it is the cool-climate fruit - bright and lively - that is the driving force here. If you haven't tried wines from Oakdene before this is a very good starting point and would pair brilliantly with some barbecued pork spare ribs. $25. https://www.oakdene.com.au/  

Bollinger B16 Vintage

With Father's Day just around corner this recent release from one of the leading Champagne houses might just be up a wine-loving Dad's street. It is the newest addition to the By Bollinger series, a collection that showcases the Maison's historic winemaking credentials - and its traditional pinot noir-led power and structure. The collection began with by Bollinger 2003, followed a decade later by B13. Now, B16, the third instalment in the series, shines a spotlight on the late-ripening terroirs of the Montagne de Reims. It is full of apple and pear flavours, some brioche/mineral notes, with spicy hints and a silky finish after being aged for more than seven years on lees and finished with a 4g/L dosage. While this can be enjoyed as an aperitif, it would be better enjoyed with dinner. It is sold in a stylish gift box. $270. https://www.champagne-bollinger.com/en/

Cullen 2025 Diana Madeline Legacy Series Solstice Sun Cabernet Sauvignon

Looking for a very special, limited-release wine as a Father's Day gift for a serious wine lover? Only around 400 bottles of this were made. Released this week, it is an impressively complete red blend, hand harvested on a Biodynamic Flower Day and New Moon in late February. This inaugural release was made using fruit from the oldest plantings of cabernet sauvignon from the Cullen Vineyard in Margaret River. This gem from Vanya Cullen and her biodynamic and organics-focused team is complex, silky and superbly balanced; immediately accessible in its youth but a potential cellaring prospect. It paired brilliantly with Asian-braised lamb loin chops. $350. https://cullenwines.com.au/

Henschke 2025 The Nurturer

 

This new release blend from the Henschke family has a calm, quiet charm about it. It clearly comes from a place of contentment. It is named in honour of family matriarch Prue Henschke, a viticulturist, botanist and environmentalist behind the organics practiced across the family's vines. The Nurturer is a most unusual combination of southern French varieties grown in the Eden Valley: carignan, counoise, grenache gris, grenache noir, clairette, cinsault and shiraz (each variety added in harvest order). It works brilliantly if you like your reds a little less blockbuster, a little more contemplative. Aromatic and vibrant with lively red and black fruit notes, we paired this with savoury Middle Eastern bourekas, thin layers of pastry filled with cheese and pepperberries. Excellent value at $40. https://www.henschke.com.au/

Tapanappa 2023 Definitus Pinot Noir

 

Find some pinot noirs a little lightweight? Not this one from wine elder Brian Croser at Tapanappa. This is deeply coloured, intense, profound and cellar worthy. Made from fruit grown in the centre slope of the Foggy Hill Vineyard "distinguished site" on the Fleurieu Peninsula, the 2023 is the sixth release of this special wine, hand harvested from a cool vintage. After malolactic fermentation on full lees, the juice was racked and returned to barriques for maturation. The wine has just been released after over two years in bottle and. Savoury, spicy and stunning. Made in tiny quantities. 94 points. $90. https://tapanappa.com.au/

Ten Minutes by Tractor 2025 McCutcheon Chardonnay

The key to the appeal of the Ten Minutes by Tractor individual vineyard wines is their completeness. They all have a unique presence where everything is in perfect balance; even in their youth. There is a laser-like focus on quality from winemaker Imogen Dillon here - and from a top-notch vintage. The Ten Minutes by Tractor story by Martin Spedding and his family began in the early 1990s with three vineyards planted in Main Ridge on the cool Mornington Peninsula, each 10 minutes by tractor apart. This is from one of those original vineyards. Fermented in concrete before being transferred to barrel, it has an impressive minerality to it along with citrus and tropical notes and astutely adjudged French oak. With impressive length, this is the full Burgundian package. 97 points. $95. https://www.tenminutesbytractor.com.au/ 

Vasse Felix 2025 Classic Dry Red

 

We are in bargain basement territory here with the new release of a "drink now" red from one of Margaret River's pioneering wineries. Previously made using shiraz grapes, this is now a slurpable cabernet sauvignon-driven blend (there's also some merlot and malbec in the mix) with vibrant fresh fruit flavours the driving force. Estate grown and made to meet the growing demand for lighter, uncomplicated red wines, this is unoaked, saw wild yeast fermentation and spent eight months in stainless steel tanks before release. Immediately approachable at 13.5% alcohol, it would be a fine choice for a barbecue, or pasta night with friends. $20. www.vassefelix.com.au