Sunday, August 30, 2015

Airlie Bank 2015 Franc

What a lot of vinous fun for a minimal financial outlay. This is a 2015 Yarra Valley red; a rarity in that it is made from the cabernet franc grape. It is crafted using just a hint of seasoned oak but is fruit driven and charming, aromatic and supple. There were minimal additions and no fining and this is chock-full of juvenile charm. Enjoy this as you would a vin de soif  like Beaujolais. A really lovely wine from the team at Punt Road that would be a pleasure to quaff over summer. $20. www.puntroadwines.com.au. 

Friday, August 21, 2015

Alkoomi 2015 Frankland River Chardonnay

If you like your chardonnay young, vibrant and uncomplicated then this delivers in spades. From one of the pioneering wineries in Frankland River, in Western Australia's Great Southern region, this wine is all about bright, fresh fruit flavours (think stone fruits with hints of citrus). Really nicely balanced with some brisk acidity, this is a versatile food wine and would pair well with poultry dishes, quiches and salads. And take a look at the price. It is an absolute bargain. $16. www.alkoomiwines.com.au/

Friday, August 14, 2015

Balnaves 2010 The Tally Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon


Looking for a perfect present for Father's Day? Look no further. This was one of my favourite wines from the recent Coonawarra Roadshow, a stunning cabernet sauvignon from one of the region's best producers that is only just starting to get into its stride and would be a welcome addition to any connoisseur's cellar. This is a big, assertive wine with mouth-puckering tannins in its youth but is also wonderfully varietal and well balanced with dark cassis fruit flavours to the fore along with black chocolate notes and licorice/black olive hints. If you like wines with structure and commanding presence then you'll enjoy this. One of Australia's great cabernets beyond any doubt. $90. www.balnaves.com.au

Friday, August 7, 2015

Kooyong 2013 Faultline Chardonnay

For a decade or more Sandro Mosele has quietly been crafting some of Australia's finest chardonnays for Kooyong on the Mornington Peninsula. A few weeks ago Kooyong put out a press release saying Mosele had left to "pursue other interests". All very mysterious. But Kooyong still has Mosele's wines from 2013 and 2014 to come. This new release is, like all Kooyong wines, estate grown, vinified and bottled. And it's a beauty. Wild yeast ferment has added layers of interest to the flinty minerality. Stone fruit and citrus flavours marry happily with just a smidgen of new oak and the end result is as stylish as a Paris catwalk model. $60. www.kooyongwines.com.au.