Hay Shed Hill Block 8 2023 Cabernet Franc

 

Cabernet franc must be one of most under-rated grape varieties around. Often used as a minor element in Bordeaux blends, the variety also produces medium-bodied red wines with immediate appeal. This one found favour with my tasting group for its soft, easy style. A wine for sipping and savouring, preferably paired with dishes showcasing chicken or quail. The Hay Shed Hill Block Series wines are made from small parcels of fruit from individual blocks on the vineyard at Wilyabrup in Margaret River. This is soft and lifted with a fascinating blend of complexity and elegance. $45. https://hayshedhill.com.au/

Wynns 2024 Black Label Messenger Chardonnay

This a very impressive addition to the Wynnsday collection of wines released earlier this week by winemaker Sue Hodder and her team at Wynns Coonawarra Estate. It is a composed, very varietal cooler-climate chardonnay that also offers formidable value. The Messenger Vineyard has 32-year-old chardonnay vines, which produced stellar fruit in 2024. This is a very classy wine with plenty of flavour and a brisk acid finish. Hand-picking, whole-bunch pressing, barrel aging, and malolactic fermentation all play their role in a release that is complete and very varietal with stone fruit flavours, youthful enthusiasm and waves of texture producing a very smooth customer indeed. $45. https://www.wynns.com.au/

Lyons Will Estate 2024 Gamay

 

What a ripper! One of the best gamays in Australia, and an example of why we should see more versions of wines using the Beaujolais grape made here. This is wonderfully juicy and fresh, gloriously gluggable and ideal for serving after a short chill should that be your preference. Wild fermented and matured in older oak barrels for nine months, this has emerged as such a fun drink with dark cherry flavours to the fore. The juice had four weeks on skins to give it some vibrancy. 60% whole berry, 40% semi carbonic maceration, 100% pleasure. Unfined, unfiltered, and Vegan-friendly, this might already be in short supply given only 380 cases were made. 93 points, if points are your thing. $49. https://www.lyonswillestate.com.au/        

Henschke 2022 Keyneton Euphonium

 

Henschke makes some of Australia's most sought-after wines, including the $1000-a-bottle Hill of Grace, regarded as the best single-vineyard wine in the country. But the Henschke family - six generations in - also offers a range of far more affordable wines; like this red blend that would grace any dinner party table. A blend of shiraz and cabernet sauvignon, along with small amounts of cabernet franc and merlot, it is a very stylish amalgam of fruit from the Barossa and the cooler Eden Valley. The name pays tribute to an instrument used by the former Henschke Family Brass Band. This is a very sophisticated drop that be enjoyed now, or cellared for decades. Bright and beautifully balanced with oak playing a role in creating impressive structure. $67. https://www.henschke.com.au/ 

Angullong 2022 Cossing Reserve Harriet

 

This is a pretty spectacular reserve release from a small producer in the NSW Central West. The vineyard is in the foothills of Mount Canobolas outside Orange. The property has been in the Crossing family since 1950 and was a sheep and cattle station before grape growing and winemaking started in 1998. The wines are made by the talented Canadian Jeff Byrne and this is a smooth but assertive blend of Italian varieties sangiovese, montepulciano and sagrantino that is named in honour of the family matriarch. It is a lovely, food-friendly release that is drinking very well right now; fruit and oak are in impressive harmony. Decidedly moreish. 94 points from me. $50. www.angullong.com.au.

Hesketh 2024 Rules of Engagement Pinot Grigio

 

I'm not sure how they produce a wine this good at such a low price, but lovers of fresh, vibrant young white wines are definite winners here. Made from fruit grown on the Limestone Coast, this has citrus and fruit salad notes to the fore alongside zingy natural acidity on the finish. This is a wine for enjoying in its youth, chilled, whenever you feel like it. Refreshment with a capital R given the freshness and varietal character. Check out this range: the line-priced Los Weekend Chardonnay and the Midday Somewhere Shiraz are also very impressive. Pair this with anything from ham and pineapple pizza to fish cakes, or a veggie omelette. $16. https://heskethwinecompany.com.au/

Wynns 2022 Childs Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

 

The annual Wynnsday releases from Wynns Coonawarra Estate are always among the the highlights of the wine year - and this year's single vineyard selection is an absolute ripper: a classic Coonawarra cabernet that is brilliantly balanced and offers serious value, even at $80 a bottle. It is definitely one of the stars of the year so far. Planted in 1969, grapes from the Childs vineyard have consistently been a component of top releases from Sue Hodder and her winemaking team. There's plenty of length here, classic cool-climate cabernet flavours (dark berries, hints of cedar and spice) and impressively supple tannins. Enjoy now or cellar for up to 20 years. Super impressive. Pair with a veal schnitzel. $80. 

St Hugo 2022 Barossa Shiraz

 

Wine lovers are always looking for the next big thing, while often ignoring old favourites in their search. St Hugo is a label that has been delivering quality red wines for several decades, and this is an exceptional good Barossa shiraz with all the flavour and power that you'd expect, but also with some sophisticated style and swagger. A brambly/herbal/spicy nose leads on to a palate where there is perfect harmony between fruit and oak and a whole lot of length and grippy tannins. Perfect for pairing with just about any red meat dish, or taking to a dinner party. $55. The website, however, is downright annoying. https://www.sthugo.com/  

   

Riddoch Coonawarra 2022 The Representative Cabernet Merlot

 

There are few regions of Australia that produce consistently excellent cabernets and cabernet blends than Coonawarra, and this new release from Riddoch winemaker Matthew Reimann offers excellent weekend drinking at a price that might allow you to also enjoy the occasional bottle midweek. This is a wine that manages to combine both power and elegance, with dark berry flavours allied astutely judged oak that aids and abets rather than dominating. There is plenty of flavour here, plenty of length and lots of drinking pleasure for $40. A nice foil for calves' liver and onions. www.riddochcoonawarra.com.au   

Domaine Jean Defaix 2023 Chablis

 

I'm old school in that I prefer my Chablis wines to be crisp and clean with purity, clarity, minerality and acid to the fore. If you are a traditionalist who likes your Chablis vibrant and wood free then this delivers in spades. It was one of the stars of the recent Negociants Imported Wine Odyssey tastings. Made by Daniel Dampt, who also produces his own range. Completely unoaked, as is the tradition with the domaine, this is a thrilling example of unadulterated chardonnay. Pair it with a roast pork and crackling for a winter wine and food treat. $65. https://www.negociants.com/au/home

Ekin 2023 Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir

 

It is hard nowadays to find quality cool-climate pinot noir that is affordable, but this one delivers in spades. Ekin is a joint venture between wine industry duo Mark Vella and Brad Case, producing impressive-value wines from Langhorne Creek and the Adelaide Hills. The range also includes a very decent Adelaide HIlls chardonnay but this was the standout for me: a mellifluous, well-mannered pinot that strikes just the right balance between bright fruit, subtle oak and savoury notes. It went down with considerable ease and is well worth checking out at just $25. https://ekinwineco.com.au   

Vasse Felix 2023 Single Plot DHJ1 Chardonnay

 

What a stunningly complete bottle this is. It is the third vintage of this limited-release wine that is a brilliant example of precise, Burgundy-accented, cooler-climate Australian chardonnay. The fruit is grown on a tiny plot in the coolest pocket of a vineyard in Wallcliffe in Margaret River that receives cooling influences from both the Indian and Southern oceans. It is a wine of purity and length that has seen only older, lighter oak to let the elegant characters of the grapes shine through. It's all about the fruit here, largely unadulterated. Unfined, unfiltered and dramatically drinkable. Flinty, citrusy and complex with brilliantly tangy acid on the finish. $80. https://www.vassefelix.com.au/

Port Phillip Estate 2023 Morillon Single Block Pinot Noir

 

Vintage after vintage, winemaker after winemaker, the twin labels of Kooyong and Port Phillip Estate produce reliably excellent wines from a range of sites on the Mornington Peninsula. This stellar, composed and beautifully balanced new-release pinot noir comes from the Morillon block of the Red Hill vineyard, the Gjerga family's oldest pinot block planted back in 1987. The fruit has a distinctly minerally attitude, combined with classic cool-climate pinot flavours and a suave, stylish, smooth finish. We paired this with an Italian style sausage and kidney casserole. Cross cultural but delicious. Good work from winemaker Tim Perrin. $75. https://www.portphillipestate.com.au/   

Curly Flat 2024 White Pinot

Here's something a little bit different from the outstanding Curly Flat winery in Victoria's Macedon Ranges. It's a rosé in disguise: whole bunch-pressed pinot noir allowed a couple of hours of skin contact to give it a very pale pink colour. It was barrel fermented in older, neutral oak for palate interest with texture added by lees contact prior to bottling. The end result is a savoury rosé - made like a white - for chilling lightly. It has a berry/citrus tang and biting, refreshing acid on the finish. It finishes bone dry and would be a very amiable companion to a charcuterie platter. $32. https://curlyflat.com/

Grosset 2023 Gaia

 

Jeffrey Grosset is known for making very fine Clare Valley rieslings that are arguably Australia's finest, but he is far from a one-trick pony. This biodynamic blend of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc is a wonderfully elegant red; think having a ballerina dancing across your tongue. Volumes were down in 2023 - there were only 400 cases made - but this is a wine that can be enjoyed in its youth, or cellared confidently for a decade or more. It gets 97 points for me for its subtle power and persistence, and would be the perfect match for a classic Sunday roast with the family. $108. https://www.grosset.com.au/  

Hay Shed Hill 2024 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc

What a ripper wine this is for enjoying chilled over the dying days of summer. It  is a cracking blend of semillon and sauvignon blanc from Margaret River that that is made from fruit grown on some of the oldest semillon and sauv blanc vines n the region. If you want a white that is full of flavour, vibrancy and texture then this delivers big time; and is a perfect match for pan-fried fish dishes, from flathead to sardines. Think citrusy minerality bursting with tropical fruit flavours and a lively dry finish. The blend is semillon 60%, sauvignon blanc 40% and the verdict is 100% positive. $30. https://hayshedhill.com.au/

Yalumba Y Series 2024 Pinot Noir

 

I tend to avoid cheap pinot noir like I avoid people wearing MAGA caps. It is extremely hard to find anything you'd want to drink for under $30 a bottle. Which is why this is such a good buy: it tastes like pinot noir rather than a generic soft dry red and is made by the team at Yalumba, which has been producing value wines under this label for close to a quarter of a century. Made from fruit sourced across South Australia, it is 100% wild fermented, has a melange of crisp berry flavours and finishes soft and smooth. Juicy, lively and refreshing. Excellent midweek drinking. $16. https://www.smithswinestore.com.au/ 

Tapanappa 2024 Piccadilly Chardonnay

 

The Tapanappa 2024 Piccadilly Chardonnay sits third in the pecking order of the Tapanappa chardonnay range: behind the complex duo of the Tiers Chardonnay and 1.5m Tiers Chardonnay. While that duo are destined for the long haul, this is more immediately accessible; and downright delectable on its release. It is made from grapes grown on three distinguished vineyards planted by Brian Croser in the Adelaide Hills back in the 1980s. There is a whole lot of flavour and concentration across the palate here; citrus, stone fruit, fig and spice notes, allied to quality French oak and lees maturation combine to produce a wine that has a lot to say for itself and is marked by bright, refreshing acid on the finish. Cool vintage: very cool wine. Lovely balance here. Terrific length, too. $60.  www.tapanappa.com.au.     

Turkey Flat 2023 Mataro

 

Mataro is a grape variety with something of an identity crisis. This deeply coloured, high-tannin red grape is sometimes known as mourvedre, particularly in France, where it is a key component of the wines of Bandol. In its native Spain, however, it is known as monastrell. It is also sometimes called trinchiera. Whatever you call it, this is an impressive alpha red that thrives in the heat of the Barossa and deserves to be matched with a juicy steak, or savoury mushrooms. Eight months in French oak puncheons has helped reduce its native rusticity and made it immediately approachable. $50. www.turkeyflat.com.au  

Fuedo Arancio 2020 Hekate Passito Sicilia IGT

Hare's something that is just a little deliciously different: a passito-style dessert wine from Sicily with a nutty, savoury finish. From Feudo Arancio (Orange Grove), this is an intriguing amalgam of floral aromas and sweet and savoury flavours (think raisins and apricots) with those honeyed and nutty notes on the finish. It is a blend of chardonnay, viognier and inzolia (aka ansonica) named after Hekate, a Greek goddess. The secret to the richness of passito wines is that the grapes are naturally dried, adding to the intensity of the flavours. You could enjoy this with a plate of biscotti, or serve it on the rocks with a cinnamon bun. Distributed by Single Vineyard Sellers. $65.

Moss Wood 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon

 

There is a symphony of flavour and texture in this superb Margaret River cabernet blend from one of the region's consistently excellent producers. This an impressive result from what was a cool, difficult year in the vineyards resulting in reduced yields. A blend of 95% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot offers some thrills for lovers of classic Bordeaux styles and carries its 14% alcohol with aplomb. French oak barrels (16% new) play their role in a wine with soft, rounded tannins. This can be enjoyed on its release, but for lovers of aged reds it can be cellared for up 20 to years, the Mugford family says. Floral, with red and dark fruits, toasty oak and spice hints. A lovely, composed and balanced wine. Sold out at cellar door but you might find some in retail outlets. $150. https://www.mosswood.com.au/

Howard Park 2023 Flint Rock Chardonnay

 

This one had been sitting in my tasting stash for a few months - but I think the extra time has done it a favour as it has emerged as a seriously composed and stylish chardonnay at a price that makes it irresistible. From the Burch family's Flint Rock vineyard in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, this has undergone natural ferment and spent nine months on lees in French oak, adding complexity and texture without taking the focus away from the minerality and freshness of the fruit. This is tight, but very pleasurable. Pair with poultry dishes, or spicy seafood. $32. https://howardparkwines.com.au/

Terre à Terre 2020 Crayères Reserve

 
There is a remarkable consistency of quality to the wines made by Xavier Bizot and Lucy Croser under their Terre à Terre label. This one is just entering its drinking zone and offers impressive balance; a classic Australian blend with some added French style. The Crayères Vineyard Reserve is made using the top parcels of cabernet sauvignon (78%) and shiraz (22% ) from the estate vineyard at Wrattonbully on the Limestone Coast. Think a melange of dark and red berry fruit notes with supple tannins on a smooth, structured palate. Pair this with a lamb en croute for maximum pleasure, or cellar confidently for the next few years. $90. https://terreaterre.com.au/

The Little Wine Company 2024 Pinot Grigio

 

This is a quintessential summer wine; fresh vibrant and full of the joys of youth. It is also one of an impressive range of 2024 whites from The Little Wine Company that also includes an albarino and a pecorino. While Ian and Suzanne Little are based at Broke in the Hunter Valley, the fruit for this wine has been sourced from Central Western NSW. It has delicious stone fruit flavours and tangy, crisp acidity on the palate. It would be good to have a bottle of this in the fridge for when friends pop around. Picked early for maximum freshness, it is unoaked but full of personality. One for drinking over the next 12 months. A great buy for $24. https://www.thelittlewinecompany.com.au/