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The 2011 vintage was a problematic one for red wines in the Yarra Valley - and Coldstream Hills produced no reserve or individual vineyards reds. The good news, however, is that all that premium fruit went into the standard pinot noir - which while still tightly wound is a wine of immense promise. A recent online tasting hosted by founder James Halliday and winemaker Andrew Fleming underlined that the Coldstream Hills wines are very much "in the zone" right now and I enjoyed this pinot for its medium-bodied elegance, dark cherry and cranberry flavours, stalky elements, earthy delicatessen notes and well integrated French oak. It's a wine that will evolve in time, but its a classic cool-climate vintage wine right now for those who enjoy the style. $35.
The trendies have already started chuckling at the mere thought of drinking sauvignon blanc; a variety that has become almost laughably unfashionable among the industry set. Their loss. Sauvignon blanc is popular with the general public for a reason - and this is a beautifully crisp, precise and intense wine without any overt herbaceousness. Gooseberry, fresh grass, passionfruit and grapefruit characters rule the roost here, aided by some subtle oak to add interest on the palate, which finishes crisp, dry and downright delicious. Pair it with Thai seafood dishes. $22.
www.altavineyards.com.au.
The wines from Swinging Bridge, which sources fruit from both Orange and the Central Ranges, are invariably offer both high quality and good value - but this is one of the best I've seen, a cracking, thoroughly modern Orange limited-release chardonnay (in provenance, not colour) that more than held its own alongside a Chablis from a very reputable producer. The elegance and balance underline the quality cool-climate fruit used in a wine that has beautiful texture with hints of citrus, stone fruit and minerality, along with restrained oak that plays a judicious support role. Lovely stuff. $32. www.swingingbridge.com.au.
La Prova is the name of a new range of wines from
Adelaide Hills winemaker Sam Scott. The label means the trial, or
experiment, and the range features Italian grape varieties. I was very impressed by both the pinot grigio and this pale rosé made from aglianico grapes. It doesn't pay to be colourist when it comes to either rosé or pinot noir; some of the palest wines are the most textural and savoury. Such is the case here, with this plump, tangy and dry number that went brilliantly with some Lebanese dishes. $23. www.scottwinemaking.com.au
Soumah is a funky new producer based at Gruyere in the Yarra Valley (the name stands for South of the Maroondah Highway). This is its third release of savarro, the rather peculiar name it chose for its savagnin after it turned out that what Australians thought were albarino grapes were not (a long and complicated story). Fortunately there is nothing either funky, or peculiar, about the wine, which is made in the style of Northern Italian pinot grigio; fresh, crisp and clean and ideal for drinking young - and appropriate as savagnin dates back 10 centuries to the Alto Adige region, where pinot grigio also thrives. As Australians increasingly look for alternative grape varieties, I suspect this will be extremely popular - and most punters won't give a damn that there is no such grape as savarro. To cut a long story short, I very much like the citrus and gentle spice notes of this unwooded wine and recommend drinking it chilled. Lots of it. $26. www.soumah.com.au
Some wines have a certain something about them - and this stood out from the crowd in a recent tasting. It's a delightful mature cabernet (with 4% of merlot) from vineyards in the far south of Margaret River with a blackberry/earthy nose leading to a plush palate with dark fruit and attractive savoury notes. The 30% new French oak has been seamlessly integrated in a wine that blossoms when served with rich meat dishes. Don't linger; this full-bodied red is drinking beautifully right now. $28. www.bhwines.com.au.
When I popped into Yelland and Papps in the Barossa the other day, I was much taken by their rustic chic cellar door - along with their entry-level 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon ($16) and the delicious 2012 Delight Vermentino. Possibly even more impressive, however, given the vagaries of the 2011 vintage, is this wine in the same fun range as the vermentino; a blend of grenache, mataro, shiraz and carignan that's made in an easy-drinking Rhone style. It's delightfully soft and juicy with savoury hints and plushness on the palate. A red that could even take a few minutes' chilling in the fridge this summer - and an excellent choice for sipping while watching the cricket. $20.
