House of Arras sounds French and it would be easy to mistake this Brut Elite for a NV Champagne. Arras winemaker Ed Carr has spent the last 15 years on a quest to produce a world class sparkling. With this wine, we considered it mission accomplished! Vanilla, nougat and exotic spices on the nose, followed by a palate bursting with lychee, truffle and cinnamon flavours, this is a complex, elegant wine. Australian sparkling has come a long way in the past decade, but this is a wine that really excites us.

Mid straw in colour with green hues. Intense classic lemon fruit aromas with a hint of white flowers. Bottle aged characters of toast, clove oil and lemongrass have started to emerge. Shows great length and depth with concentrated power, pristine fresh lime juice overlaid with toasted brioche, sage oil and lime marmalade. The wine finishes with fresh, soft natural acidity. Pewsey Vale is synonymous with Riesling, and this historic hillside vineyard that rules the Eden Valley in South Australia is world-famous for the distinct style it produces. Originally established in 1847 by Joseph Gilbert, it was purchased by Samuel Smith (now Hill-Smith of Yalumba) in 1961. The vineyard sits 250 metres above the Barossa Valley floor. The resultant cooler temperatures encourage a longer ripening period that is essential for producing superior Riesling grapes. Made by renowned winemaker Louisa Rose, the Rieslings of Pewsey Vale have a distinct lime character together with florals and a touch of spice. When young they are vibrant and tight with upright acidity. As the wines age, they gain complexity with honeyed tones, but they are very long-lived, so patience is a must!

The 2024 Dalrymple Single Site Estate Coal River Valley Chardonnay from Tasmania is a true delight for the senses. Its golden hue immediately catches the eye, hinting at the richness of the wine within. On the nose, aromas of ripe peach, toasted almonds, and a hint of vanilla dance together in perfect harmony. The palate is equally complex, with flavors of stone fruit, citrus, and subtle oak notes. The acidity is well-balanced, providing a refreshing crispness that lingers long after each sip. This vintage showcases the exceptional quality of Yalumba's winemaking, with every sip evoking the cool, pristine terroir of the Coal River Valley. Whether enjoyed on its own or paired with a creamy seafood dish, this Chardonnay is sure to impress even the most discerning of palates.

An off-dry lower alcohol style, Felton Roads Bannockburn Riesling displays floral lift and fleshy stone fruit richness balanced by taut racy acidity. The fruit comes from Calvert & The Elms vineyards in the Bannockburn sub-region of Central Otago. The grapes are whole bunch pressed and fermented with indigenous yeasts, with the ferment arrested when the desired balance between acidity, alcohol and residual sugar is reached.

With winter rains, healthy and wholesome grapevines protruded out of the soil at the Jansz vineyard. Grapes were picked from a single block in the vineyard, the whole bunch pressed, and fermented and aged in French oak barriques with more than five years on lees. This extensive winemaking procedure resulted in the creation of an elegant Chardonnay wine displaying pale gold colours with an exceptional bead. The lifted bouquet gives out scents of truffles, oyster shells and preserved lemons coupled with underlying nuances of honey nougat and Amaretti biscuits. The complex and intense palate is an amalgam of brioche, roast almond nougat and crystallised lemon nuances that balance the chalky minerality and creamy texture of the wine to provide a refreshing and lengthy climax. The wine possesses an alcohol content of 12% and is a great pairing with whole baked snapper with ginger and citrus.

Tasmania is producing world-class sparklings and this is one of the very best examples. Subtle complex and elegant it shows fine intense fruit with classic toasty creamy yeast character.

This outstanding Riesling has subdued lavender, fresh herb aromas, lemon blossom while the palate is soft round and smoothed out by a touch of sweetness that is deep and lingering. Before being grasped by a clenched fist of acidity.. The finish is taunt, ultra-crisp with a whisper of sweetness before the zesty dry grip takes over.

Josef Chromy Chardonnay is a classic cool climate style, showing notes of melon and granny smith apple, some mid palate creamy richness and taut linear acidity. Fruit is sourced from Josef Chromys estate vineyards in Relbia in Northern Tasmania. The Chardonnay is gently pressed to stainless steel for a cool ferment with full solids retained for fermentation to give richness and texture.