Tapanappa Tiers Vineyard 1.5m Chardonnay
As featured on "Battle of the Vines": About the Tapanappa, Liinaa effuses, Its got power, a lot of stone fruit characters you often find with a Burgundy wine, but also it has ripping acidity, its razor sharp, pristine. Its got a very beautiful expression of wet stones and textures, its layered, with a bit of spice as well.
Eileen Hardy Chardonnay
Dr Bü;rklin Wolf Wachenheimer Altenburg Riesling
Leogate Western Slopes Reserve Hunter Valley Shiraz
Leogate Estate was established in 2009 by Bill and Vicki Widin, however, their vines are much older. The winery has maintained a 5 Red Star rating for well over a decade now, and their Western Slope has rarely fallen below 95pts in that same period, such is the impressive consistency of this Reserve Shiraz. The 2017 vintage presented a smaller yield vintage for Hunter reds, which means concentration of flavour has been high. This is well deserving of a place in your cellar. “It puts on a classy display based on a core of cherry-plum flavour though it's also appropriately adorned in smoky, cedary oak. Earth and spice notes strut throughout and the texture is silken. It doesn't put a foot wrong, and it's impressive... 95pts” (Halliday Wine Companion, Campbell Mattinson).
Chateau La Tour-Blanche 1er cru classe
By Farr Chardonnay
Gary Farr is still one of Victoria's true Chardonnay maestro's and his Chardonnay By Farr is another example. Taken from the original By Farr vineyard, this is a clearly a wine of true clarity and finesse. Flavours of melon and hints of spice with wonderful oak integration mean this wine is simply delicious upon release, but handle some careful medium-term cellaring.
Joh jos prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling-Spatlese
Graacher Himmelreich is a renowned vineyard that borders the southern edge of its more famous neighbour Wehlener Sonnenuhr. The Spatlese examples typically show lime and lemon sherbety aromas with savoury and honeyed overtones and pronounced slately minerality carried along by signature Mosel racy acidity.
By Farr Viognier
Gary Farr is Victorian wine royalty and is now making his By Farr wines in collaboration with his son, Nick. The results have been wines of utmost pedigree and character and this Viognier is no exception. While retaining the trademark complexity and palate texture, this Viognier has a wonderful floral lift and aromatic nature to it that makes it undeniably appealing to drink young.
Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne Non-Vintage
With 40% of reserve wines, the Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne offers complexity, voluptuous on the nose with notes of freshly baked brioche and the richness of roasted coffee beans. This is a deliciously sophisticated wine that finishes dry with a velvet texture, depth and long-lasting bubbles on the palate.
Brokenwood ILR Semillon
The freshness of this wine demonstrates why Hunter semillon is possibly the most under-rated wine style in the world. The aromas centre around lemon, lime and fresh hay, and the palate is decidedly linear, based on a spine of acidity. This exceptional wine, at six years of age, is still at least five away from its optimum drinking window. 'Little or no colour change; the bouquet is distinctly aromatic, but still focused on primary fruit, not toast or honey; the palate is electrifying, drawing saliva from the mouth with its mix of unsweetened lemon juice/lemon zest and life-giving acidity, the DNA of great Semillon.10.9% alcohol.' (2009 Vintage) - 97 points. - James Halliday February 2016.