Dandelion Vineyards Menagerie of the Barossa GSM
Intriguing aromas of rose petals and a summer pudding of lifted red fruits, berries and a hit of cinnamon and Asian spice. The palate is opulent, with intense red berries balanced by soft velvety tannins and supple oak with great balance from the acid reknown in Barossa Grenache. 'The cold, wet 2011 vintage hit the Barossa Valley particularly hard, wiping out huge tracts of vineyards. Dandelion's blend, then, came as a delightful surprise a tender, juicy, seductive drop that made the bottle seem too small. It's a blend of grenache (85 per cent), shiraz (10 per cent) and mataro (aka mourvedre or monastrell). The back label hints at how winemaker Elena Brooks and the Dandelion crew saved the day, "handpicking selected bunches" (that is, avoiding the rotten ones) of the three varieties for co-fermentation and ultimate success. What a moreish wine this is'. - Canberra Times, 15 May 2013, by Chris Shanahan.
De Bortoli Premium Varietal Old Tawny
There is plenty of flavour here - raisins, toffee, liquorice - in this soft, smooth and sweet fortified. Satisfying and well priced.
Bleasdale Malbec
Here's a reason to indulge in the toasty oak blend of Bleasdale Malbec: Paul Hotker, the current senior winemaker, was named 2018 Winemaker of the Year by James Halliday. With incredible experience spanning across multiple wine regions and vineyards, Paul continues to create quality, award-winning wine. This wine shows vibrant primary fruit flavours of plums, red berries and spices. Finishing soft and round with velvety smooth tannins.
Georges Duboeuf Chiroubles
It is the freshest of the Beaujolais Crus and the Parisian's favourite. Fresh and fruity, light and supple, it has a pleasant aroma of violets. The true wine-lovers drink it young when the Gamay still possesses its entire aroma.
Antinori Peppoli Chianti Classico
This wine has an intense aroma of red berries, accompanied by hints of vanilla and chocolate. It shows great structure on the palate, and persistence of the fruit. Pèppoli is characterised by elegant and gentle tannins. Tuscany is without doubt a wine region that produces some of the most important reds in the World. It is a region full of tradition, but in continuous evolution since the introduction of international grape varietals and the use of the French barrels that became common in the seventies. Beginning in the 80's and through the 90's the new wines, the Super Tuscans, benefited the whole Tuscan region. The Antinori family has been in the wine business since Giovanni di Piero Antinori joined the Florentine Guild of Vintners in 1385 more than 26 generations ago. Throughout the company's long history it has remained family owned and operated, and today it is directed by Marchese Piero Antinori.
Torbreck The Steading Grenache Blend
One of the bast examples going around. Incredibly ripe and sweet fruited bouquet and palate, showing Grenache's love for the heat; soft and ripe, warm and fleshy, with a splash of savoury spice to conclude.
Deep Woods Harmony Rose
This wine is largely sourced from a single block of vines planted with Tempranillo, Shiraz and Merlot. With aromas of ripe, fresh summer fruit berries with a hint of lifted violet notes, this is a dry Rosé with balanced acidity. A medium-bodied wine displaying raspberry and strawberry fruit flavours on the palate with a satisfying persistent finish.
Hither & Yon Carignan
One of the very few examples of Carignan produced in Australia. This is the first release of this wine from Hither & Yon and it's really approachable already.Bright purple in the glass. Perfumed nose of black cherry, plum and black pepper. Light to medium weight with a fresh core of fleshy black fruits and tart red berries with good balance of acid and tannin crunch. An excellent young-drinker.
Turkey Flat Butchers Block Mataro Shiraz Grenache
The Butchers Block is a traditional Barossa blend made with grapes selected from the Turkey Flat vineyards, including some from the original old vine plantings. It is a blend of Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvédre (Mataro). 'Part of the grapes come from the home vineyard that has some of the oldest vines in the Barossa, planted by Peter Schulz's great-grandfather Ernest Schulz. The wine has the drive, focus and intensity often missing from this Barossa blend; that said, there are both black and distinctly red fruit components, and the tannins are firm. Give it 10 years, then line it up with a top Rhone Valley example. Outrageous value' - Rating 94/100. - James Halliday.
Farnese Edizione
Farnese Edizione gives a very deep garnet red colour. The nose is intense and persistent with notes of cherry and blackcurrant, herbs, cinnamon, cloves, cocoa, liquorice and hints of mineral. The palate has great structure, good balance between alcohol and freshness, velvety tannins, very persistent with a long finish, ready to drink, or can be put in the cellar for a few years.