Domaine Courbis Cornas Rouge
Domaine Gérard Courbis is based in the villages of Mauves, close to the boundary with Cornas, and makes very elegant traditional expressions of Northern Rhône Syrah that have both freshness and perfume, while retaining a lovely savory edge. Courbis Cornas makes a splashy entrance, flashing hints of violet, forest floor, cracked peppercorns and unctuous blueberry. Aromas of zesty blackberry gain intricacies of rose petal and graphite. This bottling embodies a firm core of mineral and persistent spice. The grapes are sourced from the producers younger vines but yet from the steepest slopes, which makes for a rich and ripe wine, with mineral tension and freshness of acidity thats thrilling. Welcoming already, it should develop complexity through the next 10 years and likely further. The wine will flatter any steak you throw on the bbq.
Fighting Gully Road Reserve Syrah
pen-fermented, 35% whole bunches, 2% viognier skins. Matured in 600L thick staved demi-muids. The bones are strong, the flavours are fine. There's nothing brutish about this wine, it's not rocket-propelled, and yet it pushes firmly for the stars. It tastes of graphite and black coffee, black cherries and white pepper, though what you really notice here is the wine's supple, spicy insistence and its fine web of tannin. This wine is going places.
Paul Jaboulet Saint-Joseph
One of the best known producers of the Rhone Valley is Paul Jaboulet Aine. They produce an array of high quality wines from various appellations within the Rhone. Fine and delicate, Saint-Josephs wines were already on the market in the16th Century. They were appreciated at the table of the kings of France.Made from 100% syrah, the Jaboulet St Joseph exudes a ruby red colour with light purple reflections.This Saint Joseph has an expressive nose with floral and gourmet notes, chocolate and coffee. On the palate, we find a nice acidity that carries the whole length and a good structure with fine tannins.
Dog Point Pinot Noir
Dog Point is responsible for some of Marlborough's best Pinot noir. This release has lifted aromas of dark cherries stone fruit and violets. The palate is rich and complex with a supple velvety texture.
Bannockburn Pinot Noir
Bannockburn is spicy with well intergraded savoury oak and great acidity backbone. The varietal flavours such as, raspberries, strawberries and red cherries fruits lingers with a faint hint of forest floor on the palate with well supporting tannins. A greatly composed wine, this is undoubtedly pushing the setting of this country's benchmark for Pinot Noir to another level.
Kalleske Greenock Shiraz
Greenock is a long standing subregion in the Barossa Valley known for rich, silken, dark-fruited wines. When you mix that terroir-driven history with a winery like Kalleske you have a match made in heaven. Able to fully utilise the deeply concentrated flavours produced by the Greenock fruit, the skilled team has bottle a full-bodied Barossa Shiraz that is overflowing with fruit, balanced tannins and seamless oak. Given some time and a nice decant and this single vineyard Shiraz will open up wonderfully.
Maxime Graillot Domaine des Lises
Domaine de la Croix Bastide Blanche
Clear. pink reflective colour. Citrus and white floer aromas on the nose with mild spicess. In the mouth, the attack is elegant, reminding you of Mediterranean flavours. the fruit is well combined with minerality, espressing softly before a perfectly full finish. Suggested pairings: A fresh summer salad of lobster; crayfish in saffron; freshly made Gariguette strawberry zabaglione.
Penfolds Bin 128
Created in 1962, Penfolds Bin 128 is a regional wine that reflects the unique climate and growing conditions of South Australia's Coonawarra district and the relatively elegant style of cool climate Shiraz. From the 1980 vintage, French oak replaced American, highlighting the pepper, spice and floral characteristics that define this style. Since the mid-1980s, a greater attention has been paid to fruit ripeness, resulting in a wine that is fuller in style and structure.
Kaesler The Bogan Shiraz
Old vine Barossa Valley Shiraz doesn't get much better than this. The Kaesler name was reborn by winemaker and visionary Reid Bosward in 1997, breathing new life in the over 100 year old vineyards. A Quirky name matched with unrivaled concentration make The Bogan Shiraz as must have for all big Australian Shiraz lovers.