Tasting notes of Australian wines
(Prices and stockists in the UK are listed in brackets; as a rough guide £1 = US$1.50. Date of tasting is indicated at the end of each note as month/year.)

see also: 

• Best's Great Western, Australia

• Brokenwood: visiting one of the Hunter Valley's top wineries

• Landmark Australia Tutorial: an in depth look at Australia's fine wine dimension

• Tapanappa and here

• Clonakilla, Canberra District

• The new Barossa (multipart series)

• Clare Valley (multipart series)

• Yarra Valley (multipart series)

• Margaret River (multipart series)

Frankland Estate Olmo’s Reward 2003 Frankland River, Western Australia
This is a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, with a bit of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon in the mix, and it’s brilliant. Lovely ripe, aromatic nose with fresh, intense black fruits and a minerally edge. Expressive. The palate shows real poise and elegance with ripe, dark fruits and fresh minerality. Structured and savoury. 94/100 (£16.75 Berry Bros & Rudd) 06/08

Linda Domas Wines Boycat Merlot 2006 McLaren Vale, Australia
Slightly reductive on the nose, with a hint of burnt rubber, but also some really fresh, vibrant berry fruit, as well as a hint of gravel. The palate is juicy and medium bodied, with delightfully expressive, fresh, sweet red berry fruit, a trace of blackcurrant, and also some spicy tannins on the finish. I guess that the McLaren Vale isn't the best place in the world to grow Merlot, but this is still a very attractive, supple, sweetly fruited wine of some appeal. Elegant and very berryish. 88/100 (£8.99 Marks & Spencer) 07/08

Howard Park Chardonnay 2006 Great Southern, Western Australia
Fresh but warm nose of buttered toast, spice and citrus fruits. The palate is concentrated and taut with classy, toasty oak combining well with rich tropical fruits offset nicely by herby, lemony freshness. A refined, pure expression of new world Chardonnay that needs a year or two longer to show at its best. Finishes with lovely grapefruity acidity. This is a million miles away from overdone, blowsy Australian Chardonnays of yesteryear. 13% alcohol. 91/100 06/08 (http://www.bibendum-wine.co.uk/)

Yalumba Organic Shiraz 2006 South Australia
Certified by NASAA and the Soil Association. This is quite a bright, fresh, medium-bodied plummy red wine with a fresh spicy twist and a hint of meatiness. It’s not at all heavy or confected – rather, there’s fresh bright fruit and a nice savouriness, which makes it really food friendly. 13.5% alcohol. I found this a bit tight and reduced on opening, but after decanting and leaving overnight the fruit was much more expressive the next day. 88/100 (£7.99 Waitrose) 02/08

De Bortoli Yarra Valley Shiraz Viognier 2004 Yarra, Australia
Fantastic stuff, combining ripe red and black fruits with a lovely vivid, spicy, peppery freshness, and tight focused structure. This is quite European in style. Flirts with a hint of greenness, but in the best possible way. A brilliant cooler-climate Aussie Shiraz that should develop well over the next five years. 93/100 (£13.99 Tesco, Oddbins) 06/07

Deakin Estate Brut NV, Australia
Sealed with a crown cap, this is an attractively packaged fizz showing bright, delicate lemony fruit and nice acidity. A very fresh, almost transparent style of sparkling wine. It's not the most complex example of its genre, but at this price it's a great value all-purpose fizz. Very good 84/100 (£6.99 Oddbins, 6 for the price of 5) 04/07

Heggies Vineyard Chardonnay 2005 Eden Valley, Australia
Close planted Bernard clones grown at an altitude of 550 metres. Hand picked, gently pressed, wild ferment in French oak. 14% alcohol, tin-lined screwcap closure. This has quite a delicate nose (for an Aussie Chardonnay, at any rate), showing fresh, complex spicy, lemony fruit with a fine creamy and delicately bready edge. The palate is quite light - almost transparent - with a fine toastiness adding richness to the nicely phrased lemon, pear and vanilla flavours that work well together. I hate to use the term 'Burgundian', but that's where this wine is headed, although the cleanness and alcoholic depth might have given its new world origins away. But this really is a sophisticated, understated effort. Very good/excellent 92/100 06/07

De Bortoli Gulf Station Pinot Noir 2005 Yarra Valley, Australia
A delicious, affordable Pinot from Yarra star De Bortoli. Sweet, open bright cherryish fruit is the main player, but it’s well balanced and nicely countered by some spiciness. There’s a bit of Pinot medicinal character and some structure, too. An impressive expression of the New World Pinot style. Very good+ 89/100 (£8.99 Oddbins) 01/07

Tatachilla Growers Grenache Mourvèdre Shiraz 2004 South Australia
Really tasty: not a big, dark Aussie, but more a lighter, drinkable food-friendly style. It shows nice aromatic, peppery aromas with juicy, vivid fruit, a bit like a cross between a Beaujolais and a Chateauneuf du Pape. Lovely. Very good+ 87/100 (Waitrose) 02/06

Bridgewater Mill Chardonnay 2002 South Australia
Combining fruit from Petalumafs vineyards in the Adelaide Hills, Coonawarra and Clare Valley, this is a Chardonnay that has seen better days. Beautiful quality cork, though. A full yellow colour, it has a rather off-putting nose that combines buttery richness with a tinned pea/herbal character. The palate is equally uninviting, with some disjointed alcohol, bitter herbs and the beginnings of an oxidative honeyed and appley character. Itfs not undrinkable by any stretch of the imagination - I mean, it won't kill you, and it has some alcohol to numb the pain - but it doesnft offer pleasure, and should have been drunk a few years ago. 74/100 (in the Bibendum sale, http://www.bibendum.co.uk/, but even at £4.28 this is a pass) 02/07

Marks & Spencer Hunter Valley Chardonnay 2006 Australia
I really like this Hunter Chardonnay, which is made by Twin Wells (is this a pun on Tyrrells?). It combines the usual toasty, spicy, buttery richness of Chardonnay with a delightful citrussy freshness and a subtle warm herbiness. The oak is well in the background, and therefs a pronounced mineralic twang. The only slight negative is a subtle bitter character to the fruit on the finish, but this doesnft detract too much from whatfs a delicious wine. 13% alcohol. Very good+ 89/100 (£7.99 on offer at 5.99 7 March–9 April 2007, Marks & Spencer) 02/07

Wolf Blass Yellow Label Riesling 2005 South Australia
Sweet limey fruit on the nose, which is quite spicy with a nice savoury presence. The palate is bright and has a lovely spicy liminess, along with a rich texture. It’s dry, but with enough weight and richness for it not to be at all austere. A versatile wine that has the advantage of being available just about everywhere. (£6.99 Morrisons, etc) Very good+ 87/100 01/07

Lowe Zinfandel 2004 Mudgee, Australia
Deep coloured. The nose is really striking, combining ginger and pepper with a taut sort of herbal dimension, along with a bit of leather and some dark fruits. The palate has more of the ginger spice character, together with some savoury, spicy tannic structure and more tobacco and herb notes, along with curranty berry fruit. It finishes quite dry and dusty. It's not your usual Aussie fruit bomb: there's more savoury depth here. I think it needs food to show its best, but it's good to see something with a bit of individuality to it. Very good+ 89/100 (in the UK this is available from www.strathardlefinewines.co.uk) 02/07

Jim Barry Armagh 1996 Clare Valley, Australia
I remember that at the time, this was the most expensive wine I’d bought—it was £35 from Oddbins Fine Wine store in Faringdon. It’s still a baby, and I opened it before its time, on a whim. Dark, smooth complex nose of tarry, spicy fruit with a bit of cask-like richness. The palate is concentrated, spicy and mouthfilling with fruit and spice, together with firm tannins and fresh acidity. Give it time. Very good/excellent 92/100 08/06  

Pewsey Vale Riesling 2005 Eden Valley, Australia
Crisp, fresh lime and lemon fruit nose with a minerally edge. The palate is brightly fruited with a slightly rustic phenolic edge. Savoury with high acidity. Nice but could do with a bit more refinement. Very good+ 87/100 08/06  

De Bortoli Reserve Pinot Noir 2004 Yarra Valley, Australia
(From a cleanskin, pre-release.) Quite a tight, focused Burgundian nose with spicy, intense, slightly undergrowthy notes, fresh red fruits and just a hint of greenness. The palate is focused and savoury—ripe, but not too sweet—with a bit of tannic structure and fresh acidity. Not at all what you’d expect from an Australian Pinot Noir, and with all the capacity for ageing, I reckon. Very good/excellent 94/100 08/06  

Longhop Old Vine Reserve 2004 Adelaide Plains, Australia
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (65%) and Shiraz (35%) from vineyards planted in the 1950s. Initially on opening, as with many screwcapped reds, this is a bit jammy and primary, showing lots of oak. But give it an hour or two of air and complexity emerges. It’s a dark, concentrated red/black wine with a sweet, smooth, dark spicy nose. The palate shows a huge concentration of sweet pure blackfruits with some spicy complexity and quite a bit of smooth tannic structure. This is a very ripe, intense style but it’s in balance, and over the next few years I’d expect the weight of fruit to subside a little and the firm tannins to relax their grip, resulting in a more complex, thought-provoking red. Impressive stuff. Very good/excellent 92/100  09/06

Yering Frog Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2003 Yarra, Australia
From superstar winery Yering Station, this is a really nice affordable Pinot Noir. Quite light coloured. Lovely perfumed nose of sweet cherry and raspberry fruit. Nice freshness; not jammy. The palate is bright and fruity with a touch of meaty, spicy complexity to the sweet red fruits. Good acidity and overall balance. Very good+ 88/100 (£6.99 Majestic) 01/06  

Faldo Collection Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 Australia
Made by Katnook, this has an expressive, classic Coonawarra nose, with gravel and spice backing up the blackcurrant fruit. The palate is restrained with freshness and minerality to the fruit. Earthy and gravelly. A delicious wine. Very good/excellent 90/100 07/06

Torzi Matthews Frost Dodger Riesling 2006 Eden Valley, Australia
A subtle, precise wine, verging on the lean. Perfumed, quite complex aroma with lime, honeysuckle and summer meadows. The palate is lean, crisp and bone dry with high acidity. It’s not phenolic, but it does have a slightly bitter edge. A citrus-driven wine that’s best with food. Very good/excellent 91/100 07/06  

Peter Lehmann ‘The Black Queen’ Barossa Sparkling Shiraz 1997 Barossa, Australia
Remarkable stuff: sweet, quite complex nose of strawberries, blackcurrant, spice and tar. The palate is semi-sweet with ripe, meaty fruit and a nice spiciness, kept fresh by the fizz. A fairly serious wine that would work well with gamey or mildly spiced dishes. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£13.99 Noel Young, Oddbins, Jeroboams) 12/05

Two Hands Brilliant Disguise Moscato Bianco 2005 Barossa, Australia
Sweet and fizzy with fresh, grapey, slightly spicy flavours. Lovely tangy presence. Joyful and fun but with a hint of seriousness. Very good+ 89/100 (Oddbins) 10/05

Jim Barry The MacRae Wood Shiraz 2003 Clare Valley, Australia
A really fantastic traditional-styled Aussie red with lovely pure, sweet well balanced fruit backed up with some classy oak. Sweet, fresh red and black fruit nose with some spicy, chocolatey complexity. On the palate there’s great concentration of pure fruit, some creaminess to the texture and oak providing effective support. Nice tannins, too. No Armagh was made this year, which could explain why this wine is so good. Very good/excellent 93/100 08/06

Yalumba Barossa Shiraz Viognier 2004 Barossa, Australia
Shiraz cofermented with 5% Viognier. Midweight with sweet, slightly perfumed pure fruit. Savoury spicy edge to the palate. Perhaps a touch dilute? Pleasant but not great. Very good+ 87/100 08/06

Little Penguin Shiraz 2005 Southeast Australia
Bright fresh ripe fruits nose, which is sweet with pure red fruit and a subtle green freshness. Full, smooth sweet palate is nicely balanced. An accessible commercial style. Friendly and fruity. Very good 81/100 (£5.99 Somerfield) 08/06

McHenry Hohnen Vintners Shiraz 2004 Margaret River, Australia
Sweet, pure ripe slightly jammy red and black fruits nose, with very little oak influence. Fruit driven. The palate shows sweet ripe fruit with a smooth texture and some grainy tannins. It’s a forward, quite seductive style, with some chocolatey richness to the fruit. Very good+ 88/100
(£8.99 Handford, Flagship Wines, Wine and the Vine, Tanners, Nethergate Holdings, Weavers, Amps, The Grape Shop, Quellyn Roberts) 11/05

Peter Lehmann Eight Songs Shiraz 2000 Barossa, Australia
Powerful sweet spice and menthol edge to the rich dark fruits nose. The palate is full, spicy and minty with a medicinal edge to the rich fruit. A distinctive full-on style very much in the Grange mould. Quite oaky. It will be interesting to see how this baby develops. Give this a higher rating than I have if you like the style. Very good/excellent 90/100 (£21.99 Oddbins, Waitrose, Van du Vin, Nidderdale, Theatre of Wine, Lanchester Wines, Portland Wines, Laytons) 11/05

Glaetzer Bishop Shiraz 2004 Barossa Valley, Australia
Enticing sweet nose of blackcurrant and raspberry fruit with a creamy vanilla edge and some spice. The palate shows good balance between the smooth tannins and spice, with good acid, too. Nice freshness to the sweet fruit. It isn’t over-ripe. Lovely balance, and some chocolatey character. Very good/excellent 92/100 (£15.95 Great Western Wine) 11/05

De Bortoli Show Liqueur Muscat NV Australia
A fantastic rich, sweet wine. Brown colour. Very sweet with raisin and christmas cake flavours and a hint of old furniture and lemon. Very concentrated: sweet, spicy and long. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£8.99 Majestic) 12/05

Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 Coonawarra, Australia
Initially there’s a big minty blast on the nose; this is followed by minerally, chalky, tarry berry and blackcurrant fruit. The palate shows nice fresh blackcurrant fruit with good acidity and tannins, together with a bit of freshness. It’s ripe and full but fresh and minerally at the same time. A delicious, thought-provoking red wine, and one that is potentially long lived, also. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£12.99 Waitrose, £14.99 Oddbins) 12/05

St Hallett Faith Shiraz 2003 Barossa, Australia
Deep coloured. Tight spicy, tarry, sweet black fruits nose. The palate is well defined and fresh with nice black fruits and a slightly bitter, savoury, tangy finish. Good acid. Nice clean, pure fruit dominates, but there’s high alcohol evident. Very good+ 88/100 09/05

Leeuwin Estate Art Series Riesling 2005 Margaret River, Australia
Initially on opening this is quite reduced, but after a while aromas of lime, citrus pith and minerals emerge. On the palate it's bone dry, with bright, limey fruit. High acid makes this very savoury. It really needs food, but it's a very well done Aussie-style Riesling with good concentration. Very good+ 88/100 (UK agent Domaine Direct) 07/06

Tamar Ridge Limited Release Botrytis Riesling 2005 Tasmania, Australia
This goes remarkably well with raspberries. Try it! It is sweet and viscous, yet light and fresh at the same time. Lots of complex, sweet apricot and lemony fruit with a nice spiciness, some honeyed notes and high acidity. An impressive, precise sweet wine with some future ahead of it. Very good/excellent 91/100 (UK agent Vinus Vita) 07/06

Spinifex Indigene 2004 Barossa, Australia
A blend of Mataro (aka Mourvedre, 64%) and Shiraz (the remainder), this wine reminds me why Pete is one of the most highly rated Barossa winemakers at the moment. It's ripe, and initially on opening seems a bit fruity and alcoholic. Give it a while, though, and that wonderfully tight, focused spiciness that is typical of Mataro begins to show through. This is quite a tannic, complex wine. There's structure here for this one to go the distance. It's a bit like a super-ripe Bandol. I really like it, and I reckon that Mataro/Mourvedre is a real geek's grape variety - it makes serious wines that aren't upfront and immediately appealing. But this wine is not one for opening now: I'd give it a couple of years' respect before popping the cork, if you want to get the best out of it. Very good/excellent 93/100 UK availability: The Cellar Door. 06/06

Peter Lehmann Eden Valley Riesling 2005 Australia
Perfumed, persistent, savoury nose of lime, grapeskin and citrus pith. The palate is crisp, brightly fruited and quite tangy, with a citrussy character and a savoury bite. It finishes bone dry. Like many Australian Rieslings it is just a bit too dry and assertive for drinking on its own, but this would be a perfect mealtime companion with modern fusion cuisine. Refreshingly, this is just 12% alcohol. Very good+ 88/100 (£8.49 Noel Young, T Wright [Bolton], Abbey Wines, Taurus Wines, Cheers, Wines of the World) 07/06

St Hallett Unearthed Touriga Nacional 2005 Barossa
Wonderful nose: sweet, forward, intoxicating raspberry and blackberry fruit with a lovely spicy lift. Very pure and pretty. The palate has deep, smooth, slightly jammy fruit with wonderful richness and purity. There's a spicy backdrop, and very little oak evident - it's all about the pure, sweet, almost self-indulgent fruit. Quite delicious. A wine with some distinctive Barossa personality (ripe and sweetly fruited) plus some varietal character (floral and spicy). In flavour profile, it's quite like a souped up Gamekeepers Reserve. Still pretty primary, I wonder how this will develop (it's sealed with a tin-lined screwcap). Very good/excellent 92/100 (£14.99 Waitrose, but will be on offer at £9.99 until 24 September) 08/06

Rolf Binder Wines Heysen Shiraz 2002 Barossa Valley, Australia
I get the impression that I've opened this one before its time: it's quite serious, but the nose is initially dominated by coconut and vanilla from the new American oak - it's hard to get past this to the concentrated, spicy and rather complex fruit. There's also a touch of alcoholic heat showing: it's a wine that isn't currently at ease with itself. But don't let this put you off. If you have the patience to stick this away for five years, I reckon you'll be rewarded by a complex, expressive Barossa red of real intensity. As well as the deep, pure fruit there's some good tannic structure, and the oak will likely subside into a supporting role with a couple of years in the bottle. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£12.74 www.surf4wine.co.uk) 08/06

De Bortoli Pinot Noir 2003 Yarra Valley, Australia
Bright cherry, spice and undergrowth nose. Quite fresh. The palate shows savoury, spicy cherry and red berry fruits with some good acidity. Not overdone at all. Spicy complexity and fine grained, grippy tannins complete the experience. Very good/excellent 90/100 (£13.99 Oddbins) 12/05

Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay 2002 Margaret River, Western Australia
Yellowish with very subtle green glints. Lovely nose: complex and bold. Quite taut and a bit minerally, but also with some bready, toasty richness and ripe fruit. It's well disciplined. The palate combines complex tropical fruits with fresher citrus notes, well supported by almost structured oak (with a bit of vanilla) and good acidity. It's intense, complex and quite tight, even at four years old, with great poise. A really superb example of Chardonnay. Blind I think I'd go new world, but it's at the top of the new world pile. Very good/excellent 94/100 (£35 Waitrose) 09/06

Croser 2002 Picadilly Valley, Adelaide Hills, Australia
A fizz composed of Pinot Noir (76%) and Chardonnay (24%). Nice fruit nose with notes of marmalade, honey, toast and lemon. The palate is soft and quite full with good fruit and a honeyed toasty richness. Some complexity. It’s quite new world in style. Very good+ 88/100 10/05

Tamar Ridge Pinot Noir 2003 Tasmania, Australia
Really appealing sweet, supple berry fruit nose: quite elegant and perfumed. The palate shows good concentration, nice acidity and some grippy, spicy tannins, but the fruit is ripe and elegant. Overall, this is a very convincing new world Pinot of great purity. It may well develop interestingly. Very good/excellent 90/100  01/06

Jim Barry The McRae Wood Shiraz 2003 Clare Valley, Australia
A really fantastic, traditional-styled Aussie red with lovely pure, sweet, well balanced fruit backed up by some classy oak (largely American, but some French too). It has a sweet, fresh red and black fruit nose with some spicy, chocolatey complexity. On the palate there is great concentration of pure fruit with some creaminess to the texture. Great balance: the oak supports the fruit very effectively, making a classically styled Aussie Shiraz of real appeal. Very good/excellent 93/100 (retail around £15, UK agent Negociants UK) 08/06

Yalumba's Hand-Picked Mourvedre Grenache Shiraz 2004 Barossa. You know, Mourvedre and Grenache may be the Barossa's two best grape varieties. This wine doesn't knock your block off, but instead charms with elegant ripe, sweetly spiced red fruits. There's something of the southern Rhone about it. It seems absurd to liken Grenache to Pinot Noir, but I really think - as Dave Powell of Torbreck suggested to me - that Grenache is the Pinot Noir of the south. Mourvedre adds to the pepperiness and sweet fruit of Grenache a lovely spiciness and savouriness. And I reckon the Shiraz fills in the gaps. This is quite a convincing wine, albeit at a price (around £18 retail). A wine that I'd love to try in a decade. Very good/excellent 90/100 08/06

Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz 2004 Canberra, Australia
Deep coloured, this shows lovely pure, smooth, aromatic red and black fruits. It’s hauntingly pure. The palate is smooth and concentrated with a nice spicy complexity under the fresh dark fruits. Pretty serious stuff: I guess this shows that the purity and aromatic richness of the more expensive Shiraz Viognier from this producer isn’t all to do with the Viognier addition, more the quality of the fruit. Very good/excellent 92/100 (£13 Andrew Chapman) 08/06  

Fox Creek Duet Cabernet Merlot 2003 McLaren Vale, Australia
Ripe, spicy chocolatey red wine with some subtle leafy-edged savoury blackcurrant concentrate character. On the second day it comes together to yield something a little more structured and earthy with savoury bite. Very good+ 85/100 (£7.99 Oddbins) 12/05

The Standish 2001 Barossa, Australia
Rich, dark, chocolatey spicy nose with pure black fruits and some meatiness. Rich and savoury. The palate is super-concentrated and spicy with warm black fruits and tangy acidity. It’s at a slightly awkward stage but has promise for the future. A striking wine, and this rating may prove a little low with time. Very good/excellent 92/100 11/05

Angove’s Unwooded Chardonnay 2004 South Australia
Minerally, flinty edge to the fresh fruit nose. Palate is nice, fresh and fruity with good weight. A fresh fruity white, currently a little reductive. Very good+ 86/100 (£4.49 Waitrose) 11/05

Palandri Boundary Road Riesling 2005 Frankland River, Western Australia
Riesling is currently experiencing a bit of a revival, and wines like this show why. It’s brilliantly fresh, with aromas of grapefruit, lime and herbs. In the mouth it is bone dry, crisp and assertive, intensely fruity with a minerally finish. With its high acid this is a great food wine. Very good+ 88/100 (£5.99 Co-op) 11/05

Tin Shed Melting Pot Shiraz 2003 Eden Valley, Australia
An interesting, slightly unusual red wine. Pungernt, ripe, pure blackcurrant fruit nose with a sweetness to it, and also a slightly herbal almost green steak, together with some faintly eggy notes. There’s a dusty, spicy character under the fruit. The palate is concentrated with fairly tight, dense black fruits dominating. Very pure with a long spicy finish. It’s a hard wine to call. The relatively cool climate of the Eden Valley is evident in the purity of the fruit. I reckon with a decade this might be very interesting, as long as the slightly eggy reduced note doesn’t develop.  Very good/excellent 91/100 (£13.95 The Cellar Door) 07/05

De Bortoli Chardonnay 2004 Yarra Valley
De Bortoli are currently one of the pace setters in the Yarra, making impressive wines. This Chardonnay has a pungent nose of figgy pineapple fruit with some smoky, toasty oak. The palate is striking with concentrated fruit and some spicy oak. Good acidity. Quite an extreme style, with a hint of coffee. Very good+ 87/100 (£12.99 Tesco, Oddbins) 11/05

Zonte’s Footstep Verdelho 2005 Langhorne Creek, Australia
This is a pretty white wine that avoids being tarty. Wonderful open nose of lively limey fruit, with some melon and honey depth. Striking stuff: fresh and pretty. The palate is full with rich savoury spicy fruit and some sweetness, along with tropical fruit richness. This combines well with the lemon and lime freshness. Very good+ 89/100 (£6.99 Somerfield) 12/05

Peter Lehmann Grenache 2004 Barossa
I love this wine: it’s honest and it’s fun. Quite a light colour for a red wine, it has a fabulous aroma of sweet raspberries together with a lovely spicy pepperiness. In the mouth, it has summer pudding flavours backed up by a nice spiciness. Delicious and very easy to drink. Very good+ 88/100 (£4.99 Oddbins, Tesco, Morrisons, Unwins, Budgens) 11/05

Stonier Chardonnay 2004 Mornington Peninsula, Australia
Bored with Chardonnay? Well, try this superb example from a cooler part of Australia, near Melbourne. It combines really fresh herb-tinged fruit with the nice toast and spice notes that come from fermentation in oak barrels. Stylish and quite complex. Very good/excellent 92/100 (£9.99 Sainsbury) 08/05

De Bortoli Shiraz Viognier 2004 Yarra Valley, Australia
This is fantastic. It’s an Australian Shiraz, with a bit of white grape Viognier thrown in, that tastes a bit like a wine from France’s northern Rhône, where this style was first developed. It shows lovely fresh, vivid red and black fruit with peppery, spicy freshness and some savoury black olive character. The combination of intense fruit and meaty savouriness is almost irresistable. Very good/excellent 93/100 (Oddbins £13.99) 11/05

Beresford Shiraz 2003 McLaren Vale, Australia
Dark coloured, this has a sweet, open alluring nose with a vanilla and coconut sheen to the dark fruits. Very sweet and soft fruit on the palate with a distinctive sweet coconut character and some spice. A rather extreme style with concentrated sweet fruit and prominent American oak – whether or not you like this wine will depend on your appreciation of this rather extreme style. Very good+ 88/100 (£8.75 H&H Bancroft Wines) 11/05

Lenton Brae 2000 Wilyabrub Valley, Margaret River, Australia
A blend of 83% Cabernet and 17% Merlot, hand picked and estate grown, aged for 20 months in French oak. Wonderful nose of open blackcurrant fruit and earth, with a sort of minerally, gravelly edge to the sweet but not OTT fruit. The palate is savoury with a lovely earthy undercurrent to the fruit and a nice smooth but prominent structure. It’s brilliantly balanced and quite elegant: a marriage of old world elegance with forward new world fruit. Very good/excellent 92/100 (£12.95 H&H Bancroft Wines) 11/05

Tin Shed Eden Valley Riesling 2004 Barossa, Australia
A delicious, elegant style of dry Riesling that is more complex than most of its peers. Beautifully poised nose with some herbs, limey freshness and a hint of spice. The palate is crisp and concentrated with a lovely spicy finish. Quite elegant and thoroughly delicious. Very good/excellent 92/100 (£13.95 Cellar Door, Bordeaux Index) 07/05

Mount Billy Antiquity Shiraz 2001 Barossa, Australia
Very dark coloured, this has a serious nose of sweet dark fruits, tar, spice and herbs. Complex yet still quite fresh. The palate is sweet and dark with a peppery, spicy edge to the dark fruits, backed up by good acidity. A really nice Barossa wine that’s spicy and full. Lots of character. Very good/excellent 93/100 (Cellar Door, Bordeaux Index) 08/05

Yering Station Shiraz Viognier 2003 Yarra Valley, Australia
Inky dark red/purple colour. Brooding smooth, slightly sweet spicy dark fruits nose. The palate is concentrated and rich with bold fruits but lovely freshness and definition. Avoids being at all jammy. A delicious, rather serious wine. Very good/excellent 92/100 (£9.99 Sainsbury) 09/05

Zonte’s Footstep Shiraz Viognier 2004 Langhorne Creek, Australia
Dark coloured, this appealing red wine shows a lovely perfumed blackcurrant and raspberry fruit nose. It’s pure, intense and inviting. The palate is dominated by fresh, vivid, sweet red and black fruit. Pure, supple and quite intoxicating with wonderful purity of fruit. Very good/excellent 90/100 (£7.99 Sainsbury) 10/05

Madfish Unwooded Chardonnay 2004 Western Australia
Unoaked Chardonnays are often a bit simple and taste of little more than fruit salad. Here’s one that is a little more serious. Smoky, slightly cabbagey edge (hint of reduction from the tin-lined screwcap?) to the ripe, fresh herbal nose. There’s some tropical fruit richness too. The palate shows fresh, concentrated peach and melon flavours with a bright lemony edge. A good fresh style but with some richness too. It works. Very good+ 89/100 (Bibendum) 09/05

Henschke Lenswood Giles Pinot Noir 2002 Adelaide Hills, Australia
Very sweet ripe red and blackcurrant fruit nose. The palate is supple and sweetly fruited with a subtle herby edge. A new world style. There’s a slightly sweet and sour finish to it. Very good+ 88/100 (£25 Waitrose) 04/05

The Standish Shiraz 2001 Barossa, Australia
Impressively packaged, this is one of the best of the new wave Barossa wines, made by Dan Standish whose day job was until recently as winemaker with Torbreck. It's a fantastic effort: bold, powerful yet expressive. The nose is sweet, dark and intense, leading to a smooth, rich palate of massive concentration. They don't come much better than this. Excellent 95/100 (c.£30 Bordeaux Index, The Cellar Door) 02/05

Petaluma Coonawarra 2000 Coonawarra, Australia
A 50:50 blend of Cabernet and Merlot, this is perenially one of Australia's top red wines, and I think it is substantially underpriced, and thus a bargain. The 2000 was a short crop, and it has produced a dark wine with a sweet, smooth ripe nose that is quite elegant, showing some chocolatey richness. The palate is quite dense but with lovely expressive dark fruits. Fantastic fruit and lovely structure. A brilliant effort. Excellent 95/100 (c.£20 Oddbins, Bibendum) [If you can't find the 2000, the 1998 and 2001 are almost as good - I rated both of these at 94.] 02/05

Henschke Lenswood Giles Pinot Noir 2002 Adelaide Hills, Australia
Very sweet ripe red and blackcurrant fruit nose. The palate is supple and sweetly fruited with a subtle herby edge. A new world style. There’s a slightly sweet and sour finish to it. Very good+ 88/100 (£25 Waitrose) 04/05

Oxford Landing Viognier 2004 South Australia
Deep perfumed nose is ripe, smooth, peachy and floral. The palate is rich textured, fruity and soft with lovely balance. A brilliant effort. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£5.49 Waitrose) 04/05

Henschke Coralinga Sauvignon Blanc 2003 Adelaide Hills, Australia
From the Coulter vineyard at 550 m, total acidity 7.2 g/l, pH 3.12. This has a lovely fresh minerally, grassy nose that’s very bright and forward. The palate is lively and concentrated showing lovely fresh lemony fruit. Fresh and pure. Very good/excellent 92/100 (£12.99 Waitrose) 04/05

Yering Station Reserve Shiraz Viognier 2003 Yarra Valley, Australia
Very dark colour. Vivid bright sweet liqueur-like nose. The palate shows swee, intense, concentrated dark fruits of mind-blowing intensity. Very fruity, vivid and bold. Very good/excellent 92/100 (£25 Waitrose) 10/05

Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz 2004 New South Wales, Australia
Very dark colour. Vivid, intense pure dark fruit is the dominant feature here, with nice weight and lovely purity of fruit. Bold, full, rich and expressive with perhaps just a hint of reduction. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£13.49 Waitrose) 10/05

Jacob’s Creek Sparkling Rosé NV, Australia
There’s something special about pink fizz, and this Aussie blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes is one of the good ones. It’s great fun, with some creamy softness to the berry and citrus fruit. Fresh, bright and accessible, it’s a hard wine not to like. Very good+ 86/100
(£7.97 Asda, Tesco) 10/05

Wyndham Bin 555 Sparkling Shiraz, Australia
Sparkling Shiraz, a peculiarity of Australia, is weird but wonderful. If you haven’t tried it yet, you should. This one is a remarkably dark colour, and shows lovely sweet, intense, meaty fruit with a smooth spicy character. It takes a while to get used to the idea of fizziness in a red wine, but this fizz gives a zip to the sweet fruit that helps keep things balanced. Delicious but odd. Very good+ 89/100 (£7.99 Morrisons) 10/05

Yalumba Viognier 2004 South Australia
Engaging, perfumed nose of sweet honeysuckle and lemon notes. The palate is fresh, fruity and grapey. Not as ‘fat’ as many Viogniers: quite a fresh style but still with some of that Viognier lushness of texture. Quite alcoholic. Very good+ 87/100 (£6.99 Waitrose) 08/05

d’Arenberg The Hermit Crab Viognier Marsanne 2004 McLaren Vale, Australia
This rich white wine has a lovely nose that’s fresh and perfumed with lemon and peach notes. The palate is broad and full with rich, subtly herby melon and peach fruit. But it’s not too fat: there’s plenty of freshness. Very good+ 88/100 (Waitrose £7.99) 06/05

Palandri Pinnacle Shiraz 2002 Australia
Very open, enticing sweet blackcurrant and red fruits on the nose, with a subtle chocolatey, spicy edge. The palate has good concentration and intensity with pure fruit and a sweet, spicy character. Very accessible with a hint of seriousness. Very good+ 86/100 (£4.99 Waitrose) 06/05

Tim Adams Shiraz 2002 Clare Valley, Australia
Screwcapped. Deep coloured. This shows a nose of vibrant blackcurrant, violet ands spice aromas with a strong vanilla and coconut overlay. Immediately on opening the bitter plummy fruit on the palate and the strong American oak makes this almost undrinkable to me. An hour later there’s much more pure rounded fruit and the oak is a bit less obvious. Still a slight bitterness on the finish. Judgment reserved. (£9.99 Tesco) 01/05  

St Hallett Gamekeeper’s Reserve 2004 Barossa, Australia
This is an unoaked blend of Shiraz, Grenache and Touriga Nacional. It has a lovely, immediate nose of sweet ripe raspberry jam, with some subtle, darker, spicier notes keeping it from being too jammy. The palate is rounded and quite spicy but the dominant theme is lush, forward fruit that is defined by some spicy structure. Alas, the price you pay for such ripeness is 14.5% alcohol, and I couldn’t help thinking the wine might be better say at 12%. Very good+ 89/100 (£5.99 Waitrose [currently on offer for £4.49], Majestic) 04/05

Jacobs Creek Shiraz Cabernet 2002 South Eastern Australia
I’m normally a critic of branded wines, which often disappoint. This is surprisingly good, though. Quite a forward, ripe, spicy tarry nose displays sweet berry fruits. Very rounded and balanced. The palate is brilliantly balanced with the spicy, tarry notes offsetting the ripe berry fruit very well. A rich, generous, fruity wine that’s ripe with just a hint of greenness, and even that isn’t offputting. (Tesco £5.49, but it’s available just about everywhere) 09/04

Lowe Hunter Valley Shiraz 2000 Australia
A classic Hunter Valley Shiraz: aromatic, spicy, tarry nose with sweet ripe red fruits. The palate is rich and spicy: quite elegant with high acidity. The balance is just right between the sweet fruit, high acid and the spicy tannins, with some earthy undercurrents. A lovely wine showing great typicity. Very good/excellent 93/100 (not sure of the price - I'll check - www.strathardlefinewines.co.uk) 07/04

Torzi Matthews Frost Dodger Shiraz 2002 Eden Valley, South Australia
This is the first vintage of this exciting new wine, which was made in a rather unusual Italian-inspired way. Prior to crush the handpicked fruit was dried on racks, before fermentation and then ageing 18 months in a mix of new and old French and American barriques. The first thing that you notice about this wine is its colour: it is a dark red/black without some of the vibrancy seen in young wines. The nose is very striking, dominated by clearly defined black fruit aromas, together with some earthy spiciness. Great fruit purity. The palate is very concentrated, sweet, lush and smooth, with a spicy black cherry edge. Great length here, with a seamless elegance to the intense fruit. A drinkable yet serious wine with a distinctive personality, it will be interesting to see how this evolves. Tried twice, with consistent notes: it kept its shape very well after opening and was still superb three days later. Excellent 95/100 (Available from the Cellar Door in Hampshire, www.thecellardoor.co.uk, price to follow) 09/04

Teusner Joshua 2003 Barossa Valley, Australia
An elegantly packaged unoaked blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvèdre. Lovely open nose dominated by distinctive peppery fruit (primarily cherries and berries) with a liqueur-like sweetness, and a hint of earthiness. The palate is ripe and open with sweet peppery, spicy berry fruit. The finish is spicy and earthy. Quite a distinctive wine and almost southern Rhône-like. Not too obvious - I really like this. Very good/excellent 93/100 (£12.95 The Cellar Door, www.thecellardoor.co.uk) 09/04

Peter Lehmann Barossa Semillon 2001 Australia
Taut, dense and savoury lemony white with lovely crispness. Very good+ 87/100 (£5.99 Oddbins) 11/03

The Willows Vineyard Semillon 2000 Barossa Valley, Australia
From 64 year old Semillon vines and aged in new American oak. Pungent toasty lemony nose is taut but full, with some hints of vanilla and coffee. The palate is structured and savoury with high acidity and rich lemony fruit. It’s a powerful, slightly awkward wine with lots of flavour. Very good+ 86/100 (£9.99 Thresher) 11/03

Jacobs Creek Dry Riesling 2002 South Eastern Australia
Is Riesling the new Chardonnay? Perhaps. If you are faced with a limited selection of branded wines, you could do a lot worse than opt for this Jacobs Creek Riesling. It's not a great wine, but it's far more interesting than a branded Chardonnay at this price point, offering subtle, slightly perfumed spicy lemony fruit. Crisp and balanced - a good food match. Very good+ 87/100 (£5.60 Tesco; widely available elsewhere) 04/04

Older notes (arranged by producer alphabetical order):

A

See The wines of Tim Adams, Clare Valley

Tim Adams Semillon 1997 Clare Valley, Australia
Lovely forward open nose with a bright lemony edge, subtle herby notes and some vanilla spice from the oak. Nice, savoury intense palate with bold flavours and some lemony fruit, together with more vanilla and spice. Very good/excellent 90 04/03

Tim Adams Riesling 1999, Clare Valley, Australia
This is establishing itself as one of Australia's top Rieslings. Huge floral nose with sweetness and a citrus edge. Soft, intense, expressive palate with prominent lime and apple fruit. Very good + (£7.69, Tesco) 8/00

Tim Adams Semillon 1998, Clare Valley, Australia
Tim Adams refuses to work with Chardonnay; instead, he makes superb Riesling and Semillon. A yellow/gold colour, this fine example of the latter has a striking nose of lemony fruit, coconut and herbs. Complex and savoury on the palate, with powerful fruit flavours and a savoury, herby edge. Unusual stuff: with great concentration and intensity, this is a super food wine. Very good/excellent (£7.99 Majestic) 10/01

Tim Adams Cabernet 1997, Clare Valley, Australia
A blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Cabernet Franc, aged in a mixture of French and American oak. Full, soft, attractive nose is quite oaky. Ripe palate shows nice balance: this is drinking well now. Very good (£8.99 Majestic) 10/01

Tim Adams Shiraz 1999, Clare Valley
The forward nose shows minty, liquoricey, menthol laced fruit, with a bit of alcohol poking through. Rich and ripe on the palate, with a satisfying chocolatey richness, but currently a bit awkward: the acid and alcohol stand out a bit and are unintegrated. Let's hope it all comes together with some time in the bottle. Very good+ (£8.99 Tesco) 09/01

Adnams Selection Australian Chardonnay 2000, Langhorne Creek, Australia
Pretty restrained for an Aussie Chard, with spicy, savoury character and good balance. Good concentration and moderate oaking. Very good (Adnams £6.50) 11/00

Allandale Verdelho 1999, Hunter Valley, Australia
Individual vineyard wine from old vines. Verdelho does really well in the Hunter, and it's catching on there-- just about every winery is making a Verdelho, along with Semillon and Chardonnay. A characterful white showing ripe, tropical fruit and melon notes, with good acidity. There's perhaps a touch of bitterness on the finish, but this full-flavoured wine has good food compatibility. Very good (£7.50 Bentalls) 10/00

Annies Lane Shiraz 1998, Clare Valley, Australia
From a winery owned by the mighty Behringer- Blass, this is an unshowy, balanced Aussie Shiraz that's just pushing the limits of value for money at a tenner. It's quite restrained, with the spicy oak meshing well with the focused berry fruit on the nose. The mid-weight palate shows ripe fruit, an attractive spiciness and good acidity. Firm tannins on the finish suggest this may evolve quite nicely. Very good+ (£9.99 Oddbins) 01/02

B

Banrock Station Colombard Chardonnay 1999, South Eastern Australia
This bargain basement branded white is made by Hardys. Fresh and crisp, with a boiled sweetes nose that technological whites often seem to have. Some fatness on the palate from the chardonnay, and a rather bitter finish. This is mass produced jug wine, and it's a little too technological for me. (£3.49, most supermarkets) 1/00

Banrock Station Chardonnay 1998, South Eastern Australia
This won a gold medal at the 1999 International Wine Challenge, for what that is worth. It has an incredible soft, buttery, fat texture. Very smooth and will really appeal to people who don't like wine that much. I find it a little technological, like many of the cheap Aussie jug wine offerings, but there is no denying this wine's upfront allure. (£3.99, Fullers among others) 1/00

Banrock Station Chardonnay 1999, Riverland, Australia
Soft, buttery industrial Chardonnay with ripe, tropical fruit. There's some appeal here at £3.99, but nothing to interest wine geeks. OK. (Widely available £3.99) 6/00

Jim Barry Unwooded Chardonnay 1996, Clare Valley
Intense fruit flavours, with honey, peaches and minerals. Medium bodied, fresh and quite concentrated. Cool climate in style it would make a good food wine.  (£5.99 Oddbins fine wine) 1/99

Jim Barry Unwooded Chardonnay 1998, Clare Valley
Deep yellow. Nose of peaches, honey and bread. On the palate it is ripe and concentrated, with a luxurious texture and notes of peach, melon, honey with a mineralic edge. It is a delicious wine if you like the style, but it is definitely not Burgundy (if you are the sort that believes that Burgundy is the only valid expression of Chardonnay). Unlike may 'unoaked' Chardonnays, this is a complete wine without the oak, although that is not to say that well judged oak might not have helped add a little structure. However, I think it is pretty good stuff, and a whole league ahead of most Chard at this price. (£5.99 Oddbins) 9/99

Basedow Barossa Chardonnay 1996, S Australia
Attractive golden colour ith well integrated oak, bright acidity and fresh fruit. However, this is ageing quickly, so drink up now.  (Bibendum £7.49) 6/99

Best’s Great Western Cabernet Sauvignon 1994 Congongella Vineyard
Quite an unusual wine. Deep purple/red with rim starting to brown a little. Unbelievably sweet nose of pure blackcurrant. Soft intense fruit on palate with a spicy edge – the sweet fruit and sweet oak combine nicely together. There are also bitter cherry notes and moderately high acidity. This is very appealing but it will probably horrify purists. It is also evolving fast, so not one to cellar. There is 15% Merlot. (£9.99, Tesco) 9/99

Best's Great Western Dolcetto 1994, Concongella Vineyard, Victoria
Made from 130 year old vines. Deep, opaque purple/red. Really intense wine with cherry fruit and a strong herbal/medicinal component. Really interesting variety of flavours, with a bitter cherry finish and a shed load of sediment. Sadly the whole package is so full of odd flavours I found it distinctly unappealing: the bottle went in a coq au vin after just one glass! (Fullers £7.99) 2/99

Bethany 'Pressings' Grenache 1998, Barossa
Made with fruit from old bush vines, this is a bit of a disappointment. Quite a light red colour, with up-front cherry and cranberry fruit flavours. It is quite light bodied, with a touch of pepper and some herbal notes, but overall it is a little too one-dimensional and fruit driven. (£5.99 Oddbins) 12/99

Wolf Blass Chardonnay 1999, South Australia
Lean, savoury Chardonnay, but extremely oaky, even by new world standards. It's got some restrained, lemony fruit underneath all the oak, which makes it a good food accompaniment, but avoid unless you are keen on lot of oak in your wine. OK (£6.99 Sainsbury) 8/00

Brokenwood Graveyard Hermitage 1991, Hunter Valley, Australia
Archetypal Hunter Shiraz. Splendid nose, with leathery, gamey, herby, animal notes. The secondary ageing characters dominate on the palate, with tarry, herby fruit and high acidity. Still deep coloured and lively, but I'd drink now while it's peaking: if the fruit recedes further the acidity may well begin to dominate. What a tragedy this is my last bottle. Very good/excellent 9/00

Brokenwood Cricket Pitch Sauvignon blanc/Semillon 1999, South Eastern Australia
Brokenwood is a well regarded winery from the Hunter Valley; this wine is one of their range produced from bought in non-Hunter grapes, and has seen some American oak. Nicely packaged in a bottle embossed with the figure of a Victorian-era cricketer. Pale yellow colour, with a zingy nose of boiled sweets and a touch of lemon. On the palate, good acidity supports a modern-styled but food friendly wine. Perhaps a little overpriced, but clean, pleasant and full-flavoured. (£7.99 Oddbins) 2/00

Brown Brothers Barbera 1996, Victoria
My only previous experience with an Australian interpretation of an Italian grape variety was the disastrous 1994 Dolcetto from Best's. However, this is a delicious wine. There is high acidity, but a dollop of new oak provides a nice foil to the rich fruit. There is a bit of Italian character here, but there is plenty of Aussie-style flavour, too. A good food wine, and in my opinion the most successful red in the Brown Brothers’ portfolio. (£6.99, Oddbins) 10/99

Grant Burge Summers Chardonnay 2001 Eden Valley/Adelaide Hills
Perfumed lemony, figgy nose with a hint of coffee. The palate is rich and savoury with figgy, nutty, mealy fruit. Some cool climate character: nice depth and intensity. Very good+ 03/03

Grant Burge Old Vine Shiraz 1997 Filsell Vineyard
Made from 80 year-old vines, this is a deep red/black wine with a seductive nose of American oak. On the palate there is sweet, concentrated fruit flavours and hints of menthol, liqourice and pepper. Concentrated, intense and tasty, but perhaps a little too reliant on the American oak. Good. (£8.99 Fullers) 12/99

C

See also: The wines of Cape Mentelle (Western Australia) with David Hohnen; The wines of Coldstream Hills (Yarra Valley); the wines of Chain of Ponds (Adelaide Hills); the wines of Clarendon Hills, McLaren Vale

Campbells Old Rutherglen Muscat (NV)
Rutherglen Muscat is a unique wine style, perhaps only paralleled by the wonderful Pedro Ximenez sherries that make rare appearances on retailers shelves in the UK. Rich, aromatic and complex, this raisined dessert wine is smooth and deep. It is soft and beautifully integrated, but you won’t want more than a glass, or else it becomes a little cloying. It is like drinking liquid Christmas pudding. This is an old oak solera begun in the 1950s. (£13.99 Oddbins Fine Wine) 10/99

Capel Vale Howecroft Merlot 1997, Western Australia
Stunning, powerful menthol and herb laced nose. Exotic palate with firm acidity and medium density. A big wine and a winemaking triumph, but to me this seems to lack some real personality. Very good+ (£17.99 Majestic) 10/00

Cape Mentelle Chardonnay 1998, Margaret River, Western Australia
A full-flavoured, complex wine with a toasty nose of honey and spice, followed up with a rich, spicy, nutty palate. There's a rich mineralic streak, and the noticeable oak is well balanced by the intense fruit flavours. Memorable stuff, but drink it now rather than cellaring it. Excellent. (£11.25 Bentalls) 8/00

Cape Mentelle Semillon/Sauvignon blanc 1998, Margaret River
The fresh citrus character of Semillon (50%) is combined beautifully with the grapefruit and gooseberry character of Sauvignon blanc (50%). This wine has opulent fruit and fresh bracing acidity in harmony. Clean, fresh and complex, this is very good. Excellent food compatibility for modern bistro-style cooking, too. (£8.75 Bentalls) 10/99

Cape Mentelle Semillon/Sauvignon blanc 1998, Margaret River
Beautifully lifted nose with citrus, gooseberry and elderflower notes. Rounded palate with smooth texture and crisp juiciness. A portion of this wine was barrel fermented, which has contributed a lovely rich texture that nicely counteracts the crispness of the fruit. Very refined, complex and well balanced. (Bentalls £8.75) 1/00

Chain of Ponds Riesling 2000, Adelaide Hills, Australia
A producer with a good reputation for their whites, but I don't quite get this. It has a bright, slightly confected nose, together with some subtle spicy notes. The rich, youthful, lemony palate has a rounded character. Too confected for me. Good/very good (£7.93 Bibendum) 11/01

Cranswick Estate Reserve Selection Botrytis Semillon 2000 Riverina, Australia
Limey nose with some slightly confected crystalline fruits and a sweet spicy character. The palate is sweet and rich with a thick texture, good acid and sweet, lemony, apricotty fruit. This is a good budget-priced introduction to the world of botrytised wines. Very good+ (£4.99/half Sainsbury) 02/03  

Cranswick Estate Director's Reserve Marsanne 1998, Riverina, Australia
An interesting concept: a more ambitious wine from an irrigated region better known for producing inexpensive blending wine, this Marsanne comes from a single vineyard and has been matured in French oak barrels. It is lean and savoury with nutty, toasty elements. A restrained, taut wine that may need time to show its best. Good. (£4.99, Tesco) 7/00

Cullen Estate Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon 1998, Margaret River, Australia
Organically produced and barrel fermented with natural yeasts. Classy white with a sophisticated toasty nose and seamless palate, with ripe, complex fruit. Really impressive stuff, but not cheap. Very good/excellent (Adnams £11.95) 11/00

D

(See also: The wines of Dromana Estate, with Gary Crittenden; the wines of D'Arenberg, McLaren Vale)

D’Arenberg Coppermine Road Cabernet Sauvignon 1996, McLaren Vale
Concentrated purple black colour. Fiercely tannic in its youth, this is a huge wine. Pure cassis, lots of fruit and big tannic structure. Needs a long time, but may be absolutely sensational in a decade-- perhaps more so than even the excellent Dead Arm Shiraz from the same producer. (Oddbins Fine Wine, £14.99) 5/99

D'Arenberg Custodian Grenache 1996, McLaren Vale
Deep, rich, complex, concentrated wine. It has that distinct, burnt rubber Grenache nose. On the palate the lush fruit is countered by dry, chalky tannins and a touch of spicy oak. There is a port-like concentration, but it avoids being too 'soupy'. I think this is one of D'Arenberg's best efforts, but don't be tempted to hold on to it for too long. Excellent. (£7.99 Oddbins) 12/99

D'Arenberg Vintage Fortified Shiraz 1997, McLaren Vale
A dense, purple/black colour. Incredible, wild nose of freshly crushed raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and licqourice. Concentrated and intense primary fruit dominates. Firm tannins and not too sweet, this is incredible, knockout stuff, which is really way out on the fringes of acceptability: some will love it, some won't be able to drink it! Personally, I think it is wonderful stuff, preserving by fortification the essence of the freshly crushed old vine Shiraz grapes. (£11.99 or £6.99/half, Oddbins) 12/99

D'Arenberg Twenty-eight Road Mourvèdre 1996, McLaren Vale, Australia
From a 4 acre plot of elderly bushvines, this is the first separate bottling of Mourvèdre by D'Arenberg: these grapes previously went undiscosed into other wines. Deep red/black colour, with a big, sweet, lifted nose of cinnamon and spice. On the palate, this is spicy and rich -- concentrated but still quite medium bodied -- with flavours of cinnamon and licqourice, assertive but smooth tannins and some oak influence. Apparently, there are different clones of Mourvèdre, each contributing different flavour character. The clones used in this wine convey soft, spicy character, whereas others have more of a gamey, animal edge to them, which is absent in this wine. It is a tasty and unusual wine and well worth checking out. (Bibendum £8.49, also stocked by larger branches of Oddbins). 1/00

De Bortoli Rare Dry Botrytis Semillon 1996, South East Australia
This is an unusual wine from the producers of the renowned Noble One: like Noble One, it is botrytised, but instead of being lusciously sweet this is bone dry. It has a big 'botrytis' nose of apricots, marmalade and a streak of lime. On the palate it is dry with rich flavours of honey, marmalade, citrus fruit and barley sugar. An oddity, but really nice. I don't know quite when you'd serve it, though. Very good/excellent (Handford Wine £9.49) 1/01

E

F

(see also: the wines of Fox Creek, McLaren Vale)

G

(See also: the wines of Greenock Creek, Barossa Valley, Gold Dust, Orange, Grosset, Clare)

Glenguin Orange Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 Australia
Remarkable stuff: savoury, full on and complex, but uncompromising. Huge open nose of ripe, tarry fruit with menthol and mint notes. The palate is concentrated with rich tarry, spicy fruit, some noticeable oak and good acidity. Quite firm with lots of savoury personality. Very good/excellent 91/100 09/03

Glenguin Shiraz 1998 Individual Vineyard, Hunter Valley
A lovely wine from this small Hunter producer, made from a dry grown, low yielding vineyard in Polkobin. It is big and dense, with spicy, earthy fruit, firm tannins and high acidity. Very youthful and vigorous, with a promising life ahead of it. As it evolves in the glass the characteristic Hunter Shiraz trademarks of old leather and tea emerge. A top class Shiraz, proudly displaying its regional identity. Very good/excellent. (£10, Bibendum). 8/00

Glenguin Cabernet Sauvignon 'Orange Vineyard' 1998, Orange, NSW, Australia
From a cooler vineyard site, at an altitude of 700 m in the Central Highlands of New South Wales. It's a lovely, earthy, tannic Cabernet with real intensity. Deep purple/black with a lovely ripe forward nose of blackcurrants and a touch of cinnamon and spice from the oak. Concentrated, nose and tannic on the palate with noticeable (American?) oak. Firm dusty tannins finish off what is a uniquely Australian wine. Very good/excellent. (Bibendum £10) 8/00

Glenguin Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Orange Vineyard’ 1998, Orange, NSW, Australia
From low yielding vines in the high altitude (700 m) Orange region of New South Wales. A dense, dark purple/black colour. Full nose showing clean ripe blackcurrant fruit with some sweet, spicy elements. Lovely palate with firm tannins and spicy oak (American?) backing up the rich, tarry fruit. Very tannic. It’s a big, focused wine with good acidity: quite stern at the moment. It will be good to track its evolution. Very good/excellent (from Bibendum some time ago) 12/01  

Glenguin Shiraz 1999, Australia
Confusingly, boutique Hunter winery Glenguin make three different Shiraz wines. There's the Individual Vineyard Shiraz (which in 1999 became the Pokolbin Vineyard Shiraz) and the top cuvée Aristea (both of which are of Hunter Valley origin), and this less expensive label (I'm not sure where the grapes come from for this). It's a deep coloured wine, with a slightly muted nose of pure berry fruit. Palate shows a good concentration of pure blackcurrant and raspberry fruit, with some spicy oak. Needs time to open out. Very good+ (£7.45 Bibendum) 11/01

Green Point Brut 1996, Yarra Valley
This is probably the best champagne style wine I’ve tasted from the New World. It is complex and interesting, with savoury, toasty flavours and good intensity. Very good. (Oddbins £12.99) 11/99

H

Hardys Nottage Hill Chardonnay 1998, South East Australia
Soft, full flavoured Chardonnay with a touch of oak and some yeasty aromiatics. Good example of its genre, but the 1999 version, which should be on the shelves already, will be a bit fresher. Personally, I find this sort of thing rather technology driven and bland. It does a job, though. (£4.99, Sainsbury)  1/00

Hardys Nottage Hill Chardonnay 1999, SE Australia
Fresh, full flavoured Chardonnay with good balance, attractively put together with just a touch of oak. Just shaded by Lindemans Bin 65 in this category, but it’s a close call. (£4.99 widely available) 8/00

Heggies Vineyard Botrytis-affected Riesling 1996, Eden Valley, Australia
148 g/l residual sugar. Elegantly packaged, this wine possesses flavours of citrus and marmalade wrapped up in a luscious texture. There is a botrytis-derived spicy tang, and overall it is pure and quite subtle. Good. (Oddbins £7.99) 4/99

Henschke Lenswood Green’s Hill Riesling 2001, Adelaide Hills, South Australia
Lenswood is a happening sub-region in the Adelaide Hills, and Henschke have produced an attractive, open Riesling from their vineyard here. Very impressive, striking limey aromatic nose. The palate shows good balance with vivid, limey, sherbetty fruit. Very good+ (£14 Waitrose) 10/02

I

J

see also: the wines of Jasper Hill, Heathcote

Jacobs Creek Chardonnay 1999, South East Australia
Fresh and soft at the same time, with 'boiled sweets' and a touch of tropical fruit. Industrial stuff, but reliable enough. Not really recommended for wine lovers. (Sainsbury £4.99) 2/00

Trevor Jones Virgin Chardonnay 2001, Barossa
Unoaked, this has a richly tropical fruited nose. The palate is very ripe and lush with sweet fruit and a rich texture. Attractive in a forward, concentrated style. Very good+ (01/02)  

K

see also: Knappstein Lenswood Vineyards, South Australia

Kangarilla Road Chardonnay 2001, McLaren Vale, Australia
70% fermented in stainless steel, 30% in new French oak barrels. A delicious, full-flavoured Chardonnay, yet showing admirable restraint despite its concentration. Intense, tight, fruity nose leads to a rich, herby, fruity palate. A bold style with the oak influence right in the background. Very good+ (£7.99 Majestic) 10/01

Katnook Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon 1997, Coonawarra
This is completely over the top, but it's delicious. Opulent, exotic nose is quite startling, showing lush ripe blackcurrant fruit with menthol, herb and caramel notes. Rich, ripe concentrated palate is quite sexy and lush. I'd be tempted to call it hedonistic. Very good/excellent (£24.99 Bibendum) 11/01

Knappstein Clare Valley Chardonnay 1999
Barrel fermented in 75% new French/25% new American oak. Deep coloured with a full barrel-ferment nose: quite stylish. Nicely structured on the palate; I'm quite keen on this style. Very good. (Majestic £7.49) 10/00

L

See also: the wines of Leeuwin Estate, Margaret River, Western Australia

Peter Lehmann Chenin Blanc 2002 Barossa, Australia
Lovely creamy, herbal, straw-like character to the lemony fruit. Varietally very true. It’s hard to describe the savoury characteristics of good Chenin, but they’re here. Appealing. Very good+ 85 (Waitrose £4.99) 06/03

Peter Lehmann Barossa Semillon 2001 Barossa, Australia
Gently herby nose shos lemony fruit. The palate is crisp and fresh with a citrussy tang. Crisp, fresh and quite expressive. Appealing with a slightly bitter edge. Very good+ (£5.49 Sainsbury, £5.99 Oddbins) 02/03  

Peter Lehmann Clancy’s 2001 Barossa, South Australia
Very sweet, coconutty oak dominates the berry fruit here. It’s smooth, soft and approachable but rather commercial, and ‘dressed up’ with the oak. Good/very good 79/100 (£6.99 Sainsbury) 11/03

Peter Lehmann ‘The Barossa’ Grenache 2001, Barossa, Australia
Quite pale in colour. Lovely sweet herby nose with some pepper spice on the nose. The palate shows appealing herby edged strawberry and raspberry fruit. Very moreish and nicely savoury. Very good+ (Sainsbury £3.99) Oddbins and Tesco both have the screwcapped 2002, which is at least as good, but costs a pound more: still highly recommended. 04/03

Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz 1996, Barossa, South Australia
Striking intense nose is lush with rich liquoricey, menthol-edged fruit. This is huge. Bold, vividly fruited palate has a rich, tarry, oaky character, but it works pretty well. A monster style showing lots of concentration and oak, and why not? Very good/excellent (£30 Waitrose) 10/02  

Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz 1993, Barossa, Australia
This is the flagship Shiraz from Barossa father-figure Peter Lehmann. It is a huge wine which has plenty of ripe fruit, but even more new oak! Spicy, rich and full, it reminded me of some Californian Cabernets in its structure. Very good, but avoid if you are sensitive to oak. (£16.95, Oddbins Fine Wine) 4/99

Peter Lehmann, 'The Barossa' Semillon 1998, Barossa, Australia
Yellow gold colour, with a lovely nose of lemon and lime fruit. On the palate it has racy citrus fruit and fresh acidity, coupled with a nice smooth texture. There may be a touch of oak (undisclosed) filling the wine out, but certainly not too much. A rounded and tasty wine. Highly recommended. (£5.49, Oddbins) 1/00

Lindemans Limestone Coast Chardonnay 1998, South Australia
New brand that fills the gap between Bin 65 and Padthaway Chardonnays in the Lindemans range. Lifted tropical fruit and boiled sweet nose, followed up with soft, creamy fruit flavours. Fresh and fairly classy at this price, without obvious oak. (Sainsbury £5.99) 6/00

Lindemans Padthaway Chardonnay 1998, South Australia
This may sound like a daft assertion, but I rate this as one of Australia's finest Chardonnays, even though it is not in the super-premium bracket. Each time I've tried this Padthaway wine (a small region in South Australia that specialises in Chardonnay), I've been bowled over. Stunning nose and palate of ripe, tropical fruit, coconut, melon and spicy oak. Great balance and depth of flavour. Great value for money, very good/excellent. (£7.99 Unwins, £8.49 Thresher). 10/00

Lindemans Bin 65 Chardonnay 1999, Southeast Australia
Served well chilled, this is a delightful, full-flavoured lemony Chardonnay with a touch of spice and some restrained tropical fruit character. Lightly oaked, with a nice texture. You can't get much better for a mass produced sub-£5 Chardonnay, and in its genre this is the best. (£4.99, widely available) 4/00

Lindemans Coonawarra Botrytis Riesling 1997
Golden colour, with a lovely nose of limes, marmalade and apricots. These are joined on the palate by spice and honey. Fat, luscious and complex, there is just enough acidity to hold the wine together. Very sweet, and with botrytis character aplenty. I like this, but purists may find it a bit 'full-on'. Very good. (£5.99/half Oddbins) 3/00

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See also: the wines of Charles Melton, Barossa; The wines of Mount Horrocks, Clare Valley

Maglieri Shiraz 1996 McLaren Vale, Australia
Very sweet vanilla edge to the nose with a distinctive coconutty edge. Palate shows more sweet coconutty fruit and an attractive spiciness. Nicely balanced but very obvious and oak dominated. Very good 05/02  

Magpie Estate Mourvèdre Grenache 1998, Barossa Valley
Deep coloured, with a sweetly spiced nose. On the palate, rich chocolate-laden fruit combines seamlessly with a touch of oak. This wine is unbelievably soft-textured, yet it is full and concentrated, making it very easy to drink. Good. (£8.49 Noel Young Wine) 11/99

Charles Melton Shiraz 1994, Barossa, S Aus
Complex and rich, this wine combines dense fruit with new American oak, and there’s a hint of earthiness with a touch of eucalyptus. Very attractive.2/99

Geoff Merrill Mount Hurtle Bush Vine Grenache 1996
Really pleasant wine, with rubbery, minty, raspberry-laden fruit. There is hardly any oak, and the wine has good concentration and nice structure. A great advert for an often underrated grape variety. (£5.99 Oddbins) 7/99

Michelton Reserve Marsanne 1994, Victoria, Australia
Deep gold. Strong nose of coffee and honey. Thin and tannic on the palate. To my mind this wine is clearly oxidised. It is dead beyond recovery. Avoid. (£8.99 Oddbins) 3/99

Millfield Hunter Valley Semillon 2000 Australia
The Hunter Valley is the home of Semillon in Australia, and this is one of the best I've tasted. It has an intense lemon and herb nose with a straw-like edge - it's almost Chenin-like. The palate is rich, savoury and fruity with great balance and good acidity. Quite complex with a toasty edge. Very good/excellent 91/100 (£ ... Corney & Barrow) 11/03

Miranda Rovalley Ridge 'Left Field' Red 1998, Barossa, Australia
Made from Tinta Cao grapes, a Portuguese variety seldom encountered in Australian table wines. A medium bodied red with a lifted nose of pepper, mixed herbs and cloves. Quite light on the palate, with high acid, but very juicy and supple: a good food wine. Interesting and very good for the price. (£4.99 Tesco) 12/99

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Nepenthe Riesling 2002 Adelaide Hills, Australia
Intense, fruity, citrussy nose. Quite rich citrussy fruit on the palate: a bold style. Very good+ 88/100 (£8.99 Waitrose) 04/03

Normans Lone Gum Chardonnay 1997, Murray Valley
Oaky Chardonnay with some buttery, rich fruit and a nice savoury edge. Good for the price, but beware if you are averse to oak. (Oddbins £4.99) 5/99

Nottage Hill Chardonnay Brut 1998, South East Australia
Attractive, full flavoured fizz. However, the bubbles disappear fast, and it bears more resemblance to an Aussie Chardonnay than to anything from Champagne. Accessible fizz for all occasions, but unlikely to be of interest to serious wine nuts. Good. (£6.99 widely available) 8/00

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Old Penola Estate Botrytis Geurztraminer 1997, Coonawarra, Australia
This is a super botrytized wine for a very good price. Golden colour. Lovely nose of honey and spice. Rich, fat-textured palate with butterscotch, honey, spice and apricots and a sweetness well balanced by acidity. There is a touch of oxidation, but not too much. This will be too fat for some, but offers a chance to try a good example of the complexity that botrytis can bring for relatively little expense. (£4.99 Tesco) 2/00

Oxford Landing Sauvignon Blanc 2000, South Australia
This branded Aussie Sauvignon fails to convince: it's just a little too processed and confected. The big, fruity gooseberry nose has a green tinge to it (perhaps the only way to retain the freshness in the fruit was to pick a little too soon). It's quite an attractive, fresh white wine, but just a bit manipulated. Good 1/01

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See also: The wines of Penfolds, South Australia; the wines of Pipers Brook, Tasmania; the wines of Pierro, Margaret River; the wines of Primo Estate, Adelaide Plains

Penfolds Bin 407 Cabernet Sauvignon 1993
Nicely mature wine with sweet American oak and cassis fruit combining well with soft tannic structure to produce a complex and nicely poised wine. These Penfolds reds really do benefit from cellaring for a few years after release to show their best. Very good. 1/00

Penfolds Clare Valley Red 1993, Clare Valley
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc, aged for 14 months in French oak.Youthful purple/black colour but beginning to brown a bit at the rim. Lifted, cedary nose. On the palate the primary fruit has receded a little and it has gained some spicy secondary complexity. Quite prominent lemony acidity and still fairly tannic. This is a complex, enjoyable wine, but it is hard to tell whether it is peaking yet: it is certainly more claret-like than many of the other Penfolds reds. Good. 8/99

Penfolds Bin 389 1993, South Australia
This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz, matured in American oak (including the ex-Grange barrels), is unashamedly Australian but delicious with it. The sweet American oak and fruit on the nose balances beautifully with the dense, spicy flavours on the palate. Still quite tannic but now fully opened out, this is superb stuff if you are in the mood for it. Very good/excellent 04/01

Penfolds Rawsons Retreat Semillon Chardonnay 2002 South East Australia
Fresh lemony, limey nose with a slightly spicy, confected edge. Broad, full flavoured palate with a limey character. Very accessible but a little bit confected. Good (Widely available £4.99) 01/03

Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 1999 South Australia
Deep red/black colour. Sweet, almost exotic nose with liquorice and menthol laced blackcurrant and berry fruit. Spicy edge. The palate shows good concentration with some firm tannins and spicy oak character. It’s appealing and rich but slightly unconvincing on the finish – it doesn’t really hold together. It will be interesting to see whether this ages well – I suspect Bin 389 isn’t as good as it used to be. Very good+ (£15.99 widely available) 01/03

Petaluma Tiers Chardonnay 1999, Adelaide Hills, South Australia
Tight, crisp, nutty/herby nose is quite refined. Elegant palate is rich and savoury. Brilliantly balanced with well integrated oak, this is a classic among Australian Chardonnays and all the better for not relying on power for its effect. Excellent (£40 Waitrose) 10/02

Petaluma Coonawarra Cabernet Merlot 1996, Coonawarra, Australia
66% Cabernet Sauvignon/33% Merlot. This classy red has a lovely nose of pure blackcurrant fruit and a nicely balanced, restrained palate showing firm tannins and minerally complexity. This isn't you usual Aussie blockbuster -- instead, it's very much in the Bordeaux style, with elegance winning over power. It has further development ahead of it. Very good/excellent 04/01

Petaluma Bridgewater Mill Shiraz 1998, South Australia/Victoria
The fruit for this wine is 63% South Australian/ 37% Victorian; it is aged in new French oak for 15 months and bottled unfiltered. Very distinctive nose of eucalyptus, mint, vanilla and menthol – it really jumps out of the glass. It’s quite medium bodied for an Aussie Shiraz: although there’s some sweetness to the fruit, there’s a cool-climate mintiness too. The French oak adds a touch of class. Quite an unusual wine, and worth a pop at the sale price. Very good+ (£6.35 Sainsbury, reduced from £7.99) 5/01

Pewsey Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 1996, Eden Valley
At an altitude of almost 500m the Pewsey Vale vineyards are pretty much 'cool climate': the fruit was harvested as late as May. This wine has a lovely full, evolved nose of creamy blackcurrant fruit with a leafy edge. The palate shows chocolatey berry fruit and softening tannins, with juicy acidity. Probably drinking at or near its peak. Very good+ (£7.99 Tesco) 06/01

Pewsey Vale Cabernet Sauvignon 1996, Eden Valley, Australia
With good concentration, this is a lovely 'cool climate' wine. Bright blackcurrant fruit is the dominant feature here, with high acidity and a spicy edge. There are also dry tannins and high acidity. It's slightly off the beaten track: lean and savoury, but full of flavour, this is a clearly defined wine with plenty of food compatibility. Very good+ (£7.99 Tesco) 7/01

Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling 1998, Australia
Huge, fresh, exhilarating nose of lime fruit. On the palate this is concentrated and intense, with fresh citrus fruit and some honey notes. Nice, crunchy intensity and good balance. Australian Riesling can age well, but I'd drink this while it has its youthful freshness. Excellent. (£5.99 Oddbins) 1/00

Pewsey Vale Riesling 1999 Eden Valley, Australia
Fresh, light and spritzy, with bright citrus fruit and good balancing acidity.Good, but not as impressive as the excellent 1998 incarnation of this wine. (£4.99 Tesco) 7/00

Pipers Brook Pellion Pinot Noir 1997, Tasmania
This varietal pinot noir from the largest of the Tasmanian producers is a real let down. Youthful looking with high acidity and good concentration, it is spoiled by a funky, medicinal edge and harsh tannins. Virtually undrinkable now, I doubt it will improve. DNPIM. (£13.95 Tesco) 2/99

Pirramimma Cabernet Sauvignon 1998, McLaren Vale, Australia
Another deep coloured, dense wine, there's an attractive spiciness to the nose. On the palate this is quite a chunky effort: rich blackcurrant fruit combines well with spicy American oak. Perhaps a little over oaked? 

Pirramimma Shiraz 1997, McLaren Vale, Australia
A huge wine with prominent new oak and ripe, sweet, spicy fruit. Bold and full flavoured with impressive concentration, but a real oak monster. You have been warned… (£9.99 Majestic) 9/00

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See also: The wines of Rosemount Estate; The wines of Red Edge, Heathcote

RBJ Theologicum 1997, Barossa
(Grenache/Mourvedre blend.) Beautiful smoky/meaty wine, in a savoury Southern French style. Purple/black in colour. Not overripe, but good concentration. And guess what, no obvious new oak! There is some meaty/farmyard element, but I would wager that this is not brett, but rather the Mourvedre speaking. After a while in the glass the rubbery, peppery Grenache begins to come through. A super wine, with real personality, at an affordable price. However the best thing about this wine is that it gives me some hope for Australian fine wine. I've drunk an awful lot of Aussie red wines, cellared quite a few, but recently have become disillusioned by the endemic over-oaking and sometimes clumsy acid adjustment. There are few premium Aussie red wines that would not have been better with a little less oak. The over-oaking, if anything, is accentuated by age when the primary fruit recedes. This RBJ wine gives me real hope that the whole premium Australian wine market isn’t stuck in one huge rut, and I look forward to trying a premium Aussie Shiraz that isn't heavily cloaked in new oak. 9/99

Rockford Dry Country Grenache 1996, Barossa Valley
This has the typical Grenache characteristics that are quite hard to describe: the nose is peppery and rubbery, slightly burnt, with spicy raspberry-like fruit on the palate. It is juicy and delicious, and the fruit partially hides quite a substantial structure. Complex and interesting, this is excellent stuff. (£8.49 Fullers) 10/99

Rosemount Chardonnay 2001, South Eastern Australia
Fresh, almost aromatic nose with figgy, grapefruit-tinged fruit. Palate is quite fresh with tropical fruit and a buttery edge. There's a bit of bitterness showing through on the finish. A commercial style. Good/very good (£6.99) 01/02

Rosemount Chardonnay 1998, South Australia
Yellow gold. This seems to be paler and less oaked than previous vintages. It is a good commercial chardonnay with refreshing acidity and boiled-sweets flavours. Well balanced, it reminds me of Lindemans Bin 65, but this example is £2 more expensive. A crowd pleaser.  (£6.99 Thresher) 3/99

Rosemount Shiraz 2000, Australia
Fruit sourced from Langhorne Creek, McLaren Vale and Mudgee; matured for 8 months in American oak. The enticing, sweet nose shows rich, sweet, spicy berry fruit. The palate is sexy and full, with a rich, spicy character: it manages to be both savoury and sweet at the same time. A real crowd-pleaser. Very good+ (£7.49 Majestic) 10/01

Rosemount Hill of Gold Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 1998, Mudgee, Australia
From the upcoming Mudgee region in New South Wales comes this full-throttle stunner by Rosemount. Dense purple/black wine of huge extract. Nose of ripe berry fruit and charred new American oak is followed up by a concentrated palate of dusty fruit and dry, firm tannins. A ripe, blockbuster Cabernet if you are not too shy of oak. Lovely now, but really needs a couple more years. Good value for money. Very good + (£9.99 Waitrose) 7/00

[See also the wines of Rosemount feature]

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See also: Stonier, Mornington Peninsula; Shaw & Smith, Adelaide Hills; St Hallett, Barossa; Shadowfax, Victoria

St Hallett Old Block Shiraz 1993, Barossa Valley, Australia
This is a real crowd pleaser, beginning to show its best. The combination of dense ripe fruit and upfront American oak is irresistable, unless you are sensitive to new oak, in which case you'll find this too much. Beautifully evolved nose of sweet fruit and vanilla/coconut from the oak, followed up on the palate by dusty, spicy fruit, dry tannins and a dry finish. Drinking really well now, with some life ahead of it. Very good + (Current release is £14, widely available). 7/00

St Hallett Poacher’s Blend 1998, Barossa
A blend of Chenin/Semillon/Sauvignon blanc/Riesling, picked by night to retain freshness. Crisp, aromatic and fruity, with waxy and citrus notes, this full flavoured white that makes a great food match with modern cuisine. At £4.99 this is now competitively priced. Good stuff, and comes with a Stelvin (screw) cap which makes it ideal for picnics. (£4.99 Tesco) 11/99

Seaview Shiraz 1997, McLaren Vale
Really well put together, serious Shiraz with ripe fruit, pepper and nicely judged sweet oak. Excellent for the price, this is a real crowd pleaser that had people coming back for more and more when I served it at a recent family gathering. (£5.99 Oddbins) 9/99

Seaview Brut NV, Australia
Lemony edge to the fruity nose. Fresh, high acid palate. Nicely judged and perfectly adequate fizz. A tempting prospect at the offer price. Very good (£6.99 Majestic) 10/02

Seaview Rosé NV, Australia
Nice pale salmon colour. Good herby, fruity nose leads to a crisp, fruity high acid palate with nice herbiness. Very good+ (£6.99 Majestic) 10/02

Seaview Brut NV, Australia
Golden colour. Fresh, yeasty, complex and tasty: a bargain fizz for all occasions. (£5.99 Oddbins, also Sainsburys) 12/99

Seaview Brut NV, Australia
Bottle fermented sparkling wine. Crisp, dry fizz with some yeasty, toasty character combining with pleasant citrus elements. Savoury, full flavoured and a bargain. (£4.99 Sainsburys) 2/00

Shaw and Smith Unoaked Chardonnay 1998, Adelaide Hills, Australia
I'm not normally a fan of the 'unwooded Chardonnay' style of wine, but this is a stunner. A light gold colour, it has a spicy, honey nose. On the palate it exhibits intense fruit flavours, with spicy and honeyed complexity coupled with a pronounced minerality. Excellent. (£9.29, Tesco) 8/00

Stonyfell 'Metala' Vintage Port 1971, Langhorne Creek, Australia
A fascinating chance to try this venerable old wine. It's a blend of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon, matured in 500 gallon oak casks for 2 years and then bottled in May 1973. In the region of 4000 bottles were made. Surprisingly dark in colour, this inky wine has a nice, woody, spicy nose. On the palate it is sweet, rich and soft-textured, with some raisiny notes and hints of cinnamon. Spicy and fruity, this is wonderful stuff. Very good/excellent. 12/00

Summerfield Reserve Shiraz 1999, Pyrenees, Victoria, Australia
An inky red/purple colour, this is a very individual wine. It has an exotic, sweet nose showing liquorice-laced, herbal, chocolatey fruit, with some cassis and cinnamon spice notes. In contrast to the sweet nose, the palate has a very dry, austere edge to it with some spicy oak and a slightly alcoholic (this baby weighs in at 15%) high-acid finish. Very concentrated, this is quite an unusual wine with real character. May develop and integrate better with time. Very good/excellent (£19.95) 11/01

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Temple Bruer 1992 Shiraz (75%)/Malbec (25%), Langhorne Creek, S Aus
Tarry, meaty red with moderate acidity that is softening up after a few years in the bottle. Distinctly Australian, it is good and is not overoaked. Again, evidence that decent Aus reds realy do improve with a couple of years bottle age. 6/99

Tyrrells Old Winery Pinot Noir 2000, Australia
The grapes from this wine come from just about everywhere: Hunter Valley, McLaren Vale, Barossa and Coonawarra to be precise. Quite deep coloured, this is very new world in style but still quite balanced. The spicy, herby nose shows some cherry fruit and leads to a palate with herby berry fruit and good acidity. Dry, spicy tannins provide structure. Very good (£6.99 Majestic) 10/01

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see: the wines of Voyager Estate, Margaret River

Veritas Heysen Vineyard Shiraz 1997, Barossa Valley
A concentrated, rich wine with real Barossa character. Deep, soft, sweet nose. Beautiful sweet fruit, almost port-like in character. There is some tannin, but it is hidden underneath the rich, complex fruit: there are notes of raspberry, cinnamon, licquorice and chocolate. Dusty tannins. Very good + (£11.99 Noel Young) 5/00

Veritas Heysen Vineyard Shiraz 1997, Barossa Valley
Huge, sweetly fruited chocolate-laden Shiraz. Soft texture and rich, complex, seamless palate make this very more-ish stuff. It is a big wine. There is plenty of oak and some might find it a bit soupy, but I find this style immensely reassuring on a cold night in late Autumn. (£11.99 Noel Young Wine) 11/99

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Wakefield 1999 Shiraz, Clare Valley, South Australia
A beast of a wine, but not without some chunky, rugged charm. There's a massive blast of vanilla on the nose from the crude oaking, followed up on the palate by creamy, rich fruit and firm tannins. Sweet, rich and pungent, not for the timid. Good/very good, but beware. (£6.99 Oddbins) 10/00

Wakefield Shiraz 1997, Clare Valley, S Australia
Pungent, intense nose combining rubber, stink, medicinal notes and lots of fruit. On the palate this has minty new American oak and fruit to spare, and a whopping 14.5% alcohol. Big and bold, I think this is a great, unsubtle wine for the price. (Oddbins £6.99) 5/99

Wakefield Shiraz 1997, Clare Valley
A monstrous, unsubtle wine. It is rich, deeply fruited, licqouricey and concentrated, with plenty of sweet new American oak. I recommend it, but only if you are in the mood for something over-the-top! (£6.99, Oddbins) 12/99

Wirra Wirra Original Blend 1997, McLaren Vale, Australia
A blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Shiraz. Medium bodied cherry red colour. Lifted nose of vanilla and sweet cinnamon. This is a rich, sweetly fruited wine with a spicy, soft edge. The rubbery, peppery Grenache character is present. Quite like a ripe Châteaneuf du Pape, and packs a big 15% alcohol. Good at the sale price of £6.99 (normally two pounds more expensive). (£6.99 Oddbins) 1/00

Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 1993, Coonawarra
Wynns 'black label' Cabernet has a great reputation for ageing well. This eight year old example shows a wonderful nose of chocolate, herbs, mint and sweet blackcurrant fruit. The palate is firm and minerally, but the fruit has receded and the drying tannins are now dominant. Deliciously savoury but the austere tannins put it a bit out of balance. I'm not sure whether it will ever be completely harmonious, but still very good+. 04/01

Wynns Riesling 1993 Coonawarra, Australia
Mature now, this is deep coloured with distinctive honey and citrus flavoured palate. Not oxidised, it’s almost like a slightly botrytised wine in character. I’m not sure I like it, but it’s still alive and isn’t oxidised. Very good 11/02

Wynns Coonawarra Estate Shiraz 1996, Coonawarra
Purple black but not opaque. Lovely nose of tarry fruit and American oak. Tasty palate of ripe Shiraz (damsons, spice, raspberries) and sweet oak, but the downside is the high lemony acidity. Not sure how this will age, but it is a classy wine for the price if you don’t mind the acidity. (£5.99 Oddbins) 9/99

Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 1996, Coonawarra, Australia
Deep red/black colour, concentrated and opaque. Lovely lifted nose of sweet oak and tarry forest fruits. On the palate this is approachable already, with firm but accessible tannic structure and tarry, ripe fruit with a minty, herbal edge. Plenty of new oak and a dry tannic finish complete what is a traditionally Australian styled package. Pretty good, and will reward two or three years cellaring. (£9.99 Sainsbury) 2/00

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Yalumba Viognier 1997, South Australia
A surprising recent release: normally inexpensive new world whites are sold as soon as they are made, and I was a little worried that this three year old Viognier would already be over the hill. However, it is a clean, attractive wine, with bright, tasty flavours and more than a little varietal character. With a delicate, flowery aroma, on the palate there are attractive flavours of spice, lime and honey, balanced with crisp acidity. Very youthful for a 1997. (£4.99 Sainsbury, Tesco) 6/00

Yarra Ridge Chardonnay 1997, Yarra Valley, Victoria, Australia
Part of the Mildara-Blass empire. This is another new world white that should have been drunk some time ago. The deep golden colour is alarming considering that this wine is less than three years old. Still drinkable, despite its premature sensecence, this wine has a smooth palate with complex nutty and honeyed notes, supplemented by elements of coffee and spice. No malolactic fermentation was allowed, but despite this the wine is low in acid and dying fast. Some may enjoy it, but I was disappointed. (Oddbins, £5.99, down from £7.99) 1/00  

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