Tasting notes of Australian wines
(Prices and stockists in the UK are listed in brackets; as a rough guide £1 = US$1.90. Date of tasting is indicated at the end of each note as month/year.)

see also: 

• Tapanappa, Wrattonbully

• Clonakilla, Canberra District

• The new Barossa (multipart series)

• Yarra Valley (multipart series)

• Margaret River (multipart series)

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

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

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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

M

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

N

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

O

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

P

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

Q

R

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]

S

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