Winsor's Choice

Koonara 2008 Angel's Peak Cabernet Sauvignon

2012-02-23T10:31:00.000-08:00

Let's get this straight from the start. Here we have a very good Coonawarra cabernet sauvignon from a family owned winery that is a current release at four years of age. It is concentrated, but with classic regional elegance, and weighs in with just 13.5% alcohol; a lean, fighting machine. It's dark, still a little moody, with classic dark berry and chocolate characters, balanced, not intrusive, oak, dry and with plenty of length and structure. It will almost certainly cellar well. And here's the silly bit (the good bit, actually): this wine is available for $15.95 at cellar door on online and only a couple of bucks more retail. $18. www.koonara.com. light to see how dense it is if you don't believe me.

Wither Hills 2011 Sauvignon Blanc

2012-02-12T16:31:00.000-08:00

OK wine snobs. Time to get over yourselves. The reality is a lot of people really enjoy Marlborough sauvignon blanc. A lot of them like to enjoy a bottle or two on a sunny day, or pair some savvy with fresh seafood. Much as you'd prefer them to be drinking arneis, or albarino, the reality is they relish the style of wines the Kiwis make. So if you are looking for a classic and consistently reliable Marlborough sauvignon blanc, nicely put together, with plenty of zing and zest and a good balance between tropical and leaner herbaceous characters you'll almost certainly enjoy this vibrant young wine from one of the region's style leaders. $22. www.witherhills.co.nz.

Lark Hill 2011 Dark Horse Viognier

2012-02-04T21:00:00.000-08:00

Several Australian wine producers have had a crack at the white Rhone grape variety viognier - with decidedly mixed results. Far too many end up tasting like an alcoholic version of canned apricot juice. This is a welcome counterpoint to those wines; made with restraint and passion. Lark Hill is a proven success with other aromatic white varieties, including riesling and gruner veltliner, and this wine continues in the same vein. It is floral with appealing fresh stone fruit characters, ginger notes and a hint of citrus. Wild yeast ferment has helped add complexity and texture but the key here is balance - it has only 12.5% alcohol with a refreshing slatey finish. Definitely one of Australia's better viogniers. $25. www.larkhillwine.com.au.

Highland Brae 2010 Pinot Noir

2012-01-28T20:07:00.000-08:00

Richard Tyler's ultra-neat Highland Brae vineyard is tucked away at Braeside, in the hills above Franklin, overlooking the Huon River in southern Tasmania, where he also farms Highland cattle. This new-release wine offers almost comical value for money given the wine (made by talented Nick Glaetzer at Frogmore Creek) has delightfully clean fruit flavours, varietal savoury notes and some impressive textural elements. It has already collected a silver medal at the Royal Hobart Wine Show and is extremely food friendly; we paired it with a rich mushroom soup. It's equally impressive without food, a wine for sipping and contemplating. $20. Email: richard.tyler41@bigpond.com or (03) 6266 3411.

Louee 2011 Nullo Mountain Riesling

2012-01-21T19:44:00.000-08:00

Mudgee-based David Lowe, vice-president of the Winemakers Federation of Australia, seems able to turn his talents to fruit from just about any region. Having made his reputation in the warmth of the Hunter Valley, he's now producing some of his best wines from the cool-climate, ultra-high altitude vineyards of Nullo Mountain, outside Rylstone, which stand at 1100 metres above sea level. This is a very lean, austere style of riesling, dry with some cracking natural acidity from a vineyard that is unlike any other within the Mudgee appellation. This is a wine of real character and intensity that weighs in at just 10% alcohol. Lowe predicts it will be potentially long-lived. I love it in its youth. We'll just have to agree to disagree. $25. www.lowewine.com.au.

Derwent Estate 2010 Chardonnay

2012-01-15T00:10:00.000-08:00

The chardonnay fruit from the Derwent Estate vineyard in southern Tasmania is second to none, much of it being used in Penfolds' ultra-premium Yattarna blend. This is a delightful new release with the quality and tension of that fruit shining though. Classic stone fruit and citrus flavours work harmoniously but the use of French oak by Julian Alsorso of Winemaking Tasmania hits the dial maybe one notch too hard for my taste. That said, I have no doubt the wine will become tighter-knit as time goes by. Wild yeast barrel ferments, lees stirring and malolactic fermentation all give poise and structure and it is already a lovely drink that can only get better over the next couple of years. $35. www.derwentestate.com.au.

Two Hands 2010 Gnarly Dudes Barossa Shiraz

2012-01-05T16:28:00.000-08:00

Made from gnarled old shiraz vines, this is a quintessentially Barossa Valley wine that offers excellent drinking and great value. It's a powerful wine, no doubt, but it handles its 14.8% alcohol with aplomb. There are all the black plum and dark berry characters you'd expect but the volume knob has been turned down in terms of oak and it is the fruit that is singing. It's an elegant wine when compared to many of its contemporaries, soft, easy to drink and very nicely balanced. We drank the whole bottle, which is rarely the case with Barossa shiraz nowadays. $27. www.twohandswines.com.

Hahndorf Hill 2011 GRU Gruner Veltliner

2011-12-30T22:37:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late out of the blocks reviewing what is arguably Australia's finest example of the Austrian grape variety gruner veltliner, known as Gru Vee to aficionados. This Adelaide Hills offering is a wonderfully aromatic wine with fresh greengage, nectarine and nashi pear notes notes and a silky texture on the palate which finishes with Granny Smith crispness and oyster shell minerality. It's a hugely food-friendly wine and would pair spectacularly well with spicy Asian cuisine. I understand it quickly sold out at cellar door, but you might find a bottle or two in up-market wine stores. $28. www.hahndorfhillwinery.com.au.

Hungerford Hill 2009 Hilltops Cabernet Sauvignon

2011-12-25T02:28:00.000-08:00

The high-altitude Hilltops region, in regional New South Wales near the town of Young, is rapidly building a reputation for quality cool-climate fruit and Hungerford Hill winemaker Michael Hatcher has certainly created a very classy wine here; inky in colour with tremendous depth of dark berry/blackcurrant fruit flavours and a hint of chocolate, this is also a wine of considerable elegance and finesse, weighing in at just 13% alcohol. A beautifully textured red, it has plenty of length and is silky, suave and beguiling; a vinous James Bond. $35. www.hungerfordhill.com.au

Capital Wines 2011 The Whip Riesling

2011-12-17T21:56:00.000-08:00

A stunning little wine from a fast-rising producer well worth keeping an eye out for. Mark and Jennie Mooney (well known for being perhaps the most prolific Tweeter in the wine industry) grow the grapes in the Canberra region and Andrew McEwin is the the winemaker. They are a proving quite a team and this is a downright delicious and zesty riesling; cooler than a mountain stream and just as refreshing. This is floral, minerally, citrusy and has great acid - and excellent length. While Jennie Mooney says this a great wine for cellaring, I say phooey. Its zesty lime sherbert characters make it just too drinkable right now to even consider putting any away. $19. www.capitalwines.com.au.

Hurley Vineyard 2009 Hommage Pinot Noir

2011-12-11T15:00:00.000-08:00

Kevin Bell and Tricia Byrnes make only pinot noir from their boutique vineyards (there are three distinct sites on their property; all producing individual vineyard wines) at Balnarring on the Mornington Peninsula. The wines are made in tiny quantities; there are only 150 cases of this wine, 150 of the equally impressive Garamond ($70) and just 50 of the Lodestone ($60). All three wines are individually impressive but this was my favourite - just. It is a bright colour, with juicy dark plum fruit. It's supple but muscular, like a teenage gymnast, with notes of redcurrants and Asian spices and some earthy, mushroomy hints. A beautifully balanced wine with great length and structure on the palate, silkiness and bright acidity. Really lovely. $60. www.hurleyvineyard.com.au.

Chrismont 2011 La Zona Arneis

2011-12-02T21:29:00.001-08:00

Arnie Pizzini and his team at Christmont in Victoria's King Valley turn out an excellent range of wines, all at emininently reasonable prices, but this one leapt out at me. It's a delightfully different style, made from the northern Italian grape arneis, that is beautfully fresh in its youth with crisp green apple and pear notes, the merest hint of honey and some some attractive crispness and minerality on the finish. A lovely understated wine for enjoying chilled, it's one for sipping and savouring. From a winery that has a reputation for "alternative" varieties, this is one of the most impressive Australian versions of arneis I have seen; from a grape that can sometimes be a little nondescript it is nice to see a wine offering such interest. $22. www.chrismont.com.au.

Kooyong 2009 Faultline Chardonnay

2011-11-24T22:38:00.000-08:00

There are dozens of great chardonnays out there from the Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley right now, but this one stands out from the crowd with its sheer purity of fruit and delicious minerality. If you are looking for a buttery blockbuster, then go elsewhere, but if you enjoy the Chablis style of chardonnay then I reckon this will ring your bell. An individual vineyard wine from chardonnay maestro Sandro Moselle, it is beautifully integrated with grapefruit and stone fruit flavours in perfect harmony with the restrained oak, which merely adds texture. An elegant wine with just 12.5% alcohol that has immense length and is an absolute pleasure to drink. $60. www.kooyong.com.

Kelvedon Estate 2011 Sauvignon Blanc

2011-11-20T13:58:00.001-08:00

One of the stars of the recent White Wine Weekend in Hobart, this Tasmanian East Coast wine has to be regarded as one of Tasmania’s (and the mainland for that matter) best sauvignon blancs. Made in a thoroughly modern style, this is a vivacious young wine, clean and fresh with bright fruit flavours but also some intriguing complexity on the palate thanks to six weeks on lees. Soft and delicate with hints of restrained tropical fruit, it finishes with crisp, appealing acidity. www.kelvedonestate.com.au. $28.

Giant Steps 2010 Arthur's Creek Vineyard Chardonnay

2011-10-21T16:48:00.000-07:00

I love the way Giant Steps releases a series of single vineyard chardonnays and pinots noir; demonstrating clearly the differences in terroir across the Yarra Valley. Winemaker Steve Flamsteed has done an excelllent job across the range but this was my favourite chardonnay, but only marginally ahead of Sexton and Tarraford vineyard releases. This is a delicate, modern chardonnay from a cool site planted in 1976. It's been through the gamut of modern winemaking techniques; whole bunch pressing, natural yeast, lees stirring, partial natural malo and 25% new oak. Despite, or perhaps because of, all that effort, the end result is a chalky, elegant wine with restrained stone fruit and delightful texture on the palate, finishing with vibrant acid. $45. wwww.giant-steps.com.au.

Grosset 2011 Polish Hill Riesling

2011-10-21T16:39:00.000-07:00

Vintage after vintage Jeffrey Grosset produces a range of rieslings that are stunning in their purity and clarity – but this has to be one of his best ever; dry, tight and beautifully constructed, it has brilliant, pristine fruit characters with classic lime, lemon and grapefruit notes and some intense minerality. There's a lovely linear acid finish, concentration, persistence and a beguiling tang. I swear I had only had one glass, but my bottle was suddenly empty. Mysterious! A benchmark dy Clare Valley riesling. World class. $48. www.grosset.com.au.

Eden Road 2010 The Long Road Shiraz

2011-10-21T16:32:00.000-07:00

Nick Spencer is making some very impressive wines at Eden Road and this shiraz underlines his talent. It's made from fruit grown at several vineyards down the road from Murrumbateman at Gundagai, which has soils that produce perfumed, gravelly and minerally wine styles. There's some lovely bright fruit here that has been matured in 3-4 year old French oak puncheons for 14 months prior. The oak is barely perceptible in the finished article, however, merely adding structure and interest to the palate. A delightful wine with delicate tannins and great value for the price. $22. www.edenroadwines.com.au.

Dominique Portet 2011 Fontaine Rosé

2011-10-21T00:53:00.000-07:00

Another impressively dry new-wave rosé from father and son team Dominique and Ben Portet in the Yarra Valley - the ninth and 10th generations of family winemakers. This is worthy wine for inclusion in the second Rosé Revolution, a blend of merlot, shiraz and cabernet sauvignon from the Yarra and Pyrenees. It's a disturbingly drinkable wine with intense red fruit aromas and flavours but with a dry and savoury finish. Chill this down, serve it with a picnic and watch it disappear at breakneck speed. $20. www.dominiqueportet.com

Lock & Key 2011 Hilltops Riesling

2011-10-14T23:03:00.000-07:00

If you love classic dry riesling but are on a tight budget, this is a name well worth remembering. From the Moppity vineyard outside Young in New South Wales, it is an absolute bargain at a recommended retail price of around $16 - more so given it can sometimes be found discounted to considerably less. It has lemon zest fragrance, oodles of lime and grapefruit character on the quite austere palate and delightfully zingy racy acidity on the finish. A pristine and appealing partner for oysters, pan-fried seafood or Thai cuisine. $15. www.moppity.com.au.

De Iuliis 2009 Steven Vineyard Shiraz

2011-10-06T23:46:00.000-07:00

There is no doubt that Mike de Iuliis is among the brightest young winemaking talents in the Hunter Valley. His 2011 semillon was one of the standouts of a recent Twitter tasting and this is another excellent offering made from the Hunter's other key grape variety. Inky, with intense black pepper and wild berry aromas, it is full bodied on the palate with dark, rich fruit flavours, hints of earthiness and considerable poise and elegance (and only 13% alcohol). A singe-vineyard wine from one of the Hunter's best blocks, this will almost certainly cellar well for a decade or more. $40. www.dewine.com.au.

DiGiorgio Family 2008 Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon

2011-10-02T19:03:00.001-07:00

The DiGiorgio family are unsung heroes of the Limestone Coast wine region, producing nicely balanced wines at very fair prices. This is a classic - and affordable - Coonawarra cabernet with ripe, supple and sweet dark fruit characters matched by black olives notes, soft tannins and unobtrusive toasty French oak. Made by veteran Coonawarra winemaker Peter Douglas in the historic former Rouge Homme winery, this ticks all the regional boxes and will probably cellar well for a decade or more. But my bet is most of it will be drunk relatively young - it's a hard wine to resist. $26. www.digiorgio.com.au.

Bests Great Western 2011 Riesling

2011-09-24T01:19:00.000-07:00

What a stunning wine this is; a real crowd pleaser with fresh, vibrant citrus flavours leaping out of the glass at you. Riesling has been grown in the Great Western region of Victoria since the 1860s with the diurnal variations ideal for the variety. That said, few recent new releases have shone as brightly in their youth as this, which combines both power and finesse. It's the pure, crystaline fruit that shines with floral, zesty lemon and lime aromas and flavours, excellent minerality and delightfully zingy acidity, along with a couple of grams of residual sugar to add interest, and sensible alcohol levels at 11.5%. A brilliant buy for the price. $24. www.bestswines.com.

Glaymond 2009 ASIF Cabernet Sauvignon

2011-09-06T22:33:00.000-07:00

Glaymond is a second label for Barossa Valley "alternative" varieties specialist Damien Tscharke. While shiraz is king in the Barossa, this rather bolshy cabernet impressed me as the best of the new Glaymond releases. It's extremely concentrated with a range of dark berry and currant flavours on the palate, violets, hints of mint, soft, almost plush, tannins and an extremely long, mouthfilling finish. Big, but very stylish and not to be trifled with, if this wine were an actress it would be Christina Hendricks from Mad Men. $32. www.tscharke.com.au

Ocean Eight 2010 Pinot Gris

2011-09-06T18:51:00.000-07:00

There is a wide variation in both style and quality among Australian pinot gris/grigio. This Mornington Peninsula wine is undoubtedly one of the best with plenty of stone-fruit flavours to the fore, pears and white peaches, but also impressive textural complexity as a result of barrel fermentation. There’s a good balance between savoury notes and fresh fruit, and a refreshing acid finish. Winemaker Mike Aylward recently won the 2011 Young Guns of Wine award. $38. www.oceaneight.com.au.

Margan Limited Release 2009 White Label Barbera

2011-09-04T01:35:00.000-07:00

Hunter vigneron Andrew Margan has an afinity with the Italian grape variety barbera, even though it comprises only a tiny proportion of his total output. This was made from the first barbera vines planted in the region; from Italian root stock. It's a very aromatic and savoury red, medium-bodied with fine tannins and lots of acid. Very food friendly, I'd pair it with a rich rabbit casserole. $30. www.margan.com.au