Bloody Burgundy, it traps you and then never lets go, a sort of hypnotism that you can’t seem to escape. Whilst my heart is full of Australian wine and its history, when I drink good burgundy my perceptions of world wine shift. This is by no means one of those bottles that is out of reach for most, its very well priced and has some decent age on it already. Getting these from a wholesaler who gets a reserve wine release from producers is absolutely fantastic. The wine opened with a smacking of red cherry and strawberry fruits, not tart but rich and vibrant. There is so much earth here, forest floor perhaps, but more a rocky soil type of texture. The tannins are silky smooth and glide along a wave of tight acid, the finish is what gets you. There is so much savoury there, florals and herbs, dried herbs or fresh herbs I can’t tell the difference, but they are there. There is a sense of place with these wines, a sense of history and land appreciation, something it seems the old world has as its hallmark.

The name represents the colour, a beautiful blush salmon which brings excitement from the moment you lay eyes on it. Vintage Rosé Champagne is something truly special, as so many houses and growers do not even attempt to make one. It’s as if there needs to be a perfect opportunity on all fronts, vineyard, vintage, winemaker and the grapes themselves to even consider making a vintage cuvée. The tribute for this wine comes from one of the houses founders and began in 1988, a testament to the lady herself Elisabeth. The 2008 vintage is one of pure power and precision, highlighted in this wine by the need for the use of only 9% red wine grapes. A cool season, hardly any sun yet the fruit was ripened with beautiful levels of acidity and refinement. Red fruits and spice dominate this copper hued beauty, with only slight hints of nougat and nuts, its as captivating as it is long, a finish that never seems to arrive. A wine of great power now, with so many layers to unpack over the coming decade or 2, the best of the rosé champagnes I have tried from this vintage, perhaps the best out there, who knows, I have many more to try.

Many of you will be aware of this powerhouse of a champagne label, since 1829, Champagne Bollinger has been making great wines with a powerful, refined and complex style, expressing the aromas of the fruit in all its dimensions. Showing the best of Champagne from the affordable cuvée’s all the way to the signature lines. This truly unique taste is the result of a particular affinity for the elegance of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier, uncompromising excellence, an exceptional vineyard and traditional craftsmanship handed down through the generations with the utmost care since 1829. The Grande Anné is only produced in exceptional vintages and consists of approximately 75% grand cru fruit and 25% premier cru fruit. The 2014 vintage was made up of 61% Pinot Noir and 39% Chardonnay highlighting the richness and complexity each variety brings. Primary fermentation is completed in old oak barrels with a minimum 5 years aging on lee’s. Its complex and dense, with sea spray, cherry and some golden delicious apples greeting you on the nose and palate. There is a hit of nut, hazelnut perhaps or who knows what exact nut but its there, along with some creamy butter and baked treats. As it opened and warmed it showed its best, proving that a little airtime really helps this glorious wine. Beautiful.

To me there are very few wines that leave lasting impressions as often as Domaine Francois Raveneau. The top tier of producer in Chablis, wines so distinct and reflective of site they become harder to find with each year that passes. To find one on a restaurant list not exuberantly priced is almost rarer than the bottles themselves. 2015 Monts Mains Premier Cru, a warm and dry vintage, which led to higher fruit flavours than may generally be expected from these wines. There is the customary sea shell or oyster shell backbone in the wine still, its expressive and powerful. As the wine opens and unfurls it reveals so many layers, there is nougat, honey coated nuts and pristine fruit. Sheer brilliance.It's a privilege to be able to drink wines of this quality, something that I do not take fore granted, I’m sure it looks like I drink these kinds of bottles all the time, but I really don’t, I wish I could though.One of the greatest wines I have consumed this year.

There are a few top tier Burgundy producers that demand immediate respect and this domaine is certainly one of them. LeFlaive is synonymous with excellence, its history steeped in the hills where the grapes thrive. Puligny Montrachet is one of the most perfect expressions of the Chardonnay grape in the entire world. The appellation was created in 1937 on soils separated by only a few metres from the Grands Crus. The white wines have well-defined personalities and an established reputation. There are plots here that would cost more than a small village to own. This rich and deep golden hue, a wine that appeals purely on looks, then you start to smell these stunning florals mixed with green apples and some orange blossom. This wine really is something else and when you expect it to be rich and full you get the underlying acidity and mineral drive, the terroir itself shines through. Wines like this leave a lasting impression on you and deservedly so, there is something different about Burgundy and what they do with Chardonnay, it’s special.

A stunning looking bottle, the green tinged bottles just hit differently, representing a time past but not forgotten. A cork closure, always a scary proposition on a wine with age, even more so for a wine known not to have used the best corks. The colour looked great, the smell was distinctly old chardonnay, nutty and floral (dried) with a backbone of almost sweet stone fruit. There seemed to be a touch of funk on the initial nose, asking us to swirl and let it open up. After all it has been trapped in a bottle for over 20 years, was the a magical genie inside? Soft fruits and a nougat edge had me wondering how had this wine been kept together so well, then it hit, an almost invisible line of acid driving all the way through to a lasting finish. The mid palate still kept its freshness and the use of quality oak was evident, soft and subtle with a width hard to match in old chardonnay from Aus. To me Chardonnay is the greatest grape we produce in Aus, across the country in all regions we have great examples being produced. It’s a wine that winemakers can express the site and have an input if they desire, which also makes it easy to mess up. Giaconda for me personally, and its only my view, make the greatest Chardonnay in Australia and one of the greats worldwide. What Rick has been able to do over a long period of time (with a lot of help of course) is showcase this magical rolling hill in Beechworth to it’s absolute full potential and in doing so helped put Australian Chardonnay on the map.

Blinded this wine at lunch in Sydney recently, and upon first sniff, drove the bus off the cliff (@wine_journey) and claimed it was Riesling. There is something about the nose that is almost too unique, its colour hinted at some age, but the palate was so fresh and vibrant. A testament to this amazing grape, developing those almost fire starter aromas but with rich fruit concentration, a wine of place and purpose. Aged so gracefully under screwcap its almost too fresh, would these wines be better under cork? I don’t know and I cannot begin to tell you the frustration of pouring wines down the sink when corks have failed, it’s one of the worst aspects of wine. Fresh as f, perfect for our Indian feast, wonder if they have more cellar reserve to sell….

Riesling seems to be a wine I collect but don’t drink a lot of, I think it has something to do with my Chardonnay obsession. German Riesling hits differently, it speaks of cold and a lack of sunshine, an unmatched sense of terroir and place. I drank a 75ml pour of this under Coravin from Cru Bar in Brisbane, a place with a fantastic list of wines under Coravin. Textural and mineral, stonefruits with a hint of tropical fruit all wrapped in a citrus like bun. It’s hard to describe the level of quality in this wine, we are blessed in Australia with age worthy quality Riesling, but this has a textural edge and polish that I don’t see in Australian Riesling. I am not for a second saying Aussie Riesling isn’t world class, its just different, and that’s perfectly fine. In fact it’s what makes wine so special. Sharing great wines with wine lovers turned friends is one of the best parts about what I am doing.

2008 may go down as the greatest vintage in champagne of all time and yet it may never surpass 1996, only time will tell. It does however have all the hallmarks of a truly great vintage. 2008 was greeted with much colder weather conditions at the start which led to a harvest of clean, ripe fruit with brilliant acidity. In turn, the resulting wine was defined by a rich character and concentration of flavour, paired with an absolute abundance of freshness. It was also one of the least sunny vintages of the last 50 years, crazy to think this northern climate produces such incredible wines. For the first time in history some of the larger houses prestige cuvée’s were not released in chronological order, with Dom Perignon and Cristal releasing their 2009 vintage bottles before the 2008’s. Such is the power and concentration of these wines, there was a need for some extra time on lee’s or under cork. Champagne Salon only bottles magnums, seeing the absolute purity of this vintage and bottling in the best format for champagne. For Krug the 2008 vintage was simply magic, and for the final blend, the selected wines were those best exhibiting the structure and complexity of this ‘classic vintage’. Pinot Noir use was at 53%, which constituted for over half of the blend. Then there was Pinot Meunier of 25%, which brought tension and citrus, while aromatic Chardonnay grapes made up the final 22%. I have had the joy of drinking this a few times over the past 12 months and can say its really starting (slowly) to hit its straps and I feel at year 20, this will be one of the all time greats. It’s so tense, tightly wound and full of layers, probably to hard for this chippie to describe. Just take my word that its one of the best out there, truly. Think orange blossom, citrus, honey and sea spray all wound together in the perfect golden elixir, a wine for the ages.

The Yarra Valleys most expensive white wine and almost the most expensive in Australia, almost.Let’s put price to the side and look at what is in the bottle. A lush and complex chardonnay, oozing with charm and character, hardly a linear and citrus driven Yarra Valley chardonnay. It’s true charm lies in it’s palate weight and the textural journey that doesn’t seem to end. This wine is a journey of the senses at every step and a testament to the incredible process and care taken by Levantine Hill to produce this wine. The Optume is not a single vineyard wine, rather an overall expression of the many sub-regions of the Yarra Valley. There are 7 secret sites in this wine, with varying altitudes and picking dates (24 days overall) helping to showcase the very best of the YV. Its sheer power is something to marvel, there are pears, red delicious apples, figs and this mineral chalky edge that just bring energy and drive. It’s creamy and textural but not overpowering or mouth coating, it’s in balance and the finishing acid line is just what is needed to bring it home. By no means is this a wine without thought or purpose, it’s place amongst the best in the YV is rightfully deserved. No stone has been left unturned and no corners were cut, tat is blatantly apparent. I’m so glad I got to experience this bottle next to some top tier burgundies, appreciating greatness at every level. Stunning.

A Victorian producer many would be familia with, steeped in history and holding a place amongst the very best in Australian wine. The Mast Shiraz is a tribute to the pioneering man Trevor Mast, who planted this exact vineyard some 27+ years ago. Trevor was taken suddenly and well before his time and his legacy will live on through the magic that is Mount Langi.This is a true expression of cool climate shiraz, highlighting this wonderful grape in a completely different climate to what Australian Shiraz has been known for. This wine has so much spice and rich fruit happening on the palate, the nose is dominated by spice and this mocha chocolate undertone. Its tannin structure is so delicate and fine yet you cannot help but notice it, the acid line is driving and firing this wine home.A wine made from fruit that is tended to on the highest of standards, showcasing the beauty that is Victorian cool climate shiraz. The entire team should be happy knowing they are continuing to show a wine worthy of the legacy left behind by an industry icon. I enjoyed this wine over a few days, letting the spice and tannin soften over a few days to show the gentle rich layers of red and blue fruits, I wasted 100mls of this glorious wine and I wish I hadn’t, it would have been better served enjoyed by me.

Is there a better sight in Australian wine than an aged Grange, then add a magnum and I think you may have hit the jackpot (no gambling pun intended haha). A blend of fruit (96% Shiraz and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon) from Kalimna Vineyard (Barossa Valley), Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale and Limestone Coast. This next paragraph is taken straight from the Penfold’s tech sheet. Grange is an icon, being both Australia's and Penfolds' flagship wine. Grange boasts an unbroken line of vintages from the experimental 1951 and clearly demonstrates the synergy between Shiraz and the soils and climate of South Australia. Penfolds Grange displays fully ripe, intensely flavoured and textured Shiraz grapes in combination with new American oak. The result is a unique Australian style that is now recognised as the most consistent of the world's great wines. The Grange style is the original and most powerful expression of Penfolds' multivineyard, multi-district blending philosophy. This wine was showing all of the balsamic, aged leather and tobacco leaf you would come to expect from a wine of this age. You can see that its built for the long haul. Made to cellar, shows a peak drinking window of around 2025-2035 and I feel this is probably the case with tis bottle. It didn’t hit the high marks that we come to expect from grange, a good wine yes, but not a great wine and there is a big difference. There is an aura around these bottles, they carry so much history and are a story themselves within Australian wine, so many people dream of drinking the perfect aged bottle and they do exist, after all they are a living organism and are subject to lots of change and variation between bottles. Penfold’s will always hold a place amongst Australian wine history, perhaps the greatest brand Australia has produced around the world.

Pierro wines are well known throughout the wine community. Their status as one of the great white wines is undeniable. They don’t make too many different wines, they choose to focus on what they know and do best. The family run winery has a special place amongst the mighty Margaret River families of wine. I have had the please of meeting the family and could not help but notice the simplicity at which they approach wine, I mean with the utmost respect they are farmers, carers of the land and grape growers. But the dedication and commitment to excellence is evident in every bottle. The normal Pierro bottle of Chardonnay is sublime, let alone the Vintage Release, which is the best parcels of wine kept back for 4 years which makes the 2020 the current release. It’s so hard to find, seems the west coast take majority of it and so they should, supporting your local region is incredibly important, just as supporting the entire Aus wine industry is. This was powerful yet completely restrained, fruit balance and oak integration were highlights, but the mineral drive and almost salted caramel note was the main attraction. Wines leave impressions on you for numerous reasons, the tannin, acid, fruit, oak, balance, breadth on palate and length are all factors, but sometimes its simply the people you share the bottle with that makes it all to memorable. This is one of my favourite chardonnays for 2024 and may have snuck its way into my top 10 whites of the year (huge call I know).