The rush and craze around the chardonnay can prove too stressful for many, with so many people missing out year on year I thought it was a good time to let you all know about the lesser known sibling, The Roussanne. The north facing Roussanne vineyard which is an Amphitheater shaped vineyard is something truly special (see pic 2). Its magical to see the difference in the vines compared with the Chardonnay vines. The vineyard practices and meticulous eye to detail do not change for each wine, it’s all about consistency and structure to ensure every wine produced on the famed hills in Beechworth are truly exceptional. A deeper colour, more viscous and rich, it coats the glass with more presence and that is a hallmark of this amazing grape. Florals, sweet meyer lemons, stonefruits and subtle baking spices leap from the glass and it doesn’t carry the same level of matchstick reduction that some previous vintages of this wine have had. On the palate there are stonefruits and dried apricots, that sweeter style of citrus and some creamy nuttiness. The slightest hint of matchstick reductions and steely minerality. The oak delivers a spice and texture that help drive this wine home, the acid is subtle yet long and there is some oily minerality on the back palate. To me this is a bigger style of white wine, a great release and one to be sure to add to your cart at 8.01am after the chardonnay of course. At sub $100 a bottle, this is truly a player in the great alternate whites of Australia, lovely.

With vineyards scattered around the picturesque Yarra Valley, Giant Steps have a clear focus and vision for each vineyard. Visiting the cellar door will show this, soil profiles and elevation maps showcase the differences in a relatively small region, highlighting each sites best attributrs and bringing them into the glass. The Applejack vineyard is named so due to the Applejack Gumtrees that surround the vineyard. Planted in the late 1970’s and with a bunch of different clones this wine is the one that seems to win awards when they are out there to win. Why this one over the others I do not know specifically and whatever your views are on medals/trophies/points lets look at this wine for exactly what it is. Perfumed and aromatic, florals and wild strawberries bursting from the glass. It’s elegant and sharp, it doesn’t smack you in the face, more a soft kiss from your lover. It has distinct earthy characters of cedar and forest floor with underlying vanilla bean and white pepper. On the palate its cherry, strawberry and raspberry with this perfect floral kick, vanilla and cedar, its dense and mouth filling yet its light and delicate. It dances on your palate gracefully and effortlessly, it’s not brash and full of terroir driven nuances, it represents it’s site and maker perfectly. I love Yarra Valley Pinot for its delicateness and prettiness. It’s always going to have these notes and I love that about it, it’s not trying to be something it’s not. A perfect example of Yarra Valley Pinot Noir.

Perhaps the 2021 vintage in the Yarra Valley will go down as one of the greatest of all time, perhaps not, but one thing is for sure each wine from this glorious vintage is tightly coiled and ready to explode out of the blocks. Fruit power, acid, tannin, length and texture are all on display which lend themselves well to age-worthy wines. Giant Steps are one of my favourite wineries and I’m sure you all know that by now, there is something about the way they make their wines that resonates with me and that’s all that actually matters right.? These wines are clean, crisp, and so delicately made that they are simply a joy to drink each and every time. The 2021 Sexton Chardonnay is a blend of 50% Gin Gin clone (the mighty Margaret River beast) and 50% Dijon or Barnard Clone, its textural and rich. What makes it so special is the way it lightly dances along your palate considering it has such structure and power it feels almost too light, to delicate. Citrus drive (lemon and grapefruit), stone fruits (peaches) and even some tropical tones are held together with pretty vanilla bean and buttery oak. Its never overpowering in anyway and continues to impress long after the sip has been taken. I love this wine and will continue too.

Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa seems to hold a better grip on my palate than from many other regions in the world. Is it the fruit profile, oak use or something else that draws me in. Napa red’s seem to have this stigma around them as being huge fruit and oak bombs, palate filling wines that have high alcohol and high tannin. This may have been true at one stage and if that is a style you like then I’m sure there are plenty of wines out there to cater to that. One thing that I can say is that winemaking styles and the climate have attributed to a change in the wines we drink today, is this for the better? I believe so as wines are made more to drink now, some 95% of all the bottles sold in the US are consumed within 8hrs of purchase, let that sink in. Bright blue and black fruits, ripe but not jammy or stewy, a crisp line of acidity help with the feeling of freshness. Vanilla and cardamon seeds, blackberry and cherries and this real sense of soil and place. There is a dirty leather boot and rugged rocks sort of feel, texturally and aromatically, it almost feels as if its sitting in a sleepy zone, needing a few more years to show itself, time will tell.

My first ever HOG, excitement and anticipation was building the more we discussed this particular bottle. A titan of Australian wine and perhaps the only true rival to Penfold’s Grange. Below some info from the Henschke website. Just half of the Hill of Grace vineyard is planted with shiraz, designated as eight individual blocks. Only the six oldest blocks are used in Hill of Grace Shiraz. The remaining 4 hectares are planted with riesling, semillon and mataro. Centenarian and ancestor vines provide the magical ingredients in Hill of Grace Shiraz. Magestic and gnarled, the oldest, known as “The Grandfathers”, are more than 155 years of age. They are dry-grown, which allows the plants to find balance with nature, and are naturally low yielding due to their age. They deliver small berries of incomparable texture and complexity, which give Hill of Grace its trademark elegance, intensity and finesse. The wine opened with a slightly browned rim and musk smell, some time needed perhaps in the decanter again, as it was decanted in the morning and returned to bottle for the train ride to lunch. I was eager yet slightly concerned, the colour and smell had me guessing. To be perfectly honest I felt this particular bottle had not been stored ideally at some point in its life, the glass cap closure (vinolok) was meant to help with potential cork issues and it would have, had this bottle not been exposed to heat. Muted fruit, stewy characters and the browning were characters that led me to believe this wine was spoilt due to heat/sunlight. I hope some people with much higher levels of wine education than me can help me out here with what we experienced. A true shame that this was to be the outcome of my first HOG, however I’m not turned off this wine, in-fact I’m the opposite, I cannot wait to try the next one. Proof that not every wine we drink is amazing.

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….

The first time I have sat down with a wine from one of Australia’s most famed and recognized wineries. To top it all off it was the acclaimed 2021 vintage of one of the great wines of Aus, the Mount Edelstone. Henschke is one of Australia’s great wine dynasties, crafting soulful and ageworthy wines from the Eden Valley and beyond since 1868. Still family run, the winery is now led by Stephen and Prue Henschke, who have taken the reins with quiet precision and a deep respect for both tradition and innovation. Everyone talks about Hill of Grace, and rightly so, but Mount Edelstone deserves just as much attention. First bottled in 1952, it comes off a single vineyard of ancient ungrafted Shiraz vines planted in 1912 and delivers layer upon layer of spice, dark fruit and earthy depth. These are wines that speak softly but with conviction, showing a true sense of place. This wine to me can be summed up in one magical word, Elegance. The beauty of this wine lays in its mouthfeel and texture, pure bliss and every aspect of this wine is in tune and perfectly playing it’s part. Sure you can wait decades to enjoy it and it may taste more to your style, but right now with some time in a decanter it's absolutely glorious. White pepper, blueberries, blackberries and plums, effortless silky tannins and the smoothest of acid drive ensure mouthcoating roundness and an epic finish. The fruit is pure perfection, each piece of fruit you taste at its peak of flavour, the spice drive is the perfect seasoning and the length immense. Even Mrs Wine Animal used the word balance and elegance! One of the best red wines I have put in my mouth this year, one that I will be buying to lay down for me and my family to enjoy.

We all know that young Cabernet is not my favourite to drink, however, this particular bottle may have started to tip the scales the other way. Must be the Houghton Clone and Margaret River climate that helps this young Cab feel ready to go straight out the gate. Coming in at $160 rrp it sits at the pointy end of the big red wines from MR. The 2023 release marks the 34th vintage of this wine and it was named after Jeff Burch’s Great-Grandfather, Walter Abercrombie, who was an important figure in Jeff’s life. The 2023 Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon hails from the Leston Vineyard in Margaret River and is the estate’s most elevated expression of Cabernet. This year sees the continued theme of 100% fruit from Margaret River. From Howard Park: Fruit was hand-picked in small parcels and fermented in small open-top stainless steel vats. Twice-daily plunging during fermentation ensured gentle but thorough extraction of tannins, and select parcels remained on skins post-ferment to build structure and depth. Maturation took place over 10 months in French oak barriques (30% new), before final blending from the most distinguished barrels. The 2023 vintage unfolded slowly, with a mild season that allowed for a long ripening window and excellent flavour development. The result is a wine of brooding elegance, fine-grained tannins, and impressive cellaring potential of 20+ years. This is serious Cabernet with a calm confidence to it. Deep blackcurrant, mulberry and plum right up front, but it’s not shouting more like easing into gear. There’s a lovely lifted floral note, like violets crushed in your hands, then graphite, dried herbs and that classic pencil shaving thing that says "yep, this is proper Cabernet." The palate is tight but not tough, with silky tannins and that maritime line of acidity keeping everything fresh and focused. Black fruit, cocoa, a touch of cedar and a mineral lick through the middle.

I seem to be on a bit of a shiraz bender at the moment, heater on inside and freezing outside seems to have dulled my thirst for chardonnay (sucks I know). Howard Park are a famed Margaret River producer with a rich and steep history in many regions outside of Margs. This regional series of wines is designed to show some of the best grapes from alternative regions to the norm. A great wine to showcase the regional diversity of grapes and styles that can be produced. For me one of the greatest challenges is showing people that a grape variety can be made incredibly diversely based on the region and climate it comes from, helping the to understand that you may have a certain style you enjoy but it doesn’t make a wine any lesser if its different. This wine jumped out of the glass aromatically, full of blue berries, cherries and spice. So lifted, almost intoxicating to the point I wanted to stick my nose in for an extended period of time. Beautifully vibrant rich red with the ability to see through it. The nose again is so stunning and at $30, tasting this blind you wouldn’t know. On the palate its balanced, fleshy and a touch of sweetness (not sugar sweet, wood sweet), the cherry and spice theme continues through the entire palate and the finish is sandy tannins and sweet acid spice! Lovely and smashable, especially at $30!

Decanting a big, bold Shiraz can completely transform the experience in your glass. At first, they can feel heavy, tight, or a little closed off, like it’s holding back all that beautiful fruit and spice. Giving it some time in a decanter lets oxygen work its magic. The harsh edges smooth out, tannins start to soften, and the wine begins to open up, revealing richer layers of blackberry, plum, dark chocolate and earthy spice. As you let it breathe, the wine’s whole personality changes. What started out as dense and brooding becomes silky, expressive, and way more fun to drink. It’s almost like watching a shy friend relax and come to life at a party (not me I certainly am not shy). Over time, whether in a decanter or aging in the cellar, Shiraz continues to evolve. The bright fruit mellows, the tannins melt into the background, and new flavors like leather, tobacco and cocoa start to take over. It's one of the most rewarding transformations to watch and it reminds you that a little patience can bring out the absolute best in a great bottle. This happened so clearly with this big Barossa Shiraz, I actually left it in the decanter overnight and came back to it in the afternoon, what a difference. Next time you crack open a young Barossa or any other region Shiraz for instance, try decanting it for an hour then taste the difference and again after 4-6 hours if you have the patience. It’s like seeing the wine’s full story unfold, one delicious chapter at a time. This IZWAY Don is immense, what a wine.

Harold’s story begins in the Wimmera region of Victoria, where a young family spent countless weekends fishing trout-filled lakes. With an abundance of rods, often more than they could manage, each was given a name and a personality of its own. One rod, in particular, became something of a legend. Named after Harold Fisher, an old-school grain farmer known more for his reliability than refinement, this rod took on a life beyond tackle and line. Purchased in the 1950s, Harold has been part of the family ever since, well-weathered, a little grumpy, yet remarkably capable. That same spirit, honest, enduring, and quietly brilliant is what the team tried to captured in this wine. Something that resembled the rod, historic and nostalgic, one that makes you sit back and think, trying to remember something that brought joy to you as a young human. The vintage was marked by cool weather and near-record spring rains, nurturing healthy, balanced vineyards across the Barossa. Summer was mild, with no extremes, allowing for slow, steady ripening. A late autumn harvest let the fruit come in at perfect balance, full of energy and purity. In the winery, the approach was gentle and patient: natural fermentation in stainless steel, with careful extraction by plunging and open-air pump-overs. Skins were basket-pressed before resting in seasoned barrels for malolactic fermentation and aging. The result is a wine of intrigue and finesse. Aromas of tobacco leaf, tamarind, and white pepper lead to a textured palate of dark cherry, orange rind, and spice, with graceful, assertive tannins. Elegant and distinctive, it promises to evolve beautifully over time, very much like me the wine animal haha.

The top tier wine from one of my favourite Barossa producers, its deep and brooding in the decanter and glass, powerful on simply it’s look. The aromas don’t initially jump from the glass, its tightly woven, in a slumber almost and it needed time to awaken and show its real beauty. After a few hours the fruit and spice started to show, the high alcohol nose had mellowed and it became an inviting proposition. Cocoa, coffee, tea leaves, blackberries, dark plums, blueberry splashes and some asian 5 spice. There is liquorice and pepper towards the finish intertwined with the most silky and fine grained tannin profile. The acid line helps drive the wine to a huge and long finish, almost a mineral edge as the flavours linger on your palate for what seems like minutes. The top end of Barossa Shiraz can be simply magical, there are many producers who do it well, Izway for me are at the top of their game, knowing the fruit and how to handle it, glorious wine, a must buy!

There are wines you smell once and never forget. This was one of them. The nose alone was sheer and utter perfection — intoxicating, wild, complex and so alive. I still do not have the words. Imagine fruit, biscuits, salty ocean air, tropical sunsets, bruised apples and a kind of electric energy just vibrating out of the glass. What the actual f**k is this wine. Made by the legendary Anselme Selosse, this is a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Grand Cru vineyards, aged in oak and handled with a deep respect for terroir. Wild strawberries, blood orange, toasted brioche, layers of texture, minerality, savoury edges, and bubbles that seem to hum with intent. It is incredibly rare, highly sought after, and worth every sip. One of those bottles I could have kept or sold for silly money, but as always, wine is for sharing and this one was shared with friends — the only way to do it.

Santenay is the southernmost village in the Côte de Beaune. Mostly red wines are produced here, although some attempts at making white wine have been made. The appellation's most prestigious 1er Crus (including Les Gravières, La Comme and Clos de Tavannes) are located east of the village, next to Chassagne-Montrachet (one of the most famed vineyards in Burgundy). This wine was named after the vineyards former owner, the Saulx de Tavannes family. The vineyard is planted to 10,000 vines per hectare and is traditionally pruned in the Cordon de Royat method. People can often get perplexed by burgundy and the heavy price tags, consumer demand and small crops ensure pricing is always high. But there is value in Burgundy, there are vineyards and appellations that you should look to, this Pinot Noir from Santenay is just the ticket. It’s dense, brooding ad full of earthy old world charm, the fruit power here is a touch higher than some northern vineyards but its so perfectly balanced. A more deepish red than perhaps we are used to, sour cherries, truffle, mushrooms and cedar chips are filling the glass. It’s density transfers to the palate but its wide and coating, the finish drives through some chalky minerality and crispness to help with the density. A lovely wine drinking so well right now.

<!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}-->To be fair, it was a little unlucky to come after Selosse. The power and presence of that wine made anything next feel like an opening act, but the Prevost held its ground with quiet brilliance. Crafted entirely from Pinot Meunier grown in the Les Béguines vineyard, it is a completely different beast — subtle, focused, and beautifully expressive. A blend of base wine with still red Meunier, this rosé shows aromas of wild strawberries, violets, citrus peel, and crushed chalk. The palate is bright and elegant, full of red fruit freshness, fine minerality and a tiny saline flick on the finish. Aged in oak and bottled with minimal intervention, it is precise, graceful and utterly delicious. Production is tiny, and I am so grateful Simon brought it. Would love to drink this one again, quietly, with some KFC and no distractions.

The next installment in my favourite school program. The students led my the legendary Marcus Cook “Cooky” tend to the vines year round in the hopes of producing a Pinot Noir that is delicious and will sell out. The 2024 vintage was kindly hand delivered by Cooky to me and the first thing i noticed was the new and ‘rizzed’ up label, very sleek and classy. The 1.6 acre vineyard yields some lovely light, delicate and subtle pinot noir grapes, the 2024 is so light in the glass, almost completely transparent with only a hint of colour. The nose is dominated with savoury spice and some sweet oak, the fruit taking a backseat. This by no means is a big and complex pinot noir, but it’s not trying to be. It is refined, delicate and perfumed, there are white peppercorns, pine needles and a hint a cherry and ripe strawberries. The tannin and acid structure are light and pretty, this wine is enjoyable and should be appreciated for what it is. A wine made by Oakridge but vines tended to by students, a program to help students get their hands dirty, work outside and step out of the classroom. For many this is a much better way to learn and it offers opportunities to explore something different. We need to encourage the new generation to want to work in the vineyards, to work in wine to help ensure the longevity and growth of the industry. Guiding them and helping them grow, Cooky, what a star you are.

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.

Nutty, brioche but racy and saline. A blend of vintages and in some cases as many as 20+ are used in the final blend, a true house style wine and one that is as pure as it gets. By now a lot of you will know my love affair with Krug lies deeply seeded in my core, to me they are the epitome of champagne, there are not many other bottles that deliver the quality to price ration that Champagne Krug do. This edition is based around the harvest of 2007 and is made up of 145 wines from 12 different vintages with the oldest being 1990 and the youngest 2007. It’s a blend of 37% Pinot Noir, 32% Chardonnay and 31% Pinot Meunier. It spent around 7 years in the Krug cellars prior to its release, a signature of the attention to detail this champagne house takes. A beautiful light golden color with a magical bead, there are florals, citrus and some nougat notes on the nose, as I said above its racy and saline. There is so much to unpack on the palate, nuts, brioche and citrus are all intertwined with gripping acidity and length that I can almost still taste. One of the best wines I consumed this year!

To be honest my favourite part about this dinner was the sheer joy on the faces of my friends who have never enjoyed a vintage Krug, let alone 4 of them in a row. It is the single best part about the journey that I am on, putting people into a room and allowing them the chance to try these holy grail wines which may seem out of reach to many! Krug is one of the most revered names in Champagne, renowned for its uncompromising dedication to craftsmanship, complexity, and individuality. Founded in 1843 by Johann-Joseph Krug, a German immigrant with a vision to create the ultimate expression of Champagne, the house set itself apart from the beginning. Krug believed that true luxury lay in the art of blending,not in replicating a consistent style year after year, but in creating a unique, outstanding experience with every release. One of Krug’s defining principles is the use of individual fermentation for each plot and grape variety in small oak barrels, a practice that has all but disappeared in the Champagne region. This approach brings remarkable nuance and depth, allowing the wines to mature slowly and develop complex aromas and textures. The house’s philosophy is most clearly expressed in the iconic Krug Grande Cuvée, a multi-vintage blend that can contain over 120 different wines from more than a decade of harvests, meticulously crafted to deliver a symphony of flavors and aromas. Krug remains fiercely independent in spirit, even after joining the LVMH group in 1999. It continues to operate on a small scale compared to some of its Champagne peers, with an obsessive attention to detail, from vineyard management to the final blend. 2011 - bright and zesty but with a beautiful approachabilty, asking you to drink and enjoy, plush and rich with the star being the brioche and buttered almond croissants! 2006 - steely, tight and mineral, citrus zip and high acid, the hardest to understand in the tasting and that may simply be due to the tightness, some years to help develop and flesh out this bottle will help immensely. 2003 - a round and textural vintage, showed some stonefruits and orange blossom lift. A joy to drink now and one I would like to drink alone with a bucket of KFC. 1998 - well if the 1996 is the single greatest wine I have ever consumed then this 1998 is not too far behind. Lush, inviting, textural, rich, long, decadent and mouthcoating. One of the best bottles of 1998 I ave ever had. I would decant 2006 in the future, drink 2011 straight after popping, 2003 alone with fried chicken and 1998 in bed whilst watching my favourite movie. What an incredible experience and one I am so grateful to have been a part of.

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.

Our friends from across the ditch in New Zealand have struck absolute gold with this wine, it’s accolades and hype are both worth of our attention. This was James Suckling’s wine of the year in 2021! This wine is immense, floral, spicey and savoury. You may think that sounds odd, but it is so welcomed, the nose is almost burgundy, infact blind and unknown many people would call old world. It’s powerful, lemons and peaches blossom in the mouth, it’s tightly coiled and then explodes on the finish. A monumental wine, sitting in a wonderful spot at almost 5 years of age, but with so much more to give over the next couple of years. I can see why this wine is a powerhouse of chardonnay worldwide, its sheer power and precision is something to behold, don’t walk to the store, run there, buy this wine and drink it

Richly fruit forward on the nose and palate, stone fruits dominate and some orange citrus comes through late. It has a density and coolness to it, crisp acid at the finish and a real roundness on the palate. It’s young, 2024, feels like it as well with its tightness and rich textural mouthfeel. The Macedon Ranges are really starting to show what they are capable of in terms of chardonnay not just Pinot Noir. These wines are rich and opulent, full of life and really deserve to be enjoyed with food. Some wines to me work best with food and others just on their own, many believe wines need food and others not so much. Whatever your view on this make sure you enjoy wine the way you like to, not the way others say.

Semillon from the Barossa Valley.? Is that even a thing, well it sure is and this little block of old vine sem from next to Greenock Creek is a truly remarkable example of this varietal. My love of this producer is well known and I will continue to promote and support them as I believe they are a producer you all need to try. Textural, mouthcoating and memorable, citrus, florals, deep lingering finish and a zesty spark to keep it feeling fresh and alive. You may not associate the BV with Sem but don’t write it off either, some places and little patches of dirt can truly surprise and excite. 2024, young and energetic, yet with some time in bottle to round out and gain some mid palate weight I think this could truly be something great, Shawn, what a talent you are. Cheers.

It would be a fair and accurate comment to say that I believe chardonnay is the greatest grape we have here in Australia and that from the vast majority of regions we have, chardonnay is thriving and driving the wine lover to seek and search for the next ‘big thing. Leeuwin Estate are absolutely not the next thing, they are the past thing, current thing, future thing and their standing as one of the Chardonnay leaders worldwide has been critically acclaimed year on year out. I am very confident that a certain WA legend (JJ) has told me numerous times that the Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay is the highest awarded white wine in Australian history, it’s also one of the most collected bottles in the country. Having a status of such high pedigree means this wine is always exciting to open, your expecting greatness and it almost always seems to deliver. The nose is bursting with florals, nectarines and white peaches as well as this beautiful nutty creaminess. There are layers upon layers in this wine, lime and lemon zest, baking spices and some flinty aromas. One thing is certain this wine has multiple layers and is a very complex wine. It screams of ‘no expense spared’ highlighted by the oak, top level of course and a showcase of how you can have complexity and power that is restrained and laser focused. I don’t have many of these wines in my collection, not sure why, but that is changing as we speak, for the better if you ask me.

Alright, let’s talk about one of Margaret River’s most serious reds—the 2022 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cabernet Sauvignon. Leeuwin’s Art Series is already iconic, but this vintage is something else. 2022 was warm and dry, giving us ripe, balanced fruit with a freshness that’s just begging for a long life in the cellar. We’re talking 99% Cabernet with just a whisper of Malbec—enough to add a little extra texture and intrigue. Straight out of the glass, it’s pure class. Aromas of blackberry, mulberry and cassis are laced with nori, blood orange, bramble, cocoa and a touch of cracked fennel seed. There’s a whisper of oak—think vanilla pod and malt biscuit—but it’s tucked neatly behind all that beautiful fruit. On the palate, it’s compact, silky and precise. Forest floor, graphite, bay leaf and black olive weave through waves of dark cherry and currant. The acidity is bright, the tannins are fine but persistent, and the whole thing has this savoury, mineral edge that just screams Margaret River. This isn’t a big, flashy cabernet that shouts for attention—it’s measured, layered, and built for the long game. You can crack it now if you’re impatient, but give it air, or better yet, give it time—this will happily cruise into the late 2030s and beyond. Oh, and because it’s Art Series, you’re also getting a piece of original Australian artwork on the label—so it looks as good as it tastes. Leeuwin Estate has nailed that Bordeaux‑meets‑Margaret River elegance here. If you’re into reds that balance power with restraint, this is one you want in your glass… and in your cellar.

Open one of these so young and fresh would normally almost be considered a crime, such is the monumental power and force that comes from this wine. A wine noted for using near on 100% brand new oak, quality of oak and then maybe a touch more oak. Making up for this in winemaking by not allowing malolactic conversion/fermentation to occur which would almost certainly make this wine reminiscent of massive butter bombs that used to come out of the USA. This vintage however seems to have so much restraint and poise. The glass is filled with the slightest hint of matchstick reduction and stunning tart stonefruits, think white peaches and nectarines. There is a whiff of salty sea spray and they gorgeous vanilla laden cedar along with cinnamon and cloves. On the palate its charming and invasive all at the same time. Mouth coating stonefruits and citrus edges, the creamy baked goods and salty drive ensure the back palate lasts and lasts. What I will say about tis wine is that it will benefit from a big decant or some time in bottle to fully integrate. Whilst it is this young and fresh the sum of its beautiful parts won’t always be in perfect balance, but with some time in bottle they will become the best of friends.

This is probably one of the first times that I have tried a wine at a tasting I hosted and felt the immediate desire to open one at home to review, this wine is immense. We all know Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay as one of the premier wines from Aus, one of the most collected and cellared wines in Aus also. But this younger/smaller sibling is such amazing value that I almost feel the need to call it the best sub $40 Chardonnay in Aus. Remember, this is only my opinion, doesn’t make it right (seems a lot of people can’t understand the concept of a persons opinion not being right for everyone). The 23 vintage in Margaret River is shaping to be one of the best, especially for all the Chardonnay’s I have tried so far. Lemon/Lime, sherbet, peaches, pears and this amazing saline citrus drive, sea spray smashing you in the face. Little bit of flinty struck match, nuttiness and a definite spice, a sheer masterpiece at the price. It’s tense and tightly coiled, incredible palate weight and width, mouth coating flavour and streamlined acid to cut through, what a wine. Magic! The new daily drinker for the animal..? At the prices it can be found for it’s a must buy (yes you can buy from my website). A massive find and one i’m looking forward to trying over years to come!

This is the esteemed second wine of Château Latour, and a standout from the exceptional 2009 Bordeaux vintage. Comprising of approximately two-thirds Cabernet Sauvignon, with Merlot and a touch of Petit Verdot, it offers a deep garnet/purple hue and complex aromas of cassis, dark chocolate, and graphite (pencil shavings). On the palate, it's rich and velvety, with refined silky tannins and a very delicate acid line. These wines show the quality of wines that the chateau’s have at their disposal, this is the second label, so barrels that didn’t quite make the cut for the top tier Latour, that’s crazy to think as this wine is absolutely elite. Bordeaux with some age for me is one of wine’s great gifts, even though I openly state my dislike for Cabernet, old bordeaux hits differently.

The family paddock range of wines are a tribute to the special ladies in the owners life, his wife and his daughter’s. This wine represents the work and challenges faced by the team and hopes to showcase the unique terroir and growing conditions of these vines. Rich and textural, moves me away from thinking I am drinking Yarra Valley chardonnay, there are lashings of citrus but they play second fiddle to creamy oak and high stonefruit characters. It’s missing some crispness that we associate with YV chardonnay, its not heavy or too rich, it glides across the palate with power and purpose. If your looking for lean, mineral drive then this wine is not for you, it’s a big wine, a tribute wine and one that makes a statement.

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.

This wine is the culmination of someone who wants to do something different in their career, something they love and something that means a lot to them. I have spent some time with Callum and have learnt there is always more to the story than just the wine. This is the 2nd wine in the lineup and RRP’s at $90. You're putting it against a heap of famed producers and legacy wines from SA, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t give it the respect and chance it deserves. Perfumed and plush right from the start, with dark jammy blackberry and a soft hit of vanilla easing you in. That first sip pops with bright redcurrant and a streak of liquorice, adding freshness and energy. There’s a balance between the ripeness and the savoury edge, all wrapped in smooth, supple tannins. The finish lingers with a touch of festive spice, think cinnamon and clove, giving it warmth and charm without ever feeling heavy. It’s bold, but composed. Confident, not loud. Just proper Barossa class. A great first release. Sourced from the Hoffmann Dimchurch vineyard’s Limit Lodge Block, this vines sits on red brown earth over clay, studded with creek washed gravel and quartz, classic dirt for serious Barossa Shiraz. Hand picked on 21 April 2023, it spent around 18 months maturing in French oak, with roughly 25 to 35 percent new barrels and the rest older wood, giving it structure without overpowering the fruit. Alcohol sits at 14.5 percent, balanced and tasty. Not your massive barossa beast, nor the delicate new wave focus, it’s confident in itself, and thats what matters.

The new kid on the block, Libation is a new boutique wine label from the Barossa Valley, founded by Callum Roy. I first met Callum at one of my events I hosted in Adelaide and could tell he had passion and ambition for the wine industry. It’s not easy to just start a new business and jump into the premium wine scene, it takes guts and cahoonas even. And to launch your first range of wines at one of the most flooded price points for value and quality is even harder! The bottle itself is stunning (to me) and despite it’s storage issues in our wine fridges, it does feel premium and high end. The tear away fortune cookie element of the label is either hit or miss, for me it’s kind of cool yet i get why people may think its tacky. ​Libation Wines' Moment No.03 is Shiraz coming from the famed Hoffmann Dimchurch vineyard's Mum's Block. Pedigree of fruit is really the key here, and the wine immediately has aromas of smoked peppercorn, blueberry, and ripe plum. It’s a plush palate, without being entirely captivating, ripe black fruits and cedar are present, it’s tannins seem smooth and hardly apparent with no noticeable acid and the finish features chalky tannins and a hint of black pepper. Aged for approximately 18 months in French oak (25–35% new), it’s a wine that will please without the extreme wow factor.

Opening any grand cru wine is salivating stuff, the anticipation of excellence can sometimes overshadow the actual wine. Can it live up to the hype and history, will it be as incredible as I hope it will be, all of these things rush through my head. This bottle was served after a flight of 5 vintage champagnes and a Grand Cru white burgundy so I held grave hopes that it would stand up to the quality we had experienced and that’s only due to the fact its from a rather large producer. Louis Jadot is a celebrated Burgundy négociant and grower founded in 1859 by Louis Henry Denis Jadot, whose family had already acquired the Beaune Premier Cru vineyard Clos des Ursules in 1826. Starting with the purchase of Lemaire‑Fouleux, Jadot’s house quickly expanded, blending grapes from its own parcels with top-quality sourced vineyards. His son, Louis Baptiste Jadot, broadened the estate’s reach, acquiring premier- and grand-cru plots in the Côte d’Or and developing export markets across Europe. Today, Louis Jadot oversees roughly 270 ha across Burgundy and Beaujolais, producing AOC wines from iconic vineyards like Domaine Ferret and Château des Jacque as well as the sacred Chambertin site. This bottle was bold, earthy and bursting with red cherry fruits, a sort of field mushroom spice and such beautiful oak tannins, silky, effortless and captivating. The palate is rich and full, every aspect of your mouth is coated with red fruit and spice, this earthy tone and sense of place are woven into each sniff and sip. It’s as though the wine wants you to feel a part of the vineyard. A glorious example of why you should never look over the bigger producers, sometimes there is a reason they are bigger!

Seeing this on a wine list would normally bring on anxiety around high pricing and value for money. Not the case in Brisbane for some reason, wine pricing at venues is spot on most of the time and to find some epic bottles at retail pricing is so refreshing. Louis Roederer’s Cristal is the landmark prestige cuvée launched in 1876 for Tsar Alexander II of Russia, making it the first true prestige Champagne.Housed in its iconic clear, flat-bottomed crystal glass bottle—originally designed so the Tsar could verify purity and avoid assassination—the wine blends ~60% Pinot Noir and ~40% Chardonnay drawn from seven Grand Cru sites. Cristal is only produced in top vintages, aged six years on lees plus eight months post-dégorgement, resulting in a refined, mineral-driven Champagne that can age beautifully for over 20 years. Recently (2012) they switch to biodynamic farming practices to help with climate change and improving the quality of the grapes to ensure the brand lives on for generations. I’m so glad they did, the wine is power, grace, delicious and captivating all at the same time. Crystal clear linear drive, citrus, oyster shell, salty minerality and of course the buttered toast creaminess, none of these flavours compete or overpower, they help each other out, providing a springboard for pure enjoyment. Class.

Love this collab between 2 esteemed families and its great to see these wines under stelvin and not cork. They develop at a slower rate yes but this is welcomed. Lacks some palate weight and density, but carries it’s freshness and vibrancy through the finish. Smashed flowers and deep and more brooding fruits. We don’t always need to have the most depth and complexity to enjoy a wine, this can come from so many varying factors. This is thoroughly enjoyable to drink and easy going without the pretense of it having to be incredible. A wine that speaks of where its from, it looks new world and feels it especially when you crack the screwcap. But the nose and palate are all old world, texture, sour cherries, earthy mineral drive and dried florals everywhere. A wine that is enjoyed without wowing or needing to wow.

Quite possibly the best value Chablis producer on the market, with a range of wines at all price points that bat way above there price. To start a wine dinner without champagne there must only be 1 other option, Chablis, the beautiful mineral and citrus driven Chardonnay style hailing from one if the most famed regions in all the world. The 2022 vintage has all the early hallmarks of an epic vintage, salinity, fruit weight, acid and texture, with the weather being kind and the crops being small yet powerful. Montee de Tonnerre is a premier cru vineyard that probably boarders on Grand Cru quality, if I am looking at Chablis I am trying to find MDT for vale and quality. Montée de Tonnerre has a sandy, rocky topsoil, rich in Kimmeridgian limestone. The one-hectare parcel that gifts this wine is situated within the lieu-dit of Chapelot, which is separated from the Grand Cru Blanchot by a narrow ravine. The vines cover two continuous plots: one aged 50 years; and a second parcel recently replanted. This is regularly the most mineral, chalky, deep and powerful 1er Cru Chablis in the range and one of the most sought after. For me this was pure class, elegance and refined fruit, with a salty edge that is so delicious, a perfect wine for oysters or white fish, literally the best match you could have. Glorious, one I’ll be buying more of.

This wine to me is the greatest example of Rosé from the mighty Yarra Valley, its got bite and texture, a wine that begs for food and to be savoured. Its textural on the nose and on the palate, cherries and some blue fruits show their colors, and speaking of color it has a beautiful light copper hue. There are some florals and baking spices evident but only just, its juicy and then dries out with this chalky finish. A welcome addition to a wine that is multi layered and will leave you wanting more. This will be on the table at Christmas for me and my family, its my go to for Rosé when I want to drink local. Cheers to you all.

When we talk about Australian Cabernets the same wineries come up regularly, Mount Mary, Yarra Yering, Cullen Diana Madeline, Wynns John Riddoch, Penfolds Bin 707 and of course Moss Wood (I know there are more). Moss Wood are renowned world wide for their Cabernet and there is a big reason why, they are absolutely delicious. Planted in 1969, Moss Wood is an important, founding estate of the Margaret River wine region, located in the northern sub–region of Wilyabrup, Western Australia. Clare & Keith Mugford, as winemakers, viticulturalists & proprietors, have been making wine & tending the vineyard at Moss Wood since 1984 & 1979, respectively. Their exacting viticulture ensures the production of grapes of excellent quality & they have created a stable of fine wines distinguished by their consistency over each vintage & their ability to age superbly. The Moss Wood & Mugford names are synonymous with uncompromising quality. The 2018 vintage is but a mere infant, a young wine that has not hit its straps yet, that is if you enjoy aged Cabernet, if like me you like some freshness then this wine is sitting beautifully. Showing vibrant fruit and oak, graphite like tannins and an uncompromising length of palate. A strong contender for the best Cabernet in Aus, year in year out.

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.

It would seem that the cooler weather for me makes me gravitate towards the bigger red’s, I will always drink chardonnay but my desire for it slows down as the seasons change. Recently I have been reviewing and trying Shiraz from Eden Valley, Barossa, Coonawarra and even WA so this was a great way to show something different. This is a classic example of cool climate, granite rich soil Shiraz, dark in colour but light in every other aspect. The nose has cherries, mint and black pepper, soft and subtle aromas lead to much of the same on the palate. Medium bodies, spicy, berry rich (red and blue) with some herb and baking spice following through to the finish. Subtle tannin and acid profiles ensure a seamless glide all the way through, a classic cool climate wine ready to go now but will improve over the next 5+ years for me!

When the news that Maxi Riedel would be venturing to our great country I had to ask if there was a chance to meet him, to share a bottle. I of course knew this would be a hard ask, but the chance to share a glass and a quick chat was incredible and something I will never forget. But what wine to share, I see he drinks a lot of aged reds, I am a chardonnay man but my love for the Yarra Valley runs deep and Sam from Mount Mary is not only a legend but a friend as well. So the 2015 Quintet was decided by Sam for me to share with the king of not only glassware but perhaps wine as well (in todays social media landscape anyway). A wine that needs no introduction and coming from one of the best vintages the Yarra Valley has seen. 10 years old and really starting to fire up, its in a beautiful drinking window, some will agree, some will say they need longer but that part of wine is purely individual and what I like will differ to what you may like! This classic Bordeaux blend was inspired by just that, Bordeaux and sticking to the classical style and varieties, remember the Yarra was built on Cabernet and it still to this day grows wonderfully in our climate. Cassis, Plums, Blackcurrents, Cedar like oak, some dried tobacco leaf and a beautifully polished leather boot (RM Williams probably) all grace your nose and palate, there is an earthy and mushroom undertone as well as some red cherries but they just play their part perfectly, silky and velvety tannins coat the sides of your mouth and the lingering acid line is the perfect finish for this cracking wine. Wine is best shared with friends, wine lovers and industry legends alike, each bottle shares a story and a place in time, it’s all about the history and the stories and I find wine is best enjoyed with people, always. A massive thanks to Mark from Riedel for making this meeting happen, albeit short but none the less memorable. Maxi your passion and dedication is unwavering and something rarely seen in any industry, I truly look forward to what you and your families business have in store for us all. Sam, thanks for giving me this bottle to share, a true legend you are!

Well in my quest to try wines that I would never normally try this wine probably takes the cake. I had been busting @thecellarposts nuts for weeks telling him to bring a 21 Tig to dinner because I wanted to try and I know he has plenty, yet he told me what he would bring would be better. Well f me, he was completely correct. Wow. The 2012 Paolo Bea Pagliaro Sagrantino di Montefalco is a powerful, expressive wine from Umbria, crafted by one of the region’s most respected producers. Sourced from the Pagliaro vineyard at 400 meters elevation, the wine reflects the warm vintage with exceptional balance. Fermented naturally with 40 to 50 days of skin contact, it was aged for three years, first in stainless steel, then large Slavonian oak casks, and bottled unfiltered. The nose is earthy and autumnal, offering notes of leather, tobacco, woodsmoke, and fallen leaves. Bright cherry liqueur tones add freshness to the deep, brooding fruit. True to Sagrantino’s nature, the wine is full bodied with firm but approachable tannins, offering excellent aging potential, this bottle will last long after my demise haha. Italian wine may just about be giving the French a run for their money, truly special wines with a sense of place and purpose.

For me the BEST wine I tasted at the recent California Wines expo in Sydney. There were a lot of wines on show, some heavy hitters, new kids on the block and the usual suspects. This was easily the most enjoyablet for me, blue fruits, fresh lavender and so many florals, lifted and aromatic. Reminded me of some of the grenache wines coming out of the barossa. It’s almost a candied flower, blue fruits that are so powerful and palate coating goodness. Gee i loved this wine, made me want to keep going back to the same stand to try it again just to be sure I loved it as much as i thought. Wow.

Many of you know that I have a love hate relationship with Cabernet and it certainly isn’t one of my favourite varietals. But wait, perhaps the problem I have with them is when they are young and brash, aged examples have always had me swooning. Whether its old Bordeaux or Aussie Cab, each time I have one with age I am left in awe and this was no exception. This will go down at this point in my life as one of the greatest red wines from Australia I have tasted, it was everything I wanted in an old wine. Firstly the cork, absolutely incredible and proves that proper storage is key, this bottle had not moved from its cellar since 2003, not even to look at! 1-2mm of staining max on the cork, firm and moist, just the way you want a 27 year old cork to be. The colour hardly faded or browning, still bright and deep red, fresh leather and dried lavender fill the glass, blackberries and blueberries following suite. There is a sweetness of vanilla bean and touch of white pepper too. The palate is a perfect symphony of all the elements, fruit, oak, acid and tannin, all effortlessly gliding around the mouth. The velvet glove remark is so true here, but its not an iron fist inside, its just fruit, leather and spice. A truly great wine, made even better by the old green bottle and heritage label. It’s wines like this that make me understand why many wine lovers buy 6/12 and lay them down. Are wines made in this style still today, I don’t think as much, there is a move towards a wine that can be enjoyed now or in years to come. Whether I am right or wrong, only time will tell.

A name that is more iconic in the world of wine than any other, from Australia that is. The 1999 Penfolds Grange is a standout vintage of Australia’s most iconic wine, showcasing the house’s signature power and elegance. Made predominantly from Shiraz, with a small portion of Cabernet Sauvignon, the fruit was sourced from several prime South Australian vineyards, including the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, and Coonawarra. A cooler growing season in 1999 contributed to a wine of exceptional balance and structure, with slightly more restraint than some of its predecessors. In the glass, the 1999 Grange reveals deep, dark crimson hues. Aromatically, it opens with concentrated blackberry and plum fruits, interwoven with classic notes of mocha, licorice, smoked meats, and a hint of leather. The palate is rich and powerful, yet displays remarkable refinement and elegance, with layers of black fruits, dark chocolate, and finely integrated oak from 18 months in new American oak barrels. The tannins are so polished, which helps in supporting a long, glorious finish. Now more than two decades old, the 1999 Grange has entered a beautiful drinking window, offering complex tertiary characters while retaining vibrancy. A bottle shared with a personal meaning is all the more special. Gordes the absolute legend and one of the greatest people in wine I have met in my journey brought this for us to share as a symbol of the first year he came to Australia, now a citizen it was truly a sentimental bottle I was honoured to be able to share with him. Cheers mate.

Penfolds is one of Australia’s most iconic and influential wine brands, with a history dating back to 1844 when Dr Christopher Rawson Penfold and his wife Mary established the winery in Magill, South Australia. Originally focused on medicinal fortified wines, Penfolds gradually shifted towards table wines, playing a key role in shaping the modern Australian wine scene. The turning point came in the 1950s under the guidance of Max Schubert, the pioneering winemaker behind Grange now considered Australia’s most famous and collectible wine (maybe not anymore with the new generation but for generations past). Penfolds built its reputation on a philosophy of multi-regional and multi-vineyard blending, crafting consistent and age-worthy wines across a broad range of styles, maybe a touch of similarity to Champagne and some of the wines in Bordeaux, ensuring quality remains top shelf year in and year out. This 2001 Grange is 98% Shiraz and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, a traditional blend for this wine with only a small number of vintages being made up of 100% shiraz. This wine was sitting in such a beautiful spot, blue fruits, dried herbs and mocha coffee, there is some old cedarwood and cigar box there with this leather boot drive and a beautifully integrated tannin structure. Long finish and great palate grip, a class wine.

For those who follow AFL and in particular Collingwood, you would know that 2010 was a premiership year for them and this is exactly why Adam brought this bottle. 96% Shiraz and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon, I can’t tell you the vineyards it comes from as I don’t know them, Penfolds can source fruit from so many vineyards its probably to hard to put them on the labels! One thing that is evident is the quality of the fruit in this wine, the oak and winemaking are tuned to perfection. It’s such a well made wine, seamlessly built and assembled, does this take away from its beauty? Perhaps but such is the power and balance of this wine you find yourself marvelling at it. Mocha coffee, black fruits and a lick of blueberries are woven with vanilla spice and fresh leather boots. The tannins are not yet ‘resolved’ but also are not aggressive or harsh, they are a component needed to carry this wine to a great finish. One of the great wines of the world, I personally feel this vintage is not sitting in its ideal slot yet, maybe 5-8 years away from showcasing its pure beauty.

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.

A wine to me that best represents Penfolds, the value wine in their line up. Probably the Penfolds wine I have the most of, and by quite some margin. To me it’s the most delicate and silky of the Shiraz’s they make. Above-average winter rainfall led into a promising vintage, characterised by mild conditions up until February, followed by hot weather conditions throughout March and April. PENFOLDS' South Australian vineyards fared well, producing wines of elegance and intensity, suited perfectly to aging. It’s beauty lies in the lack of oak, it spent 16 months in seasoned (old) large format oak, no new oak. This is also a blend on 96% Shiraz and 4% Cabernet, and it’s so welcomed. It’s calm, poised and full of tertiary flavours, theres cooked meats and spice, leather and earthy truffle tones. The silkiest of tannins and a lick of acidity help drive this wine to the finish, one that I think will last for a long time still. Adore this wine.

Probably one of the most recognisable wine brands in the world and thus making it Australia’s most recognised, Penfold’s has a long history etched into the Mount Rushmore of wine. Has a brand done more over their journey for Australian wine, I think not. Will they continue their legacy long after we are gone, of course, it’s what large corporations generally do and with the history and knowledge they have I can see this brand striving for many years to come. Their range of wines is vast and can often blend multiple regions and vineyards to maintain a house style, very similar to Champagne and Bordeaux, focusing on the quality remaining at a constant rather than letting each vintage truly show. This is a large factor in the success of many of their wines in my opinion. Exploring vineyards where the grapes may have performed better one year as opposed to other years is a great tool to have available. Ensuring each vintage has the quality expected from this mighty brand. This bottle of 2015 (93% Shiraz and 7% Cab Sauv) was under cork, and gee do I love the development of this particular wine under a cork closure. I reckon a misconception about this wine is that its 100% Shiraz, which it clearly is not. St Henri is a wine where the fruit is the main star of the show, seeing only neutral oak (large format vats) with no new oak during maturation the key to showcasing the quality of the fruit. Blueberry, blackcurrant and even a splash of glace cherry lead the smell and taste, there is an effortless glide across the palate of this wine, silk, fine grained and totally integrated. I know these wines last decades but at 10 years of age this wine is at the point of fruit freshness and some sav