See this guide to our autumn collections.
Here's a very mixed bag of nearly 150 Australian wines tasted in London over the past few weeks. As usual, the wine reviews are shown by colour and then in descending score order. As you can see, we are already starting to see some of the wines from Australia's next generation, a world away from the more technological big company offerings.
WHITE
White
90% Sémillon, 10% Viognier, the former picked in two stages and the latter picked quite ripe. Whole-bunch pressed. Fermented in 600-litre oak. Lees stirring for 4 months, the varieties blended only after a year in oak. Wally is a nickname for someone acting as a fool, and nicknames in Australia are often the opposite of what they mean.
Pale greeny gold. Complex aroma – putty, herbs, honey and lemon/lime and the merest hint of flowers and spice. There's delicate incense too. Has all that lovely richness of bottle-aged Semillon and just a slight toasty flavour from that process and a touch of oak. Gorgeous wine that is just fresh enough and so full of flavour and complexity and I sense more to come. A wine to savour. Lingers long. (JH)
Alcohol: 13.5%
Drink:
2011
–
2016
White
Mostly Sémillon with some Viognier. This is lovely, from the first sniff. There's a completeness and a complexity suggested by a lemony aroma that has both honey and flowers behind it. Broad but not quite oily. On the palate, gentle and fragrant, but lacking a little in acidity. Bags of flavour, hint of spice, refined and long but not terribly refreshing. (JH)
Alcohol: 13.5%
Drink:
2013
–
2015
White
This fine example of a uniquely Australian wine style took top gold at the Sydney show. Featherlight with super-racy lemony fruit, lots of refreshment and just a hint of varnish GV (JR)
Alcohol: 10.5%
Drink:
2008
–
2020
Price: £11.49 Wine Rack
White
Some leesiness and lots of acidity. There is green freshness rather than any oak and richness. This is a Chardonnay with a hint of Sem/Sauv character. It won a trophy at the Sydney show. (JR)
Alcohol: 13.5%
Drink:
2012
–
2015
Price: £11.49 Wine Rack
White
A bit simple. Fades very suddenly. Really a bit ordinary. (JR)
Alcohol: 12.5%
Drink:
2013
–
2015
Price: £13.95 Corney & Barrow
White
Lovely crackly, smoky aromas. Soft texture. A little residual sugar and a whole lot of rich fruit on the palate. Modest finish. (RH)
Alcohol: 11%
Drink:
2013
–
2015
White
Apples and leesiness on the nose. But refined on the palate with a stony end. Chewy. Proper stuff! (JR)
Drink:
2013
–
2016
Price: £32.75 H2Vin
White
(Also a wagyu beef farm!) Oxidative and funky. Lots to chew on. (JR)
Alcohol: 13%
Drink:
2014
–
2016
Indigo
White
Classy, stylish: oak and fruit in the trendy fashion. Convincing, long, delicious. Great density in a featherweight body. (RH)
Alcohol: 13%
Drink:
2013
–
2018
White
Lovely development already – petrol and lime and smoke. Has much more to give. Effortlessly good. (RH)
Alcohol: 12.5%
Drink:
2013
–
2023
White
Pleasingly weird, but at the expense of purity – which is a shame, because Riesling really misses this clarity, I think. The character of the variety seems to have come second to the winemaking here. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2015
White
Very restrained, introvert nose. Bone dry finish. Not really for the short term but it would not offend now. Attractive transparency and dryness. Sleek and confident. At the offer price GV. (JR)
Alcohol: 12.5%
Drink:
2015
–
2020
Price: £12.49 Majestic. Buy 2 bottles each £9.99 until 3 Feb 2014
White
100% Chardonnay. 100% barrel fermented and carefully matured in specially selected small French oak barriques sourced exclusively from Burgundian coopers. Fortnightly bâtonnage was employed throughout the 10-month maturation period.
Wet stones and stone fruit and much pacier than the Moss Wood Chardonnay 2011. Lovely texture and refreshment factor. Good chew on the end and great drive. Really a very satisfying Chardonnay. (JR)
Wet stones and stone fruit and much pacier than the Moss Wood Chardonnay 2011. Lovely texture and refreshment factor. Good chew on the end and great drive. Really a very satisfying Chardonnay. (JR)
Alcohol: 14%
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Price: £41.95 Jeroboams
White
100% Chardonnay. Bunch pressed, the juice was then cold settled for 48 hours before being racked to new French oak barrels for fermentation at 15-19 °C with selected yeast. Malolactic fermentation was carried out in barrel (up to 30% completion). Bottled September 2012.
Quite leesy and sweet so not quite as refreshing as some. Decent rather than thrilling. (JR)
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink:
2013
–
2017
Price: £24.95 Jeroboams
White
100% Chardonnay from 15 year-old, vertically shoot-positioned vines planted on gravelly loam soils. Grapes were hand-picked on 6th March 2011 and whole-bunch pressed to new French oak, where the new wine was fermented and matured for 9 months. Robert Oatley Vineyards is the reincarnation of the Oatley family winemaking dynasty. Winemaker Larry Cherubino. Alc 13.0%, TA 7.15 g/l, pH 3.43, RS < 1.0 g/l. DWWA 2013 and IWC 2013 Bronze Medals.
Rich start and very flattering and mouthfilling. No evidence of anorexia. And much more satisfying than any of the white burgundies in this Waitrose line-up – even those far more expensive. GV (JR)
Rich start and very flattering and mouthfilling. No evidence of anorexia. And much more satisfying than any of the white burgundies in this Waitrose line-up – even those far more expensive. GV (JR)
Alcohol: 13%
Drink:
2013
–
2017
Price: £18.99 Waitrose
White
48% Sauvignon with 37% Semillon and 15% Riesling. Plantagenet winery is located in the Mount Barker township. Sauvignon grapes were sourced entirely from Great Southern while the Semillon was from the Blackwood and Geographe regions. All vines are vertically trained, irrigated to maintain healthy canopies and predominantly grow on well-drained gravel loam soils over gravel clay. Harvest started on the 10th Feb and finished 14th March, with average yields of 11 tonnes/ha for Semillon and just 7tonnes/ha for Sauv. Grapes picked at night then gently, anaerobically handled, cool fermented and given a light filtration into bottle. Winemaker Cath Oates. TA 6.8 g/l, pH 3.4, RS 1.7 g/l.
Very low key nose and then sweet palate. Not the greatest example of this quintessentially WA style. (JR)
Very low key nose and then sweet palate. Not the greatest example of this quintessentially WA style. (JR)
Alcohol: 13.5%
Drink:
2013
–
2015
Price: £9.99 Waitrose
White
Pale bright straw. Smells a bit leesy – not as original as some wines in the Ochota Barrels collection. Fine and a tad milky. Racy and muscular. Should last well. Mandarin peel in spades. (JR)
Alcohol: 12.8%
Drink:
2014
–
2017
Price: £31 Indigo
White
Ukrainian surname. Vineyard he planted 15 years go. Three to four days’ skin contact, wild ferment. No added acid. Treated more brutally than most aromatic wines to build phenolics. Into seasoned French oak.
Very pure Gewurztraminer nose. Rose petals and lemon peel. Cuts off a little suddenly on the slightly astringent finish. (JR)
Alcohol: 12.3%
Drink:
2014
–
2016
TBC Indigo
16.5
/20
White
Pale green gold. Quite peachy nose. Real skeleton to the structure here and definitely much more youthful than the 2011. Still quite chewy. Quite big and bold. (JR)
Alcohol: 14%
Drink:
2014
–
2017
Price: £23 Indigo
16.5
/20
White
The old Giaconda vineyard but just the Roussanne. Rick splits this granite vineyard fruit but he no longer buys the Roussanne.
Pale gold. Spicy nose and strongly muscular. More than a hint of the northern Rhône on this wine. Impressive! Not too fat. Really quite racy. And a bit salty. (JR)
Pale gold. Spicy nose and strongly muscular. More than a hint of the northern Rhône on this wine. Impressive! Not too fat. Really quite racy. And a bit salty. (JR)
Alcohol: 13.1%
Drink:
2012
–
2015
Price: £23 Indigo
White
Lots of late harvest rain and lots of botrytis. The same residual sugar as the 2011 but tastes sweeter.
Pale straw green. Very rich and heady on the nose. Spicy and a note of golden syrup on the nose and beautifully precise on the palate. Maybe not quite as long as the 2011 but very flattering. (JR)
Pale straw green. Very rich and heady on the nose. Spicy and a note of golden syrup on the nose and beautifully precise on the palate. Maybe not quite as long as the 2011 but very flattering. (JR)
Alcohol: 12.7%
Drink:
2012
–
2017
Price: £23 Indigo
White
40% French barriques, 40% MLF.
Gorgeous vanilla ice-cream oak and orange citrus fruit. So fragrant and opulent. The oak is front-loaded but not overdone. Freshened by high acid and a long, complex, lip-smacking finish. Really sophisticated and long. The comparison with Burgundy is irresistible – the fun part is deciding whether it's more like top Chablis or Puligny! (RH)
Alcohol: 13.5%
Drink:
2012
–
2020
White
First vintage under 'Alea' name was 2012 (prior to that, was called ‘off-dry', which first appeared in 2010). RS 12 g/l, TA 9 g/l. Soft fruit, lime and nettle and a strong green streak – from early picking – but it works thanks to the lick of sugar. Honeyed character. (RH)
Alcohol: 11.8%
Drink:
2014
–
2019
White
33rd vintage. Ripe, succulent, very very bright and compact fruit. Like an over-packed suitcase – the flavour is just waiting to burst out. Needs a good deal of time. A tangible, undeniable mineral character here – slate, granite. (RH)
Alcohol: 12.5%
Drink:
2016
–
2033
White
Smooth yet sharp – like scissors through silk. Apple and lime with concentration but without forcefulness. A balancing act. Lovely leafy purity. (RH)
Alcohol: 12.5%
Drink:
2014
–
2029
White
From the Yarra Valley, Tasmania, Tumburumba and Adelaide Hills. Creamy, soft cheese and sweet candied apple. Some fresh citrus still present, which seems to leave a bitterness on the finish. (RH)
Drink:
2004
–
2008
White
Sweetcorn relish and tropical fruits. Well contained oak; lightly smoky on the finish. Genuine age here – but not the hugest amount of tertiary development. (RH)
Drink:
2007
–
2011
White
Much more obviously oaked than the 2012, tasted alongside. A real time capsule of a Chardonnay: treacle and caramel. Acid sticks out in a way that threatens the balance. Very 'made' – but it delivers plenty of flavours. (RH)
Drink:
2009
–
2013
White
Very pale. Lean and restrained, yet with incredibly ripe fruit. Fashionably under-oaked. Bright acid – perhaps a little too obtrusive, in fact. Good persistence, but nothing eternal. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2018
16.5
/20
White
Pensive for Viognier – doesn't explode out of the glass. Has the requisite peach and apricot fruit, and a long, persistent length with great concentration at its core. Convincing, if slightly (and deliberately) undercharged for the style. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2015
Price: £39.99 RRP
16.5
/20
White
Surgical Chardonnay – tight, pinched and linear. Has a lovely fruit quality – apple, stone fruit and some spicy oak too. Perhaps slightly underwhelming due to the vintage? (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2016
Price: £46.99 RRP
White
Lime juice, white flowers, fine and lithe. Classic dry Riesling with pure fruit. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2019
Price: £12.99 RRP
White
Grassy and creamy – a very distinctive combination. Medium body, medium acidity. Soft, bulbous. Lovely long herbal finish. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2020
Price: £19.99 RRP
White
Dry, as crisp as ice and with that lovely youthful lime zing. Has a texture and fleshiness that adds interest. Deserves some age. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2028
Price: £19.99 RRP
White
Leesy, creamy nose. Dry on the palate, with stone fruits and sweet spices. Good Pinot Gris typicality – nothing wishy-washy, even though the acid is inevitably pretty low. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2014
Price: £9.99 RRP
White
Very powerful aromas. Peach and apricot yoghurt – real clarity and precision here. Lots of concentration. A textbook Viognier. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2014
Price: £11.99 RRP
White
Pleasant unoaked fruitiness. Clean, drinkable, light. Pretty short and simple. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2014
Price: £8.99 RRP
White
Playful reductive matchstick character on the nose – deliberate and controlled. Juicy tropical fruit. Subtle but insistent oak. Excellent. (RH)
Drink:
2014
–
2020
Price: £46.99 RRP
White
Lean, restrained – almost muted. Lovely acidic line – very naturally integrated. Plenty of pithy structure too. Lime fruit – almost reminiscent of Riesling, in fact. Very well crafted, but very formative. Worth keeping an eye on. (RH)
Drink:
2015
–
2020
Price: £44.99 RRP
White
Tight but expressive too – the oak is showing nicely, giving that super creaminess without being intrusive. Smooth, polished – but perhaps not quite as striking as previous vintages have been. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2020
Price: £24.99 RRP
White
Vibrant gooseberry fruit. Positively buzzes with energy. Has great texture too – more chewiness than your standard Sauvignon. Fine grained. Could very easily be from the Loire. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2015
Price: £15.99 RRP
White
Custard cream nose. Soft and balanced, but a bit plain. Well made, conventional. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2014
Price: £12.99 RRP
White
Very green-beany. More vegetal than fruit. Well defined flavours, and plenty of power without losing shape. Leafy bitterness to finish. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2014
Price: £11.99 RRP
White
Leesy and creamy. Soft, supple mouthfeel. Classic green apple fruit and a bit of biscuit mealy character. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2015
Price: £18.99 RRP
White
Toasty and honeyed like a Hunter Semillon. Still fresh citrus fruits, plus a lemon curd character and a long, flinty, toasty finish. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2016
Price: £18.99 RRP
White
Lime juice, flowers, some talc. Very, very youthful but with that instantly gratifying Riesling typicality – refreshing, bright, as shiny as a button. (RH)
Drink:
2014
–
2024
Price: £15.99 RRP
White
Lovely purity and reticence on the nose, then a tight knit, gloriously refreshing palate. Full of vim and waxiness. Fleshy and full – quite unlike the vogue Victorian Chardonnays. Nothing reductive about this! (RH)
Drink:
2014
–
2024
Price: £69.99 RRP
White
Thought to be century-old vines. Mt Langi used to buy from this vineyard, which was unkempt when Gary found it in 2005. Not 100% Riesling. It naturally arrests fermentation at around 15 g/l which doesn’t show because the acid is naturally so high.
Very pure Riesling nose. Very pure and glistening fruit. Good middle. Clean and fresh and very impressively long. The cool, wet vintage which has made great whites in Oz. (JR)
Very pure Riesling nose. Very pure and glistening fruit. Good middle. Clean and fresh and very impressively long. The cool, wet vintage which has made great whites in Oz. (JR)
Alcohol: 11.8%
Drink:
2013
–
2019
Price: £23 Indigo
ROSÉ
Rosé
From a 500 ml bottle with a beer cap. Not much nose. Very very pale pink, with a lively neat mousse. Very dry, more apples and citrus. Blind, I'd probably think it was white. Crisp definition and crunchy. It whets the appetite and sharpens the senses. This would be a fantastic wine to go with amuse-bouches. (TC)
Alcohol: 12%
Drink:
2013
–
2014
Rosé
100% Grenache. Certified organic and planted just before WW2. 24-hour skin contact, basket press, wild ferment and a bit of bâtonnage to get it dry. Aims for some meatiness.
Pale rose colour – looks like saignée. Dry finish. Appetising and lots of personality. Good weight in the mouth but not a hint of sweetness or low-temperature fermentation character. Good stuff as long as it’s not too expensive. (JR)
Pale rose colour – looks like saignée. Dry finish. Appetising and lots of personality. Good weight in the mouth but not a hint of sweetness or low-temperature fermentation character. Good stuff as long as it’s not too expensive. (JR)
Alcohol: 12.4%
Drink:
2013
–
2015
TBC Indigo
Rosé
58% Grenache, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon plus Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Shiraz. Very candied fruit aromas – really the boldest kind of rosé you'll ever taste. Chewy tannic feel. Admirably stylised! (RH)
Alcohol: 13%
Drink:
2013
–
2015
Price: £19.99 RRP
RED
Red
Named after HMS Investigator, which carried Captain Matthew Flinders on a journey which included the first European discovery of Kangaroo Island. Schist and clay soils. Aged in foudres for 2 years.
Colour of bruised cherry. Refined and inviting aroma of lightly minty dark fruit with a dash of spice but no intrusive sweetness. Gorgeously silky and fresh on the palate. Caressing and elegant and long yet still with a bit of tannic resistance on the finish to have some life ahead of it. Utterly drinkable with a lovely note of red fruit at the very end. (JH)
Alcohol: 13.5%
Drink:
2010
–
2016
Red
65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Shiraz, 5% Viognier, the last two co-fermented. 3-4 days' cold maceration, yeast inoculated, fermented at 27-30 ºC over 7-10 days; 5-6 weeks total vatting time. Malo in tank on the skins before pressing. Aged in new French oak, 225 and 600 litres. pH 3.7, TA 5.4 g/l.
Mid garnet with the beginning of brick towards the rim. Definite minty aroma, cedar too, balsamic in the herbal/resin sense. Cabernet dominates. Lithe and fresh and refreshing. The fine grain of the tannins still palpable but becoming silky. Juicy fresh fruit and plenty of scent on the mid palate. Ageing gracefully and finishes fresh. (JH)
Alcohol: 14%
Drink:
2008
–
2015
Red
Pale ruby. Warm, gentle nose that approaches you in a cloud. The opposite of heavy though with a dried tobacco leaf finish after lots of gentle sweetness. Mild and friendly. Very recogisable antipodean relative of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Certified old vines in the Barossa scheme. VGV (JR)
Alcohol: 14%
Drink:
2013
–
2017
Price: £11.75 Slurp.co.uk
Red
Estate-grown grapes, hand-picked, wild yeasts. 60% whole bunch and on skins for 60 days. Matured in French oak (10% new). Bottled without filtering.
Dark crimson. Smells meaty and deep. Very savoury without an ounce of fat or sweetness. A note of tapenade, and spice, and something of wild herbs – almost garrigue-like. Deftly woven tannins that fit like a chamois glove. So very elegant. (TC)
Dark crimson. Smells meaty and deep. Very savoury without an ounce of fat or sweetness. A note of tapenade, and spice, and something of wild herbs – almost garrigue-like. Deftly woven tannins that fit like a chamois glove. So very elegant. (TC)
Alcohol: 12.9%
Drink:
2013
–
2017
Red
Estate grown, hand-picked, wild-yeast fermented and bottled without filtration. In French oak for eight months.
Still very purple and deep. Smells of rich cassis. Lots of blackcurrant on the palate too, sweet and thick and velvety. With a slightly bitter black-olive note on the finish. Very easy to like. (TC)
Still very purple and deep. Smells of rich cassis. Lots of blackcurrant on the palate too, sweet and thick and velvety. With a slightly bitter black-olive note on the finish. Very easy to like. (TC)
Alcohol: 13%
Drink:
2013
–
2017
Red
A blend of Merlot, Shiraz and Nebbiolo – estate grown, hand-picked and wild fermented. Bright berry nose. Savoury and really mouthfilling juiciness with a streak of liquorice. So vibrant it almost chuckles. Delicious. (TC)
Alcohol: 13.3%
Drink:
2013
–
2015
Red
Stunning. Sage, mint, black pepper, black cherry. Beautifully sculpted tannins – firm but elastic. Masterful – not just any old mature Shiraz, but something quite different, with really distinctive, esoteric flavours. (RH)
Alcohol: 15%
Drink:
2008
–
2024
Price: £48 Yapp Brothers
Red
Chewy and dense and dry. Lots of fruit there. More rewarding than many of the red bordeaux in BBR Christmas selection. (JR)
Alcohol: 14%
Drink:
2014
–
2022
Price: £22.50 Berry Bros & Rudd
Red
There is lots of what looks like useful information on the back label, but it's in very small light print on a black background. Not easy! Mid to pale burnt ruby colour. Warm and rich on the nose but by no means heavy and then there is a slightly medicinal note but it is very appetising. It's just a tad too sweet for my taste but it's well controlled and well made. (JR)
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink:
2013
–
2017
Price: £12.99 Wine Rack
Red
Excellent density and ripeness: effortless yet thoughtful. Great quality fruit plus knowledgeable, sensitive winemaking = this. Charm incarnate. (RH)
Alcohol: 13%
Drink:
2014
–
2024
Red
Violets and lots of interest with a dry finish. Exciting. (JR)
Drink:
2014
–
2018
Price: £35 H2Vin
Red
Tamar Valley. Light ruby. Correct and transparent. Sweet start. Freshness, but simple and sweet. (JR)
Drink:
2013
–
2015
Price: £24 H2Vin
Red
Smoky firework sort of scent. Great character, loads of mineral personality. (RH)
Alcohol: 13%
Drink:
2013
–
2020
Red
Firm minerally savoury wine with sinew and a dry finish. Interesting 'new style' Oz Shiraz. Cool end. (JR)
Alcohol: 13.5%
Drink:
2014
–
2020
Price: £14.99 Majestic. Buy 2 bottles each £11.99 until 3 Feb 2014
Red
Soft and gentle. Tugs at your sleeve rather than shouts at you. Interestingly dry on the end but the tannins have been well managed. Clearly old vines. GV (JR)
Alcohol: 14%
Drink:
2013
–
2017
Price: £13.74 Majestic. Buy 2 bottles each £10.99 until 3 Feb 2014
Red
Syrah, Merlot and Mourvèdre. Magic – has all the spice of Syrah and great acidity that really strides through the palate. Attention grabbing, in a good way. The kind of wine to silence a crowd. Fabulous. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2015
Price: £20 RRP
Red
68% Grenache, 19% Shiraz and 13% Mataro. The vines here are planted on specifically selected sites in the Barossa Valley, and many are up to 100 years old. Sustainability and minimal use of treatments are key concerns in the vineyard. Each individual block was picked, de-stemmed, and vinified separately in open top fermenters where the juice was pumped over twice a day for six to seven days. After basket pressing the wines were transferred into tanks where they settled naturally before being racked into old French and American oak hogsheads. Following eight months of maturation the wine was assembled and bottled.
Mid to pale grey crimson. Very sweet and juicy. You can't help feeling the pH of this is teetering on the brink but it's certainly fun and very fruity. Sweet and cocoa with plum juice. Much more character than you usually find on a supermarket shelf. It seems almost to ferment on the palate. Will the producer continue to supply this in the post-Powell era? (JR)
Mid to pale grey crimson. Very sweet and juicy. You can't help feeling the pH of this is teetering on the brink but it's certainly fun and very fruity. Sweet and cocoa with plum juice. Much more character than you usually find on a supermarket shelf. It seems almost to ferment on the palate. Will the producer continue to supply this in the post-Powell era? (JR)
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink:
2013
–
2014
Price: £14.99 MArks and Spencer
Red
Schist and clay soils. Blend of Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Shiraz, Viognier and bushvine Grenache. 18 months in French oak. pH 3.6, TA 5.8 g/l. Very good vintage on Kangaroo Island.
Dark cherry red. Relatively restrained on the nose with just a glimmer of red fruit and a light note of oak spice. Smells like a cool-climate wine with a hint of pencil lead. More compact on the palate than I had expected, full but not at all heavy. Firm, tightly built with refined tannins that are almost at the point of softness. Long finish and just a bit of heat at the very end. (JH)
Alcohol: 14%
Drink:
2014
–
2018
Red
From Suzanne Trott, the owner of Blewitt Springs. Salty and thick, very much typical of some of the cooler reaches of McLaren Vale. Sweet start but refreshing overall. Well made. (JR)
Alcohol: 14%
Drink:
2010
–
2015
Red
Dark crimson. Sweet and a bit simple. Very tart and tough. The acidity is really very obvious. Uncomfortable. Awkward. Really, this is just the sort of wine that does not belong to the wider world of wine. Tart. Mass at all costs. (JR)
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink:
2014
–
2016
Red
Dark crimson. Not 100% clear fruit on the nose. It's quite hard work on the palate too. Very astringent. Sweet and sour with some astringency on the finish. Not a very happy combination. (JR)
Alcohol: 14%
Drink:
2014
–
2017
Red
Mid ruby. Lightly tobacco leaf nose. Lots of sweet impact on the palate. Something a little medicinal? Some spice – cloves? Interesting, distinctive wine that people will either love or loathe. White pepper on the nose. But probably a bit too sweet for comfort. (JR)
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink:
2013
–
2015
Red
Dark crimson. Not too sweet, not alcoholic. Mildly medicinal. Mild in every way in fact. Dry finish. Just a bit too pinched. (JR)
Alcohol: 14%
Drink:
2014
–
2016
Red
Cabernet Sauvignon. Underwent malolactic fermentation in stainless-steel tanks, then racked to barrels. Sterile filtered and bottled on 16 October, 2012.
Savoury and a little dry and very slightly austere on the finish. Top-flight Oz claret that is nearly ready. But not cheap! (JR)
Alcohol: 14%
Drink:
2014
–
2021
Price: £44.95 Jeroboams
16.5
/20
Red
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Petit Verdot, 12% Malbec, 5% Merlot. Hand-harvested, de-stemmed. Fermented in open top vats with selected yeast at max 30 °C with hand plunging four times per day. 12 days maceration. Malolactic fermentation in tank, then matured in French oak (25% new) for 15 months. Fined and filtered prior to bottling.
Quite minty nose. Well balanced. Attractive dry finish. Just a few holes on the palate but overall a fine wine. (JR)
Quite minty nose. Well balanced. Attractive dry finish. Just a few holes on the palate but overall a fine wine. (JR)
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Price: £14.75 Jeroboams
Red
100% Cabernet Sauvignon from 15 year-old vines planted on gravelly loam and vertically trellised. Grapes were hand-picked on 25th March 2011. Carefully sorted, no acid additions, and enjoyed a 3 week maceration post ferment. Matured in a combination of new and used French oak barriques for 14 months. Winemaker Larry Cherubino. TA 6.66 g/l, pH 3.52. DWWA 2012 Silver Medal.
Crimson. Warm, round, well balanced and savoury. Still quite tight on the end but proper wine – even if overpriced compared with Wynn's 2008 at £15.99. (JR)
Crimson. Warm, round, well balanced and savoury. Still quite tight on the end but proper wine – even if overpriced compared with Wynn's 2008 at £15.99. (JR)
Alcohol: 14%
Drink:
2015
–
2023
Price: £18.99 Waitrose
Red
100% Cabernet Sauvignon from a dry vintage which needed careful irrigation but favoured excellent flavour development. The wine is produced from only the top 20 – 25% of Cabernet fruit available from Wynns, Coonawarra Estate and the vines have an average age of 33 years and are planted on the famous terra rossa. The grapes were harvested from late-March to mid-April. Matured for 16 months in a combination of new and older French oak barriques and hogsheads. Winemaker Sue Hodder. TA 6.7 g/l, pH 3.48, RS 0.7 g/l.
Ridiculously cheap really – though it always has been. '53rd vintage'. Fills in all the corners on the palate. Salty and fruity and with no rough edges. Far too cheap for one of Australia's icons! And one with a track record of ageing. VGV (JR)
Ridiculously cheap really – though it always has been. '53rd vintage'. Fills in all the corners on the palate. Salty and fruity and with no rough edges. Far too cheap for one of Australia's icons! And one with a track record of ageing. VGV (JR)
Alcohol: 14%
Drink:
2012
–
2022
Price: £15.99 Waitrose
Red
100% Shiraz, grown biodynamically on Walter Clappis’ own vineyards in Willunga foothills, McLaren Vale. The 2011 vintage is the first vintage to be certified Organic. Soil is rich loam over clay with patches of limestone. Vines are 15 years old, yielding 2 tonnes/acre. Grapes were gently crushed then the must was pumped into traditional open fermenters with twice daily pumpovers and hand plunging. Fermented up to 26 °C. Approx. 25% was run off skins to complete ferment in new French oak, rest had additional maceration. 50% matured in new French oak and 50% in 1-year-old American oak for 18 months. Winemaker Walter Clappis and daughter Kimberley Clappis. Bottled unfiltered and suitable for vegetarians and vegans. RS <2.0 g/l.
Dark crimson. Salty. Dense with some freshness. Tannin and acidity relatively mellow. QGV (JR)
Dark crimson. Salty. Dense with some freshness. Tannin and acidity relatively mellow. QGV (JR)
Alcohol: 14%
Drink:
2014
–
2017
Price: £12.99 Waitrose
Red
48% Shiraz, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Tempranillo. The Plantagenet winery is located in the Mount Barker township, a subdistrict of the Great Southern region in Western Australia. Shiraz fruit for this wine is sourced mainly from their own Mount Barker vineyards and the Cabernet from a boutique vineyard in the Blackwood Valley region in the SW of Western Australia. Vines are planted on gravelly loam soils and are vertically trained. The wine was fermented warm in closed fermenters for 7 – 10 days then pressed gently for soft rounded tannins. Each parcel was vinified separately and aged in oak barrels with oak staves and chips used to provide a nuance of oak flavour. Final blend assembled in May 2013. Winemaker Cath Oates. pH 3.5.
Minty and with fruit and substance. This seems a decent price for what's offered. QGV (JR)
Minty and with fruit and substance. This seems a decent price for what's offered. QGV (JR)
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink:
2013
–
2016
Price: £9.99 Waitrose
Red
100% Shiraz with grapes sourced predominantly from the Riverina area from 10 – 20 year-old vines planted on clay loam soils. Grapes were machine-harvested in March 2012 and fermented on skins for 5 – 7 days at 20 – 22 °C to maximise fruit, tannin and colour extraction. Rack and return took place 1 – 2 times daily and pumpovers twice a day for 2 – 4 hours depending on stage of ferment. Grapes were slow pressed using a screw press and there was an inoculated malo. 10% barrel matured for 3 months, whilst American oak chips were used during fermentation and about 60% of the final blend spent 3 months on staves (American and French oak) whilst undergoing micro-oxygenation. Made by De Bortoli’s Senior Winemaker Julie Mortlock (who is also in charge of De Bortoli’s flagship wine Noble One). TA 6.4 g/l, pH 3.55, RS 4.5 g/l.
A bit soapy. Can hardly see the Shiraz. Wonder why Australia is bothering to export wines like this? Does no good to the country's reputation. (JR)
A bit soapy. Can hardly see the Shiraz. Wonder why Australia is bothering to export wines like this? Does no good to the country's reputation. (JR)
Alcohol: 13.5%
Drink:
2013
Price: £7.49 Waitrose
Red
87% Pinot Noir with 9.4% Mataro to add body and 3.6% Tyrian for spice and complexity. Cooler than average summer conditions for the 2012 harvest lead to an optimal ripening period for the Riverina Pinot Noir. The vines are nearly 20 years old and are planted on sandy-loam soils. The grapes were cold soaked on skins for 2 days to maximise colour extraction, then fermented for 5 days before being pressed off into tank. Racked on to premium French oak staves where it was matured for 6 months until clarification and bottling. Winemaker Russ Cody. Suitable for vegetarians. TA 5.72 g/l, pH 3.5, RS 1.3 g/l.
No Pinot on the nose at all. Light, tart red wine. Back label has lots of guff about history of Silverwood vineyard but this clearly doesn't come from it! Very uncomfortable finish. Does the winemaker really drink this? (JR)
No Pinot on the nose at all. Light, tart red wine. Back label has lots of guff about history of Silverwood vineyard but this clearly doesn't come from it! Very uncomfortable finish. Does the winemaker really drink this? (JR)
Alcohol: 13.4%
Drink:
2013
Price: £8.99 Waitrose
Red
Dark crimson. Masses of American oak – really a bit forced and tart and chewy on the end. Not very comfortable to taste. (JR)
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink:
2014
–
2017
Price: £17 The Wine Society
Red
Bright, pale cherry red. Autumn undergrowth rather than obvious fruit on the nose. Some sweet red fruit – cherries. Very fresh and lively. Not generous but not too sweet. Fades a little fast. I'd wait for the tannins to soften a little. (JR)
Alcohol: 13%
Drink:
2014
–
2016
Red
Vineyard between Torbreck and Greenock Creek, shared with John Duval and picked two months earlier than The Descendant vineyard! Halliday rated it just below Grange!
Mid to deep crimson. Very rich and juicy. Probably one of the less distinctive and most mainstream wines of the Ochota range. But certainly impressive and with great integrity. Sweet. Bit of liquorice and leather. (JR)
Mid to deep crimson. Very rich and juicy. Probably one of the less distinctive and most mainstream wines of the Ochota range. But certainly impressive and with great integrity. Sweet. Bit of liquorice and leather. (JR)
Alcohol: 13.9%
Drink:
2015
–
2023
Price: £35 Indigo
Red
Same as Fugazi, made in a barrel and rolled. Left for 186 days. 100% whole bunch, carbonic maceration, malo on skins. Pressed on International Grenache Day. Basket press. Only 99 bottles made!
Very sweet and full of life – bit of charred bacon notes. Delicious whole. Real zest and pure Grenache without the heavy or tough bits. Long. Great balance. (JR)
Very sweet and full of life – bit of charred bacon notes. Delicious whole. Real zest and pure Grenache without the heavy or tough bits. Long. Great balance. (JR)
Alcohol: 13.8%
Drink:
2013
–
2018
Red
Blewitt Spings, planted in 1947. Dry grown. About 60% whole bunch.
Bright ruby. Very spicy nose. Full sweet start. Then lots of fine tannins. Good energy there. Crunchy/grainy. Lots of energy. Not too heavy. Quite different from the McLaren Vale Grenache norm. Chewy – almost liqueur – nose. (JR)
Bright ruby. Very spicy nose. Full sweet start. Then lots of fine tannins. Good energy there. Crunchy/grainy. Lots of energy. Not too heavy. Quite different from the McLaren Vale Grenache norm. Chewy – almost liqueur – nose. (JR)
Alcohol: 13.9%
Drink:
2015
–
2022
Price: £30 Indigo
Red
Made by Amber from a vineyard size of a tennis court with cuttings taken from Ashton Ridge vineyard. 100% whole bunch. 129 bottles, picked by the family in an hour or so. Picture taken by Amber on a bike ride from their little pink house on the Baltic to the winery.
Light ruby. Sweet and transparent and a tad too natural. Fun? A bit chewy and definitely funky. Heartfelt but not quite commercially viable? Belongs in a larder rather than a grand cellar. (JR)
Light ruby. Sweet and transparent and a tad too natural. Fun? A bit chewy and definitely funky. Heartfelt but not quite commercially viable? Belongs in a larder rather than a grand cellar. (JR)
Alcohol: 12.8%
Drink:
2013
–
2016
Red
This is the one wine that Amber makes. Name of a song by The Cure, I'm told. 80% whole bunch. Two vineyards, two clones, two barrels. All handmade.
Bright pale ruby. Edgy and very light and lively. Sinuous. Edgy and tastes a bit dangerous. (JR)
Bright pale ruby. Edgy and very light and lively. Sinuous. Edgy and tastes a bit dangerous. (JR)
Alcohol: 12.3%
Drink:
2013
–
2015
Price: £31 Indigo
Red
Bottled in August! 82% Grenache, 18% Syrah. Fresh, vibrant fruit – fresher and more appetising than the 2012. Sweet and spicy but a bit of leanness and freshness. Bit of chew. Fun. Though the price is not that much fun… (JR)
Alcohol: 13.8%
Drink:
2013
–
2015
Price: £25 Indigo
Red
66% Grenache, 34% Syrah. Certified organic vineyard on Paringa Hills planted before WW2 and run by an Italian couple. They pick it very early and spends 12 weeks on skins and stalks! Within seven months it's in the (clear pale green) bottle.
Mid crimson. Very distinctive! A bit stinky and tastes a bit dangerous. Just a bit sweet. Bit of jujube and tannins. (JR)
Mid crimson. Very distinctive! A bit stinky and tastes a bit dangerous. Just a bit sweet. Bit of jujube and tannins. (JR)
Alcohol: 13.9%
Drink:
2012
–
2013
Price: £25 Indigo
Red
Very dark crimson. Very luscious and glamorous nose. Firm, dry, leathery nose. Great purity and drive. Salty. Long. (JR)
Alcohol: 14.3%
Drink:
2014
–
2022
Price: £TBC Indigo
Red
Deep crimson. Very healthy sheen. Luxury Syrah! It would be great to have all northern Rhône Syrahs as accessible as this. (JR)
Alcohol: 13.8%
Drink:
2013
–
2020
Price: £TBC Indigo
17.5
/20
Red
Warner vineyard like the Roussanne. He makes a bit of wine for the owner now so he's probably going to be allowed to put Warner on the label! 100% whole bunch. He generally picks about two weeks earlier than Giaconda. All older 500 litre barrels.
Mid crimson. Heady and scented. Very savoury and energetic. Real toast and energy. (JR)
Mid crimson. Heady and scented. Very savoury and energetic. Real toast and energy. (JR)
Alcohol: 13.8%
Drink:
2014
–
2020
Price: £TBC Indigo
Red
Same vineyard as the Cabernet Franc. Mid crimson. Low-key nose. Sweet start. A little simpler than some. Just slightly jammy. Like a strawberry lolly. (JR)
Alcohol: 13%
Drink:
2014
–
2016
Price: £TBC Indigo
Red
Made Beaujolais style. Bright mid cherry red. Cool, fresh, crunchy fruit. With an undertow of graininess. But a big chew underneath. Very bright. (JR)
Alcohol: 13.5%
Drink:
2014
–
2019
Price: £TBC Indigo
Red
From an old vineyard that supplies the Riesling as well. Seppelt pulled out 35 of the 40 acres.
Very bright crimson. Strongly spicy and with lots of grip and structure. Not quite ready yet. Very long. (JR)
Very bright crimson. Strongly spicy and with lots of grip and structure. Not quite ready yet. Very long. (JR)
Alcohol: 14.5%
Drink:
2014
–
2020
Price: £35 Indigo
Red
Old vines planted in 1969. Old Taltarni vineyard which has quartz and granite.
Bright crimson. Real bright peppery fruit. Very lively and sappy. Slightly sweet finish but good persistence. (JR)
Bright crimson. Real bright peppery fruit. Very lively and sappy. Slightly sweet finish but good persistence. (JR)
Alcohol: 13.5%
Drink:
2013
–
2017
Price: £35 Indigo
Red
Harem Series. Single vineyard – one of the Yarra's few granitic sites. Carbonic maceration and no sulphur. Malo in barrel and then a token amount of sulphur.
Bright crimson. Very, very fruity and a tad simple – really like a cru Beaujolais. (JR)
Bright crimson. Very, very fruity and a tad simple – really like a cru Beaujolais. (JR)
Alcohol: 13.2%
Drink:
2013
–
2014
Price: £18 Indigo
Red
Harem Series. Two weeks before harvest they got classed as a phylloxera zone so had to look elsewhere – this is from a Ten Minutes by Tractor vineyard. Half whole bunch.
Bright cherry red. Quite a savoury nose and then beautifully smooth and relaxed on the palate. Pretty and GV (JR)
Bright cherry red. Quite a savoury nose and then beautifully smooth and relaxed on the palate. Pretty and GV (JR)
Alcohol: 12.8%
Drink:
2013
–
2015
Price: £16 Indigo
16.5
/20
Red
From the Harem Series (although that's not on the label). A blend of Taltarnit vineyard in Pyrenees (70%) and lots of different cuvées from the Yarra Valley (30%), fermented incorporating 75% whole bunches and indigenous yeasts, aged in new and older 500-litre puncheons and bottled unfined and unfiltered eight months after picking. Designed to soak up new oak.
Quite dark purplish crimson. Quite heady nose. Salty and lively and very fluid and accessible. Long and sappy. A lovely drink. (JR)
Quite dark purplish crimson. Quite heady nose. Salty and lively and very fluid and accessible. Long and sappy. A lovely drink. (JR)
Alcohol: 13.7%
Drink:
2013
–
2017
Price: £16 Indigo
17 +
/20
Red
85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc. Strikingly leafy nose. Beetroot, rhubarb, blackcurrant. Smoky, bacon fat style character on the palate. Supple, pliable tannins. Sculpted and polished, with clear Aussie ripeness to the fruit, but a savoury sensibility to the finish. (RH)
Alcohol: 13.7%
Drink:
2013
–
2028
Red
Smooth red fruit on the nose with a really subtle stalkiness. Nothing obviously oaky here. Satisfying and crisp. High acid – certainly in the classic Pinot mould. Interesting to see how this would develop – surely there’s some earthiness to come. (RH)
Alcohol: 14%
Drink:
2013
–
2020
16.5
/20
Red
Muddy tawny colour. Fragrant, leafy, soft and tactile. Just a little metallic on the finish. Interesting and valid – but more as a historical document than a drink. (RH)
Drink:
1965
–
1990
Red
Very tawny colour. Not so fresh as their 1971 'Hermitage'. Attractive earthiness but perhaps rather old now. An interesting relic. (RH)
Drink:
1970
–
1990
Red
Tawny and garnet. Lovely wood polish, spice, chocolate and caramel scent. This has great soft integration – it seems totally un-manipulated. Very creamy. Lovely. (RH)
Drink:
1975
–
2015
Red
Mid garnet. Rather closed nose. Definite acetaldehyde character here. Faded fruit. Structure is still there, but it's aromatically hollow. (RH)
Drink:
2000
–
2006
Red
Bronze and garnet. Very earthy, not much fruit at all. Not exactly un-fresh, but certainly missing a bit of vigour. Hard finish. (RH)
Drink:
2004
–
2011
Red
Mixed bramble jam on the nose; very voluptuous mouthfeel. Slightly chewy tannins seem a bit unkempt, and the acid is incongruously evident too. (RH)
Drink:
2010
–
2014
Red
Bright purple. Very confected, porty nose. Sweet, creamy oak. A strong-arm wine. Impressive, barnstorming – but not beautiful. (RH)
Drink:
2012
–
2018
Red
Explosively stalky nose – I can understand this being divisive, but I love it. Loads of complex, vegetal aromas and bundles of raspberry fruit too. Long, aromatic finish. I love how bold and stylised this is. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2023
Price: £52.99 RRP
Red
More prominent fruit than the Gippsland bottling. Riper, less earthy. Beautiful and delicate, but doesn't quite seem to have the range of flavour of his Gippsland cuvée. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2019
Price: £49.99 RRP
Red
Really aromatic and expressive. Very youthful, bright red fruit. Soy, earth, mint, milk chocolate. Really classic – gives you all the complexity you could want in young Pinot at this price. (RH)
Drink:
2014
–
2029
Price: £49.99 RRP
Red
Interesting – this has a funkiness missing from the other two cuvées. Is that from the vineyard – or the winery – or something else? Definite manure aromas, with pure fruit hiding underneath. Quite challenging. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2019
Price: £49.99 RRP
Red
Juicy, absolutely pure red and black fruit. Shows just how great the Barossa can be: power with silkiness and refinement. Smooth oak integration. Manages to be both beautiful and heavyweight. (RH)
Drink:
2014
–
2028
Price: £42.99 RRP
Red
Includes 4% co-fermented Riesling. Very dense and restrained. From a much colder site than the Nine Popes. Tight, but fleshy beneath the compaction. Needs some time. (RH)
Drink:
2016
–
2025
Price: £38.99 RRP
Red
Equal parts Grenache and Shiraz, with a bit of Mourvèdre. Meaty, evocative, sweet oak. Old fashioned Barossa red – and so much the better for it. Real terroir and authenticity here. No 2011 was made, and the 2012 is due at the end of 2014. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2023
Price: £33.99 RRP
Red
Dense, chocolatey, black olive, black cherry – power with grace. Firm but pliant tannins. Deserves cellaring. Impressive. (RH)
Drink:
2014
–
2028
Price: £81.99 RRP
Red
Charming fleshiness and complexity – some soy and sage character. Delicious. Way more structural and savoury than your average Aussie. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2024
Price: £29.99 RRP
Red
Sweet and creamy – much more 'New World' than most of their range. Finishes with a savoury kick and plenty of furry tannins. Nicely done. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2020
Price: £22.99 RRP
Red
Fruit cake, creamy oak. Super fine tannins, lovely exotic spicing. It's very good – but it makes the Lion's Tooth look even better value! (RH)
Drink:
2012
–
2022
Price: £49.99 RRP
Red
Mint and eucalypt – so distinctive. Who said Australia doesn't have terroir?! Chewy but yielding. Blackcurrant purée fruit. Warm alcohol. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2020
Price: £11.99 RRP
Red
Some reduction on the nose. Definitely eggy. Much purer and cleaner on the palate, but their Lion's Tooth cuvée is a better bet. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2015
Price: £12.99 RRP
Red
Fabulous chocolate and black olive character, so finely crafted while retaining super fruit power. Exemplary McLaren Vale Shiraz. Hard to detect exactly what the Riesling adds, but the result is impressive enough! VGV (RH)
Drink:
2012
–
2020
Price: £12.99 RRP
Red
Eucalypt, blackcurrant juice, slight grip. Forthright and easy-drinking, if not exactly refined. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2015
Price: £9.99 RRP
Red
Good juiciness. Not sure how significant the Viognier is from an aromatic perspective. A bit simple. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2015
Price: £11.99 RRP
Red
Juicy, easygoing red fruit with that McLaren Vale ripeness really shining through. Slight bitterness on the finish, and warm but not incongruous alcohol. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2015
Price: £9.99 RRP
Red
Appealing ripe black fruit – youthful, playful, juicy. All the McLaren Vale hallmarks – great purity of fruit and juiciness. GV (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2016
Price: £8.99 RRP
Red
Red fruit compote, a smidgen of tannin on the finish. Showing some early leaf litter and mushroom character, which bodes well. Rounded, fresh. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2023
Price: £54.99 RRP
Red
Aromatically much more developed than their Chardonnay. Rhubarb, redcurrant, absolutely gorgeous fragrance. Light body, no tannins. Slight stalky scent. Pixel perfect structure. Might not appeal to those who prefer the funkier side of Pinot, but as a classic Tasmanian style, this is an impressive debut. (RH)
Drink:
2016
–
2026
Price: £53.99 RRP
Red
Plump, jammy but not baked – retains a freshness and violet fragrance. Some pepperiness in there too – in fact, there seems to be a lot of complexity just under the surface. Grows in the glass. Deserves keeping and/or decanting. (RH)
Drink:
2016
–
2024
Price: £24.99 RRP
Red
54% Petit Verdot, 46% Malbec. Still showing some fermentation aromas on the nose, seemingly? Soft, supple fruit. Great definition, very tender tannins. Lovely smooth structure. Not quite the power and breadth to last for a huge amount of time. (RH)
Drink:
2014
–
2018
Price: £34.99 RRP
17
/20
Red
Planted in 1998 next to Georgia's Paddock. Intense, juicy and firm. Blind, I wouldn’t go straight to Oz. Half the vines came from Chapoutier. All dry farmed. Spicy and dry. Excellent. Long. (JR)
Alcohol: 15%
Drink:
2013
–
2020
Price: £44 Yapp Brothers
Red
Glossy ruby. Full, earthy, leafy nose – very impressively ripe. Some whole bunch here, surely? Reticent oak. Just enough bitterness. Exemplary structure. Perhaps a bit photoshopped, but very good. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2023
Red
Interesting, esoteric flavours alongside the red fruit – some vegetal character, plenty of floral notes. Gets some interesting expressiveness from the variety. Very succulent and pleasing. (RH)
Drink:
2013
–
2016
Price: £19.99 RRP
Red
Smooth, gentle, ripe red fruit. Light smoke. Not as convincing or substantial as their Gladysdale. (RH)
Alcohol: 13%
Drink:
2013
–
2016
