Australian Wines Connoisseur’s Choice

Shaw & Smith Balhannah Vineyard Shiraz

Shaw & Smith Balhannah Vineyard Shiraz – This Shiraz exhibits a complex nose laden with spice and red fruit which leads to a poised and balanced palate. Graphite, sage, kalamata olives, and plum flavours envelop the palate which is lively and medium bodied. Grippy tannins and bright acidity lead into the long finish.

Winemakers Notes

The grapes were hand picked, hand sorted, and fermented as whole berries and whole bunches in open fermenters, with gentle plunging and minimal working. The wine was aged in new (15%) and used 500-litre French oak puncheons for 14 months. Unfiltered and unfined before bottling, the wine then underwent another 14 months of bottle ageing.

Information on the Producer

Shaw + Smith own two vineyards in the Adelaide Hills, at Balhannah and Lenswood, totalling 55 hectares. The vineyards are planted to varieties that perform particularly well in the region, namely Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Shiraz. Site selection is particularly important in the Adelaide Hills, with its diversity of altitude, aspect, microclimate, and soil. We also use a number of different cultivars or ‘clones’ of each grape variety, which contribute different qualities to the final product.

The Lenswood Vineyard, about 10km north west of the winery, is planted mainly to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, at 455 – 500m elevation. Undulating with east and west facing aspects, the soils are brown loams over clay with broken shale on the ridges. The vineyard was planted in 1999 and is 20 hectares in total.

M3 now comes from selected sites over the Adelaide Hills, not from the vineyard previously called M3. Pale strawgreen; it may be autosuggestion, but this has great freshness, vibrancy and finesse, the flavours pitched halfway between white peach/stone fruit on the one hand, grapefruit/citrus on the other. Obviously fermented in French oak, but is not obviously oaky. 97 points

You can see our range of Shaw + Smith product at our web page

For more information on the Shaw & Smith  winery go to their website

Shaw & Smith Balhannah Vineyard Shiraz – a great wine from a top class winery

Stella Bella Suckfizzle Chardonnay

Stella Bella Suckfizzle Chardonnay

n a warm vintage like ’22, a wine like this—made from just 700 vines in the most southerly vineyard in Margaret River—shines. Cool maritime influence is out in full force: Flint, oyster shell, toast, nougat, citrus and stone fruit comprise the bright nose. The palate shimmers with intensity and slices with racy acidity. There’s more fruit than in previous vintages. Combined with subtle toasty richness and a saline streak throughout, it makes for gorgeous drinking now, with the power to last for several years into the future. 

Winery Information

Margaret River’s micro climate is well known to be very conducive to the production of Bordeaux style wines. This wine is a good example of a well structured Cabernet Sauvignon varietal.

This boutique winery in the heart of Margaret River creates idiosyncratic named ranges like Suckfizzle in a low interventionist and organic way keeping their approach as simple as possible to allow their cherished vineyards to show their quality.

It is not merely in the names where these wines are memorable, as once you have tasted them you will see why Luke Jolliffe, the winemaker, continues to receive recognition and awards from around the world for wines that have that wonderful Margaret River restraint and elegance, but are bound together with a fruit purity that makes them delectable.

Their philosophy regarding viticulture is simple, and that is to operate in a manner that consciously respects the vineyards that they tend as well as the local environment. Minimal chemical inputs and fertilisers are used along with minimal intervention as – aiming for vine balance. Stella Bella are acutely aware of the environmentally pristine nature of this part of the world and manage their vineyards accordingly.

To see our full range of Stella Bella product go to our dedicated website page

For more information on this Margaret River winery go to their website

Stella Bella Suckfizzle Chardonnay

Mentor Cabernet Sauvignon by Peter Lehmann

Mentor Cabernet Sauvignon – The Masters wines are named after a person whom, or event that, has played an intrinsic role in the Peter Lehmann story. Crafted from the classic Barossa varietals, the wines are released with 5 years of bottle age and will continue to age gracefully for many years. Our founder, Peter Lehmann, mentored countless people over his 50-year career and this wine is named in his honour. Mentor Cabernet Sauvignon is made as the best expression of vintage. By drawing fruit from a number of Barossa sub-regions, it displays immense  varietal definition with added complexity of fruit from low-yielding old vines matured in French oak barrels.

Grapes were harvested in the morning, with a steady ferment on skins following for up to two weeks. Individual components were pressed and transferred to barrel for MLF fermentation. Following MLF, the wine batches for Mentor were selected, blended and matured for a further 18 months in 40% new French oak hogsheads (60% older).

Wine Makers Notes

This limited release is our best Barossa Cabernet of vintage. Dense and vibrant purple hue. It captures immense varietal definition with added complexity aromas of lifted blackcurrant, vanilla and chocolate with a youthful ripe and dark plum spectrum. The fruit weight is immense, however it melds together with mouth-coating tannins, dusty French oak and a beautiful acid core.

Peter Lehmann established his namesake winery in 1979, driven in large part by a desire to support Barossa growers during a crippling grape oversupply at the time. The wine from the first vintage in 1980 was called ‘The Futures’ in a nod to the commitment Peter made to paying the growers once he had sold the wine. This arrangement was sealed with a handshake and Peter’s word was his bond. True to his promise, when the money started coming in, Peter made sure to pay his growers first.

You can find out more and even buy these wines by going to our webpage

To find out more about the winery and its history please visit their website

Mentor Cabernet Sauvignon by Peter Lehmann

Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon

The Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon is a distinguished wine that hails from the Hunter Valley, one of Australia’s premier wine regions. This wine is a testament to Tyrrell’s dedication to producing high quality wines with a strong sense of place and tradition. Established in 1858 by English immigrant Edward Tyrrell, Tyrrell’s Wines has grown into one of Australia’s most iconic wineries, renowned for its exceptional Semillon.

Vat 1 Semillon only ever comes from the best old vine, dry grown vineyards. These blocks feature ideal sandy, free draining soils that give these wines their unique character. The oldest of these blocks was planted in 1923.

The Story of Winemakers Selection

Murray Tyrrell created the Winemaker’s Selection range back in 1965, when, with the assistance of Len Evans, he set out to determine the best wines from each vintage. He named these wines after the casks in which they were
matured; for instance, the first Chardonnay we made went into cask number 47, so it became Vat 47 Chardonnay, or Pinot Chardonnay as it was then called. In 1974, having discovered that we had up to six casks from the same vineyard block that all tasted much the same, we brought the selection down to about 12 wines in total – a mixture of whites and reds. The early 2000s saw a further consolidation with the inauguration of the Sacred Sites range and the expansion of our Single Vineyard program. Today, the Winemaker’s Selections are estate-grown on the various blocks that form the wines that we believe best represent our land and house style. These wines are only bottled in years when we believe that the quality is high enough to meet our exacting standards.

Producer Information

The Tyrrell’s estate, nestled in the foothills of the Brokenback Range in the Hunter Valley, is a unique patchwork of vineyards. Thriving in a diverse range of soils, from sandy loams lying on ancient creek beds to heavier red clays over limestone, these vineyards produce some of the most distinctive and refined wines in the world.

The Tyrrell family’s association with the grape began with Edward Tyrrell in 1858. Today his legacy lives on through the fourth and fifth generation of the family who collectively manage one of Australia’s oldest and most highly regarded wineries. Tyrrell’s has grown over a century and a half to become one of Australia’s most prestigious winemakers.

To find out more about the Tyrrell’s winery go to the website

To see our full range of Tyrrell’s product go to our dedicated web page

Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon

Grosset Alea Riesling

Grosset Alea Riesling – The ‘Alea’ Riesling is bright and expressive with pronounced aromatics. Notes of preserved lemon dominate the nose. On the palate the wine is complex and perfectly balanced. It has
freshness, mid-palate intensity and a strong finish with lime juice at the core.

Ageing Potential: Drink now – 20 years

Produced from riesling grown at the Grosset Rockwood Vineyard, an A-Grade Certified Organic and Biodynamic (ACO) vineyard.

Unfined- vegan and vegetarian friendlyFor more information on the winery go to the Grosset website

Grosset Wines is a small family-run operation entering its fifth decade. The unwavering vision is to create pure expressions of variety and place.  Our four estate-owned vineyards, A-Grade Certified Organic and Biodynamic (ACO), are located in high altitude country of the Clare Valley, each site selected for its potential to produce great wine and planted by Grosset. Each is handpicked and hand pruned; each bunch of grapes harvested at optimum ripeness.

Production is tiny. Single vineyard wines are the focus. The winemaking process is gentle and uncomplicated. Custodianship remains with Grosset Wines from grape growing to in-house bottling; authenticity is assured.

To see our great range of Grosset wines go to the web page

Grosset Alea Riesling – A great Aussie Riesling

Yalumba The Tri-Centenary Grenache

Yalumba The Tri-Centenary Grenache is a true individual wine showcasing the essence of Grenache, sourced from vines that have been in the ground for more than 125 years. Year after year these veteran vines give up small quantities of exceptional grape

This single vineyard Grenache has been crafted from grapes sourced from the block we call VG05. This block comprises of 820 gnarly old bush vines that were planted in 1889. The Nursery vineyard features deep sandy loam layers underlain with red-brown clay layers. These soils are generally very deep and hold large volumes of water within their pore spaces, essential for good growth. As temperatures increase and evaporation levels rise, moisture levels in the sand decrease rapidly, but the vine is able to then draw moisture from the underlying clay. With careful management, dry grown vines on these soils can consistently produce outstanding quality fruit.

Winemaker’s Notes

The grapes were handpicked and crushed to our 8 tonne open top stainless steel fermenters. The wild yeasts present on the grape skins initiated fermentation; cultured winery yeasts were then added to complete fermentation. Remaining ‘on skins’ post-fermentation for 35 days, this extended maturation helps to contribute an even greater complexity and individuality to the wine. The resulting wine is one of individuality, richness, texture and complexity.

Tasting Notes

A complex nose with lovely aromatics. Cedar scents meld with tones of pomegranate, wild strawberries, violets and red petals. Restrained in its flavour but fine in texture with great concentration. Give it a year or two before splashing in the decanter to reveal its beauty, but if you’re patient over the medium term its full potential will be realised. Double decant and enjoy alongside Peking duck or roasted cauliflower with sesame, soy, ginger sauce.

Producer Profile

In 1847 a 37-year-old brewer called Samuel Smith left his home in Wareham, Dorset with his wife Mary and their four children. Boarding a simple three-masted barque they left Plymouth and began the long and arduous journey to Australia, arriving in Port Adelaide. From there they trecked north to Angaston where Samuel took a job as a gardener. It was arguably this brave decision to start a new life in a remote and distant land, together with the hardship that they endured, that formed the strong sense of family unity that has been the bedrock of the family business ever since. In 1849 he started the wine farm that would grow over the next 5 generations to become one of Australia’s leading wineries, with a winemaking culture that is internationally recognised and respected. To embrace the native culture, Samuel decided to adopt a local name for his farm, calling it “Yalumba” meaning “all the country around’’ in the indigenous Peramangk language.

Yalumba is part of Australian wine alliance Australia’s First Families of Wine, a multimillion-dollar venture to help resurrect the fortunes of the $6 billion industry while highlighting the quality and diversity of Australian wine.

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Yalumba The Tri-Centenary Grenache