Wine & Spirit Insider March April 2022

insiderthe wine & spiritAUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND March/April 2022 Issue 177 THE WINE & SPIRIT INSIDER IS A PROMOTIONAL GUIDE FROM THE LIQUOR TRADE TO THE CONSUMER. Winestate Publishing ABN 56 088 226 411 In this issue... New Releases & Best Value Buys Under $20

NEW RELEASES 109 TASTED 65 AWARDED NEW RELEASES Another nice line up of new release wines. It is always interesting Dopff Au Moulin RedHeads Wines to see the diversity within flight categories. The trick is to read the Grand Cru Harmonie Rox reviews and read between the lines to check out the wines you Schoenenbourg Coonawarra might like to try. No point in buying big flavousome wines if your Alsace Riesling 2016 Chardonnay 2021 preference is for mid weight elegant wines. Conversely no point HHH1/2 93pts HHHH1/2 95pts in buying lighter bodied wines if you like big bang for your buck A complex and Delightfully perfumed wines involving big flavours. Your call. beautifully aged wine nose with slight that shows some biscuity elements and sweetness but has great a nicely balanced, acidity to complement it. complex, palate with an $44.99 illusion of sweetness and lovely varietal fruit Quarisa 30 Mile flavours. $25 South East Riesling SPARKLING Niccolo Wines Sew & Sew Sashiko 2021 HHH 91pts Grandeur Nicolette Tranquillo Adelaide Hills Nose is super aromatic Wellington VBBAEULSYUTSE 5 TASTED Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc and musky with a lively, Artisan 3 AWARDED Adelaide Hills 2021 HHHH 94pts slightly sweet, palate Adelaide Hills An interesting and Prosecco 2021 Mostly stonefruits on with acid to balance. Chardonnay 2021 diverse group. Special HHH1/2 92pts the nose with tropical $12.99 HHH1/2 92pts comment on the Gentle apricot bouquet touches. It is bright Easy drinking, style. A “contemporary” and slightly oily in the and juicy in the mouth Stonehaven balance of stonefruit and sparkling red style a mouth with faint fruit with a generous flavour Stepping Stone floral characters with welcome change from flavours and some profile. $25 Limestone Coast sweetness holding it the old school. sweetness. $23.99 Pinot Gris 2021 together. $20 Stonehaven HHH 91pts Eight At The Gate Stonehaven Stepping Stone Poised elegant wine Reschke Bull Wrattonbully Stepping Stone Limestone Coast with delicate floral and Trader Coonawarra Sparkling Shiraz NV Limestone Sauvignon Blanc pear characters. Has Chardonnay 2021 HHHH1/2 96pts Coast Sparkling 2021 HHH 91pts intensity and length. HHH1/2 92pts A brightness of plums, Chardonnay Pinot Delicate musky/floral $20 Tight and fresh with cherries and sweet Noir NV HHH 91pts fragrances with a lively citrus elements spices lift off the nose. Delicate candied ginger- refreshing apple pie-like Paulett Wines Clare showing some The palate is fresh and like aromatic nuances palate. $20 Valley Semillon complexity. Good acid fairly sweet with some with lovely complex fruit 2021 HHH 91pts balance. Lingering tannic grip and a nice flavours. $20 OTHER WHITE A riper style with finish. $25 long lingering finish. $30 VARIETALS & candied floral nose and SAUVIGNON BLENDS fresh and a lively citrus/ Stonehaven BLANC & pear flavour profile. $25 Stepping Stone BLENDS 12 TASTED Limestone Coast 6 AWARDED Paulett Wines 109 Chardonnay 2021 7 TASTED Clare Valley Riesling HHH 91pts 3 AWARDED A diverse group of both 2021 HHH 91pts More savoury in style varieties and styles. An elegant, perfumed with good varietal fruit Mixed results. Better “The best were clean bouquet and plenty characters, mineral wines were more than and well balanced of super zesty citrus elements and great just good varietals they with good varietal characters on the acidity. $20 had an added extra expression.” palate. $75 layer. Allegiance Wines Ulithorne Altus CHARDONNAY Unity Margaret River Mr Riggs Woodside Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2021 Adelaide Hills Pinot Grigio 2020 7 TASTED HHH 91pts Sauvignon Blanc HHHH 95pts 5 AWARDED Brioche notes sitting on 2021 HHHH 94pts A refined, somewhat top of tropical fruit and Hints of grapefruit on savoury style with A solid flight. The melon characters with the floral nose and great some intensity of pear, judges agreed it was hints of oak tannins. $60 fruit intensity on the apple and quince-like good to see more fresh palate supporting by a characters. Good acid lively fruit and complex good acid backbone. $22 retention. $25 balanced flavours. 66 The Wine & Spirit INSIDER

wine & spirit insider tasting ROSÉ Chateau Roubine Heartland GRENACHE & Grandeur Wellington Cru Classe Premium Langhorne Creek BLENDS Artisan McLaren 7 TASTED Provence France Dolcetto 2020 Vale G.S.M. 2019 5 AWARDED Rosé 2020 HHHH 94pts 6 TASTED HHHH 94pts HHH 91pts Bright cherry nose with 5 AWARDED Blackcurrant fruit A solid group of dry Finely textured wine with a dash of black pepper A very solid group. characters mingle with styles with a couple developed savoury nose and good concentration “GSM has long the oak on the nose of nice Provence and palate and mouth- of Sarsaparilla-like cemented itself as a and palate with an examples. “The better watering acidity. $45 flavours with chalky popular blend,” said one abundance of smooth wines showed paler tannins. $25 judge. “But the straight savoury tannins. $25 colours and fresh fruit OTHER RED Allegiance Wines grenache wines are Mr Riggs The vibrancy,” noted one VARIETALS & Single Vineyard getting more consistent Magnet McLaren judge. BLENDS McLaren Vale offering sweet fruit Vale Grenache 2020 Mataro 2019 generosity without going HHH1/2 93pts Stonehaven 17 TASTED HHH1/2 92pts too far.” The wine is a generosity Stepping Stone 8 AWARDED Chewy black fruits laced of raspberries and cherry Limestone Coast with a licorice thread, Shingleback NX cola with a medicinal Rosé 2021 The blends performed some delicate perfumed GEN McLaren Vale touch and good level of HHHH1/2 96pts well along with some notes and great acid Grenache 2021 acid. $30 “Very interesting – fresh and vibrant grip. $30 HHHH 94pts Allegiance Wines playful style!” Sweet varietals. “However, Quarisa Q South A pretty sweet fruit Single Vineyard and pretty floral on a negative note the East Malbec 2021 nose with a subtle McLaren Vale fragrances with a great excess use of oak seen HHH 91pts earthiness and a Grenache 2019 core of piquant red apple in the early release Lifted blue fruits, some generous, well HHH 91pts skin-like flavours and wines created disjointed nice, sweet oak and rounded, red fruit Bold red fruit characters a zesty line of acidity. wines that have not a fine line of tannins. palate with plenty of with some chocolaty $20 been allowed to come $18.99 tannins. $25 nuances and big velvety together,” observed one Stonehaven Shanahans The smooth tannins. $30 Chateau Sainte judge. Stepping Stone Barking Dog Barossa Beatrice Cuvee Limestone Coast Valley Grenache Princes Provence Allegiance Wines Merlot 2020 Shiraz Mataro 2020 France Rosé 2020 Local Legend HHH 91pts HHHH 94pts HHH1/2 93pts McLaren Vale Floral/cassis fruit and Aromatic compote of Pale and interesting! Mataro Graciano cedary oak coming figs, blueberries and Wild red berry nose and Shiraz 2021 together nicely and blossoms. The palate is a finely textured savoury HHHH1/2 96pts bound with good line of crunchy and juicy with palate. A great acid Delicately spiced nose acid. $20 blue fruits balanced by finish. $24 with a floral element. Claymore Wines the acid. $23 Great crunchy blue/ Blackbird Clare JUUL Hollydene black fruit palate, nicely Valley Sangiovese Estate Loaded Fox focussed acidity and 2019 HHH 91pts Upper Hunter Valley laced with silky smooth A contemporary, lean Rosé 2021 tannins. $25 blueberry fruit, style HHH1/2 92pts with some great acidity A delicate strawberry Allegiance Wines and savoury tannins. $25 and cream style with a Single Vineyard Hastwell & Lightfoot savoury thread. Creamy McLaren Vale McLaren Vale in the mouth; savoury on Graciano 2020 Cabernet Franc 2018 the finish. $24 HHHH1/2 96pts HHH 91pts Super peppery and A rich, generous, well- Carmine's McLaren savoury on the nose structured wine with Vale Grenache Rosé showing some red fruit great varietal expression 2021 HHH 91pts characters with more and ageing nicely. $30 Generous spicy lime red fruit elements on the nose with underlying palate nicely balanced by savouriness and a sweet- some great tannins. $30 fruited palate. $22 The Wine & Spirit INSIDER 67

NEW RELEASES PINOT NOIR Ulithorne Altus Jim Brand Domain Reschke Bos Bec Hardy Wines Adelaide Hills Coonawarra Coonawarra Village Green 8 TASTED Pinot Noir 2020 Cabernets 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon McLaren Vale Shiraz 4 AWARDED HHH 91pts HHHHH 98pts 2014 HHH1/2 92pts 2021 HHHH 94pts Sweet dark berry fruit The nose is elegant – Dark fruit nose with Bright aromatic A mixed bag. “A tricky characters, plenty of the palate balanced. It spices and meaty peppery fruit variety with the better oak and silky-smooth has beautiful varietal elements. Palate is rich fragrances and tasting wines showing good tannins. $27 fruit expression with with intense raisined/ of sweet plums, pinot varietal character hints of cigar box and earthy flavours. $50 Ribena and sour and not looking like CABERNET & butterscotch all well cherries wrapped in shiraz!” noted one BLENDS integrated with the Bec Hardy Wines bright acid. $22 judge. “Still hard to find tannins. $85 Pertaringa Terramore the balance though.” 15 TASTED Ulithorne Paternus Understudy McLaren Coonawarra Shiraz 9 AWARDED Coonawarra Vale Cabernet 2020 HHHH 94pts Stonehaven McLaren Vale Sauvignon 2020 Cherries on the nose Stepping Stone A strong class Cabernet Shiraz HHH 91pts and bright red fruits Limestone Coast particularly from the 2019 HHHH1/2 Jubey sweet raspberry on the generous, well Pinot Noir 2020 2019 vintage. “The 97pts fruit, loads of oak and structured, palate. HHH1/2 93pts best wines had varietal Delightful musky blue chewy tannins with Slightly tart acidity and A bright minerally character, were not fruit bouquet with good acid spine. $25 chewy tannins. $40 bouquet with forest floor swamped with oak and similar characters Mr Riggs Piebald nuances and generous were balanced and very echoed on the generous Allegiance Wines Adelaide Hills Syrah fruit flavours with good drinkable.” juicy palate. Fine line The Artisan Reserve 2020 HHH1/2 93pts acidity. $20 of tannins. “A great Coonawarra Lovely composition of Reschke Rufus The example of a claret Cabernet Sauvignon plum fruit and sweet Stumpy Gully Bull Coonawarra style.” $85 2020 HHH 91pts spices with a perfumed Vineyard Stumpy Cabernet Sauvignon Reschke Bull Finely textured wine lift and carried by the Gully Mornington 2019 HHHHH 98pts Trader Coonawarra with sweet brambly fruit tannins. $30 Peninsula Pinot Noir A super vibrant cabernet Cabernet Sauvignon characters and chewy Reschke Vitulus 2020 HHH1/2 92pts that’s poised and 2019 HHHH 94pts tannins. $60 Coonawarra Shiraz Forest floor/mushroom- crunchy with powerful Good integration of 2020 HHH1/2 92pts like aromas. Juicy in blackcurrant varietal cassis, dark chocolate SHIRAZ & Sweet Sarsaparilla-like the mouth with cherry fruit exhibiting a big and toasty elements BLENDS aromas and a complex flavours, grippy tannins spearmint-like lift and with some lovely acid 2021 - 2020 plum cake of a palate and great acid. $35 great acid/tannin and great velvety with fine lingering integration. $25 tannins. $25 16 TASTED tannins. $32 Stumpy Gully Heartland Directors 10 AWARDED Maxwell Wines Vineyard Peninsula Reschke Vitulus Cut Langhorne Eocene Ancient Panorama Coonawarra Creek Cabernet A mixed bag with lots Earth McLaren Vale Mornington Cabernet Sauvignon Sauvignon 2018 of early drinking 2021 Shiraz 2020 Peninsula Pinot Noir 2019 HHHHH 98pts HHHH 94pts wines. “A range of 2020 HHH1/2 92pts 2020 HHH 91pts Very intense aromas of An aromatic melange of styles ranging from the Very inviting floral nose Nose is toasty, spicy blackberries dashed with spiced plums, prunes ripe and generous fruit and good balance of fruit and earthy. Good fruit sweet spices and has a and raisins and a styles to the light and and oak on the palate influence on the palate. generosity of dark fruit/ complexity of black olive peppery ones,” said one with grippy tannins Savoury finish. $22 cola flavours with a fine and savoury leathery judge. holding it in shape. $60 tannin backbone and flavours. $37 generous acidity. $32 JUDGES Sam Watkins Ulrich Grey-Smith Jeanne Gobrait Winemaking Director at Coonawarra based Wine marketing consultant, Watkins Family Wine, freelance winemaker. including consultancy for offering contract processing Winemaker for Grey- David Ridge Italian Wines, services in the Adelaide Hills. Smith Wines. Four Living Roots Wines and Associate judge at Royal years at BRL Hardy and Paulmara Estates. Has also Adelaide, Langhorne Creek De Bortoli respectively, worked with Seppeltsfield, McLaren Vale and Clare. with time also spent in Shaw & Smith and the French Chair of the Langhorne Creek Germany, Canada and Wine Centre. Has completed Winemaking Committee. Champagne. Judge at WSET course and AWRI B.Sc Oenology, AWAC, various regional wine advanced wine assessment WSET3. course. Associate judge at shows. Adelaide wine show. 68 The Wine & Spirit INSIDER

wine & spirit insider tasting Stonehaven SHIRAZ & Grandeur Wellington BEST VALUE BUYS - All under $20 Stepping Stone BLENDS Artisan McLaren Limestone Coast 2019 & OLDER Vale Shiraz 2018 Grandeur Wellington Shiraz 2020 HHHH1/2 96pts Artisan Adelaide Hills HHH 91pts 9 TASTED Dark chocolaty fruit Chardonnay 2021 Nose is a potpourri 7 AWARDED nose and a long bold Easy drinking, style. A of roses, violets and palate with great depth balance of stonefruit and floral blackberries with an A very solid flight of and intensity of dark characters with sweetness attractive cherry palate. generous fruit wines fruit flavours with furry holding it together. $20 $20 with layered complexity. tannins. “Still looking Bec Hardy Wines Again 2019 performed amazingly fresh!” $30 Grandeur Wellington Pertaringa well along with a strong Shanahans The Phone: 08 8383 0866 Undercover McLaren 2018 vintage. Reaper Barossa Email: [email protected] Vale Shiraz 2020 Valley Shiraz 2019 Web: www.grandeurwellington.com.au HHH 91pts Mr Riggs Burnt HHH 91pts A big tannic wine Block McLaren Vale Spicy peppery mulberry $U2N0D&ER with rich dark fruits, Shiraz 2019 bouquet. Complex palate sweet spices and well- HHHHH 98pts texture with glossy fruit integrated oak. $25 A nose of blueberries running through. $60 Shingleback Davey and ripe plums with Quarisa Treasures Estate McLaren Vale nice spicy elements McLaren Vale Shiraz Shiraz 2020 and a big generous and 2018 HHH 91pts HHH 91pts seamlessly balanced An oak driven style – A very fresh, well- palate with good fruit super spicy but shows constructed and intensity, smooth plenty of mulberry fruit complex style showing tannins and bright characters. $17.99 savoury elements. $25 acidity. $50 Heartland Mr Riggs The Gaffer Langhorne Creek McLaren Vale Shiraz Heartland Directors Shiraz 2019 2020 HHH 90pts Cut Langhorne HHH 90pts A lean one-dimensional Creek Shiraz 2019 A balanced, well- peppery style of shiraz HHHH1/2 96pts structured and juicy with austere fruit Rich savoury style of style with good oak characters. $25 nose with some florals. integration and silky Carmine's Old Vine Great fruit concentration tannins. $22 McLaren Vale Shiraz on the generous palate 2021 HHH 90pts with some spicy oak and Sweet spices lift off good acidity giving the the blackcurrant nose wine freshness. $37 and has a generosity of bright juicy fruit Nightfall Wines flavours. $28 Norma Coonawarra Shiraz 2019 HHHH1/2 96pts Nose is an amalgam of figs, chocolate and dark fruits with a perfumed lift. Copious amount of fruit on the palate with plenty of oak and balanced acid and tannins. $80 (NZ $25 & UNDER) The Wine & Spirit INSIDER 69

BEST VALUE BUYS - All under $20 te Pã Marlborough Cape Jaffa Wines Linke Barossa Valley Linke Barossa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2021 CJ Mount Gambier Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Shiraz 2019 Highly aromatic, this Chardonnay 2021 Ripe black fruit nose with a A straightforward wine of mouthfilling, lively wine has Bright golden wine with savoury hint, dark fruit flavours sweet dark fruit, chocolate and punchy, tropical fruit flavours developed complexity to and some secondary notes. $20 supporting oak. $20 to the fore, a herbaceous the nose and a palate with undercurrent, appetising complexity and freshness. $20 Linke Wines Linke Wines acidity, and excellent vigour, Phone: 0407 025 363 Phone: 0407 025 363 vibrancy and depth. $20 Cape Jaffa Wines Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Phone: 08 8768 5053 Web: www.linkewines.com.au Web: www.linkewines.com.au Te Pa Family Vineyards Ltd NZ Email: [email protected] Phone: +64 3 570 5192 Web: www.capejaffawines.com.au Email: [email protected] Web: www.tepawines.com BEST VALUE WINES OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND $U2N0DE&R Is updated in each issue of The Wine & Spirit Insider. TO QUALIFY (NZ $25 & UNDER) Some wines may - if they are still available - remain in the next issue’s Best Value Wines listing. Others 1 Wines must have first been recommended will sell out, or be replaced by higher-rated wines. in Winestate Magazine style or new release The Wine & Spirit Insider’s Best Value Wines listing tastings. Style tastings are defined as varietal comprises the best wines currently available, from big- tastings - eg, shiraz, chardonnay, etc. - or name brands and the higher volume ‘second labels’ blended styles such as shiraz/cabernet wines. from the smaller producers, as tasted by Winestate 2 Wines from designated regional tastings Magazine panels. The Best Value Wines listing gives are eligible provided they are widely available. credit to the value wines in the marketplace - wines 3 All wines must be currently available from that would otherwise be overshadowed by their much the winery, or be readily available in the more expensive cousins. marketplace. Cellar door wine is ineligable. 70 The Wine & Spirit INSIDER