From the winemaking team at Chapman Grove in Margaret River comes this stunningly good chardonnay. A single vinyard wine fermented in French oak barrels, this is a chardy with all the bells and whistles. It is beautifully developed and ready to be enjoyed thanks to layer upon layer of flavours. There's great white stone-fruit characters with hints of nuts and toast adding complexity. A beautiful wine made in the Burgundian style - it would be sensational with a roast pork loin. $50.
Kathleen Quealy is an exceptionally talented winemaker who crafts fine wines for several labels on the Mornington Peninsula. This is a pinot for those who like their wines on the bolder side of the spectrum. It's from a warm year, which is reflected in the intense dark cassis fruit flavours, but it also has lovely balance, with hinuts of earthiness and oak in the background but playing a key role. My wife fell in love with this instantly - I took time to come around but was eventually captivated as well. $35.
This was one of my favourite wines from a recent trip to Canowindra and Orange in the Central West of NSW - and it's all the more meritorious because it follows in the footsteps of the much-awarded 2007 shiraz, which is all but sold out. Winemakers Chris Derrez and Tom Ward have got it right again with a wine that has excellent complexity but is also very easy to drink. Dark berries and spice characters are prominent and this has already won a gold medal at the Royal Sydney Wine Show. Excellent value for $20.
The Paxton vineyards in McLaren Vale are farmed using biodynamic principles and the wines certainly shimmer with bright fruit. This is made from old vines and is a lovely shiny wine with appealing spicy dark berry characters, minimal oak and a delightfully silkly palate. Despite being the product of a warm year, the alcohol is relatively restrained at 14% thanks to the fruit having been picked early. Available from Dan Murphy's stores and a very good buy for $20.
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