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109 results across all types
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Hiatus Beers Non Alcoholic Pacific Ale
What's the best non-alcoholic beer I have tasted? This Hiatus Pacific Ale is it. Woah! Like a mango parfait, this is a summertime sunset in a can. Made with Veloria, Vienna and Munich malt and Galaxy hops, the front label says it's a full-flavoured non-alcoholic beer and it's spot on. Drop this in a lineup of similar style beers and you'd struggle to tell the difference. Jules Ryan is at the helm. With some serious brewing knowledge and experience after stints at Stone & Wood, Balter and Little Creatures, he saw a hole in the market that he has filled admirably with his Hiatus beers. Brewed as normal, it then undergoes the process of removing the alcohol. A starburst of tropical fruit greets you with passionfruit, a dash of pineapple, guava, freeze-dried papaya and this insanely delicious creamy meringue thing that rides on their coattails. Clean, crisp and incredibly refreshing, I wish I had more than one can on hand. The low and non-alcohol beer scene is miles ahead
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Curly Flat Williams Crossing Pinot Noir 2025
The Curly Flat Williams Crossing is back! After a brief stint MIA, consulting winemaker Steve Flamsteed ensured the label was back on the front line. Dark cherries and raspberries skip from the glass with an entourage of earthiness, charred oak, pine needles, cured meats, twigs and dried leaves in hot pursuit. The bones of a very good Pinot Noir are here, and it starts with such promise, but I found the palate to be clipped and it didn't flow through as much as hoped. Given the chance to shine over a couple of days, the drive and length I was hoping for just weren't there. Have a glass with food and you may not even know. 91/100 Region: Macedon Ranges RRP: $38 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Geoff Merrill G&W Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
Released with eight years of ageing already done for you, this Geoff Merrill Cabernet quietly improved over the few days it was open. A blend of Coonawarra and McLaren Vale fruit, like its Jacko's Shiraz sibling, it's rich, ripe and bold. Loaded with black fruits, plum pudding and dark chocolate, it's puckering and saps all moisture from the mouth. Cigar box, dried mint and eucalypt nuances add interest with powdery tannins draped across a lengthy and sustained finish. Top value for $30, if you like 'em big with a dash of charisma, shuffle over this way. 92/100 Region: Coonawarra & McLaren Vale RRP: $30 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Geoff Merrill Jacko's Shiraz 2018
Eight years young, this is only the early days for this long lifer from Geoff Merrill. A bold and full-throttle delivery is clear from the first swirl. With scents of chocolatey oak, rich vanilla and mocha, it's ripe and dense. Blackberries and blackberry jubes sit at the core with a slightly sweet fruited edge plus lashings of licorice for interest. Unapologetically dense, there is some real heft and muscle here without being top-heavy. A trail of lingering spices and boisterous tannins has the last word. If you like them painted on thick, I reckon you have a new friend here. 92/100 Region: McLaren Vale RRP: $30 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Juniper Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2024
This Juniper Estate Cabernet is outrageously good for a two-year-old! And before you think that it might unleash fury on your bank account, think again. For a measly $35, you are drinking exceptionally well. Boom! Comfortably in the contemporary Cabernet zone, the value that it represents is immense. From one of the original sites planted in 1973, it is organically and dry farmed. Bright, alive and joyous with blackberries, blackcurrants and mulberries, fabulous notes of jubes, licorice, saltbush, cigar box, Bay leaf, parsley stem and rosemary sprig fold into one another with absolute ease. Dried herbs make a late dash, but I'm captivated by the elasticity that the tannins possess. Damn, this is a clever Cabernet that is drinking superbly now but will age gracefully. Go here. 95/100 Region: Margaret River RRP: $35 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Camino Wine Co Paradigm Vineayard Shiraz 2023
If you like big, old school style Barossa Shiraz, wander over this way and check out the Camino Wine Co Paradigm Vineyard 2024. To give some insight, the 80-100 year old vines are for this wine are grown right beside the Torbrek Laird vineyard. Handpicked and destemmed, it was pumped over twice daily before being pressed to American oak for 19 months. The use of 100% American oak is telling, too. There is a lot of it, and the cedar, coconut and caramel notes are abundant. There is a neat touch of Coconut Rough which I thought elevated things just that bit more. The fruit is dense and muscular with dark chocolate and rum 'n' raisin riding on its coattails. Earthy, woodsy and exotic spices mingle before the carpet is rolled out for the big, voluptuous tannins. There is no mistaking the power, and I'd recommend a good decant if it were to be enjoyed now. Rest assured, you can sit on this comfortably for 15 years+. It's worth noting, mind you, the cork was firm, and although not see
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Jericho Bracken Vineyard Grenache 2024
I reckon this Bracken Vineyard Grenache would shine beside food. Irrespective, it's once again a very good expression of the variety from the McLaren Vale sub-region of Blewitt Springs. Made with 25% whole bunches and seeing 12 months seasoned French oak, it opens with dark cherries, strawberries and baked blueberries. Shards of dark chocolate and ripples of raspberry jam give off those classic old-school Wagon Wheel vibes. Puffs of earthiness and undergrowth are parcelled up by an array of woodsy and barbecue meat rub spices that linger. Soft, silty tannins have the last word. Great stuff. 93/100 Region: McLaren Vale RRP: $42 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Burton McMahon Lusatia Park Pinot Noir 2024
What a great Pinot! Probably the best I've seen under this Burton McMahon label. Wonderfully savoury on opening, embrace scents of twigs, dried leaves, pine needles and pine mushrooms. Dark cherries and sour cherries pin themselves to the palate, walking in step with the well-balanced acidity. Fine spices tap away on a lengthy and devilishly moreish finish. It's an excellent Pinot ready for now or to hold. You choose. 95/100 Region: Yarra Valley RRP: $60 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Burton McMahon Syme Vineyard Pinot Noir 2024
With a clenched-fist tension, this Syme Vineyard Pinot Noir from two mates, Matt Burton and Dylan McMahon, will continue to steadily morph into a delightful wine with more bottle age. Tasted alongside the Lusatia Park Pinot Noir, this was just that bit more coiled. Black cherries, plums and a hint of chocolate, earthiness, twigs and undergrowth muse with a fine dusting of spice. It certainly evolved more the longer it was open over a few days of tasting. 93/100 Region: Yarra Valley RRP: $60 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Camino Wine Co Grenache Rosé 2024
Some serious vine material goes into this wine that seems to be awfully cheap for what you get. Rosé lovers rejoice with this impressive Camino Wine Co Grenache Rosé 2024. From vines planted in 1912, it's a wine that has serious sessionable appeal. Bone dry with a thrilling creamy drive, the onion skin appearance attracts the eye from the outset. Dried raspberries, rhubarb, red currant, and apricot kernel diffuse from the glass and flow through to a flavour profile that is seductive and moreish in equal doses. It's such a wonderfully balanced Rosé, it's a wine I enthusiastically recommend. 93/100 Region: Barossa RRP: $30 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Juniper Estate Chardonnay 2025
A great expression of Chardonnay that is true to the Margaret River region, check this Juniper Estate 2025 release. Alluring aromas of pineapple husk, white-fleshed stonefruit, flint and gun smoke roll out the welcome mat. These flow with ease to an expressive palate that possesses a fine feathering of texture. Some cashews, a touch of saltiness and a grapefruit acidity enhance its enjoyment factor, with an old school lemonade tang that clings to a persistent finish. It's really well done. 92/100 Region: Margaret River RRP: $35 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Higher Plane Led Astray Fumé Blanc 2025
Bursting with tropical fruit, this Fumé Blanc is not my style, but it will find its people. The barrel work is interwoven, but the fruit wrestles away the control. I prefer my Fumé more tempered and balanced. Rushing from the glass is an array of lemons, papaya, green melon, snow peas, lemongrass, pears and fine ginger spices. A whip crack of acidity brings the mouth to water. There is no doubting that it delivers some serious Sunday lunch appeal, just not for this little black duck. 90/100 Region: Margaret River RRP: $30 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Yeah Wines Pinot Noir 2025
Reviewing these Yeah Wines is awfully distracting. The whole time I am tasting and writing them up, I am humming along to Usher's song, Yeah! By the way, this is a great Pinot. Fermented with whole berries and whole bunches, the fruit is sourced from Pemberton in southern Western Australia. What engages me is how it steadily builds interest. You could suggest there is a new vista around every corner - winning! It opens with earthy and twiggy aromas with some wood smoke. Forest berries consume the fruit profile, but I'm hooked on the terrific savoury presence and drive. A delicate sheet of spice draws out to the persistent finish, where you find a fine hint of red apple acidity. I'm all in on the shape and flow. A solid example of Pinot, it's a beautiful drink without the bells and whistles. Yes! 91/100 Region: Pemberton RRP: $35 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Yeah Wines Chardonnay 2024
What I like about this Yeah Wines Chardonnay is the way it carries itself. It possesses this cool charm and a relaxed swagger. Whole bunch pressed, barrel fermented (30% new French oak). On first inspection, it gives the impression of a wine of depth from its aroma profile. But to taste, it slides through on an even keel without density or bulk. Concentrated peach lands on the mid-palate with licks of pineapple and mango. Butter cream, wafer biscuits, plus some cashews build layers of interest. A bright lemony acidity and lemony tang have the last word and call me back for more. A well-priced Margaret River Chardonnay, it's a thumbs up from me. 90/100 Region: Margaret River RRP: $35 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Yeah Wines Viognier 2024
Giving off a golden glow in the glass, this is a neat Viognier from Western Australia's Blackwood Valley region. Sitting on the richer side of the Viognier spectrum, it's not an oily type, and the fruit is able to express its freshness. Alive with peaches and cream, barbecued peaches, canned apricots and apricot nectar, barrel fermentation has imparted vanilla custard and vanilla oak nuances. A wine best enjoyed with food, this is a pretty tidy piece of work. 90/100 Region: Blackwood Valley RRP: $35 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Camino Wine Co Gamay 2025
Dang! Dangerously slurpable and eminently smashable, this is a silky delight that will take pride of place on a lazy Susan and take down a Chinese banquet effortlessly. What a joy it was to review this Camino Wine Co Gamay. Sourced from the Adelaide Hills, it was made with 25% whole bunches before being pressed to seasoned French oak. Elegant and seductive, fine ripples of earthiness and delicate spices ride on the coattails of blueberry and mulberry fruit. It firms up late on the palate, which pulls it back a peg, but those creases should be ironed out with more bottle age in the next couple of years. Excellent drinking, no less, and guaranteed to swiftly evaporate from your glass, it's a great addition to the ever-expanding Camino Wine Co range. 93/100 Region: Adelaide Hills RRP: $60 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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St John's Road Reserve Blood & Courage Shiraz 2023
Possessing more polish than its little sibling , this St John's Road Reserve Blood & Courage Shiraz is commendable and will find its people. Curiously, there is little detail about the vine age or calibre of the vineyard, so the $90 price point is a hard sell. From what I've seen, although it is a good enough wine, it rests uncomfortably (in my opinion) with those big dollars beside its name. I can only review what details I have at hand and what's in the glass, so here goes... Firm with a respectable length, dark plums and black cherries drive the fruit profile. Cured meats, charcoal and earthy vibes are partnered by woodsy and barbecue rub spices. Dusty, chewy tannins bring it home and elevate the interest factor. Drinking well over a couple of days, I'd suggest decanting now, but this will age comfortably for a decade+ 93/100 Region: Barossa RRP: $90 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedI
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Yelland & Papps Single Vineyard Stone Well Syrah 2025
How often would you see a Syrah and Shiraz from the same producer? Yelland & Papps have excelled and delivered two wonderful expressions once again, but I'm all in on this Syrah. Sexy and lacy, the Barossa isn't all muscle and brawn. Sourced from a Stone Well vineyard, not far from Yelland & Papps HQ, this was made with 48% whole bunches and sees 10 months in seasoned French oak. Medium-bodied, I'm hooked from the get-go. Scents of pan juices, cured meats, oyster sauce and roasted meat - the vibe is ace. An ocean of juicy mulberries and blueberries saturates the palate with licks of berry coulis. It's a wine with an attractive flow and presence, and it certainly turns the perception some have of Barossa Shiraz. Savoury delight swoops with dried herbs, charcoal, black peppers and soft spices riding out a long finish. Give me all those lacy feels and sheets of delight. One large pour just doesn't seem sufficient. Excellent stuff. 95/100 Region: Barossa RRP: $54
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Yelland & Papps Single Vineyard Greenock Shiraz 2024
From a Greenock vineyard planted in 1988, this Yelland & Papps Single Vineyard Shiraz comes from a site that has been farmed by four generations. The twentieth consecutive release of this wine, it was wild yeast fermented and sees large format French oak for 22 months (22% new). With more muscle and bulk than its Syrah sibling , this is quite a different release from the incredible Single Vineyard Greenock Shiraz 2023 . What caught my attention this time was the increased spice and tension, not to mention the oak that protrudes a touch more than hoped, with cedar and coconut husk featuring large. Softer scents of violets are present, but not as lifted. Mulberries, black cherries and plums build a neat frame and sit at the core with delightful berry tart nuances. Dark chocolate, dark soy and peanuts dipped in chocolate add to the savoury drive. The acid shows life and is still quite energetic, even after a couple of days open. I suspect this will be better with more bot
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Turkey Flat Grenache 2024
I have it on good authority that I'm the first to review this new release, Turkey Flat Grenache 2024, and my advice is to bang down the door when it hits the shelves on Friday, 29 May. It's an excellent wine and then some. Vibrant and dancy, this possesses more life and elegance than 2023 . I had the opportunity to taste both the 2023 and 2024 side-by-side, and this was quite the treat. It's worth noting that from 2024, a Burgundy-shaped bottle is the vessel of choice - a change worth noting for those who may habitually look for the former. Silky, lacy and juicy sum it up best. Evocative aromas of dried red and purple flowers roll out the welcome mat before raspberries and some blue fruit skip about with pine needles and mandarin peel. It's fine, svelte presence along with delicately woven spices, a touch of chocolate and a seductive moreishness smash the brief deluxe. Some mouth perfume from those attractive florals adds further polish and ups the desire to dive back in. To dat
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Turkey Flat Grenache 2023
When you think of Barossa Valley Grenache, Turkey Flat is never far away from the conversation. What a joy it was to take a look at this 2023 and the brand new 2024 alongside one another. Raspberries, strawberries, red currants, orange peel and apricot kernel light up the stage with a hint of cola for good measure. A flicker of eucalyptus piques my interest, but that can't be seen on day two when this nestles into a neat groove. It's a wine with more structure and body compared to the pretty, silky, elegant thing that is the 2024 . Fine tannins are pliable with the length highlighted by fruit bun spices. Grenache lovers who appreciate a little more oomph, this is right in your wheelhouse. 94/100 Region: Barossa RRP: $50 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Yeah Wine Single Vineyard Grenache 2025
My first look at a Yeah Wine from Western Australia and I'm fixated with the uber cool, beer-bottle-like label. Brilliant! From a single vineyard site in Karridale, Margaret River, a small portion of whole bunches was used. Opening with aromas of smoke, cured meats, dark cherry and berry pie, there is a delightful presence and drinkability here. Tense through the mid-palate, firm woodsy and earthy spices add interest and build complexity along with some orange peel. Medium bodied, a common thread of meatiness draws out long and has me thinking about burgers, pizzas and pasta night with a side of Friday night footy on the tele. Great stuff. 91/100 Region: Margaret River RRP: $35 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Camino Wine Co Chardonnay 2024
When I hear the suggestion that white wines don't need decanting, I don't entirely subscribe to it. Some whites would absolutely benefit from the opportunity to open up, and this Camino Wine Co Chardonnay is a perfect example. Sourced from two Adelaide Hills vineyards, the fruit was whole bunch pressed and sent to barrel where it underwent wild yeast fermentation before spending eight months in seasoned French oak. The shift on day two of tasting was significant due to being open that bit more. It was tense with some curious aromas initially, but time gave life to yellow grapefruit, lemon meringue, and lemon curd. Nougat creaminess and almond nuttiness play a shy hand with some old school lemonade acidity for good measure, leaving a sherbety tang to muse over. Mind you, I'd recommend having this with food to handle that energetic acidity. Think temupra prawns or even a classic Schnity. 90/100 Region: Adelaide Hills RRP: $60 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to
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Colmar Estate Block 4 Syrah 2024
A brand new wine in the Colmar Estate stable, owner Bill Schrapnel has always been obsessed with Mosel, Alsace and Burgundy, but Côte-Rôtie has always made him curious. So here we are, his take on Syrah from his little patch in Orange. An early ripening clone was tracked down, so the R6WV28 landed, and these are the first Syrah/Shiraz vines of the sort to call Orange home. Uplifting aromas of red petals, cherries, plums, blackberries and red apple skin get the juices flowing. Its shape and presence ooze cool-climate Syrah. Noticeably youthful given the tension and firmish presence initially through the palate, it doesn't reach out on the palate as much as hoped. Mind you, I can't help but ponder where this is going, particularly as the vines mature in time. Earthy notes, Dutch cocoa, black pepper, and black tea build further appeal with sooty tannins and fine warming spices adding a comfort factor. Black book this Syrah. Those vines will pay grand dividends in time. 91/100 Regio