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Camino Wine Co Grenache Blanc de Noir 2025
Jason Barrette has a knack for trying a few things. I've seen him push some boundaries with some wines in his care, and this Grenache Blanc de Noir under his own label tugs at your curiosity and soothes the taste buds with charismatic ease. Made from the red grape Grenache and handpicked from vines planted in 1912, the fruit was whole bunch pressed with no skin contact to ensure no impact on the colour. The result is a wine that is almost water clear. Attractive aromas of white peach, pears, red apple and strawberries pique my interest, and they flow through to the flavour profile with absolute ease. The mid-palate is filled with a thrilling and most engaging tonic-like texture. Fine ginger and cinnamon spice linger, upping the moreish factor. Slide this into a blind tasting and I doubt many would pick it as a red grape. An exciting take on Grenache with a point of difference sure to raise a few eyebrows around the table, big love. 93/100 Region: Barossa RRP: $35 Sou
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St John's Road Blood & Courage Shiraz 2023
In the slot, this St John's Road Blood & Courage Shiraz is a reliable expression of Barossa Shiraz that won't blow you away, but will present a solid argument. It tastes of plums, dark cherries and blackberries with a charcoal cameo. Mulberries step up once it sees some more air. I'm unsure where the fruit is sourced from, be it a single site or multiple, but the quality is evident. Roasted meats carve a course through the mid-palate with fine, brickdust tannins adding a moreish finish that dries out slowly. It's nicely done. 92/100 Region: Barossa RRP: $28 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Yelland & Papps Single Vineyard Old Vine Grenache 2025
One of those wines I'd rather drink than review, what a sheer delight this Yelland & Papps Single Vineyard Grenache is! From a low-yielding site in the Barossa sub-region of Vine Vale, the vines were planted in 1956. Only 6% whole bunches were used this time, with 18% new French oak for 10 months. Quite the opening awaits with scents of lavender, violets and grape bubblegum. Alive and vibrant through the palate, raspberry rope, squishy blueberries and ripe raspberries build an attractive flavour profile with a severe magnetism that is hard to resist. Devilishly medium-bodied, flecks of orange peel make themselves known, adding further appeal. Dangerously silky, the tannins are fine with a slight silty presence. An easy recommendation. Excellent stuff! 95/100 Region: Barossa RRP: $54 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Kilikanoon Killerman's Run Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
Launching with an expressive bouquet of dark fruits, led by blackberries and blackcurrants, this Kilikanoon Killerman's Run Cabernet Sauvignon offers a rich and inviting aromatic profile. Add savoury delight via grilled capsicum and green olives, it's a wine with a touch of rustic charm. Black tea, sage and dried herbs, plus some earthiness, add further intrigue. Firm, dusty tannins frame a palate with a drying, textural presence. In all, it's a neatly balanced and composed wine that provides respectable potential for medium-term aging. All this for a most reasonable $25RRP. It's a big tick from me. 92/100 Region: Clare Valley RRP: $25 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Nannup Estate Phillip Stanley Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
After tasting through 14 wines from Western Australia's Blackwood Valley region, this Nannup Estate Phillip Stanley Cabernet Sauvignon was my top pick. Seeing French oak for 18 months, I was absorbed by its elegance and poise. Opening with the savoury tones of black olive, Bay leaf, rosemary sprig and a subtle thread of menthol, these herby characters weave through a core of ripe blackberries and plums. Seductive hints of dark chocolate add depth and warmth, bringing further cause to lean in. Delicate through the palate, dark fruits unfurl with ease. Ripples of spice add structure and complexity with fine yet assertive tannins as a feature. Reminiscent of brick dust, they provide grip and a structural backbone, carrying the wine to a composed finish. Excellent stuff from a region that doesn't get the plaudits of its coastal neighbour, this is a Cabernet worth seeking out and is a standout example of the Blackwood Valley's potential. 95/100 Region: Blackwood Valley RR
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St Johns Wine The Terraces Optimus Shiraz 2021
Signalling power and poise, this flagship Optimus Shiraz from St Johns Wine has some regal appeal. Full-bodied, it sees time in a combination of French, American and Hungarian oak. Rich and indulgent scents of caramel and rum 'n' raisin emerge and are interwoven with dense dark fruit. Ripe plums and blackberries dominate with a thread of licorice adding detail. The oak influence is clear with cedar still protruding, yet there is enough fruit weight to maintain balance. Despite its formidible 15% alcohol, it manages to avoid any sense of being overripe or weighty. Instead, there is a composure and restraint. Powdery tannins provide tension and grip with an impressive length that clings on for what seems like days. Beginning to show signs of development with a brownish hue creeping in, the core remains vibrant, suggesting many years ahead. For those who enjoy richer styles of Shiraz, this will impress. 95/100 Region: Blackwood Valley RRP: $51 Source: Sample Winer
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Sunnyhurst Winery Cabernet Merlot 2023
An intriguing Cabernet Merlot blend from Blackwood Valley producer Sunnyhurst Winery, a splash of Petit Verdot works its way into the mix (50/40/10). Curiously, the website states 20% Petit Verdot, but the label says 10%... Each component was fermented separately and matured for 15 months in French oak before blending. On the nose, the aromas are tightly wound, pointing to a long future ahead. With air, it reveals a core of black fruits and berries and is layered with savoury notes of black olive, cloves and a touch of dark chocolate. The palate is firm and dry with assertive tannins that take charge for now, but these should settle with time. The concentrated fruit profile echoes the aromas. Those notes of spice and chocolate add depth and intrigue. The tension calls for time in the decanter if it were to be enjoyed now, but some more bottle age will see things unfurl and harmonise. 91/100 Region: Blackwood Valley RRP: $32 Source: Sample Winery Website S
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St Johns Wine Round Puzzle Cabernet Malbec Merlot 2022
Bold and unapologetically rustic, this Bordeaux-style blend offers power and savoury depth in equal doses. Opening with a rush of drunken plums, ripe blackberries and evocative Black Forest cake, savoury notes of charred wood, barbecue smoke and crushed granite build anticipation. Firm and muscular to taste, the dense fruit is wrapped in a sheet of tense, dusty tannins. Structured rather than plush, layers of black pepper spice and charcoal peer through the mid-palate. Some granite-like minerality adds detail, offering tension and focus that carries through to a dry, gripping finish. Sit this beside a slab of protein and you're winning. It's nicely done. 91/100 Region: Blackwood Valley RRP: $40 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Tim Smith Old Vine Grenache 2025
It would be uncouth to bathe in this, but I'd do it anyway. Svelte, silky, elegant, this is another superb Grenache from Tim Smith. Like the Mataro 2025 , this release has had a facelift with Old Vine Grenache now across the label. Insanely delicious, it slides down with gracious ease. Waves of blueberries, mulberries, cherries and red currants keep the fruit profile buoyant. Attractive aromas of purple and red petals flow through to the palate, adding a delightful mouth perfume. A shimmer of cured meats, orange peel and dried herbs adds precision and savoury interest. Superfine tannins are delicate and pliable, folding into every crevice of the mouth. This is a beauty in every sense. Hands down, it's an enthusiastic recommendation. 95/100 Region: Barossa RRP: $45 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Camino Wine Co Centenary Vines Grenache 2024
Devilishly rounded and curvaceous on the second day of tasting, give this Camino Wine Co Grenache a decant before diving in. Give it that grace and you'll be in heaven. Sourced from a 1912 planted Lyndoch vineyard in the Barossa's south, Jason Barrette has access to some excellent parcels. This 2024 carries on from where the 2023 left off. I was quite impressed by that release, and we come back for much of the same joy and the delish factor. It kicks off like a working-class Grenache of sorts with a rustic edge, yet it waltzes with royalty with some air under its wings. Be sure to give it that time. Made with 25% whole bunches, dive into a pool of raspberries, mulberries, cherries, raspberry rope, and cola with flecks of orange peel skimming the surface. Some pan juices and charcoal add some savoury appeal as woodsy spices curl around the palate, driving the moreishness. Firmish, cocoa tannins have the last word, but all I want is to dive back in. Clever stuff. Big love. 9
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Tim Smith Old Vine Mataro 2025
Plentiful, gracious, delicate and silky describe this excellent Tim Smith Mataro best. Incredible value for $45, it comes from 130+ year old vines. The label has taken on a little facelift, too, and is now known as the Old Vine Mataro. Mulberries, blackberries, and blueberries are pinned to the core with an array of savoury pleasures moving and swaying throughout. Pretty scents of dried purple flowers and berry pie aromas slide into the flavour profile. Earthy nuances, dried herbs, cured meats and pan juices join forces in a seamless waltz. Soft woodsy spices reach long, leading to a persistent finish. Oh, this is a peach. Go here! 95/100 Region: Barossa RRP: $45 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Lyons Will Greenways Hill Gamay 2025
The debut commercial release of the Greenways Hill Gamay comes from a new estate vineyard that is planted on the next ridge over from the winery. I must say, it's a glorious vista looking out to that vineyard from the cellar door. I don't have an up-to-date copy of the bottle pic, which has Greenways Hill across the front in large font, but you get the idea... Planted 510 metres above in 2021 to eight Gamay clones to bring diversity and fill the palate, this is a juicy, slurpable thing that does show its youth. Having said that, strap in for a thrilling ride, because if this is the start of the journey, brace for where things are headed. Fine, with a greeny tinge on opening as a result of its youth, I can see this bringing the hype as the vines mature. Awash with purple fruits and blueberries, there is a delicate lick of Campari that oozes appeal. The mouthfeel is lacey which heightens its approachability, and particularly on the second and third day of tasting, those gree
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Lane's End Cabernet Franc 2024
My first look at a Cabernet Franc from the Macedon Ranges. Sourced from a nearby grower as the estate vineyard is planted to Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, now 40 years old. The fruit sees 14 months in French oak (15% new). It shows that leafy trait that the Cabernet family tends to do, and it absorbs my attention probably more than it should. That green astringency is a bit off-putting initially, delivering herbal and green capsicum things. Blackberries, blackcurrants and a faint flicker of raspberries do their best to swim against the tide, not to mention some dried purple flower aromas, but they can't get out and shake it off. Some acidity pokes out with puckering tannins that are youthful. I suspect this needs more time to fuse together. 88/100 Region: Macedon Ranges RRP: $40 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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St Johns Wine Tweed River Shiraz 2023
A super buy for 20 bucks, this St Johns Wine Tweed River Shiraz struts with a cool climate-like Shiraz swagger. Brooding and tightly wound on first pour, it opens with an array of dark fruits. Think blackberries, dark cherries and plums that gradually reveal a gentle cola lift with some air. The palate shifts confidently into savoury territory, where notes of meat jus and cured meats add depth and intrigue. Layers of dark chocolate and finely handled oak frame the fruit, while a subtle granite-like minerality lends precision. A dusting of black pepper spice carries through the finish, enhancing the wine’s complexity. Structurally, it is firm and composed, with tightly knit tannins and a line of persistent acidity that keeps the profile fresh and energetic. Still youthful, it has the balance and concentration to evolve gracefully, rewarding cellaring over the next 5 to 8 years. A big tick from me. 91/100 Region: Blackwood Valley RRP: $20 Source: Sample Winery We
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Bridgetown Winery Redtale 2024
This Bridgetown Winery Redtale is a great drink that screams for yiros, burgers and anything in between. Give it some time to breathe and the attractive aromatic lift will whisk you away. A blend of Barbera, Tempranillo and Shiraz (40/40/20), all parcels were co-fermented. I love the vibrancy of the red and purple berries and the structure the Shiraz brings to tie it together. Some cola, dark chocolate, puffs of earthiness and pan juices all put their shoulder to the wheel. Woodsy spices, a touch of five spice and some fruit bun spices elevate its appeal on close. It's a terrific drink and one that I would enthusiastically recommend. 92/100 Region: Blackwood Valley RRP: $30 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Nannup Estate Phillip Stanley Chardonnay 2021
Nannup Estate's flagship Chardonnay rises to the occasion, delivering a wine of depth, character and one to cellar with confidence should you have the patience to do so. The fruit was machine-harvested and pressed to barrel where it remained for ten months. The best barrels were selected for this wine before blending. Generous yellow stonefruit sits at the core, partnered by an array of interest. Think lemon zest, key lime pie, pineapple husk and dehydrated mango with ribbons of pastry creaminess flowing through with ease. Roasted cashews and nougat rise up with time in the glass finishing with oak spices, cinnamon spiced pears and a tense acidity. Quality stuff, particularly for those who enjoy richer, oaky styles of Chardonnay. 93/100 Region: Blackwood Valley RRP: $51 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Beulah Chardonnay 2023
If a rich, oak-driven style of Chardonnay is your thing, head on over this way. Beulah Wines hail from Western Australia's Blackwood Valley, just inland from Margaret River. Dehydrated peach, peaches and cream, this is definitely on the yellow fruit spectrum. Lemon curd gets amongst the action with cashews and gingerbread adding some savoury interest. Warming and mouthfilling, woodsy spices linger long on a persistent finish. Of note, the acidity creeps up high on the palate and refuses to loosen its grip. It feels quite muscular and aggressive to close, perhaps some more bottle age will do the trick? 88/100 Region: Blackwood Valley RRP: $28 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Sunnyhurst Winery Viognier 2025
Delightful, attractive and most approachable, this is a fruit-driven Viognier sure to please. It's my first look at a wine from the Blackwood Valley's Sunnyhurst Winery, and it has made a most positive impression. Scents of yellow flowers, yellow-fleshed stonefruit and gingernut biscuit spices get you in the mood. Mazipan, fresh apricots and yellow-fleshed nectarines plant themselves on the palate, framed by those spices that cling to the finish. Armed for long lunches or soaking up the weekend sunshine, the length rolls on with the acidity bringing the mouth the water. A most pleasant drink indeed. 90/100 Region: Blackwood Valley RRP: $28 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Nannup Estate Firetower SMT 2022
I recently received a few wines from the Blackwood Valley's Nannup Estate as I explore the district from the comfort of my east coast abode. Two wines down from this producer and they've delivered two rippers. This Shiraz Malbec Tempranillo nails the brief for great drinking. No information was received about the percentages in the blend, but that almost seems irrelevant when the going is good and the delish factor is high. Crushed purple petals set the tone. It's a wine with a rustic presence but polished with bevelled edges. Plums, mulberries and blueberries offer plenty of interest and depth with black earth and a notable minerally vibe. A faint eucalyptus note raises its hand with a neat dusting of dark chocolate crumb. Tense tannins soften over a couple of days. Built for food, it will take down some robust protein with ease. A terrific blend and rock-solid example of pleasure all for 28 bucks. 92/100 Region: Blackwood Valley RRP: $28 Source: Sample Winery
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Nannup Estate Rolling Hills Malbec 2022
Smart drinking. A Malbec with great fruit and shape, find me a cozy place on a cold night and a generous glass. Plush plummy fruit leads the way with ripe mulberries and hints of blueberries framing the edges adding lift. Beneath the fruit lies an earthy core threaded with fruit bun spices that cling to a persistent finish. Dusty and cocoa tannins are tense and add some chew. Thoroughly enjoyable, this is great stuff. 92/100 Region: Blackwood Valley RRP: $38 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Beulah Wines Shiraz 2023
Singing on the second and third day of tasting, this Blackwood Valley Shiraz from Beulah Wines certainly embraced the opportunity to take a breath and unfurl slowly. Initially quite tense, generous handfuls of plums and blue fruits released their grip. Pan juices, meat rub spices, fruit bun spices and black pepper peel off with ease. It's a wine with a long future ahead, and one I'd love to see in another 5-8 years. Dark chocolate and firm, tightly woven tannins make the last call and cling to a sustained finish. Give it a good decant to drink now or hold with confidence that reward will come. Nicely done and good going for $28. 91/100 Region: Blackwood Valley RRP: $28 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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St Johns Wine Round Puzzle SGT 2022
I read "Shiraz Grenache Tempranillo" on the label, and all I can think of is burgers and pizza. Load up. From the Blackwood Valley region, just inland from Western Australia's Margaret River, this is a 57/22/21 blend. Dense fruit and mouth-filling tannins describe this wine best - armed and ready for those casualmeals. Blackberries and plums are plentiful. Tense through the core with puffs of earth, an array of dried herbs and a slight oak influence, puckering tannins leave their mark, adding some chew. Best enjoyed in the medium term, match with food and some footy on the TV for the win. 90/100 Region: Blackwood Valley RRP: $40 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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Bridgetown Winery Barbera 2023
Tasted alongside another Barbera, this Bridgetown release speaks of a heavy oak impact from the first whiff, which detracts from the fruit that does its best to sing. From the Blackwood Valley, just inland from the famed Margaret River region, it is awash with red cherries and blackberry leaf, only to have them drowned out by the oak. The oak brings with it those ski lodge cedar scents which flow through to the palate. Twigs, caramel, Mars bar nuances and woodsy spices gang up and arrest the attention from the fruit. Pare back the oak and unleash the fruit, I say. 87/100 Region: Blackwood Valley RRP: $30 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
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First Drop Wines Moderno Barbera 2023
Bright and touch lighter in the glass than some Barberas I've tasted of late, this release from First Drop Wines pushes its case for a cool evening with a hearty meal. Sourced from the Adelaide Hills, juicy red cherries, plums and energetic blackberries build a respectable fruit profile. Tilled earth, olive tapenade, and tree bark add savoury nuances with a fine mist of soft spices coating the palate. Red apple skin rushes late with crunchy red apple acidity on close. Tense tannins cling to a long finish and tease with a moreish factor. A most enjoyable take on this Piedmont delight. 92/100 Region: Adelaide Hills RRP: $30 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X