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#40-50
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Vinteloper Shiraz 2025
The back label is emblazoned with the words "Not the Shiraz your dad drinks", and it wouldn't be. But I reckon you could convert him over to this ripping expression from Vinteloper. What a cracker! Bunchy and savoury notes set the tone and I'm all in. So expressive and moreish, there is a sip-slow vibe about its swagger, but I can't help but lean into the plums, mulberry compote, shards of dark chocolate and fine sheets of spice that are rippled through the palate. There is a fabulous tension between the fruit density and savoury pleasure that drives through to an elongated finish. Above all, it's that complexity that has me fixated. I'd comfortably categorise this as "Fitzroy piss" - those trendy Fitzroy and Brunswick bars and restaurants would smash through bottles of this stuff all in the name of pleasure and delight. Go here. 93/100 Region: Adelaide Hills RRP: $40 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , Li
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0 views40-502590-94ptsadelaide-hillsshiraz - news
Grant Nash Lunch GSM 2023
Affectionately called the Lunch Wine, this GSM from Grant Nash Wines is a delicious yin and yang balance of fruit and savoury delight. Dark fruit and raspberry rope notes get things moving up front, with layers of cured meats, pan juices, stripped bark and meat rub spices adding complexity and depth. The palate walks with impressive poise and a moreish length that urges another sip. Equally comfortable alongside a charcuterie board or plate of barbecued meats, this is a GSM that delivers flavour, texture and drinkability in equal doses. Big love. Go here. 93/100 Region: McLaren Vale RRP: $40 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0 views40-502390-94ptsblendsgrenachegsm - news
Ballandean Estate Nebbiolo 2024
You could say that this Nebbiolo from Ballandean Estate is an Aussie take on the famed, drink-now Langhe Nebbiolo style. Alluring aromas and savoury complexity capture the essence of the variety. Dried red petals, orange peel and dark cherries lead the charge and are ably supported by cola, char and smokey meats. The palate stays true to the variety with Nebbiolo's signature drying, powdery tannins that provide structure and character without overwhelming its approachability. That floral lift and citrus peel nuance have me circling back. In all, it's a respectable, compelling and authentic take that is ready to drink now to the medium term. Bravo. 92/100 Region: Granite Belt RRP: $44 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0 views40-502490-94ptsgranite-beltnebbiolo - news
Jericho Bracken Vineyard Shiraz 2024
A fair chunk of oak plays its hand with this Jericho Bracken Vineyard Shiraz. I wasn't overly surprised to learn after tasting and compiling this review that this sees 60% new French oak for 14 months. That high percentage is telling, particularly with a rampant coconut oak note. Some menthol gets in on the aroma profile too and refuses to budge. Hmm. Dark plums, blackberries, cherry liqueur, cola, stripped bark and black tea add plenty of character, but it's hard to shake the oak. Perhaps time will help. 91/100 Region: McLaren Vale RRP: $42 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)0 views40-502490-94ptsmclaren-valeshiraz - news
Gilberts Wines Estate Chardonnay 2025
From Mount Barker comes this barrel-fermented Chardonnay from Gilberts Wines. A curious thing that caught my attention was the scents of wet brown paper and a musty note. Odd... Tinned pineapple, bruised golden apple and firm green tea-like phenolics are the driving forces. The palate is clipped and doesn't reach as much as hoped. I'd prefer others, particularly at this price point. 85/100 Region: Mount Barker RRP: $40 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)1 view40-502585-89ptschardonnaymount-barker - news
Grant Nash Grenache 2024
With a persona edging on robust with some generosity, this Grant Nash Grenache opens with a warm, spice-laden frame that sets the tone. Inviting aromas of baked raspberries, red currants and ripe red cherries lead the charge, all wrapped up in a neat parcel that echoes Cherry Ripe slice. Of note, it strikes a mean balance between fruit intensity and a savoury intrigue. Exotic spices weave about the palate with ease offering a neat, rustic, earthy edge. Perhaps this is the splash of Mourvedre talking? Some meatiness tucks in beneath, too. In all, it calls for food and I reckon it would smash burger night with ease. 92/100 Region: McLaren Vale RRP: $40 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)2 views40-502490-94ptsgrenachemclaren-vale - news
Samantha May Chenin Blanc 2025
Another beauty from Samantha May Wines, this Chenin Blanc comes from a place you'd least expect - Gundagai. Fermented in a clay amphora, it sees time in a mix of seasoned Austrian and French oak. Expressive aromas from the outset of beeswax, honeysuckle and yellow peach skin get my attention. There is a curiosity that builds with intrigue as I taste, and I get the sense that it is an enigmatic character of sorts, almost resisting full disclosure. A gentle, rich presence is partnered by a restrained drive with almond meal, pie apple and nougat creaminess building further delight through the palate. It gives off a distinct sense of autumnal appeal with a green apple-esque crunch on close. Not to be outdone, subtle tonic edge extends the textural appeal, reaching long through to a moreish and contemplative finish. And that's precisely it, it's a wine of complexity, interest and contemplation. Beautifully done. 93/100 Region: Gundagai RRP: $42 Source: Sample Winery Websi
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)2 views40-502590-94ptschenin-blancgundagai - news
Arila Gardens Moppa GSM 2024
From the Moppa sub-region of the Barossa comes this Arila Gardens GSM ready to snuggle up to on a winter's night. Grown at 300 metres above sea level on a mix of ironstone and quartz soils, the vine material contributing to this blend is up to 130 years of age. A blend of 64/34/2, the fruit is sourced from two sites. A vivid purple hue greets the eye with a core of mulberries, blueberries and cherry fruit, not to mention a neat raspberry cameo. Silky with a terrific shape, savoury nuances from cola, soy, black tea and puffs of earthiness play respectable supporting roles. Dusty tannins are scattered through a sustained finish - that length is certainly a highlight and demands another sip. Once again, a great release from winemaker Adam Clay. 93/100 Region: Barossa RRP: $45 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)2 views40-502490-94ptsbarossagrenachegsm - news
Samantha May Nebbiolo 2025
Wines like this from Samantha May are why I love doing what I do. Is it the best Nebbiolo I've ever had? No. But do I want to keep on topping up my glass? Hell yes! Based in Mudgee, Samantha Sutherland is behind her label Samantha May Wines, sourcing fruit from a few regions around New South Wales. This Nebbiolo comes from Gundagai, a region not known for producing Grand Cru wines, and perhaps that's the perception we need to change in this Australian wine landscape. If the soil is right, the climate is good and the making is great, does it matter? Importantly, though, this wine needs a decant. I say that because when I opened it and tasted it immediately after a few swirls, a potato sack and damp type aroma arrested my attention and focus. I was looking at a number of wines at the time, so I parked it for the next day and what a metamorphosis it underwent! Silky, dancy and damn delicious. Woah! Layered with interest, think cherries and cherry pips, red plums, orange peel, black
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)2 views40-502590-94ptsgundagainebbiolo - news
Head Wines Old Vine Grenache 2024
A blend of three sites with significant age, this is an excellent expression of Barossa Grenache. Sourced from a dry-grown 1940s block in Pewsey Vale with smaller contributions from the 1880s planted Riebke site in Ebenezer and the 1858 planted Stonegarden site in Springton, this is certainly a great exercise in the sum of the parts. Awash with juicy and vibrant red fruit, red currants, raspberries and squishy blueberries make their mark. Time in the glass sees raspberry rope, rhubarb and orange peel emerge. Dangerously silky, a smattering of fine exotic spice reaches long onto a persistent and seductively moreish finish. For 40 bucks, this is a beauty. Bravo! 94/100 Region: Barossa RRP: $40 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)2 views40-502490-94ptsbarossagrenache - news
Lyons Will Élevage Riesling 2025
Winemaker Renata Morello suggests that this is "for the Riesling lover as it is all about texture and depth of flavour". She is not wrong either - the interest is captivating. Wild fermented in seasoned oak and seeing full malo, it spends nine months on lees. My interest is piqued on opening with scents of lemon myrtle, lemon sherbet, concentrated lemon juice and lemon cordial. These flow onto the palate delivering a thought-provoking mouthfeel and a delightful cleansing acidity. Off-dry with 7.6g/L of residual sugar, the balance and poise demonstrate this producer's class. Plonk a bottle on the lazy Susan and this will annihilate the banquet at a Chinese restaurant. 93/100 Region: Macedon Ranges RRP: $45 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and X
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)2 views40-502590-94ptsmacedon-rangesriesling - news
Arila Gardens Moppa Saperavi 2024
If this Saperavi is posing the question, then a Bistecca steak laid over glowing coals is the answer. Just let the char, heft and primal swagger meet head on as you sit back and indulge. At first, on opening, it needed a little coaxing to come and play. Blueberries emerge alongside purple florals and a dried violet perfume. Give it some time and it unfurls like a silk sheet drawn slowly across a table. A fine thread of spice draws out quietly without raising its voice. Plums and blue fruits do their work in the background with a fine dried herb cameo. Voluptuous tannins add flex with their powdery texture as they dry out ever so gently. In all, it's not as expressive as the debut 2022 Saperavi from Arila Gardens that came across this tasting bench, but it's a most respectable drink and demands attention in its own right. 92/100 Region: Barossa RRP: $45 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow: Instagram , LinkedIn and
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)3 views40-502490-94ptsbarossasaperavi - news
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
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)2 views40-502490-94ptsgrenachemclaren-vale - news
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
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)2 views40-502390-94ptsbarossagrenache - news
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
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)5 views40-502290-94ptsblackwood-valleyblendscabernet-sauvignon - news
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
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)3 views40-502595ptsbarossagrenache - news
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
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)3 views40-502595ptsbarossamataro - news
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
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)4 views40-502590-94ptsgamaymacedon-ranges - news
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
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)3 views40-502485-89ptscabernet-francmacedon-ranges - news
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
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)4 views40-502290-94ptsblackwood-valleyblendsgrenache - news
Wild Game The Duke Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Quite the pocket dynamo, these Wild Game The Duke Cabernets walk with a gracious humility, and you can't help but lean in that little bit closer. And do I need to mention value? This was $40 over a decade ago, and yet the quality continues to elevate, but the price does not. Winning! Already with six years young, this is excellent buying for the asking price. Coonawarra Cabernet is superb when in the zone and this is a perfect example. I suspect it would be twice the price (at least) from a more 'trendy' region... Composed, silky and lacy, dried thyme, sage, green olives, salt bush and dried petals diffuse in unison, delivering a wine of moreishness and immense satisfaction. Dark chocolate and dried mint leaves flank a core of blackberries and blackcurrants. It's a wine that reveals itself slowly yet carries a proud confidence without being exuberant. An excellent Cabernet, it's well worth getting on your radar. 95/100 Region: Coonawarra RRP: $40 Source: Sample Winer
by noreply@blogger.com (Unknown)4 views40-502095ptscabernet-sauvignoncoonawarra