Coonawarra graziers have access to the finest soils for viticulture. Doug Balnaves was born in the very heart of Coonawarra, quite near the sacred cricket pitch at Penola. An accomplished herdsman and shearer, Balnaves took up the challenge of planting vineyards in 1971. Working under the tutelage of legendary Coonawarra winemaker Bill Redman, Balnaves immersed himself in the culture of the vine, ultimately establishing a grande marque of Coonawarra and securing the inaugural presidency of the Coonawarra Vignerons Association. He remains a lifelong member of the Penola Pipe Band. For those who like their wines structured yet satin, powerful yet prettily perfumed, in the mouthfillingly muscular Coonawarra way, the Balnaves brand endures in the tradition of world class vintages grown to..
The old sheep shearer's shanty»
Just a few kilometres north of Lowburn, near the windswept shores of frigid Lake Dunstan, atop the parched and laborious terroirs of Central Otago, a high country merino stud between the Amisfield and Parkburn streams was sown to vineyards two decades ago. Grazing country makes magnificent viticulture, the austere alluvial and glacial schist soils now yield the quality of Pinot Noir which has defined Central Otago as the world's most demonstrable marque in full bodied, intensely complex, yet beguilingly seamless Pinot Noir. The challenging terraces which spiral around the fractious knolls of Amisfield Vineyard, sire a sensational range of wines defined by their affable excellence, sound structure and pristine, penetrating varietal fruit...
Satiations from the nethermost regions»
A multi layered palate of wild piquant raspberries, red licorice wick and frais de bois, dark anise tannins and sasafras oak in support of the textural, weight of fruit. Dan Buckle and Aaron Drummond are Mornington born and bred... More»
A long and balanced mouthfeel with fantastic rich black fruits on the middle palate. A continuation of the evolution in Shiraz from Voyager Estate and Margaret River... More»
Tannin and French oak sweetness on the finely textured palate, bright citrus flavours and luscious tropical acidity, a little fuller with flavour towards the back and middle, finishing clean and lingering on a length of grapefruit nougat notes. It was the compelling efforts of the artisanal Giaconda which placed Beechworth on the map for world class Chardonnay... More»
Restrained chocolate oak behind a complexity of dried fruit characters. An exclusively Strathbogie Ranges Shiraz, most of the grapes come from Rocky Hill Block at Whitegate, with a further component... More»
Soft entry to the palate on a length of compote berries and dried fruit richness, supported by a veneer of oak and ripe grape tannins. Brokenwood release two editions of Pinot Noir each vintage from the eminent Indigo Vineyard at Beechworth... More»
Ripe blackberry fruit palate, currant and red cherry flavours, the savouryness of olive and tobacco. Mike Press knows about red wine, he learned his craft at Penfolds while working alongside the man who created the... More»
Kooyong Estate only make limited editions from tiny blocks of vine, a hectare or less, which yield deeply personal wines, highly eloquent of their terroir, aspect and clime. There are the pebbled ironstone soils of Farrago, which create an uncannily Burgundesque style of Chardonnay, redolent of grapefruits, mealy bran and wet flint. The precious half hectare at Faultline articulates the savouryness of seaweed and struck match. The sheltered lee of Haven Block encourages the grapes to bloom with chewy red jube characters. The windswept parcel at Meres infuses wonderfully perfumed rhubarb and ribena notes into a velvetine tannin structure. All are equally remarkable for their individuality, they speak of little places, husbanded to artisanal winemaking practices, the most wonderful expressions of Mornington...
Venerable vintages from the most precious parcels»
Unico Zelo are an old world style of winemaking co-operative, a congress of Adelaide Hills family growers who take their work seriously, to ensure that their harvests are fashioned into a range of exquisite, artisanally crafted limited edition wines. Italian varietals are the specialty, a class of grapes which grow magnificently within the premier precincts of Adelaide Hills, eco friendly to local flora and fauna, they bloom wonderfully in the parched, unirrigated mesoclimes of native Australia. Made to measure for enthusiasts of the small batch Adelaide Hills style, aficianados of Italianate chic and gourmands at large, the wines of Unico Zelo raise the fruit of dedicated growers to stellar heights, worthy of accompanying the most splendid fare...
The adelaide collective of veteran vignerons»