There are four tiny patches of vine at Scotchman's Hill, which have been mollycoddled by Robin Brockett, since the start of his tenure as chief winemaker in the 1980s. Excruciatingly limited after a strict pruning and rigorous sorting of fruit, they each yield a mere hundred cases of wine. Brockett has set aside the precious harvests of these superior blocks for his own label, a personal project to hand craft the finest of vintage, an exclusive range of the Bellarine's most elite single vineyard efforts. So besotted is Brockett by the spectacular quality of fruit from these four regal parcels, he has imported two 800 Litre Tuscan vinification..
Brockett begets the best of bellarine»
Clonakilla are one of our nation's most eminent vineyard wineries, a tiny production operation, established by a CSIRO scientist at Murrumbateman, very near Canberra. It turned out to be a fortuitous planting, with a climate not dissimilar to Bordeaux and northern Rhone, the Clonakilla property now occupies a rank next to the mighty Grange on the prestigious Exceptional Langtons Classification, it yields vintages of Australia's most invaluable Shiraz. At $26.99, the estate's entry level belies its stature and excellence within the pantheon of great Australian wine, an essential experience this week for all enthusiasts, a canny choice for shrewd and..
Here's what our most picky pundits prefer»
Returning to his home along the Nagambie Lakes after the completion of service during World War II, Eric Purbrick discovered a cache of wine, hidden circa 1876 under the family estate cellars. Though pale in colour, it was sound and drinkable after seven decades. The promise of long lived red wine inspired Purbrick to establish new plantings at Chateau Tahbilk in 1949, today they are some of Victoria's oldest productive Cabernet Sauvignon vines. Having barely scraped through the ravages of phyloxera and a period of disrepute, the fortunes of Tahbilk were turned around by Purbrick who was the first to market Australian wine under its varietal name...
Phyloxera, ancient cellars & seriously old vines»
At latitude 45 degrees south, Central Otago is the southernmost wine region in the world. Snow topped mountains, rocky ranges and dry tussock hills, a place of climatic extremes, bitterly cold winters, parched soils and discouragingly poor fertility. Designed by the angels in heaven for sublime and stupendous vintages of Pinot Noir. At the very epicentre of the most desirable confluence in Central Otago microclimes is Nanny Goat Vineyard. Conspicuous for her serious weight of fruit, splendid structure and chewy, textural palate, Nanny Goat make a magnificently endowed style, offering the understated power and presence to accompany gourmet game..
That's perfect for porterhouse»