TAMAR RIDGE KAYENA VINEYARD PINOT NOIR 2008

- Tamar Valley, TAS

- $20-$32

- Screwcap

- 14.0%alc

Although Tasmanian pinot noir still has its doubters, its positive development can be measured as much by the quality of the state's cheaper wines as by its more expensive. For $20 on discount, Tamar Ridge's Kayena showed what good, cheap Tassie pinot can really achieve with a delicious 2007 release (93pts).

Clear bright-crimson, this musky, floral and sweetly fruited north Tasmanian pinot noir reveals a ripe varietal perfume of raspberries, cherries, purple plums and stalk with lesser nuances of white pepper and seasoned vanilla oak also evident. Bestowed with a brittle, acidic backbone which should settle down with short term cellaring (typical of the state), its uncomplicated palate presents a light-medium bodied balance of soft raspberry, cherry, earth and white pepper flavours with moderate length, lingering sour-edged aspects and a prickly finale.

ü Simultaneously varietal and quaffable (if that's even possible!), the 2008 Kayena represents another great entry point into Tasmanian pinot noir from the label. It's even forced me to think of it as a Tasmanian alternative to De Bortoli's 2008 Gulf Station. Drink 2011-2013.

90 points

www.tamarridge.com.au

PENFOLDS RESERVE BIN 08A CHARDONNAY 2008

- Adelaide Hills, SA

- $66-$90

- Screwcap

- 13.0%alc

The Reserve Bin A Chardonnay represents Penfolds' most ardent attempt at a super premium, single region white wine. In a sense, if Yattarna Chardonnay equates to white Grange, then Bin A Chardonnay must equate to being the white RWT (WWT?).

Profoundly worked yet savoury, complex and openly fragrant, Penfolds' Bin 08A announces a deeply hedonistic bouquet that combines peach fuzz and white nectarine fruit aromas with toasty, nutty oak and richly scented leesy, cheesy malolactic and barrel ferment notes. Projecting utter opulence from first touch, its very full, smooth mouthfeel expresses a bold and funky palate absolutely loaded with a complex marriage of fresh, savoury oak and creamy, mineral fruit nuances, which drive with stunning richness in what's practically a tidal wave of flavour. It's absurdly rich, deeply flavoured, long and fat, but if its creamy (yet somewhat austere) acids tightened up a fraction more on the finish it would rate rate even higher.

ü+ If you're a red wine drinker obsessed with big Barossa shiraz, then this could be the best white you ever drink. At this time of year, don't even think about putting it in the fridge. Complex, spectacular and excessive to the nth degree. Drink to 2015.

96 points

www.penfolds.com

OZ WINE TOONS

HOWARD PARK RIESLING 2009

- Great Southern, WA

- $20-$29

- Screwcap

- 12.5%alc

With a now established group of committed producers making great wine, Western Australia's Great Southern continues to gain prominence as a stellar riesling region. Wineries like Plantagenet (Mount Barker) and Frankland Estate (Frankland River) are doing wonderful things to define Great Southern's diverse sub-regional profile, while perhaps the region's best known maker of riesling; Howard Park, continue to make a fine riesling blended across numerous Great Southern districts (Mount Barker and the Porongurups in 2009).

Crystal-clear in both its pale colour and its aroma, Howard Park's 2009 reveals a somewhat subdued fragrance of grapefruit citrus and mineral with pronounced limey accents and a mere hint of chalk. Rather full, juicy and forward for the label, its clean palate presents a pure expression of slightly candied lemon and guava flavours with a chalky undercarriage of limey notes, but it finishes in a rather loose fashion, without the tightening acid structure for which Howard Park has become synonymous.

O Maybe I'm being a bit picky here, because I was looking for a tighter, more linear Howard Park Riesling with a bit more bite. Other than that it's actually a pretty good, if more of a quaffable riesling, which should drink well from now up until the medium term. Drink to 2016.

90 points

www.howardparkwines.com.au

CHARLES MELTON ROSE OF VIRGINIA 2010

- Barossa Valley, SA

- $19-$27

- Screwcap

- 13.0%alc

Barossa favourite Charlie Melton is justifiably recognised as a highly skilled blender; a recognition which is exemplified by the winning combination he's hit on with his very successful Rose of Virginia, one of Australia's most serious roses. The co-fermented 2010 begins with a base of grenache (46%), then adds lesser amounts of cabernet and shiraz, with final touches of pinot meunier and mataro added for spice.

Baring the translucent vivid-fuscia colour of one of Australia's most visually spectacular wines, this mere infant of a rose unloads bright and inviting aromas of glazed cherries, ripe, creamy strawberries and lemon candy with the anticipated influence of youthful confection evident throughout. On the palate it's still a little elemental and quite sweet at this stage, but it does show the deep, smooth, abundant red berry flavours and refreshingly sweet'n'sour citric acids which characterise the label. A bit of air helps the wine out, but a little time (and warmer weather!) will do it wonders.

ü I had a bottle of the 2009 (92pts) about a week ago which was drinking beautifully, much more integrated than this. I'd happily drink that over the next month or so, by which point, the 2010 should be starting to hit its straps as well. Drink to 2011.

89 points

www.charlesmeltonwines.com.au

PETER LEHMANN MARGARET SEMILLON 2004

- Barossa Valley, SA

- $28-$36

- Screwcap

- 11.5%alc

Since switching names from Reserve to Margaret, Peter Lehmann's achieved consistently spectacular results with their flagship Barossa semillon (2002-95pts, 2003-96pts). Has the Barossa's champion finally cracked the Hunter's code?

Mid/light-gold in colour, Peter Lehmann's 2004 Margaret is brightly layered with honeyed, waxy aromas of lanolin and lemon teacake backed by a faint nuttiness and even fainter notes of melon and freshly cut garden herbs. It enters the palate with smooth, rubbery texture, delivering a deeply complex array of buoyant, maturing semillon characters which sit slightly more on the mature side than the youthful. A simultaneously gentle and expressive extract of limey acids coat its lemon curd and beeswax flavours, allowing the wine to finish long, clean, savoury and briney, with a lingering richness of flavour.

ü+ In my opinion the richly flavoured and complex 2004 is maturing a fraction quicker than the previous two Margarets, but let's not forget; this exceptional dry white is Barossa semillon people! Drink to 2015.

94 points

www.peterlehmannwines.com

WINE SERVICE MISTAKES No.38: STORING YOUR GLASSES IN A FRIDGE PACKED WITH AROMATIC FOODS

This actually happened to me at a Thai restaurant on King William Road recently.

Upon arrival at the restaurant I perused its wine list and was extremely pleased to see bottles of Peter Lehmann's 2008 Eden Valley Riesling available for $26. A fine match for Thai food and a bargain to boot - decision finalised!

A minute or so later the waitress promptly returned with said bottle of riesling and two, frosted wine glasses. From sight alone it was evident the glasses had been stored in some sort of fridge, which immediately gave me minor concerns about what temperature the wine was going to be served to us at, but when she placed them in front of us, it was glaringly apparent these empty wine glasses also bared fragrance. She proceeded to pour one glass, leaving the other empty, then exited.

On first sniff the Eden Valley Riesling gave off a cold, muted aroma reminiscent of lemongrass, ginger-root and shallots, with perhaps more minor suggestions of chilli, basil and garlic. Now I'd already drunk several bottles of Peter Lehmann's 2008 Eden Valley Riesling before, none of which, possessed such unusual aromatics. So, with an empty glass sitting next to me, I took the unusual step of smelling it. Yep, it smelled of lemongrass, ginger-root and shallots, with minor suggestions of chilli, basil and garlic. At this point I sipped my riesling, whose true varietal character had been absconded by whatever food and climatic conditions the glass had been sleeping with.

My partner then went to pour herself a glass of riesling, but I quickly stopped her. I told her to get as much water as she could through the glass and to let it aerate. Over the next half an hour I slowly sipped at my chilled-glass riesling, which, with time, air and warmth, was beginning to become more varietal.

I think it was nearly an hour into the night when the riesling and paired glassware really started to shine. Once again with the air, time and warmth applied to it, the glass had returned to a more neutral state, and the riesling started to smell, taste and feel as it should. Eventually it made a stunning compliment to the Thai food; if only the bottom half of the bottle.

SEPPELT CHALAMBAR SHIRAZ 2008

- Grampians/Bendigo, VIC

- $16-$31

- Screwcap

- 13.5%alc

I'm putting my qualms with bottle variation aside for a moment, because it's strikingly apparent that Seppelt's removed the region(s) of origin from the front label of their 2008 Chalambar (although the back does state it's primarily sourced from the Grampians and Bendigo). I'm not sure why this change is, but the last thing I'd want to see is my beloved Chalambar relegated to the ranks of cross-regional generic Victorian shiraz.

Radiantly coloured with bright magenta hues, it's cleanly scented with a floral, violet infused aroma which effortlessly marries dark plums, ripe forest berries and chocolate/mocha oak with a concealed note of cured meat. Medium-full bodied yet sumptuously flavoured, it's smooth and harmonious, with ripe, slightly juicy flavours of black plums, redcurrants and blackberries marked by creamy cedar oak and hints of white pepper, which drive the wine towards a balanced finish coated in fine, ripe tannins. Its generous flavour through restrained alcohol is a plus.

ü+ Bottle variation and new labelling aside, this is a deliciously bright and exuberant Chalambar of considerable finesse and approachability. Drink to 2018.

92 points

www.seppelt.com.au

MESH RIESLING 2009

- Eden Valley, SA

- $22-$31

- Screwcap

- 12.0%alc

mesh could be considered something of a modern day Australian super wine. Its decorated achievement is the combined efforts of two doyens of Australian riesling; Jeffrey Grosset of Grosset and Robert Hill-Smith of Yalumba, a pair of guys who know more about making riesling than reality shows do blunders.

Attractively limey on first sniff, the 2009 mesh unravels a fine, floral presentation of apple blossom, chalk, wet slate and mineral aromas. Packed with mineral accented, green apple and lime citrus flavour, it's initially quite upfront and rich for Eden Valley riesling, but it extends agreeably down the palate with tightening, drying length and an even coverage of well defined, chalky citric acids underscored by lingering grapefruit/lime juice qualities.

ü+ For $25 it's always a pleasure to taste Jeffrey Grosset toying with Eden Valley riesling. Drink to 2017.

92 points

www.meshwine.com

A SIMPLE SALES PITCH...

... had me sold.