ASHTON HILLS ESTATE PINOT NOIR 2008

- Adelaide Hills, SA

- $40-$53

- Screwcap

- 14.5%alc

I recall having a chat with Ashton Hills' Stephen George about 18 months ago, who told me he was unsure if the fruit quality from 2008 would justify a reserve level pinot noir release. Taking that into account, he's done a fantastic job with both of his premier pinots from the hot 2008 vintage. The 2008 Estate even won 'Best Pinot Noir' at the 2009 Australian Cool Climate Wine Show.

Even with the season's limitations, Stephen George has managed to craft an Adelaide Hills pinot noir with a right army of aromatic suggestions. It's at once joyously ripened, wild, fragrant, meaty, earthy and herbal, with sweetly fruited notes of darker cherries supported by a gracing of spearmint and a spicy vanilla oak influence that's fractionally restrained by the standards of a young Ashton Estate (no new oak). Its natural pinot noir depth and seduction are attractive high points. The palate is initially supple yet straight forward to commence, evolving with sappy, then dark and meaty flavours that become more herbal and spicy with progression. To finish, there's a wonderfully lithe acid/tannin structure whose subtlety and grace contradicts its hot year, but it could use more dryness, grip and physical coarseness for my tastes.

ü A very tasty, well crafted pinot noir whose physical impression is a touch simple to have been truly great. It's still yards better than what I'd expect from most makers of Adelaide Hills pinot noir though. Drink to 2014.

91 points

FIRE GULLY SHIRAZ VIOGNIER 2008

- Margaret River, WA

- $25.90

- Screwcap

- 14.5%alc

For the first time in 2008 Pierro's Mike Peterkin has added viognier to his Fire Gully Shiraz. He hasn't been too shy about it either, co-fermenting a rather generous 9.7% of the white grape into the blend.

With its hefty viognier component I wasn't sure what to expect from this Margaret River shiraz. Optimistically; intensely aromatic, floral, musky and spicy. Pessimistically; something else. What I can say is that after an hour in the glass it's surprisingly withdrawn, a touch rustic and meaty on the nose, as it presents a baked apricot-lead fragrance of plums, licorice and stewed rhubarb with a smaller degree of secondhand smoky, spicy oak. On the palate it seems thin and hollow, circling the mouth without truly exploring the desired depths of the mid-palate. It's essentially light-medium bodied but its elegantly styled weight doesn't transfer over to an elegant feel, and although there's some plausible black cherry and apricot skin flavours, I still hold concerns over the wine's brightness and its rather disjointed, tart finish and structural elements.

X All-up, Fire Gully's 2008 doesn't really add up, but this is a Margaret River shiraz viognier I'm talking about here. Drink to 2012.

86 points

www.pierro.com.au

TEUSNER THE DOG STRANGLER (MATARO) 2009

- Barossa Valley, SA

- $20-$29

- Screwcap

- 14.5%alc

Kym Teusner's popularity and confidently styled Barossa reds find him reaching an ever increasing audience of fine wine drinkers. His 2009 Dog Strangler Mataro was recently awarded an impressive 7.5/10 by Sean Mitchell at Grape Observer, as well as finding its way into Red's Top 5 of 2010.

Straight off the bat this wine unleashes a very ripe fragrance strongly beset with plum skins, prunes and violets, but give it an hour in the decanter and it becomes deeper, more savoury/complex and better integrated. With time a richly scented tone of melted chocolate emerges, complementing its black plum and raisin aromas alongside a wonderfully rustic punch of mataro-induced turned earth and ground spice. It smells ripe yet smooth and measured, beautifully reflecting old-vine fruit depth and Barossa plushness. Perhaps surprisingly so considering its regional/varietal make-up, the palate elegantly introduces itself as medium-bodied and as silky as a nice pair of lady's knickers. It's particularly deep, smooth and rich in juicy dark fruits through the front and middle sections, but its crowning achievement is the way it advances with savoury, spicy and rustic complexity towards an extremely long, utterly impressive finish, graced by a moderately dry dusting of ripe tannins. Length of fruit is fantastic.

ü+ I haven't been this enthused by a straight Barossa mataro since Torbreck's $185 2005 The Pict (95pts). The high quality of the old-vine fruit in Teusner's 2009 Dog Strangler is plain to see, but it's the control of this important resource, implemented by truly complementary winemaking, that makes this wine so universally delicious. Drink to 2017.

92 points

www.teusner.com.au

A FINE ACCOMPANIMENT TO BAROSSA MATARO

Charcoal grilled T-Bone steaks (portable Weber).

Cooked and enjoyed whilst watching a most un-South Australian summer-like lightning storm, on the night of December 7, 2010.

JANSZ PREMIUM VINTAGE CUVÉE 2005

- Pipers River, TAS

- $36-$45

- Cork

- 12.5%alc

The quality of Jansz Tasmania's entry level sparkling wines have been so good over recent years, that I've often overlooked the brand's premier releases. This oversight was given a serious shake-up recently, when I tasted the spectacular 2002 Late Disgorged Jansz (95pts).

The complexity of Jansz's 2005 Vintage perplexes me. Its character laden fragrance is seriously funked up and wild; lashing out with rebelling notes of tangerine citrus woven through cream, toasted nuts and brioche, but there's also a riper, richer fruit component better resembling white nectarine, as well as an ethereal aromatic cocktail of oyster shell and melted white chocolate to behold. Its palate is very rich, luxuriantly creamy and round, with a full-on expanse of soft, clean flavours likened to mineral, cream and citrus augmented by oyster shell notes, with this fishy funkiness becoming more apparent in its transition to a more savoury, complex finish. Thankfully, it tightens through the finish in a structured, shell-like fashion, conceived more through tingly acids than refreshing effervescence. Although creamy and foamy, the effervescence could use a lot more sparkle and definition for my tastes.

O Round, clean, foamy and complex, but I'd loved to of seen more effervescent tightness, length and finesse. For me, the 2005 Vintage Jansz has everything the non-vintage release needs to be a spectacular wine, without the attributes that make the standard wine such a belter. Drink to 2012.

91 points

www.jansztas.com

MCWILLIAM'S INHERITANCE CHARDONNAY 2009

- Various, AUS

- $4-$11

- Screwcap

- 13.5%alc

Like its slightly more expensive sister label, Hanwood, McWilliam's Inheritance range offers pretty decent drinking for its recommended retail price of $8. However, having just said that, I usually find chardonnay to be one of the trickier varieties to get right around that price range.

The nose of McWilliam's 2009 Inheritance Chardonnay states something of a pleasant surprise; it's simple yet clean and gently scented with a fragrance of white peach fuzz backed by a lighter note of grilled nuts - no complaints here. On entry to the palate a zippy acidity buzzes in, before forming a lithe, stringy structure around its soft melon and stonefruit flavours, which finish intriguingly bittersweet yet agreeably soft. Cumulatively, these factors provide a relatively fun, clean drinking experience, that despite its simplicity would be hard to fault were it not for a hint of alcohol rearing its head towards the climax.

ü+ For even less than $8 at the major discount chains, McWilliam's 2009 Inheritance Chardonnay makes a great each-way bet as a Monday night cooking/drinking wine. Some for you, some for me... Drink to 2012.

87 points

www.mcwilliams.com.au

HANDY USES FOR A GOOD CHEAP CHARDONNAY #2

Casey's mussels in a creamy white wine sauce.

(For the mussels statisticians out there: 40 mussels purchased, 36 thrown in for steaming and 35 opened)

JOSEPH SPARKLING RED 2010 disgorgement

- McLaren Vale, SA/Various, AUS

- $56-$80

- Cork

- 13.5%alc

After a couple of so-so releases of Black Shiraz (or at least as I've seen it), the Joseph now sits firmly as my most prized sparkling red. Joe Grilli's tall-bottled icon is something of a super cuvée, combining every shiraz Joe's made since the 1980's with a random selection of matured Australian reds from the 1960's and 70's, a hogshead of Joseph's Moda Cabernet Merlot and some fine Australian fortified wines as dosage. Just thinking of this process causes me to envision Joe as a crazed alchemist, cackling away whilst conjuring up his sinister brew.

Immediately proclaiming the combination of maturity and freshness I ultimately seek in sparkling reds, Joseph's spectacular 2010 disgorgement scatters leafy/herbal aromas over charry oak, tobacco, dark cherries and perhaps even animal hide (dry, not damp if that makes any sense), with its collection of fragrant savoury tones communicating complexity and masculinity. The downright delicious palate balances medium weight with imposingly rich, savoury flavours and a very dry structure, as it forages into the mouth with wonderful elegance and complexity, meshing dusty tannins with tickly effervescence to draw out an exceptionally well directed, very long and fine finish, beset with lingering notes of dry herbs and licorice at the climax. I love its savoury elegance, richness and intense dryness.

ü+ Now here's a wine to convert doubters of sparkling reds. It's difficult for me to see how even the most discerning drinker wouldn't like this. Quite literally, it's got it all. Yes! Drink to 2018.

95 points

www.primoestate.com.au

WYNNS CABERNET SHIRAZ MERLOT 2008

- Coonawarra, SA

- $10-$21

- Screwcap

- 14.0%alc

It's true, the Cab/Shiraz/Merlot has traditionally been my least favourite Wynns red (haven't tried that Green Label Cabernet yet though...), but the quality of Coonawarra's 2008 vintage tells me now is as good a time as any to give it another shot.

Deep, dark and rich, the nose of Wynns' 2008 CSM shows 3 layers of aroma as I see it (or smell it). Initially, a punchy presence of dark plums and dates rise to the fore with plenty of gusto, cloaking a middle section reminiscent of smoky old cedar and dried eucalyptus leaf, before spicy touches of clove and white pepper tickle the high tones to conclude. Smooth, rich and practically creamy throughout, the palate is highlighted by a depth and persistence of flavour, as well as an effortless balance I've never encountered from the label before. Luscious dark berry fruit flavours pump through its heart, with a glossy extract of smoothly ripened tannins lifting it to a lengthy finish underlined by notes of cedar and herb. It's very polished throughout and almost rounded; to the point where it could use more edge, but for its low-end price there's absolutely nothing to cry about here.

ü+ On discount, Wynns' 2008 Cab/Shiraz/Merlot is a great value Australian red, pure and simple. Drink to 2018.

90 points

www.wynns.com.au

OZ WINE TOONS