While the McLaren Vale in South Australia is best known for its ripe spicy berry Shiraz, some vintages from the region also produce very good whites, and 2012 was definitely one of those years. The beauty of the McLaren Vale is that when Mother Nature is kind to the vignerons, you don’t have to pay…
Read more
It seems that Chardonnay has had its day as the white wine of choice for the chic and trendy, and the sun may be setting on Sauvignon Blanc’s stellar run as Australia’s biggest selling varietal. And it may be nothing more than optimism on my part, but I can’t help but think that the stage…
Read more
The Devil’s Lair Chardonnay has always been a wine that is near and dear to my heart, but I can’t help but feel a little jaded since the winemaker, Oliver Crawford, put her once bold and oaky Chardy on a diet. Where once the flavours were full, the texture creamy and the mouth feel buttery…
Read more
There aren’t a lot of Australian made sparkling whites that rival those of the Champagne region in France, but the Hanging Rock Macedon Cuvée XII is certainly one such creature. Being from outside the famous French appellation, we can’t refer to it as “champagne”, but the rich characters, creamy texture and lingering yeastiness bear all…
Read more
South Australia’s McLaren Vale may be best known for its full-bodied reds, but it’s also a region that can also produce a good quality chardy – and at a very reasonable price tag. The 2011 Red Knot Chardonnay is made by Shingleback and hits the shelves at around only $15.00 a bottle. It’s light in…
Read more
I’m not sure why Vasse Felix brand it their “Classic Dry White” as the 2008 version of their Semillon Sauvignon Blanc (S.S.B.) is such a fruit driven and aromatic style that you’d swear it was more Sauvignon Blanc than Semillon! The Margaret River region of W.A. consistently produces great S.S.B., but the 2008 vintage was…
Read more
The fastest growing wine region in New Zealand is the Waipara Valley – situated only about 40 mins north of Christchurch and boasting about 1,200 hectares of vineyards. The climate and geography are ideally suited to fruiting vines, and there is no more obvious beneficiary than the Greystone Sand Dollar Pinot Gris. Where some Pinot…
Read more
Most Sunshine Coasters would know Trevor Harch as a founder of the Evans Harch construction company, but in his “retirement”, he’s apparently exchanged his spirit level and measuring tape for some pruning shears and a tasting glass! Trevor (and wife, Marilyn) have long been Barossa-philes and have recently added to their business interests with a…
Read more
The term ‘Marlborough Sauv Blanc’ has become synonymous with tropical fruit nose, gooseberry and nectarine flavours on the palate and a crisp, clean finish. But while the basics are always the same, there is little doubt that like most things in life, you only get what you pay for! A classic example is the Brancott…
Read more
We’ve always been ‘the Lucky Country’, but if you ever needed to be reminded just how lucky…grab a bottle of the Shingleback 2010 Chardonnay and see for yourself! The wine hails from the McLaren Vale region in South Australia, which is renowned for its uncanny resemblance to the Mediterranean climate with wet winters, dry summers…
Read more