Decanter Star buys 2015: Top 10 wines

Wonderfully complex aromas of fresh dough, roasted nuts and butter. Ripe fruit palate with a rich lemon curd note, along with well integrated oak and balanced sweetness and acidity. Racy and elegant, a stunning and refined modern Chardonnay. Vasse Felix was founded by pioneer Dr Thomas Cullity in 1967 and is now owned by Paul Holmes à Court. It is situated in Margaret River, Australia. It is the founding wine estate of Margaret River. Vasse Felix sits in the Wilyabrup sub-region of Margaret River, with vineyards also located to the north of the region in Carbunup, and to the south, in Karridale, benefit from a micro-climate and natural irrigation. The area has about three main types of soil, a clay based soil, a gravel based type of soil but also a sandy soil. Together, these conditions are ideal for growing Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

<p>The Hill-Smith family&rsquo;s Pewsey Vale vineyard is an extensive and iconic Eden Valley Riesling site. Its finest fruits, from the oldest vines on its coolest slope, are reserved for late release as The Contours. Chief winemaker Louisa Rose has worked at Yalumba since 1992 and has a soft spot for this site and its wines, taking personal responsibility for their production. She plays with both wild and cultured yeasts, but stresses that this wine is really all about the vineyard, where her recent initiatives focus on biodynamics, revegetation for biodiversity and installation of insectariums.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em><strong>Sarah Ahmed </strong></em><br /> Lemon curd, lime cordial, lime-shred marmalade, minerality, and a good underlying acidity/saltiness on the palate. Tight, toasty finish with still a lot to give. A very lime marmalade finish.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em><strong>Justin Knock MW </strong></em><br /> Yum! Creamy, warm and complex with lemon zest lift. Rich and luscious in an atypical Eden Valley style.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong><em>Anthony Rose </em></strong><br /> Classic and rich, with toast, lemon curd and intense Riesling-scented fruit. There&rsquo;s lovely ripe farm butter and peach on the palate, infused with that enticingly evolved toastiness and light touch of honey that makes bottle-aged Riesling so engaging.</p>

<p>Brothers Neil and Andrew Pike celebrated their 30th vintage at Pikes in the Polish Hill River district of the Clare Valley in 2014. The Merle is their top Riesling, the expression of slate soils tapped by mature vines from two blocks in the family vineyard. The brothers&rsquo; attention to detail begins in the vines, with an eco-friendly approach that comes close to organic, including mulching and mid-row cover cropping. Minimalist, modern, temperaturecontrolled winemaking preserves delicacy and vineyard definition.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em><strong>Sarah Ahmed </strong></em><br /> Lifted lychee nose, sweet heady musk characters, a saline note and a firm, tight, mineral palate.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em><strong>Justin Knock MW </strong></em><br /> Pristine and extremely aromatic &ndash; almost soaring out of the glass. Really classy and fine palate, showing balanced, long flavours of lemon and lime, and a softness to the acidity.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em><strong>Anthony Rose </strong></em><br /> Lovely, spring-blossom aromatics. Taut and crisp mid-palate fruit that is concentrated and still elemental, but already showing promising citrus fruit quality with a mineral, stony, dry finish. Lots of potential.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>For its red wines, Viu Manent obtains its fruit from the central area of the Colchagua Valley, where the high temperatures give early maturity and a gentle softness to their wines. For their whites, however, they prefer to buy grapes from closer to the coast, where cold sea breezes enable higher acidity and freshness. This Chardonnay is from Casablanca, 100km north of Colchagua on the coast of the Central Valley, and the marine influence is felt in the wine&rsquo;s bright acidity, surrounded by ripe white fruit flavours. It&rsquo;s a voluptuous, round and unctously ripe Chardonnay that still shows an elegant side.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em><strong>Patricio Tapia </strong></em><br /> This is round and sexy, with luminous acidity to balance beautifully with the with super-ripe fruit.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><em><strong>Dirceu Vianna Jr MW </strong></em><br /> Classy and seductive with profound mineral and flinty edges combining with notes of vibrant and citrus fruits as well as fresh dough. Pleasant texture and savoury flavours, with a mouthwatering finish. Elegant and delicate Chardonnay.</p>

Fresh green fruit, herbs and hint of wood smoke on the nose. This follows on to honey, beeswax and very pleasant nutty flavours with greengage and lime to compliment. Focused, long and refreshing with a creamy texture.