We bring you 10 top wines from the recent Australian day tastings. There's everything here, from Margaret River Chardonnay and Tiger Country Tempranillo to a Barossa PX. LAST WEEK: Rosé Champagnes NEXT WEEK: Top 10 wines at the French Decanter Fine Wine Encounter
Leeuwin, Prelude Vineyards Chardonnay, Margaret River 2006
Expressive aromas of ripe pears and grapefruits with some creamy character from the French oak. Vibrant acidity with lots of ripe but elegant white fruits. Well-balanced structure with a long finish.
£15-19.99 – Domaine Direct
Jeffrey Grosset, Picadilly Chardonnay 2006
Jeff Grosset is one of the most talented producers in Australia. The wine displays some lemony aromas with hint of tropical fruits. The palate is concentrated and rich but it’s supported by a vivid acidity and a tight structure.
£23.95 – Noel Young Wines; Oz Wines; Winedirect.co.uk; Liberty Wines
The Lane Viognier, Adelaide Hills 2007
Not a typical style of Australia Viognier; the aromas are refined and elegant with notes of lime and apricot fruits. The palate is complex and structure with a punchy acidity, elegant creamy aromas on the finish.
£16.99 – Corney & Barrow
Eagle Vale Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc, Margaret River 2006
The 2 grapes compliment each other very well and offering zesty citrus fruits with complex tropical aromas. Zesty acidity with lots of weight on the palate with some minerality on the finish.
£10.49 – Corney & Barrow
PHI, Chardonnay, Yarra Valley 2006
Collaboration between De Bortoli and Shelmerdine, this is a Chardonnay polished to a high sheen. The almond-sprinkled Chardonnay nose leads on to a silky, concentrated palate, with fleshy fruit and well integrated oak marrying together very well.
£22.99 – Oddbins
Turkey Flat Vineyards, Mourvèdre 2006
This rare unblended Mourvèdre from Australia is Turkey Flat’s first varietal wine. Produced in the Barossa Valley, the only area in Australia where Mourvèdre can ripen fully, the wine has a very deep colour with some rich black fruit and spice. Full-bodied on the palate with firm tannins and supported by lots of black fruits and some gamey charcaters. A wine to enjoy with food.
£15-19.99 – Mentzendorff
McHenry Hohnen Vintners, Tiger Country Tempranillo Petit Verdot Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Cabernet and Tempranillo is not an uncommon blend, but married with Petit Verdot, it is quite unusual. The 3 grapes are in perfect harmony, displaying red berry fruits with some spice and hint of chocolate. The palate is round and soft but with a punchy acidity (from the Petit Verdot) and the complexity and full bodied structure of the Cabernet. This unusual blend offers a new fruit profile experience.
£10-15 – Louis Latour
John Duval Wines, Entity, Barossa Valley 2006
John Duval made his name as the winemaker of Grange. There is a classic Barossa characters, but it’s well harnessed, with plenty of crunch, definition, and notes of pepper, truffle, violets and cocoa-dusted fruit.
£20.99 – Harper Wells; Oz Wines; Schmitt Sohne; Swig; Wimbledon Wine Cellars; Noel Young
D’Arenberg, the Feathered Dinosaur Cabernet Sauvignon, McLaren Vale 2004
This is a very good example of a McLaren Vale Cabernet; very dense and powerful with some cassis fruit concentration. The palate is smooth and rich but supported by a balanced acidity. Good depth of fruit on the finish.
£17.99 – Tesco
Turkey Flat Vineyards, Pedro Ximenez NV
Renowned for producing fine wines in Jerez, Pedro Ximenez (or PX) can really excel in other part of the world. Intense marmalade aromas with some sweet spice and dried figs. The palate is lusciously rich with some pure marmalade and dried figs characters, very long, sweet and rich finish but with a good freshness.
£15- 19 – Mentzendorff
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