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With its pale straw color and fresh, crisp character, Santa Margherita Valdadige Pinot Grigio is celebrated for its vibrant acidity and lively fruit flavors. Clean, fresh, very pure with intense aromas, strong fruit on the palate, good body and an almost creamy texture make Santa Margherita’s Pinot Grigio a wine of great personality and versatility.

Crafted in a fresh, elegant, restrained style, the wine exhibits a golden yellow color with green hues, offering an enticing nose of stone fruit, honey, nuts, and brioche. On the palate, it is medium to full-bodied with vibrant, tense acidity, leading to a long, mineral-driven finish.

Tim Atkin: 96Pts; James Suckling: 94Pts; Wine Advocate: 93Pts

Their Reserve Chardonnay is a fruit-driven and zesty offering that has a medium lemony hue. Attractive aromas of fresh apples, citrus, vanilla and butter circle the nose while the dry, medium – bodied palate overflows with flavours of melon, oak spice and pear balanced by subtle oak notes. The wine ends in a crisp medium finish. Pair it with chicken and creamy fish dishes.

Savoury and red fruited with sweet plum, blackberry and blackcurrant, dark cherry, sage, clove and cola nut. Medium weighted and fine boned with soft cedary tannins and bright acidity. Undertones of leather and dry tobacco leaf emerge subtly through the finish.

Floralis has an unmistakable aromatic perspective that is highly characteristic of its variety, with seductive floral perfumes (rose, geranium, lemon). On the mouth it is voluptuous, concentrated yet delicate with a soft sensuality.

Tom Cannavan: 90Pts

New Zealand produces world-class Chardonnay and Marlborough is at the heart of it all as the country’s premier grape-growing region. Marlborough’s warm days and cool nights create an extended growing season allowing the grapes to develop strong, intense varietal characteristics whilst maintaining a balanced, crisp natural acidity. The result is a sublime expression of fruit purity from Marlborough’s unique cool climate and soils. No wonder its called the world’s coolest Chardonnay.

James Suckling: 90Pts

Pale straw in colour with a lively green tinge. The nose displays freshly crushed grapes, with lemon scents and a hint of musk. The palate is lively and fresh as one would expect from a frizzante style wine. The palate tastes of freshly crushed grapes with just a squeeze of lemon & ginger on the finish. The fruit was picked and pressed cold, in new state of the art bag presses. Juice was left to settle naturally and then racked clean. The wine was fermented cold to retain fresh fruit characters. Fermentation was stopped once a balance was reached between alcohol, sweetness, acidity and bubbles.

Bin 8 has been crafted in the traditional Penfolds style. Ripe, balanced fruit flavours are supported by softly integrated oak resulting in a silky, smooth Red Wine. It was introduced in response to an interest in Cabernet Shiraz blends – a classic Australian wine style that caught the attention of the international wine media. Although Bin numbers were originally named after the original binning location after bottling, Bin 8 was given its number because it uses older oak previously used for Bin 128, Bin 28 and Bin 389 – with ‘8’ obviously providing the common thread.

Boysenberry ice cream flavours flesh out the sumptuous palate, bolstered by Moroccan tagine spices and cumin roasted pumpkin. Earthy spices are rounded out by an invigorating red currant succulence. Tannins are powdery clearly showing the influence of cabernet sauvignon. A very focussed wine with plenty of flesh ably supported by well integrated oak.

Fragrant dark fruits with hints of red cherry and spicy oak. Fruit driven palate, blackberry and cherries with hints of vanilla oak.  Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon make wonderful partners in traditional Australian blend. The spiciness of the Shiraz and berry flavours of the Cabernet Sauvignon make for a harmonious blend. Harvested at optimum flavour ripeness, then fermented on skins with some American oak.

Brilliant peach skin. Red berries and pit fruits on the nose, and a floral nuance in the background. Silky and open-knit, showing good depth as well as energy to the red currant and nectarine flavors, which pick up a refreshingly bitter orange zest quality on the back half. Finishes long and juicy, with a repeating floral note and subtle grip. Flavorful and intense on the medium- to full-bodied palate yet so very restrained and elegant. Super-value wine as always.

James Suckling: 92Pts; Wine & Spirits Magazine: 91Pts; Tom Cannavan: 90Pts

A classic, well-balanced Franciacorta, pleasantly fresh and crisp. Perfect for any occasion. This beautiful sparkling wine shows a unique aromatic profile with spicy notes of spearmint and fresh oregano leaf. Beyond those vertical aromas are heavier tones of stone fruit, honeydew melon and blanched almond.  Ideal aperitif and its elegant texture pairs well with an assortment of seafood, delicate charcuterie, soft cheese and hors d’oeuvres

Bin 2 was first released in 1960, yet was discontinued in Australia in the 1970s at the height of the White Wine boom. The original Bin 2 was an ‘Australian Burgundy’ style (despite its Rhone varieties) – typically a soft, medium-bodied wine based on Shiraz. The Bin 2 blend of Shiraz and Mataro is still relatively uncommon in Australian table wines.

Also known as Monastrell or Mourvedre, Mataro was introduced to Australia in the 1830s. Sometimes used in fortified wine production, this grape is widely planted in the Barossa Valley. It is greatly valued by winemakers for its blending attributes, adding complexity and palate grip. Interest in Bin 2 has grown as the popularity of traditional Rhone varieties and blends continues to flourish. t’s bold and dark, creamy and concentrated, with blackberried fruit, suede-like notes, clove and vanilla cream all laid on. This wasn’t bottled at the time of the annual tasting so a review bottle was sent: I opened it and promptly polished off more than I’d care to responsibly admit. It has both heaviness and heat but it swooshes through the mouth with confidence and ease.

James Suckling: 97Pts; Decanter: 97Pts; Wine Enthusiast: 96Pts; Guia Penin: 94Pts; Wine Advocate: 93Pts; Wine Spectator: 92Pts

A classic, well-balanced Franciacorta, pleasantly fresh and crisp. Perfect for any occasion. This beautiful sparkling wine shows a unique aromatic profile with spicy notes of spearmint and fresh oregano leaf. Beyond those vertical aromas are heavier tones of stone fruit, honeydew melon and blanched almond.  Ideal aperitif and its elegant texture pairs well with an assortment of seafood, delicate charcuterie, soft cheese and hors d’oeuvres

Elegant lively floral, white flowers, and nuance of nougat. Brioche-like fruit with hazelnut and white peach. Soft creamy flavours with balanced acidity and texture.  Flint, citrus and floral notes on the nose. Gently textured palate, savoury, chalky phenolics, hints of nuts, great balance of variety and region.

Dark, garnet colour with purplish reflections. On the nose, notes that are both meaty, sanguine (blood oranges) and juicy. A lightly roasted smoky touch (mocha) blends with a hint of leather. On the palate, this blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache gives a powerful, fleshy but perfectly harmonious wine. This ruby red is especially appreciated to accompany traditional cuisine: stew, blanquette and certain fish such as sea bream, sea bass as well as with cheeses.  

Wine Enthusiast: 92Pts
Certified Organic & Biodynamic

Medium to full-bodied, the palate has jaw-dropping elegance and depth, offering up layer upon layer of fragrant red and black fruits plus an extraordinary array of mineral sparks, supported by a rock-solid grainy texture, finishing with epic persistence and an edifying perfume. This is a very different style from the rich, opulently hedonic 2015, yet this wonderfully fragrant, beautifully poised and intellectually compelling 2016 is equally extraordinary.