This is the first vintage of Roux Beauté. Complex nose of waxed lemons, dried flowers, beeswax and thyme. Textured and phenolic, with a medium to full body, waxy texture and vibrant acidity. Lots of energy and drive. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink now. Screw cap.

This is the first vintage of this white Rhone blend. Chamomile, beeswax, apricots, lemons and white grapefruits. Round and textured, with some phenolic tension. Full-bodied yet fresh and sleek. Hint of gingery spice at the end. 50% grenache blanc, 25% roussanne, 12% clairette, 9% piquepoul, 4% bourboulenc. 59% skin contact in amphora between 90 and 126 days. Drink now. Screw cap.

A crisp and fresh white with notes of sea shells, lemons, green apples and white grapefruits. Medium body with sharp acidity. Nicely textured with saline freshness. Bring on the oysters! From biodynamically grown grapes. Delicious now. Screw cap.

Siduri Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2020 is a superb entry-level pour into the delicious world of Siduri pinot noir. Elegant, easy drinker, an ideal introduction to pinot. Lacks great complexity and depth, but still punches above its weight at its admirable QPR. You want more, Siduri can supply with its single-vineyard effort.

Herbaceous, bright fresh fruit, firm structure, youthful, interesting next to the others, more focused. The subconscious mind instinctively steers the conscious mind toward the next glass. Would love to taste it again as it matures.

Darker forest fruit, great intensity and silky but present structure. Long and enjoyable despite the challenges of the climate this year.

Youthful tannin, primary fruit - blueberry, mint, sage, a little fresh tobacco leaf coming through but distinctly young.

Bright open fruit, se flowers, cherry.
Smooth silky structure. Longer fruit.

Dark berries, cocoa, succulent tannin, fine, velvety. An elegant fine wine.

Rich purity of berry/cherry and sweet spices. Complex, juicy chewy tannin, again youthful.

Roses, herbaceous notes, darker fruits, cherry and damson. A little zing of freshness on the palate. Accessible and interesting.

Dark fruit, fruits of the forest, still youthful but complexing factors, coffee bean, savoury and retaining a bright/fresh finish. Deliciously more-ish.

Aromas of red fruit, violets, savoury component. Red juicy, fresh tannin, light footed-finish.

Bigger fruit, hotter vintage wine, chewier, still powerful. Long.

Deeper blackcurrant, blueberry, green pepper, aromas - juicy tannins, fresh finish, leaves me wanting.

Young purple hue. Floral and red berry fruit perfume with some cacao and vanilla. Youthful juicy tannin, modern vibrant contemporary style.

Top 12 Cabernet Sauvignons of 2022
From grapes grown on the rocky red slopes of Mount Veeder, this is mountain Cabernet Sauvignon at its very best. With an extremely deep purple-black colour, the wine shows dense black fruits backed by toasty, almost ‘tar-like’ accents and delicate rose-petal and baking spices overlay. Rich, full-bodied, layered and complex with great definition and length. Compelling now, with roast venison, for example, but one can only imagine how well it will age.

An elegant and refined chardonnay, which is also surprisingly voluptuous! Classic Yarra characters of fresh melon and citrus flavours on the nose, underpinned with notes of marzipan & hazelnut. Located in Victoria’s Yarra Valley, Giant Steps is recognised as a global benchmark for cool climate Chardonnay. The winery is one of the most progressive in Australia and is known for its pursuit of site expression.

A very elegant Pinot with sweet ripe juicy strawberries and red cherries, and very fine tannins on the finish. A match for mushroom risotto, roast duck.

Wine Of The Week: 2018 Lassègue Saint-Emilion Grand Cru A special-occasion Bordeaux with a surprisingly affordable price point. Bordeaux needs little introduction, and neither does Saint-Émilion–a wee wine region within Bordeaux’s boundaries that produces otherworldly reds. One of the newest additions to the region’s Grand Cru Classé status is Lassègue, the flagship wine of Château Lassègue made predominantly with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. It’s young right now, but shows wild potential, with juicy notes of plum, blackberries, and chocolate, and undertones of earth. Powerful but vibrant and ripe. While other bottles from the region can command staggering price tags, Lassègue Saint-Emilion Grand Cru is still eminently affordable at just $60 per bottle. (Surprising, considering Ch. Lassègue’s neighbors include Château Pavie, Château Ausone, and Château Angelus.) I’d suggest you stock up — buy a few bottles, drink one now, one in five years, and one in ten. When the weather starts to chill, I want a red wine that envelops you like a hug. But this wine isn’t that. Before serving, it’s best to chill this red ever so slightly.

The wines tasted for this report, the La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2020 and Monterey Pinot Noir 2019 are considerable bargains for the high-quality experience they provide.
With its extended hang time, Monterey is a pinot noir paradise. Its proximity to Monterey Bay shrouds the vineyards in fog throughout much of the morning before being burned off by the sun.
The wine was bolder, richer, more brooding in nature, with plum, black cherry and blood orange flavors.
It's the afternoon winds though that give respite to the grapes, slowing their ripening as breezes sweep in off the frigid Bay.

The wines tasted for this report, the La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2020 and Monterey Pinot Noir 2019 are considerable bargains for the high-quality experience they provide. The Sonoma Coast and its layers of black cherry and black berry flavors were woven together by suggestive dusty dark chocolate and sweet tobacco. It's an appellation where pinot shines, because the mysterious flavors it has produced aren't always obvious. It's a moody kind of wine, where none of its characteristics are obvious. Vineyards in the Green Valley, Los Carneros, Petaluma Wind Gap and Russian River Valley are featured in the blend. They're what McAllister said are "true coastal vineyards."

One of the hottest and driest summers in the Willamette Valley produced quality Chardonnay grapes with maturity and balanced acidity. During ageing in French Oak barrels, weekly stirring of the lees created a wine with creamy mouthfeel and elegant complexity.

Chianti Classico is generally considered to produce the best Chianti wines. Riserva indicates higher-quality fruit and extended barrel and bottle aging. Gran Selezione is the highest classification, requiring 90% sangiovese, estate fruit and even longer aging.
2017 Tenuta di Arceno “Strada al Sasso” Gran Selezione rich, savory, vanilla.

Blended with 7% Merlot from the famous site, along the benchlands of the Mayacamas, this is a juicy, delicious and sophisticated wine, with impressive, complementary bolts of freshness and intensity that are fully in sync. Notes of gravel, black cherry, currant and herb ride along a structured and generous palate of memorable greatness. Enjoy best from 2028–2038.