A Guide To The Sauvignon Blanc Varieties Around The WorldRepresenting the U.S.: The 2020 La Crema Sauvignon Blanc, only in its second vintage, is fruit driven with pronounced nectarine and tropical fruit notes. A little barrel fermentation gives it greater texture and less brisk acidity than the austere sauvignon blanc from other regions. If you like your sauvignon blanc with more weight and richness, California sauvignon blanc is for you.

This vintage of single-block, biodynamically grown Shiraz is more textbook than the cooler 2017. While it lacks the sexiness of ’17, it still offers more restraint and elegance than many of its South Aussie counterparts. An aromatic lift of tangy blueberry, raspberry and plum fruit interlaces gentle baking spice, ground pepper and terra-cotta notes. There’s muscle to the highly textural tannins (both chalky and granular), but it’s woven into layers of flavor. A charming yet serious wine for drinking now until 2030.

Winemaker Pete Fraser’s passion for Rhône varieties shines bright on this wild-fermented Roussanne, which is aged in ceramic eggs with half of the fruit on skins for several months. The nose is an expressive mix of orchard blossoms and citrus peel with a hint of honey, beeswax and a cool stone character often seen in “egg” wines. The palate also has a beeswax feel about it both in flavor and texture. Pale gold, it’s round and rich but buoyed by crunchy acidity. A characterful detour for Chardonnay lovers.

Where the cool 2017 brought increased elegance to Hickinbotham’s muscular reds, this vintage returns to the powerful expression of warmer years. A big wine it may be, with a nose of strawberry and cherry preserves, mint, medicinal herbs and a toasty, vanillin underbelly, but it’s also precise and site expressive. Tannins are fine yet powerful, and the oak is present, but this is a baby, worthy of many years in the cellar.

Showing excellent depth and impressive concentration, this full-bodied and well balanced wine impresses with focused black-fruit flavors, a creamy texture and beautifully integrated tannins that afford a velvety mouthfeel. So delicious now, but it will be best after 2024.

Organic/biodynamic. Destemmed to 50% whole berries. A blend that defines the resolute urgency of now: 45/19/19/12/4/1% grenache/carignan/mourvèdre/shiraz/cinsault/counoise. The 45% younger-vine grenache in this red blend provides a medium of freshness as much as the lithe tannic spine, following 109 days on skins. Biodynamic writ large, showing holistic handling with intelligence. Pour big. Drink large. Raspberry, violet and briary sap. Everyday wine from the heavens.

This fruity, juicy version of Cab is on the lighter side in terms of body, but it still has a deep color, creamy texture, moderate tannins and good varietal character.

Some options to help celebrate Mother's DayLa Crema 2019 Pinot Noir Rosé “Monterey” - recommended

Some options to help celebrate Mother's DayBroadly appealing, especially on the palate with fullish body, superb fruit, medium-soft oak and an extended finish.

Stunning, a generous, deep mix of wild blackberry, blueberry and cassis flavors at the core that are juicy and fresh, while meeting notes of dark chocolate, cumin and a touch of smoked paprika. Tannins are thick and velvety, adding a wonderful density and toothsome quality. Shows plenty of harmony on the long, expressive finish. Drink now through 2040.

A measured yet powerful grip holds interest from beginning to end of the palate. This is just dripping with salinity from crushed stones, graphite and slate - a physical presence that balances beautifully with the fleshy black cherry and damson fruits, and the chocolate shavings. An excellent quality Lassegue, hard hitting and muscular but with pace and persistency. 52% new oak barrels (from 15 different forests - always a key signature of this estate's ageing policy). 3.6pH, average vine age between 50 and 60 years old.

Complex and impressive, mixing power and finesse. Wild blackberry and black currant flavors are ripe, fleshy and plump at the core, but details of black tea, loam, white pepper minerality and chicory add dimension and nuance. Tannins are dense, but velvety and polished. Everything is harmonious on the long, expressive finish. Drink now through 2030.

Big and rich, offering well-structured flavors of red currant and plum tart that show notes of forest floor, followed by loamy touches on the direct, savory finish, with hints of dried mint. Drink now through 2025.

Fragrant and complex, red licorice and framboise mingle with blueberry and raspberry flavors. Candied violet and blood orange notes follow, with terrific precision and polish. Drink now through 2030.

Dark chocolate, chicory and sarsaparilla aromatics add complexity and a touch of richness to the dense blackberry, cassis and blueberry flavors. Hints of savory herbs, tobacco and cedar linger on the firming, dusty tannins. Drink now through 2035.

Svelte and elegantly styled, with dried cherry and berry flavors that feature fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity. Sandalwood, tea and cooking spice notes fill the rich finish. Drink now through 2024.

There's good cut to the McIntosh apple, white berry and Asian pear flavors in this white, backed by vibrant acidity. Ends with notes of mineral and spice on the lithe finish. Drink now through 2024.

Grapes plucked from Hyland Vineyard, one of Oregon’s largest and oldest vineyards, comprise this Old Vine Riesling from Penner-Ash. The remote vineyard’s high elevation and location at the foothills of the Coast Range mean cool temperatures in the summer and warm temperatures in the winter, making it ideal for growing Riesling.With aromas of apricots, lemon rind, and petrol and a palate of grapefruit and honey, it has little residual sugar and great minerality.

The 30ha estate-owned Sexton Vineyard, planted by Giant Steps founder Phil Sexton in 1997, is the pinnacle of the single-vineyard Chardonnays produced each year, and has a real cult following among winelovers. It is whole-bunch pressed and, using wild yeasts, fermented and aged for 10 months in 500-litre puncheons, 20% new. There was some batonnage, but no malo, ensuring a great balance of steeliness and creamy, waxy palate weight. Complex and layered orange blossom honey on toast, hazelnuts, lemon curd, melon and florals, with beautiful mineral clarity. Tangy, citrus zest acidity enlivens the palate. I last tasted this 15 months ago, and the extra time in bottle has really made it sing.

The 12.5ha Applejack Vineyard, planted in 1997 (and bought by Giant Steps in 2013), is the apple of winemaker Steve Flamsteed's eye when it comes to Pinot Noir, rating it as one of Australia's best cool-climate sites. A mix of whole-bunch and destemmed fruit (depending on clone) were wild-yeast fermented, then the parcels matured for eight months in barrique, 25% new. As with the rest of the range, there's no fining or filtering, and racking and bottling is done by gravity. Quite a structured Pinot, with fine tannins and brisk acidity to ensure long ageing. Tart red cherry, berries and the vineyard's characteristic bitter-orange tang infuses both nose and palate, plus peppery spices and hints of tilled earth and undergrowth.

This medium ruby colored Pinot Noir opens with a very inviting Dr. Pepper and black raspberry bouquet with hints of black plum and clove. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied, nicely balanced, round and delicate. The flavor profile is a delicious red cherry and spiced red plum blend along with notes of cinnamon, vanilla and pomegranate. The finish is dry and its flavors and soft tannins drift away nicely. The Panel would prefer to drink this Pinot on its own. With food, they would pair it with Frutti di mare (seafood spaghetti).

A low-yielding vintage but one which resulted in great concentration and acidity. Vinification was much the same as for the 2019 vintage: 40% whole-bunch fruit was used, with no fining and filtering and racking and bottling done by gravity. Though here the eight months' maturation was in a mix of barriques (10% new) and 4,000-litre oak vats. As with the Chardonnay, it's blend of various parcels that just miss out on being part of the single-vineyard wines: here Sexton (giving ripe cherry fruit), Applejack (a distinctive bitter orange Campari note), Tarraford (mocha and cocoa earthiness) and Primavera (floral perfume). A crunchy, delicate, quaffable Pinot packed with succulent cherries, savoury autumnal notes, soft acidity and gentle spice.

Giant Steps' Yarra Valley Chardonnay is a blend of various parcels that just miss out on being part of the single-vineyard wines. In this vintage it's a blend of Sexton, Tarraford and Applejack fruit. In most vintages none of the Chardonnays go through malo, but winemaker Steve Flamsteed won't stop it if it occurs spontaneously – as here with 20% of the blend, contributing a smooth mouthfeel. There's no lees stirring, which ensures the perky acidity remains vibrant, and the eight months oak ageing (10% new) gives roundness over any wood influence. A really delicious wine this vintage, and great value for the price, packed with classic Yarra Valley lemon curd tang, lifted apple blossom and a musky melon finish.

This pale straw-colored Chardonnay opens with a mellow ripe pineapple and lemon butter bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium plus bodied, balanced, round and smooth. The flavor profile is gentle pear, spice, and pineapple blend with notes of almond and faint oak blend. The finish is dry and pleasantly refreshing for a Chard. The Panel would pair this Chard chicken piccata.

Tenuta di Arceno managed to succeed in a difficult vintage. Their bold style worked well in 2017 because they captured ripeness, good acidity and suave tannins simultaneously. Though rich and fruity, a subtly haunting bitterness in the finish reminds us, thankfully, it’s not just about fruit. There’s a lot of herbal earthy notes and energy to complement those juicy cherry-like flavors. This Riserva, unlike many, is ready to drink now because the tannins are finely polished and not intrusive. Still, a hearty beef dish would be a good match.