Cassis and blackberry laced with cumin, turmeric and saffron - these are plenty of tannins here even at 11 years old, but they are melted into the body of the wine. As it opens, a slate minerality tugs underneath, adding texture to the close of play and suggesting there is plenty of life ahead. An unusual blend, with higher Cabernet Sauvignon than usual, thanks to a hail storm in May that took out a sizeable section of Merlot grapes, and left a yield of around 22hl/ha.

This slightly cloudy and deep yellow colored Chardonnay opens with a musty green apple bouquet with hints of lemon and almond. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied and slightly acidic. The flavor profile is a tart green apple and light lemon blend with notes of mild minerality and chamomile tea. There is some hints of oak towards the end. The finish is dry and its acidity and flavors fade away nicely. This Chard would pair well with halibut chowder.

The sandy loam soils at this seven-acre vineyard on Wood Road have sustained zinfandel vines planted in the early 1900s, now farmed by Don Hartford’s team using organic practices. This 2019 has the juiciness of fresh blackberries in the middle of summer, and rich wine with energy and pungent, old-vine tannic grip. That structure will sustain it in the cellar, though it’s lovely to drink now with meats off the grill.

I like how Australian chardonnays sneak up on you with an inviting, nutty, citrus that mixes effortlessly with a creamy undercoating and plenty of lees to feed its complexity from front to back. It is rich in a Grand Cru way but not overpowering. This is a terrific discovery for the Vancouver market. I hope some of this gets distributed out to retailers so all can enjoy it. It joins a short but impressive list of Down Under chardonnays that are lighting up the category. The 30 hectare Sexton Vineyard, planted in 1997, is located on the steep, north-facing slopes of the Warramate Ranges. The topsoil is thin, and vines sit on shallow, gravelly loams over a rocky clay base. Vigour and bunch yields are naturally low.

You are going to love this 2020 regular label that is so fresh and juicy with blood, red cherry, and a lovely earthy forest floor undercurrent that it is anything but regular. Wow, just delicious. The estate pinot is made with a mix of vineyards: Sexton, Applejack, Primavera, and Tarraford, harvested between February and April. The average yields were lower across all the pinot blocks thanks to tighter and smaller bunches, all set off by wonderful natural acidity. The fruit is hand picked, chilled and cold soaked over four days before it warms to a wild ferment in small vessels, both stainless steel and open oak vats. About 40 percent of the fruit goes in the whole bunch, and it is all matured in French oak, 10% new, for eight months in a mix of 225-litre barriques and 4000-litre oak vats. The winery suggests handmade pappardelle and shredded confit duck leg and arugula, and I say bring it on.

Deep garnet color, lush plum aroma, dense, meaty, spicy with soft tannins with notes of plum and toast, balanced and long, give it a couple of years to come around.

How good is the new Australia? Plenty good, maybe even scary good. Few GSM I have experienced have the mouth presence and cushioned weight that is the perfect bed for a wine packed full of fragrant old bush vine grenache (60 percent) planted in 1946. The remainder is 22 percent shiraz, and 18 percent mourvèdre. The result is an aromatic layered wine that is more red than black, with licorice and peppercorn flecks in the finish. It’s the balance and mouthfeel that attracts. You can serve this with any favourite wood-fired entrée, from pizza to steak.

The Old Vine Grenache was the first release in 2007. In 2019 the growing season was extremely dry, leading to super-low yields easily seen in the concentration of this wine. These bush vines were planted in 1946, and the vineyard is certified biodynamic, which appears to add pure bounce to the wine's vibrancy. It is planted on the Blewitt Springs estate's deep, sandy soils. It is fermented with 50% whole berry and kept on yeast lees in older French oak. Black plums reign, with a dusting of white pepper and a salty mineral finish. Wow.

The 2018 Syrah High Rock Ranch emerges from a site at 1,200 feet in elevation. Bright red berry fruit, iron, dried flowers, chalk, mint and white pepper inform this taut, savory Syrah. There is maybe a bit less body than in some of the other wines, but more than enough persistence to compensate.

The 2018 Pinot Noir Côte Bannie, from site in the Petaluma Gap, shows the wilder side of Pinot. Game, black pepper, iron, licorice, mint and dried flowers give the Côte Bannie a distinctly Syrah-like character. This is an eccentric wine but has just enough fruit depth to balance things out.

The 2018 Pinot Noir Maggy Hawk shows a different side of Anderson Valley. There is lovely savoriness and energy, and maybe a bit less fruit than in some of the other wines. A whole range of floral and spice notes lend complexity as well as persistence.

The 2019 Trousseau Copain Estate is another absolutely exquisite wine in the range. Bright red berry fruit, orange peel, cinnamon, pine and amaro herbs infuse the 2019 with striking aromatic complexity and nuance. Translucent and so expressive, the Trousseau is a winner. The 2019 is a blend of fruit from the Copain estate and a second site in Anderson Valley.

The 2018 Chardonnay Les Voisins is rich, open-knit and seductive. Apricot, peach and light tropical accents all elevate this creamy Anderson Valley Chardonnay. Bright saline notes underpin the finish, nicely balancing some of the more overt leanings.

The 2018 Red Blend is a bold, juicy wine driven by a core of Petite Sirah that gives it richness and unctuous texture. Ripe red cherry, red plum, mocha, licorice and spice are all kicked up in this flashy, juicy Napa Valley red.

Here’s a serious, rich and maturing merlot with deep colour and a great, dense yet satiny texture. The nose displays very ripe plummy fruit with very fine oak spice and violet florality. It is full bodied, almost velvet in texture with fine tannin. The 14.5% alcohol brings some heat to the finish. The length is excellent.

Dark ruby red in colour. Red cherry, plum, blood orange, sage and violet floral. Shows superb intensity. Sweet tobacco and liquorice alongside zesty mineral finish.

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).

Deep rich colour and a rich, concentrated bouquet led by smoky char-oak and the palate is likewise quite oak-driven, with medium to full-body and slightly gritty texture. Sweet raspberry fruit core. It could reward a little time in the cellar. It's a bit young at this juncture.

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.

Crisp lemon and lime aromas meet with a crushed sea-shell tone on the nose of this bottling. There’s a taut feeling to the palate, where pome-fruit and stone-fruit flavors wander through the engagingtexture.

Vivid fruit, toasted oak and black-tea flavors find excellent balance and make a great impression on the palate as this full-bodied wine layers complexity on depth. It shows a nice tension in the texture, lifting black-cherry, rhubarb and hints of mushrooms.

This medium ruby colored Pinot Noir opens a very fragrant red licorice, cola and peat moss bouquet hints of wild blueberry and lavender. On the palate, this wine is medium bodied with medium acidity. We also found it to be balanced, rich, smooth and savory in the aftertaste. The flavor profile is pomegranate and red plum with notes of loam and red cherry with hints of smoke and oak. The finish is dry and its mild tannins and flavors linger for quite a while. The Panel would pair this Pinot with a Peking duck breast.

This medium gold colored Chardonnay from Hartford Court is very good. It opens a very fragrant pineapple, ripe pear and vanilla bouquet. On the palate, this wine is medium plus bodied, balanced, lush and rich. The flavor profile is pear and lemon blend with notes of pineapple, vanilla and oak. We also detected hints of chalky minerality mixed in. The finish is dry and nicely extended. The Panel would pair this tasty Chard with roasted chicken with garlic or broiled scallops.

From a hot and sunny vintage, the Tenuta di Arceno 2017 Chianti Classico Riserva opens to dark cherry fruit, blackberry and plum. Indeed, you get a wide assortment of purple and black fruits in this generous, medium-bodied Riserva to be served with a sliced, grilled sausage and rosemary potatoes. There are streaks of ripeness and sweetness here, and the glass conjures up nutmeg and toasted almond as well. This hot vintage is slightly more near-term compared to some the recent editions we have seen.