James Halliday On The 2020 Cabernet And Family Varietal Winners A dense crimson verging on opaque. Merlot's postcode waft of leaf and plum is present from the first whiff. The tannins are more gentle than cabernet, sure, but far from shy, expanding with time in the glass and stamped by 21 days on skins, daily pumpovers and three rack and returns. The oak, synergistic with a regime that sacrifices nothing when it comes to attention to detail, is sourced from Bordeaux coopers of the highest tier (25% new; 15 months). As good as any merlot on these shores.

James Halliday On The 2020 Cabernet And Family Varietal Winners Hand-picked, berry-sorted and extracted regally with the thrice rack and return culture applied to alleviate reduction while maximising lees to juice contact across 15 months in Bordeaux wood, new and 1yo. The result is a full-bodied cabernet of currant, brush, sage, leaf, bouquet garni and olive, bound to a strong tannic weave, all needing time to unravel. And unravel it will.

The colour is deep red/purple, the bouquet fresh and highly aromatic, spicy and lifted, red cherry, raspberry, mixed spices - a terrifically detailed fragrance. It's medium-bodied and elegantly formed, with fine-grained tannins that are perfectly matched to the lighter weight of this vintage. An utterly delicious medium-bodied shiraz, intense, long and satisfying, but a far cry from traditional McLaren Vale shiraz off the flats.

Merlot (70%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) are sourced from Bennett Valley’s best sites as well as from blocks within the winery’s estate vineyard. A Petrus clone of Merlot was sourced from the sloping benchland site, known as Jackson Park. This is an ageworthy red by winemaker Marcia Torres Forno, who has crafted the label since 2010. The nose is fruit-expressive with cherry and plum skin, both bright and inviting. A whoosh of plush liquid follows, leaving cherry-skin tannins in its wake. Juicy, then dry: Sip and repeat.

Enticing aromas of ripe red cherry and alpine strawberry are fruity but elegant on the nose, lifted by touches of rose petal and hibiscus. The palate offers pure flavors of boysenberry and black plum alongside touches of fennel, nutmeg, mace and a pinch of curry. It is very complex and vividly fresh.

Aptly named, from block 31 atop (at 210m) a biodynamically farmed Blewitt Springs bush vine vineyard planted in 1946 on deep white sand over clay. Intricately layered with al dente red cherry and bilberry fruit, perfumed five spice, red liquorice and bloody iron. A wash of mineral-sluiced acidity and pithy, sandpapery tannins extends the finish. Aged 11 months in seasoned French oak; bottled unfined. Sinew, spice and all things nice.

USA, California: More Napa & Sonoma New Releases Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2017 Pinot Noir Arrendell Vineyard does pirouettes out of the glass with a pretty perfume of red roses, fragrant soil, lavender and kirsch over a core of warm cranberries, mulberries and tilled soil plus a waft of truffles. Medium-bodied, the palate is so delicately played with surprising vibrancy and persistence among the fine-grained tannins and understated nuances. Just beautiful.

With 11% Merlot, the grapes sourced from multiple stellar sites, this captivating red impresses in its firm grasp of complex herb and spice. Sage, clove and woody tannin grip a core of currant, cranberry and high-toned red fruit, the texture dusty and lengthy. This will do well in the cellar, but is equally irresistible now.

Napa Valley's 2017s A blend of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot from throughout the valley that was brought up in 80% new French oak, the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon is dominated by its Stags Leap fruit (which is 30% of the blend) and has the classic elegance and spicy character of that district as well as great red and blue fruits, a seamless, building mid-palate, ripe yet present tannins, and ample tobacco, earth, and spice aromas and flavors. It's plush and textured on the palate yet has the structure to evolve for two decades.

Located in Oregon's Willamette Valley, Penner-Ash Wine Cellars was founded in 1998 by husband and wife team Lynn and Ron Penner-Ash. The first female winemaker in Oregon (at Rex Hill Vineyards in 1988), Lynn Penner-Ash focuses on small-lot indigenous yeast fermentation with extended cold soaks to extract rich, fruit-focused, wines....

USA, California, Napa Valley: 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Retrospective A blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec, the 2009 La Joie sports a very deep garnet color. It opens with baked plums, licorice and blackcurrant cordial notes—on steroids—with an undercurrent of oolong tea, aged meats, fragrant earth and new leather plus a waft of black olives. Medium to full-bodied, it delivers mouth-filling evolved black fruits and earthy sparks with a foundation of firm, chewy tannins and soft freshness, finishing long with some herbal accents coming through. 2,400 cases were made.

USA, California, Napa Valley: 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Retrospective Composed of 85% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 5% Malbec and 1% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2009 La Muse gives a deep garnet color and delivers pronounced, profound notes of cigar box, baked cherries, dried mulberries and crème de cassis with hints of truffles, dusty soil and Chinese five spice. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is strutting a lot of exotic spice and savory layers with a chewy frame and mineral-tinged finish. 1,000 cases were made.

USA, California, Napa Valley: 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Retrospective According to winemaker Christopher Carpenter, the 2009 Proprietary Red Wine was dominated by Mr. Veeder fruit. Deep garnet in color, it gives up bold, confident crème de cassis, baked plums and tobacco notes with suggestions of cast-iron pan, dried herbs and chargrill. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is fresh and lively, with finely grained, plush tannins and bags of evolving black fruit and savory flavors, finishing long and earthy. 1342 cases were made.

This standout varietal wine is complex and lengthy in a wealth of juicy red and black fruit, with lasting accents of dried herb, sage, lavender and violet. Built to last, it should develop even more in bottle. Drink 2024–2026.

The vines were just over 70 years old at harvest. The thought crosses my mind every now and again that Yangarra may be the best producer in the country. Or is a contender for that mantle, anyway. $35 for this kind of quality is really quite something. It’s a superb grenache. It takes time in the glass to hit its straps but once its does, wow. So intricately tannic, so fresh faced and yet so sturdy, so dialled in. Woodsy spices and red berries, savouriness and sweetness, X factor. Seriously impressive.

Pinot purity right here, folks. There’s a certain precision and definition too. A delightful combo of joy and complexity: rhubarb and freshly grated beetroot, sweet red cherries, florals and warm spices, with the oak neatly tucked in. Superfine tannins, laser-like acidity and terrific length seal the deal.

Fruit from 5 single vineyards with each parcel whole-bunch pressed to 675L clay egg-shaped fermentation/aging pots. The lids are sealed with clay so there’s no lees stirring. Fermented with wild yeast and 2 lots went through spontaneous mlf. It’s quite astonishing how these vessels shape the feel and taste of the final blend. This chardonnay is tight, linear and superfine with its acid profile. Yet it has plenty of flavour with hints of citrus, lemon salts and a smidge of creamed honey. It’s refreshing and pulsating with energy. A super drink.

Giant Steps' higher-elevation sites, as in this and Applejack Vineyard, have turned out racy, long and superfine wines – it’s the moreish, mouth-watering acidity. Of course there’s more: the complex flavours and heady aromas. Smoky, slinky and talc-like texture to the acidity, with a dab of creamed honey and citrus on the palate. There’s a lot of precision and it’s a pure wine in a way that evolves superbly in the glass.

Great fruit concentration, moderate tannins and subtle savory, spicy accents make this full-bodied wine quite memorable. A partnership between Barbara Banke of Jackson Family Wines and Peggy Furth, formerly of Chalk Hill winery, the wine is focused around black cherry, blackberry and rhubarb, while hints of cedar, forest floor and black tea slowly reveal themselves. Best from 2025.

From home vineyard Fijnbosch & 4 others in Stellenbosch. 2019 refined, poised; less overt oak (30% new) focuses supple-textured layers of fruit, energised by bright lemon acid. Beautifully proportioned & drinking well in youth, like 2018 (4.5 stars, 93 pts).

The 2020 Chardonnay (Santa Barbara County) is outrageously beautiful. In fact, it is one of the very finest wines I have ever tasted from Greg Brewer. Rich and textured in the glass, with plenty of bright acids, the 2020 is wonderfully alive. Greg Brewer has done a tremendous job in crafting a Chardonnay that is both texturally deep and intense. In 2020, facing a lack of visibility in the market because of COVID-19, Brewer-Clifton bottled just a fraction of their appellation Chardonnay, freeing up a number of top sites that Greg Brewer was able to access for Diatom. The 2020 is simply magnificent.

The 2019 Chardonnay 3D is a fabulous Chardonnay that captures the magic of the Sta. Rita Hills. Rich and expansive on the palate, the 2019 is laced with apricot, tangerine oil, butter and tropical fruit. The 2019 gets better and better in the glass as the layers start to flesh out.

A wine of presence and personality, with dynamic black raspberry and guava flavors that take on stony mineral and dusky spice accents as this gathers richness and tension toward broad-shouldered tannins. Best from 2022 through 2032. From Oregon.

Tenuta di Arceno’s history goes back to 1504, when the first plot of land was bought by the Del Taja family. The late Jess Jackson and his wife Barbara Banke of California bought the estate in 1994. The winery produces wine under the DOCG seal as well as Toscana IGT. Arcanum is sourced primarily from the L’Apparita and Belvedere blocks of Cabernet Franc, on sandy clay soils. Susan Hulme MW: Intense blackcurrant, very leafy, cassis-like notes, very varietal, very firm but fine and compact tannins along with fresh acidity. Andrea Briccarello: Clean, with great signs of evolution, loads of tertiary notes, tobacco and spices, leather and balsamic, great freshness and length. Annette Scarfe MW: Blackcurrant pastille with violets – cooked prune notes with an earthy finish. Shows complexity and finesse.

Oh, this is flying. Condor style. Barely making an effort and making maximum ground. It's graceful and considered. Boom! Named The Peake after Edward John Peake who established the vineyard and orchard in Clarendon around 1850. The flagship wine of the Hickinbotham brand, in short, it's the best barrels of Brooks Road Shiraz and Trueman Cabernet (56/44).What a marriage this is. Dark chocolate, vanilla, dried herbs and cedar early. It possesses a wonderful presence, drive and powdery tannins. Just wow. Long and moreish it keeps throwing up pleasure in the form of dark cherries, black plums, even some Cherry Ripe appeal. Glorious, flirtatious, get me in.