Zesty notes of tangerine, nectarine and blood orange impart vitality and drive, offering depth, complexity and persistence.

Nicely structured, with vibrant acidity and firm, gripping tannins that hold the core cherry, plum and blackberry flavors in place, ending with a long, persistent finish.

A tad young at this stage, with assertive, earth-driven berry and underbrush flavors. Muscular tannins fold in on the finish. Best to cellar.

A hearty, robust style, with racy dark berry, savory herb and underbrush notes supported by firm, gutsy tannins.

This robust wine offers oaky overtones to the flavors of apple, pear and allspice. Finishes with notes of dried mint and cardamom.

Winemaker Peter Fraser has crafted a serious, structured, aromatically captivating grenache, of a style rarely seen in Australia, with intense red and black fruits and a complex tannin profile. It is made from old vines grown in white/grey sand and undergoes meticulous berry sorting before a wild fermentation; the result being a wine with great purity and clarity. Alluring, charming florals are gradually unveiled as the wine sits in the glass, and the progression of flavour is simply outstanding. Sweet-fruited, tight, concentrated and bright. Needs some time, but the patient will be amply rewarded.

2013 will definitely go down as one of the greatest vintages in Freemark Abbey's storied history, with this wine joining the Bosché and the regular Napa Valley bottlings in the stratosphere. Contains 5.4% Merlot, 5.7% Cabernet Franc and 3.9% Petit Verdot. It's all here and then some -- blackberry, cassis, cedar spice, baker's chocolate, mild dried herbs -- all presented with depth and complexity, and finishing together. As the firm structure subsides, this will be worthy of more than a one hundred point score in my book. Awesome wine.

Deep yellow, bright colour; the bouquet is restrained but spicy with traces of apricot and faint traces of spice. The palate is likewise, fairly full-bodied, broad, a tad clumsy, with obvious tannins which add a certain texture, happily without attendant bitterness. The aftertaste resonates on and on. It's quite a big wine. It needs food: I'd suggest roast chicken. (Fermented in two 675-litre ceramic eggs. 60% of blend had 160-day extended skin contact; 40% was whole-bunch pressed)

Medium yellow colour with a slight brassy tint. The aromas are steely, stony-mineral and spicy with ripe fruit nuances. The palate is open-knit, soft, round, slightly oily and seems to have moderate acidity. Seemingly, a trace of barrel fermentation adding an extra dimension. Good intensity, flavour and balance. (hand-picked; barrel fermented; 7 months in oak, 5% of it new)

In contrast to the Nielson here the expressive nose of pure cherry and essence of raspberry trimmed in subtle spice elements is really quite pretty plus it’s attractively fresh. The freshness displayed by the nose also transfers to the agreeably textured medium-bodied flavors that possess both good depth and persistence on the slightly dusty finale. In this case though the dustiness is very mild and sufficiently so that it does not materially affect the balance.

Light straw colour. The aromas are of almond, straw and dried herbs: simple and savoury. The palate is delicate, restrained, and easy to drink, with a hint of almond. Good drinking, and possibly better in a year or so.

Two bottles were tasted as the first, like the Encantada, was reduced to the point of displaying mercaptans. Though the second bottle displayed a whiff of reduction it was nowhere near the same level as the first; with that said, I would still advise giving this a thorough aeration. The round, pliant and seductively textured medium-bodied flavors are delicious while offering a sappy, balanced and forward finish. While the reduction isn’t appealing, it’s sufficiently subtle that it may well dissipate with time.

This is really quite pretty with its perfumed array of various red berry fruit, spice and a hint of tea. There is good vibrancy to the attractively detailed medium weight flavors that manage to carry the elevated level of reported alcohol fairly well as there is less obvious warmth than one might suppose. With that said, it’s not invisible and I would suggest serving this on the cooler than normal side.

This is moderately reduced and I would advise a thorough aeration if you’re tempted to open a bottle young. Otherwise there is good vibrancy and a sleek mouth feel to the delicious, round and textured flavors that possess good persistence on the dusty and moderately firm and slightly warm finish. There is a hint of youthful asperity that imparts a touch of austerity but not so much that it renders the finish unpleasant.

Two bottles were tasted as the first was sufficiently reduced that it flirts with mercaptans (think burnt rubber scents). A second bottle though displayed no such problems with its ripe aromas that combine of red cherry, plum and pretty spice notes. There is fine richness to the solidly concentrated medium weight flavors that possess a velvety mouth feel, all wrapped in a delicious finish that displays touches of gas and warmth. I would suggest giving this a quick aeration as the gas accentuates the sense of warmth.

While there is a whiff of reduction present, in this case it is so slight that it does little more than shave the top notes from the otherwise pretty red berry and spice notes; indeed after only a few minutes of air the reductive element progressively faded if not completely disappeared. There is both good freshness and verve to the attractively intense and well-detailed middle weight flavors that possess good richness and persistence on the ever-so-mildly dry. The balance isn’t perfect but this is still quite pretty.

A notably ripe if attractively spicy array features notes of menthol, red cherry cola and plum. The rounded and seductively textured medium-bodied flavors possess reasonably good energy while exhibiting noticeable warmth on the dusty, moderately firm and sappy finish. I like the depth and mouth feel though the warmth isn’t subtle though with that said, it’s less than one might think given the elevated reported level.

A pretty and very pinot nose combines notes of various red berries with those of spice and plum. There is an attractive texture to the rounded, supple and delicious middle weight flavors that possess fine mid-palate density before culminating in a dusty, delicious and solidly complex finish where touches of rusticity and dryness appear. I would suggest serving this with the proper foods as it will help round off the dryness.

A dependable full-bodied Californian red wine with mocha from oak aging and some dark plums. Smoky on the finish. Pair with roast beef.

Moderate reduction pushes the red berry fruit aromas to the background and it’s strong enough to warrant a through aeration. The palate impression is more interesting as there is good verve and detail to the delicious flavors that possess a caressing mouth feel while delivering reasonably good depth and length on the dusty and slightly warm finish. This is one of those wines that isn’t perfect but with that duly acknowledged, neither is it without its attractive points. Two bottles tasted with consistent results.

An airy, elegant and very pretty nose offers up notes of both red cherry and raspberry along with those of spice and discreet floral wisps. The round, rich and agreeably textured middle weight flavors possess a caressing mouth feel before concluding in a dusty and mildly drying finish that doesn’t completely upset the balance but it does cut the persistence somewhat short. I would suggest serving this with the right foods as it will help with the dryness. In sum, this is not without its attractive points but it would be fair to say that the balance could be better.

A fresh and overtly fruity nose consists of notes of red cherry and cranberry along with a subtle spice hint. There is reasonably good richness to the round, pliant and delicious middle weight flavors that possess acceptable length if not a lot of depth on the mildly warm finish.

La Crema Monterey Pinot Noir Rosé hails from the cool-climate Monterey region and was fermented in 100-percent stainless steel, resulting in a wine with crisp fruit flavors and balanced acidity. The wine is available nationwide.

Medium to light yellow hue. Lightly nutty and gently stone-fruity bouquet, lemon pie, the palate is rich and rounded, with slightly grippy phenolics and mouthfilling presence. Fairly straightforward. Good length and a clean, dry aftertaste.

The huge success of Kendall-Jackson's Vintner's Reserve put Chardonnay on the map in the 1990's so, when K-J came out with a minimal-oak version, Avant, it was a sure sign that change was in the air. It still has the sort of ripe fruit one finds in the standard bottling, but here it’s dancing with a bright yellow crispness, both shining pure and clear thanks to not being smothered in oak.