Harpers.co.uk | January 2018 1
Harpers Wine Stars Awards
HARPERS WINE STARS AWARDS AUSTRALIA 2018 Our most recent Wine Stars Awards found Australia in rude health, delivering a bumper crop of accolades across both traditional and modern styles, as Andrew Catchpole reports
T
he UK’s biggest wine category is popular for a reason and that reason remains rooted in the flavour-laden bang for your buck that Shiraz and Chardonnay can deliver, albeit in a more modern framework than of old. This was the message delivered by our judges at Harpers’ recent Wine Stars Awards Australia session, with buyers from various sectors revealing that the market remains strong for Aussie classics with generous fruit and full-bodied appeal, with modern interpretations of such wines still popular with consumers. While the judges unanimously praised many of the newer wave of artisanal wines and more off-piste grape varieties, agreeing that such styles are generating interest and excitement among trade and writers, “the level of the noise being generated is at odds with the commercial reality” – which is that most consumers want to remain within their comfort zone. And for most, this means wines that fully express their Australian personality, with perhaps just a little more freshness and polish than the rugged blockbusters that originally put Australia on the vinous map. The judges also cautioned against “stripping out too much Aussie character”, referring to the recent trend for producers to pick early and deliver lean, sometimes under-ripe Chardonnay and Shiraz. “We still see a good cross-section of styles selling. People are trying the newer, fresher, brighter styles and varieties, but we have a very solid market for traditionally made Aussie classics,” said Noel Young of Noel Young Wines. “Shiraz never went away,” added John Hoskins MW of the Old Bridge Inn. “There are still customers out there who like big, rich wines. Some Shiraz and Shiraz blends have toned it down a little, which suits the [Australian] domestic market, but actually a lot of people like those bigger styles,” he said. 2 January 2018 | Harpers.co.uk
OUR WINE STARS JUDGES FOR AUSTRALIA
HOW HARPERS WINE STARS WORKS Harpers Wine Stars Awards are markedly different from the run of the mill, being judged by buyers for buyers, taking blind-assessed quality as the starting point, but then adding two further layers for consideration, with additional rounds of judging assessing the wines for value for money and then design and packaging. As such, these awards are like no other, taking an holistic approach, considering all of the factors that influence buying decisions, including elements of appeal to the final wine-buying consumer. • ROUND ONE – QUALITY All wines were tasted blind, aside from knowledge of the region of origin and grape variety, and assigned a score by each judge based on quality alone. • ROUND TWO – VALUE Following the quality assessment of the wines in each regional flight, prices were then revealed and judges gave additional marks based on the perceived qualityto-value ratio. • ROUND THREE – DESIGN The labels of all wines were then revealed, with additional marks given for the overall packaging and design of each wine, with judges also appraised of the intended sales channel(s) – and thus packaging suitability – for each wine. All Wine Stars entrants go through a three-tiered judging process
Henry Boyes, Mitchells & Butlers Charles Cutteridge, Majestic Wine Dawn Davies MW, Speciality Drinks Caroline Doyle, Borough Wines Dean Harper, HarperWells
Tom Hemmingway, Highbury Vintners John Hoskins MW, Old Bridge Inn Dan Kirby, Adnams
Tom Ochoa, Lanchester Wines Michael Patterson, D&D Restaurant Group
Similarly, Young said of Chardonnay: “What we haven’t seen is a huge shift to modern styles of Aussie Chardonnay – the leaner styles. People are looking for a bit more flesh on the bone – not going back to the old days of massive buttery oak, but wherever we find a reasonably priced Chardonnay with a bit of fruit and oak we sell loads of it.” Michael Patterson of D&D Restaurants offered a possible explanation for the continuing popularity of the more traditional mainstream varieties. “When the economy is slightly unpredictable or unstable, then customers go with familiarity, so at
the moment customers want the well-established styles from Australia,” he said, with reference to Australian sales across the group. However, with high star ratings awarded for both traditional and newer varieties and styles, the judges agreed that overall a shift to fresher, more poised wines had upped the ante in terms of food compatibility in general with Australia’s offer. And grapes including Pinot Noir and Vermentino, along with a wider slew of Italian and Spanish varieties, were singled out as exciting and successful additions to the traditional mainstream quality players.
Theo Sloot, Oxford Wine Company Collette WhittingtonBowers, Hills Prospect Noel Young, Noel Young Wines Harpers.co.uk | January 2018 3
Harpers Wine Stars Awards
WHAT THE JUDGES SAID “People come in for iconic wines made in an unashamedly Aussie way, but we also have people who experiment and we have new and funky and natural Aussie wines. But what we haven’t seen is a huge shift to modern styles of Aussie Chardonnay, leaner styles – people are looking for a bit more flesh on the bone. “Pricing hasn’t helped Australia and there has been without doubt a bit of a slowdown across the board, which is a shame. There are a few of the avant garde, garagiste wines that create a lot of noise, but perhaps only sell a couple of hundred boxes a year – the commercial reality is often quite different to what is written about.” Noel Young, Noel Young Wines “The whites from Clare and Eden were particularly strong. What is really interesting about Australia is how unashamedly modern it is. It is not trying to emulate anyone else, it has an identity that screams Australia. “What is great is that we can provide a really commercial offering, but at the same time can have a lot of fun at a more premium level, with things like Italian varietals, at the £15 to £20 price bracket, and that is what we are seeing really work for us. “There is a mix between ambitious wines and those made in the more traditional styles – there is the whole spectrum, something for everyone.” Charles Cutteridge, Majestic Wine 4 January 2018 | Harpers.co.uk
THE RESULTS ADELAIDE HILLS ★★★★
STAR OF ADELAIDE HILLS
Hahndorf Hill White Mischief Grüner Veltliner 2017
Awin Barratt Siegel Wine Agencies £20 One that draws the eye on the shelf, combining clear impact with useful info on the label, hinting at the style inside. This proved a vibrant, fresh, lime-citrus infused wine, intense, with good acidity, fantastic balance, an elegant finish and worthy food wine.
★★★
Hahndorf Hill GRU Grüner Veltliner 2016
Awin Barratt Siegel Wine Agencies £23
BAROSSA & MCLAREN VALE ★★★★★
STAR OF BAROSSA & MCLAREN VALE
Angas & Bremer Shiraz 2015
Carson Wines £15.99 A hugely characterful wine, with cool design and a reasonable price tag. A superbly balanced, fleshy, expressive style, with blackberries, a hint of menthol, black fruit, liquorice and chocolate, with a long finish.
★★★★★
Château Tanunda Shiraz Grenache Mourvèdre Cinsault Carignan 2015
Conviviality £15 This engaging blend impressed the judges with its wellintegrated, balanced, complex nature, delivering bags of character but with a fresh, lingering finish. Blackcurrants, cherry, pepper and all-spice notes were among the medley of aromas and flavours packed into this wine.
★★★★★
Château Tanunda Parishes Shiraz Cabernet 2015
Conviviality £10 There was great value to be found in this bright, direct, berry-fruity, spicy blend, with well-integrated tannins and an elegance throughout on a well-balanced wine showing some good complexity, with an appealing label to boot.
★★★★★
Calabria Family Wines 3 Bridges Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
Looking for distribution £14.75 Judged good value, with a label that fitted the bill, this expressive Cabernet revealed classic blackcurrent fruit with a hint of bay, being supple, with balanced tannins, with a lush and velvety mouthfeel into a long, slightly spicy finish.
★★★★★
Calabria Family Wines 3 Bridges Shiraz 2016
Looking for distribution £14.75 Clean, clear, classic labelling pointing to premium wine at a good price, backed by the contents of the bottle. This Shiraz expressed big, juicy, ripe aromas, with bags of plummy and cherry fruit on a palate folding in sweet tannins and oak spices, with superb fruit giving great length.
★★★★★
Turkey Flat Butchers Block Red 2015
Mentzendorff & Co £14.30 Described as an interesting wine at an approachable price, with eye-catching, honest and creative design, this delivered on all counts. Herby notes, along with currant fruit and more savoury and spicy edges delivered a rich, fleshy, complex mouthful, with ripeness balanced by good acidity.
★★★★★
Hentley Farm Villain and Vixen Shiraz 2016
Carson Wines £19.99 With an arresting label that makes you want to pick up the bottle, this offered plenty of bang in the bottle. Dark red fruit, liquorice and pepper led into a palate drenched in dense, dark fruit, with inky depths lingering on a long, full and satisfying finish.
A WORD ON PRICES All prices given are approximate recommended retail prices (RRP) from suppliers for purposes of comparison, regardless of whether a wine may be exclusively aimed at on- or off-trade channels, and thus not necessarily indicative of availability to the off-trade. For more details please contact the supplier or producer named under each listing.
★★★★★
Angas & Bremer Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Carson Wines £14.99 Over-delivering for the price, with good, clean, modern presentation, this was upfront with bramble and bright cassis fruit, overlaid on an intense, spicy, creamy, but modernleaning palate. Well-structured, with integrated but firm tannins, and a nice balance of oak, fruit and spice through to a long finish.
★★★★★
Project Wine Pioneer Road Reserve Shiraz 2014
Broadland Wineries £11 Vibrant fruit on the nose and palate, revealing cherry and plum, with a touch of leathery, meaty savoury character, this was vibrant and fleshy, with spice on the mid-palate. A lovely, approachable wine at the price and clearly presented.
★★★★
Château Tanunda Grand Barossa Shiraz 2014 Conviviality £15
★★★★
Château Tanunda Newcastle Marsanne Viognier Roussanne 2015 Conviviality £15
★★★★
Shingleback Wine Red Knot McLaren Vale Shiraz 2016 Matthew Clark £11.99
★★★★
Shingleback Wine Davey Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 Matthew Clark £15.99
★★★★
Shingleback Wine The Gate McLaren Vale Shiraz 2015 Matthew Clark £25
★★★★
★★★
★★★★
★★★★
Awin Barratt Siegel Wine Agencies £18
Mentzendorff & Co £16.50
Majestic Wines £12.99
CLARE AND EDEN
Kilikanoon Killerman’s Run GSM 2014
★★★★
★★★★★
★★★★
Majestic Wines £12.99
STAR OF CLARE AND EDEN
Mentzendorff & Co £18.40
★★★★
Looking for distribution £19.99 With a smart, modern presentation, this suggested it was a modern all-rounder and the wine clearly delivered. A classic Aussie Riesling, with zesty green lime notes, apple and a hint of kerosene, through to dry honey nuances on the finish, this was harmonious, complex and well-balanced.
Turkey Flat Shiraz 2014 Mentzendorff & Co £37
Schild Estate Wines Barossa Valley Riesling 2017
Schild Estate Wines Barossa Valley Merlot 2015
Byrne Vineyards Antiquarian Barossa Shiraz 2014 Awin Barratt Siegel Wine Agencies £33.35
★★★
Château Tanunda Grand Barossa Riesling 2016
Hedonist Wines Sangiovese Rosé 2017
Gatt Wines High Eden Riesling 2016
Conviviality £15
Château Tanunda Grand Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
★★★★
★★★
Louis Latour £12.99
Château Tanunda Matthews Road Shiraz 2015 Conviviality £10
★★★
Noon Winery Eclipse 2016
Seckford Agencies £45
★★★
Turkey Flat Rosé 2017 Mentzendorff & Co £14.30
★★★
★★★★
Mentzendorff & Co £16.50
Kilikanoon Mort’s Block Riesling 2015
★★★★
Kilikanoon Tregea Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 Mentzendorff & Co £46
★★★★
Gatt Wines Accent Pinot Gris 2017
Looking for distribution £16.99
★★★★
Gatt Wines High Eden Shiraz 2014
Looking for distribution £39.99
★★★
Conviviality £15
Kilikanoon Killerman’s Run Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Wakefield/Taylors Wines Shiraz 2016
★★★★
Wakefield/Taylors Wines Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
★★★★
Gatt Wines Shiraz 2015 Looking for distribution £39.99
★★★★
Gatt Wines Old Vine Shiraz 2013 Looking for distribution £65
Louis Latour £12.99
★★★
★★★★
Mentzendorff & Co £46
Wakefield/Taylors Wines St Andrews Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Louis Latour £35
★★★★
Kilikanoon The Duke Grenache 2012
★★★
Project Wine Pioneer Road Riesling 2016 Broadland Wineries £9
Hentley Farm Shiraz 2015
Wakefield/Taylors Wines St Andrews Shiraz 2015
★★★
★★★
★★★★
★★★
Carson Wines £29.99
Looking for distribution £12
Looking for distribution £17.99
Carson Wines £29.99
Hentley Farm The Stray Mongrel 2015
Louis Latour £35
Kingston Estate Wines Shiraz 2016
Gatt Wines Accent Grenache 2015
Looking for distribution £17.99
Gatt Wines Accent Sangiovese 2015
Harpers.co.uk | January 2018 5
Feature Wine Stars Awards Harpers ★★★
Gatt Wines High Eden Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 Looking for distribution £39.99
★★★
Gatt Wines Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 Looking for distribution £39.99
COONAWARRA ★★★★★ STAR OF COONAWARRA
★★★★★
Coonawarra Premium Wines McBains of Coonawarra 2015
Looking for distribution £12 Described as a fun and fresh wine, with classy, clear, understandable presentation, this was packed with dark cherry, almond and vanilla notes, with hints of toast and spice, all wrapped up in silky tannins and a nice balance of oak and acidity.
★★★★★ & STAR TASTE
Rymill Coonawarra Dark Horse 2015
Looking for distribution £12.99 A “dark horse” indeed, showing spicily textured fresh red and Christmas-pudding fruits, with powerful, balanced depths adding complexity, lifted by fresh acidity. Simple but classy presentation, plus great value combined for an engaging and approachable overall offer.
The Limestone Coast Group Hidden Sea Shiraz 2015
Kingsland Drinks £9.99 Looking different and unusual, with top marks for value for money, this wine was big on varietal character, with plenty to recommend. Dark chocolate and cherry aromas met with liquorice and cassis depths, enlivened with peppery spice, showing fantastic balance. Powerful but with lively, crunchy acidity.
★★★★ ★★★★★
Rymill Coonawarra Yearling Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Looking for distribution £9.99 With clear, honest and pretty presentation, and nice, full structure delivering much for the price, this proved to be a classic Coonawarra Cabernet, offering minty, currant, tobacco notes, with big but integrated tannins, punchy depths, but with a silky edge.
6 January 2018 | Harpers.co.uk
Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 Berkmanns Wine Cellar £25
★★★★
The Limestone Coast Group Hidden Sea Sauvignon Blanc 2016
CROSS-REGION BLENDS ★★★★
STAR OF CROSS-REGION BLENDS
Casella Family Brands Yellow Tail Pinot Grigio 2017
Casella Family Brands (Europe) £7 With its jauntily recognisable critter branding and pricing fit for purpose, this wine had crisp, clean style, with hints of soft stone fruit, good acidity and easy appeal, this impressed as a good all-rounder and with an easy-drinking style.
★★★★
Casella Family Brands Yellow Tail Sauvignon Blanc 2017 Casella Family Brands (Europe) £7
★★★★
Schild Estate Wines Barossa Valley GMS 2015
Kingsland Drinks £9.99
Schild Estate Wines Majestic Wines £12.99
★★★
★★★
Looking for distribution £12
Louis Latour £20
Kingston Estate Wines Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
Wakefield/Taylors Wines Jaraman Shiraz 2015
WHAT THE JUDGES SAID “Australia is starting to make world-class Pinot Noir now, and Western Australia is making fresher, cleaner styles of wine, which we are seeing here. Sauvignon/Semillon blends are a great mix, and some of these examples are very good. Everything is going up, the whole premium focus is beginning to trickle down throughout the quality of the wines.” Theo Sloot, Oxford Wine Company “Australia has plateaued slightly. There are a lot of interesting parts of Europe doing what Australia was doing a few years ago and that whole Old-versus-New-World divide has distorted slightly, with a lot of Australian wines having a foot in the Old World [stylistically]. “When the economy is unpredictable customers go with familiarity, so at the moment customers want the well-established styles from Australia. Michael Patterson, D&D Restaurant Group “Australia has never got people to go up the graph, taking people on the journey from really cheap, which is still doing its stuff, to really nice stuff at £12 and £15 above. But taste these wines now and they are great. Customers are loyal to grape varieties with Australia, they want wines like Shiraz that aren’t too big and bold, but don’t look too European – something in between.” Dawn Davies MW, Speciality Drinks
HUNTER AND NEW SOUTH WALES ★★★★★
STAR OF AUSTRALIA & STAR OF HUNTER AND NEW SOUTH WALES
Nugan Estate Scruffy’s Shiraz 2015
Barton Brownsdon & Sadler £12.99 Judged a lovely, crowdpleasing, approachable wine, with a striking, simple label that draws you in, this oozed chocolate and spice aromas, with an opulent but silky mouth-filling palate, lifted by vibrant acidity on a lingering finish.
STAR OF AUSTRALIA
★★★★★
Calabria Family Wines 3 Bridges Durif 2016
Looking for distribution £14.75 Deemed good value, the bold, simple and clean design presented well, with aroma and palate variously described as fun, herby and juicy, with great mouthfeel and silky tannins, finishing vibrant and long.
★★★★★
Calabria Family Wines Private Bin Vermentino 2016
Looking for distribution £8.85 With a cool Italian feel to the label, this well-priced wine was well pitched for the target market. Zesty, floral and lime-scented, with hints of olive and greengage on the palate, this had an easy-drinking quality but with good persistence and length.
★★★★★
Tyrrell’s Wines Winemaker’s Selection Vat 1 Hunter Semillion 2013
John E Fells & Sons £37 A very classic-looking label, fitting the classic wine inside the bottle, with a fair price for the quality delivered. Packed with toasty, citrus-tinged, beeswax and baked apple notes on both nose and palate, with fresh lime zest acidity adding to the complexity of this poised wine.
★★★★★
Berton Vineyards Metal Range Vermentino 2017
Hallgarten Druitt & Novum Wines £10.99 Bold and striking in presentation, suggestive of the well-structured, vibrant and approachable style inside the bottle. This ripe, medium-bodied wine offered up a medley of plum and black fruit, with hints of mint and tobacco, and enough bite to meet quite punchy food flavours.
★★★★★
Nugan Estate Third Generation Shiraz 2016
Barton Brownsdon & Sadler £9.50 Good structure and complexity for the money, this jazzy, lively looking wine was deemed one for the youth vote. Mixing spicy nuances, black plum and bramble fruits, in ripe, fleshy, warm depths, this easy-drinker had good structure and mouthfeel.
★★★★★
Agnew Wines Audrey Wilkinson Shiraz 2014
Aussie Rules Wines £14.99 Spot on with pricing and announced by an approachable, easy-to-understand label, this was packed with ripe, rich red fruits, spicy cloves and pepper, hints of oaky vanilla, being fleshy and chunky and complex throughout.
★★★★
Leogate Estate Wines Brokenback Vineyard Shiraz 2014 Looking for distribution £12
★★★★
★★★★
Tyrrell’s Wines Winemaker’s Selection Vat 47 Hunter Chardonnay 2013 John E Fells & Sons £37
★★★★
Tyrrell’s Wines Hunter Valley Semillon 2017
John E Fells & Sons £18
★★★★
Nugan Estate Third Generation Chardonnay 2016
Barton Brownsdon & Sadler £9.50
★★★★
Leogate Estate Wines Balmain 2015
Nugan Estate McLaren Parish Shiraz 2016
★★★★
★★★★
Looking for distribution £6
Leogate Estate Wines La Perouse 2016 Looking for distribution £6
★★★★
Calabria Family Wines Calabria Private Bin Nero D’Avola 2016 Looking for distribution £8.85
★★★★
Grove Estate Wines Sommita Nebbiolo 2016 Looking for distribution £26.52
★★★★
Grove Estate Wines The Partners Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Looking for distribution £14.73
Barton Brownsdon & Sadler £18
Nugan Estate Alfredo Dried Grape Shiraz 2015
Barton Brownsdon & Sadler £18
★★★★
Nugan Estate Beelgara Estate Chardonnay 2017
Looking for distribution £6.47
★★★★
Nugan Estate Beelgara Moscato Frizante 2017 Looking for distribution £8.83
★★★★
Nugan Estate Beelgara Estate Rosé 2017 Looking for distribution £6.47
Harpers.co.uk | January 2018 7
Harpers Wine Stars Awards
WHAT THE JUDGES SAID
★★★★
“We have some die-hard Australian fans. We know what they like and need to keep those guys happy with traditional styles. What we seem to be ordering in to HarperWells is sub-£10, decent Shiraz, Cabernet, Semillon/ Sauvignon, but our sweet spot is £10-£16, and that’s what Australia should be filling. You have to search around a little – you have got young guys doing interesting things, but you have to look.” Dean Harper, HarperWells
Looking for distribution £6.47
“We’re dipping our toes in the water [with Australia], so it’s nice to try such a big range. We are working with quite small, mid to higher-end wines. There are a lot of very exciting wines from Australia, so it is a case of finding those gems.” Caroline Doyle, Borough Wines “Everyone is talking about Australia coming back – it has changed its style and become a little more restrained. On the white front we can sell dry Riesling and we have a good solid core of Chardonnay drinkers who want what they call ‘proper’ New World Chardonnay. And red Australia has never really lost ground. The rise of good Aussie Pinot has done very well for us, and big Shiraz never went away. There are still customers out there that like big rich wines.” John Hoskins MW, The Old Bridge Inn 8 January 2018 | Harpers.co.uk
Nugan Estate Beelgara Estate Shiraz 2016
★★★★
Agnew Wines Audrey Wilkinson Chardonnay 2015 Aussie Rules Wines £14.99
★★★
Leogate Estate Wines Brokenback Vineyard Semillon 2015
PADTHAWAY
TASMANIA
★★★★
★★★★★
STAR OF PADTHAWAY
Morambro Creek Wines Jip Jip Rocks Shiraz Cabernet 2016
Free Run Wines £12.49 Pitched at a supermarket audience, this delivered good value with its fruity, punchy, ripe style, with plummy and earthy concentration, good for pairing with flavoursome food and finishing very long.
Looking for distribution £8
★★★
Calabria Family Wines 3 Bridges Chardonnay 2016
Looking for distribution £13.55
★★★
Calabria Family Wines Calabria Private Bin Montepulciano 2016 Looking for distribution £8.85
★★★
Grove Estate Wines The Cellar Block Shiraz/ Viognier 2016
Looking for distribution £22.39
★★★
Berton Vineyards Metal Range Durif 2017 Hallgarten Druitt & Novum Wines £10.99
★★★
Agnew Wines Audrey Wilkinson Verdelho 2016 Aussie Rules Wines £14.99
★★★
Agnew Wines Audrey Wilkinson Tempranillo 2016 Aussie Rules Wines £14.99
STAR OF TASMANIA
BB Tasmanian Estates Tamar Ridge Pinot Noir 2014
Awin Barratt Siegel Wine Agencies £22.25 Clean, bright and vibrant, showing sweet cherry fruit, underscored with a hint of spice while developing savoury and gently gamey nuances, this showed all the cool-climate qualities of good Tasmanian Pinot to the full.
★★★★
Berton Vineyards Winemakers Reserve Black Shiraz 2016
Hallgarten Druitt & Novum Wines £11.49
★★★
Morambro Creek Wines Jip Jip Rocks Sauvignon Blanc 2017 Free Run Wines £11.99
★★★★
Brown Brothers 1 8 Eighty Nine Sauvignon Blanc 2016 John E Fells & Sons £15.49
★★★★
BB Tasmanian Estates Pirie Brut NV Awin Barratt Siegel Wine Agencies £34
★★★
Brown Brothers Ten Acres Shiraz 2015 John E Fells & Sons £17.49
WESTERN AUSTRALIA ★★★★★
★★★★
Domaine Naturaliste Discovery Chardonnay 2016 Haywards Bros (Wines) £20
★★★★
Domaine Naturaliste Discovery Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Haywards Bros (Wines) £20
★★★★ STAR OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Deep Woods Estate Hillside Cabernet Merlot 2014
VICTORIA (INCLUDING MORNINGTON PENINSULA & YARRA VALLEY) ★★★★★
STAR OF VICTORIA
Stanton & Killeen Wines Classic Rutherglen Topaque NV
Awin Barratt Siegel Wine Agencies £15.25 With incredible aromas ranging from marmalade and coffee to mince pies and sherry, this followed though on a powerful palate described as hugely complex, with bitter-sweet notes of toffee, spice and vanilla, with a rich and nutty finish.
★★★★
Lanchester Wines Vintrigue Pinot Gris 2015 Lanchester Wines £7.49
★★★★
Tahbilk Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 Armit Wines £15
★★★★
Domaine Tournon/ M Chapoutier Shays Flat Shiraz 2012 Mentzendorff & Co £23
★★★★
Punt Road Napoleone Vineyard Block 2 Chardonnay 2016 Carson Wines £21.99
★★★★
Stanton & Killeen Wines Classic Rutherglen Muscat NV Awin Barratt Siegel Wine Agencies £15.25
★★★
Tahbilk Marsanne 2015
★★★★
Aberdeen Wine Company Angus The Bull Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 North South Wines £14
Armit Wines £12.50
★★★
Tahbilk Shiraz 2013 Armit Wines £15
★★★★
★★★
Lanchester Wines £9.99
Carson Wines £17.99
McPherson Wines Laneway Chardonnay 2016
Carson Wines £18.99 Black fruits and hints of rosemary and cedar lead into a wellbalanced, fresh but full style, with some good complexity for a young wine, with a long, fresh, but persistent finish, and a subtle lick of spice. This was judged very good value for the money.
Punt Road Airlie Bank Cabernet Franc 2016
McHenry Hohnen Vintners Amigos Red 2014
Louis Latour Agencies £17.50
★★★★
McHenry Hohnen Vintners Burnside Vineyard Chardonnay 2015 Louis Latour Agencies £24.50
★★★★
McHenry Hohnen Vintners Rocky Road Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Louis Latour Agencies £15
★★★★★
★★★★
Direct Wines £17.99 With a slightly Old World feel to the label, this rounded blend offered up a mix of cassis and brambly fruits, with deeper plum and fig notes on the palate, plus a herbaceous note, with good weight and integrated tannins through to the long finish.
Carson Wines £14.99
Woodlands Wines Wilyabrup Valley Cabernet Merlot 2015
★★★★
Robert Oatley Signature Chardonnay Margaret River 2016 Hatch Mansfield £13
★★★★
Robert Oatley Hancock 2 Hancock Cabernet Touriga 2015 Hatch Mansfield £14.50
Deep Woods Estate Ivory Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2015
★★★★
Deep Woods Estate Hillside Chardonnay 2015 Carson Wines £18.99
★★★
Watson Family Wines Cabernet Sauvignon/ Merlot 2016 Direct Wines £13.99
★★★
Watson Family Wines Chardonnay 2017 Direct Wines £13.99
★★★
Deep Woods Estate Ebony Cabernet/ Shiraz 2013 Carson Wines £14.99
Harpers.co.uk | January 2018 9