*Except Northern Territory

2007 HENTY ESTATE SHIRAZ - $22.95

You may recall that the 2006 Henty Shiraz created quite a buying frenzy last year when James Halliday awarded it 96 points and selected it his Top 100: "… packed full of beautifully ripe, lip-smacking spicy black fruits… What a wine." I sampled quite a few bottles of the wine and though I thought it a good wine, I could never quite see what James Halliday saw in it. I have no such reservations with the new 07 vintage, which I think is an absolute cracker.

From a drought year, the wine is spicy, luscious, rich and velvety. The nose is drop-dead gorgeous, beautifully perfumed and full of black fruits; which leads into a powerful, deep and long palate crammed with blackberry fruit. Soft fine tannins and immaculately handled French oak complete this deceptively rich wine, which will surely blossom with a few years in the cellar - provided you can keep your hands off it!

2006 WITCHMOUNT ESTATE SHIRAZ - $29.95

"There was much excitement last year owing to Witchmount's 2004 being 'Best Shiraz in the World' in a French competition called Syrah du Monde. To the probable embarassment of the winery, press hype took over, and the event, involving only 384 wines with no recognised great shirazes of the world entered, and 128 medal winners dominated by cheap French wines of ordinary pedigree, became bigger than Ben-Hur.

Despite that, Witchmount's shiraz is excellent and always great value. The '06 offers mixed berry aromas, like a juicy summer pudding, with spice and poised sweet oak. It's medium in body, ripe and succulent with fine texture, concentrated flavour and perfectly integrated ripe tannins. Best shiraz in the world? Maybe not, but it's delicious. Drink over six years."   Ralph Kyte-Powell, Epicure Uncorked - Wine of the Week *****

NV NO. 1 FAMILY ESTATE CUVÉE NO. 1 BLANC DE BLANCS - $39.95

No. 1 Family Estate No. 1 Cuvee is made by Daniel Le Brun, a 12th-generation winemaker from Champagne, who came to Marlborough 25 years ago. His methode champenois wines are now sold under the No. 1 Family estate label. Cuvee No. 1 is a 100% chardonnay (blanc de blancs) and has had remarkable show success around the world. Recently it took out the Trophy back here in Australia for the Best Sparkling Wine at the 2007 Winewise Small Vigneron Awards.

"David Le Brun was New Zealand's first sparkling wine specialist when he established his Marlborough winery in the early '80's. After selling that winery he launched his new brand, No.1 Family Estate, and began to make even better bottle-fermented sparkling wines in a less oxidative way than before. This is a classically flinty blanc de blancs style with an ethereal texture and fine, drying acidity. It's a delicate yet powerful wine showing a mix of toasty autolysis characters with mineral, apple and citrus flavours." Bob Campbell MW, Gourmet Traveller Wine - 96 points

"NV No.1 Family Estate Cuvée No.1 After knocking on the door for a few years, No.1 Family Estate from Marlborough, NZ finally wins a well deserved trophy. The wine is rich and complex, with attractive toasty notes to the bouquet. The palate is impressively long and creamy. Stylish stuff." Lester Jesberg, Winewise - Highly Recommended

"A multi-award-winning bubbly everywhere from here to Britain. Not that awards are everything in a world awash with wine. The creator of this wine, Daniel Le Brun, has arguably done more than anybody to pioneer Marlborough's and New Zealand's potential to make top quality sparkling wine. This one is entirely made from chardonnay grapes (a blanc de blancs style) and is hugely appealing as a result, creamy, friendly, easy style to enjoy. Eat: crostini with fresh feta and slivers of hot smoked salmon." Joelle Thomson, NZ Herald - Top 10 Bubbles from 2006

"Great all-chardonnay sparkling, full of class and soft, sensual texture yet still carrying plenty of generous fruit. A light and refreshing statement with lots of bubble; elegant and refined. Delicious after work, for celebrations and as an aperitif. A very successful label since its first vintage." Peter Saunders, Best of the Best - F&B magazine

2006 CLAYMORE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON SHIRAZ - $19.95

Another absolutely delicious shiraz from Claymore as a follow-up to their outstanding 2005. Winner of the TROPHY FOR BEST SHIRAZ at the 2008 Clare Valley Wine Show. A voluptuous wine with loads of sweet berry fruit, the fruit immaculately well-handled and integrated, the tannins fine and ripe, the finish long and satisfying. Highly recommended and outstanding at the price.

"A dark, concentrated and very serious wine; dark fruits, with a little spice and mint, are framed by pencilly oak; the palate is almost thick in texture on entry, but as it travels across the palate, life and lightness return and the overall impression is fine and complex. Screwcap. 14.5% alc. Drink Now - 2020." James Halliday - 94 points

"Matured for 18 months in both French and American oak barrels. Dense purple / black. The nose shows lifted chocolate, mulberries and sweetish (almost vanillin) oak spice, there is also a slight menthol & forest lift - reminiscent of walking under pine trees after rain. Big, chewy and juicy black fruits dominate the palate with lots of dark chocolate. The tannins are firm yet integrated and the wine finishes with lingering gentle black berry fruits." Winery Notes

Awards:
Trophy Best Shiraz - 2008 Clare Valley Wine Show
Gold Medal - 2008 Clare Valley Wine Show

2008 CLOUDY BAY SAUVIGNON BLANC - $29.66* (WAS $32.95)

 *Straight Dozen Purchase

 *Made by pinot guru Lindsay McCall (Paringa Estate)

2006 PORTSEA ESTATE PINOT NOIR - $34.95

Portsea Estate is a tiny located on the century old Tintagel property overlooking Bass Strait at the very tip of Victoria's Mornington Peninsula. It's wines are made by Lindsay McCall (Paringa Estate), arguably Australia's most successful pinot noir maker. Its terroir is unique, derived from extensive limestone deposits and a top soil of calcareous sand and humus collected over thousands of years.

The 2006 Portsea Estate is cool-climate pinot noir from Australia at its very best and I am not surprised that it was a Triple Trophy Winner at the prestigious National Cool Climate Show, taking out the Champion Wine of the Show. In addition it has won a staggering 7 Gold Medals in wine shows over the last year. Elegant, deeply flavoured and finely crafted; this wonderfully aromatic pinot has deep cherry and plum fruit and sweet spices on the bouquet. The palate that follows is supple, concentrated and complex; offering plum, cherry and spice with fine ripe tannins and perfectly managed oak. The finish is fresh, clean and lingering. I have no doubt that Portsea Estate is a star in the making.

Awards:
Champion Wine of the Show - 2007 National Cool Climate Wine Show
Champion Pinot Noir - 2007 National Cool Climate Wine Show
Champion Dry Red Table Wine - 2007 National Cool Climate Wine Show
Gold Medal - 2007 National Cool Climate Wine Show
Gold Medal - 2008 Royal Sydney Wine Show
Gold Medal - 2008 Rutherglen Wine Show
Gold Medal - 20008 Cowra Wine Show
Gold Medal - 2008 Bathurst Wine Show
Gold Medal - 2008 Ballarat Wine Show

2007 ASTROLABE MARLBOROUGH PINOT GRIS - $25.95

This was the first time I have tasted an Astrolabe pinot gris and I was simply blown away by the exceptional quality of the wine. It is a stunning pinot gris and truly world class. And certainly not a one-off, as my research discovered that it's predecessor, the 2006 Astrolabe Pinot Gris, won the Trophy for Champion Pinot Gris at the 2006 Air New Zealand Wine Awards.

The wine has a beautiful nose, lightly floral and deliciously perfumed. Classic Pinot Gris on the palate - spicy and exotic, pristine pear and peach fruit abound, wonderful fresh acidity and a long, lingering finish. This is an elegant pinot gris with great finesse and subtlety; one for the purists.

"I was surprised to find that as many as nine of my 45 favourite New Zealand wines from recent tastings were Pinot Gris. Again I liked the… Brightwater Pinot Gris 2006 Nelson seemed to have the balance between pure, bumptious fruit and refreshing acidity just right, and Astrolabe Pinot Gris 2007 Marlborough seems similarly sophisticated." Jancis Robinson, MW

2006 CHALK HILL McLAREN VALE SHIRAZ - $17.95

Chalk Hill are producing immaculate wines across the board under French winemaker Emmanuelle Requin-Bekkers. Having studied in Marseilles and Montpellier, and having worked in many of France's regions including Bordeaux, Bourgogne, Langue-doc Roussillon and the smaller appellations of Bandol and Sancerre, it is no wonder she has taken this producer's wines to a different level.

Wow, what a wonderful wine for under $20! A group of us had this wine over dinner recently - in a masked line-up of pretty handy wines - and it was unanimously voted the wine of the night. An archetypal generous McLaren Vale Shiraz from a great vintage with masses of dense, sweet, potent fruit beautifully interwoven with spice and quality oak on an intense and long palate. Lovely balance, structure and mouthfeel. Succulent, cuddly and soft, a must for lovers of big shiraz. Back-up the truck.

Please note that for each bottle of wine sold, Chalk Hill donates 25 cents to Greening Australia for the planting of trees. This is the largest per-bottle donation in the Australian wine industry and translates to a tree planted for every 6 bottles sold.

2007 HELM CLASSIC DRY RIESLING - $24.95

Riesling has been Ken Helm's passion for 30 years and he fully deserves to be recognised as Canberra District's top riesling producer. His 2007 Classic Dry Riesling is an absolute stunner and has already won the Trophy for Best Riesling at the 2007 Cool Climate Wine Show and the Top gold medal in the riesling class at the 2007 Royal Melbourne Wine Show - against 45 of the best Rieslings in Australia!

"Made by respected winemaker Ken Helm from free run juice of Canberra district Riesling vines. Brilliant greeny straw in colour. Limes, lemons, more lemons and lime cordial abounds. Juicy and fresh fruit - aromatic, vibrant and impressive in stature and composition. Delicious pure polished fruit oozes down the throat effortlessly. Smooth and a tad creamy on the finish with lively balanced acidity. Seamless drinking indeed. Try this with bbq octupus. Drink to 2020." Paul Ippolito - 95 points [95-97: Superb - A memorable drinking experience]

"A ripper - winner of bronze, silver and gold medals in Winewise, Cowra, and Melbourne shows respectively. It has brilliant, green- tinted pale lemon colour and tremendous volume of ripe varietal aroma and flavour - more than you usually see in Riesling this young. But the flavour volume doesn't come at the expense of freshness. This is as crisp and youthful as they come." Chris Shanahan, Canberra Times

"Without question, his (Ken's) 2007 classic dry Riesling measures up with the finest Rieslings I have tasted. Its lively and crisp lemon-lime flavours triggers an incredible palate explosion. John Vickery and Geoffrey Grosset, Australia's foremost Riesling specialists, would be among the first to salute Helm's efforts." John Fordham, The Sunday Telegraph

"Citrus, herb and spice aromas; tightly focused, but has lovely lime juice flavours with perfectly balanced acidity; very good length. 11.8º alc. Drink Now - 2017." James Halliday - 92 points

Awards:
Trophy, Best Riesling - 2007 Cool Climate Show Murrumbateman
Top Gold Medal - 2007 Royal Melbourne Wine Show
Gold Medal - 2007 Cool Climate Show Murrumbateman