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This is a very high quality chardonnay for its price point; made from certified organic fruit grown on the Isolation Ridge vineyard in the remote Frankland River region of West Australia. The ironstone soils help craft a wine that has zippy grapefruit and tangerine flavours to the fore, with some subdued nutty and smoky characters.There is freshness here, complexity, length and a dry, crisp finish. A wine with serious poise that would pair well with pan-fried fish dishes, or some James Taylor on the turntable. $30. www.franklandestate.com.au.
Nebbiolo is an Italian red grape variety from the Piedmont area where it is used in the classic wines of Barolo and Barbaresco. In Australia, it tends to show at its best in cooler regions, as exemplified by this excellent release from the Adelaide Hills, which offers more than a nod to the grape's ancestry. Dark notes, from licorice to prunes, black cherries to violets shine here in a medium-bodied red that encourages glugging rather than sipping. It is complex, savoury and bright with beguiling dusty tannins. Savoury notes ensure it will cellar well, but it is downright delicious right now - a vinous Lolita. A very solid 95/100. $50. www.longviewvineyard.com.au.
Mataro, also known as mourvedre or monastrell, depending on where it is grown, is used in the reds of the Rhone Valley and Provence in France, in Spain and the California. In the Barossa Valley it is most often used as a blending grape (usuually with shiraz and grenache). Here is stands proudly alone. The fruit is from the Hoffman vineyard on Ebenenzer Road and while it is a ripe, assertive red it also has enough nuance to be enjoyable in its youth. Concentrated, dark, spicy and briary, it finishes with seductive softness. Pair it with offal dishes, or a vegetable quiche. $38. www.thornclarkewines.com.
