Champagne Duval-Leroy NV Brut Reserve

 

It's been a while since I tasted the Duval-Leroy Brut Reserve and the current iteration is extremely impressive; a seamless blend of pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay that really sparkles. That's actually not a pun, with this wine having a particularly vibrant mousse, along with complexity, finesse, lightness and elegance. Think lemon sherbet and lime zest. If you enjoy Champagnes from Billecart Salmon or Gosset, add the wines from Carol Duval-Leroy and her family to your shopping list. The Duval-Leroy family has been making bubbles since 1859 and is currently run by the sixth generation. Imported by Vintage House/Angove. $75. www.vhws.com.au/

Parker Coonawarra Estate 2018 95 Block

 

Parker Coonawarra Estate make a range of uniformly excellent wines, but this one really shines for me. It is seriously delicious; muscular but elegant and comprises an unusual blend of cabernet sauvignon (80%) and petit verdot (20%), made from fruit grown on vines that are original cuttings from Bordeaux, brought to Coonawarra before they were lost to France due to Phylloxera in the late 1800s. Dark, rich, brambly and beautifully balanced. Drink now, or cellar. This 2018 vintage shone with a winter steak and kidney casserole with herbed dumplings. $65. https://www.parkercoonawarraestate.com.au/

De Iuliis 2021 Estate Semillon

 

OK. I didn't taste this wine blind, as I usually do, and I tasted it while staying on the winemaker's property in the Hunter Valley. But disclaimers aside, this is just too delicious not to recommend. Mike de Iuliis and his team produce wines at a range of price points that offer excellent value but this brand-new release from the recently concluded 2021 vintage screams "drink me". Zingy with lifted citrus characters, a lightness of being on the palate, and crisp, lively acids on the finish, this needs to be well chilled and enjoyed at the end of hard day at work. Instant bliss. $25. https://dewine.com.au/