Hay Shed Hill 2020 Vineyard Series Chardonnay

 

This is just one of a range of impressive, stylish and well-priced wines from Hay Shed HIll winemaker Michael Kerrigan and his team in Margaret River. The Block Six and Morrison's Gift also shine brightly. It is a beautifully balanced wine with bright citrus and stone fruit notes, impressive layers of flavours and understated oak. The quality fruit does all the talking. This paired impressively with a roast chicken dinner. Fresh, lively, crisp and delicious.$28. https://hayshedhill.com.au/

Yangarra 2019 Ovitelli Grenache

 

The perfect winter warmer wine from Pete Fraser and his team of biodynamic and organic dynamos at Yangarra in McLaren Vale: juicy, fruit and absolutely delicious. Sip it, or quaff it, either way will work. Dark in colour, aromatic and full of plummy, dark berry goodness, this would pair well with a warming game casserole. Certified organic.$60. www.yangarra.com. 

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/   

Mr Barval 2019 Vino Rosso

 

I have been working my through several Mr Barval releases over the past few weeks - and have been extremely impressed by a range with which I was not previously familiar. Mr Barval is the brand of much-travelled Robert Gherardi (who has worked at Moss Wood and Cullen) with Mr standing for Margaret River and Barval for Barolo (his wine love) and Valtellina (his ancestral home in Italy). This is a blend of merlot, petit verdot and malbec (how very right bank) that was wild fermented and basket pressed to produce a soft, smooth, easy-drinking style of considerable substance made in small quantities. Move quickly if you want to snap some up. 93 points. $30. www.mrbarval.com   

Leeuwin Estate 2018 Art Series Chardonnay

 

World-class chardonnay from one of the benchmark producers in Margaret River. This is the best high-end chardonnay of the year so far with intensity and drive. Aromas, flavours and textures are as tightly-knit as early Led Zeppelin and the end result is a white to rival the best of Burgundy; a wine of immense style and balance. The new oak is complemented by powerful citrus and white stone fruit resulting a wine of serious finesse. Happy to give this 97/100. $126. https://leeuwinestate.com.au/