Saturday, June 28, 2025

Chapel Hill 2022 Road Block Shiraz

 

Affordable luxury here from Michael Fragos and his team at Chapel Hill in McLaren Vale, always reliable good purveyors of wines with power and class. One of the new release of icon wines, this is simultaneously an Alpha male red; impressively powerful, and studied and complete. It's a darkly assertive with classic regional dark fruits, deli notes, cedary oak and black pepper jostling for attention on the palate. There is plenty of generosity of flavour here, but also some amiable drinkability. A tempting winter warmer, maybe with a rabbit casserole or fricasee of mushrooms. Impressive. $70. https://www.chapelhillwine.com.au/

Saturday, June 21, 2025

Feudo Arancio 2023 Nero d'Avola

 

There are several Australian companies making wines from Nero d'Avola grapes, but this is the real thing from Feudo Arancio (the Orange Grove), a producer of very good-value wines from Sicily. Nero d'Avola is a grape native to Sicily and this one is made from fruit grown close to the Mediterranean. It  smells and tastes of the countryside, with earthy rustic and herbal notes alongside fresh red berry flavours minty hints and a soft finish. Very easy drinking here and this paired well with both lamb shanks and bangers and mash with onion gravy. $20. https://www.singlevineyards.com/

Saturday, June 14, 2025

Pike & Joyce 2024 Ceder Riesling



The Pike family has a big reputation for the high-quality wines at makes in the Clare Valley. What is less well known is that since 1998 it has partnered with the Joyce family to also produce wines in the cooler Adelaide Hills. This excellent riesling made from fruit grown at Lenswood is a fine example; slightly more textural than the Clare rieslings but impressively clear, aromatic and fresh with green apple and citrus notes on the palate. Energetic and minerally, it paired beautifully with swordfish steaks in a lemon butter sauce, but the folk at Pike & Joyce recommend enjoying with fresh Coffin Bay oysters. $32. https://pikeandjoyce.com.au/

Saturday, June 7, 2025

Soumah 2024 Brachetto Frizzante

 

Soumah vigneron and founder Brett Butcher describes brachetto as "liquid Turkish Delight" and "an adult version of Moscato". It is a wine that shouts out to be chilled and quaffed outdoors - a perfect choice for a warmer day, and with just 10% alcohol. Think wild strawberry and rose water flavours along with a gentle, refreshing sparkle. For those unfamiliar with the grape variety, the brachetto grape variety hails from north-east Italy and dates back to Roman times. It is only grown by a handful of vineyards in Australia, including in Soumah's Yarra Valley home. This is fresh, vibrant and unashamedly sweet, but not too sweet. Such a fun drink. $32. www.soumah.com.au.