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Neil Paulett and his wife Alison started Paulett Wines in 1983 and now share the business with their son Matt and his wife Ali. The Paulett family may be better known for their fine Clare Valley rieslings than their red wines, but this new release stands out as one of the best buys of the summer; a mature, soft and approachable shiraz that is spicy and intense and tastes a lot more expensive than the modest asking price. This is a beautifully balanced red with oak playing an important support role. A really lovely drink for $24 that would be great with a gourmet barbecue. www.paulettwines.com.au.
Vanya Cullen is as obsessive about quality as she is about sustainability. All the Cullen wines are certified biodynamic and carbon neutral and grown on a naturally powered estate. Grapes are harvested by hand on fruit and flower days according to the astrological calendar and there are no additions of yeast, acid or malolactic culture. None of which would matter a jot if the wines were not so very good. From yet another terrific vintage in Margaret River, this is a focused and pure chardonnay with lemon and lime citrus, nutty characters and subtle oak all combining seamlessly. A wine of length and intensity that can either be enjoyed now or cellared. A superb Christmas present for any vinophile. $105. www.cullenwines.com.au.
This blend of two traditional varieties and the rare mondeuse noir grape variety that is grown primarily in the Savoie region of eastern France is long-time Brown Brothers favourite. The company has been making the blend since the 1950s.This is a special release at six years of age to mark the 125th birthday of the family-owned Victorian producers. The three varieties are co-fermented to produce an intense and cellar-worthy wine; with the shiraz responsible for sweet dark fruit notes, mondeuse adding acid and structure and cabernet contributing elegance. All three grapes are grown in the King Valley - just down the road from Brown Brothers' Milawa winery - and the end result is an inky,complex but very enjoyable wine. $80.
The initial release 2012 Tolpuddle wines - the Tasmanian outpost of Shaw+Smith - were received with rapturous acclaim both in Australia and globally. The good news is the new release 2013s are, if anything, even better, with greater concentration and intensity. From a warmer year, both the single vineyard wines retain their pristine cool-climate characters but have added complexity, and ageing potential. This is an absolutely lovely wine, a thoroughbred with fragrance, structure, softness, sweetness, spice and perfect balance. Delightful. $75. www.tolpuddlevineyard.com
Billy Button is the brand new label from talented former Boyntons Feathertop winemaker Jo Marsh, who is based in Victoria's chilly Alpine Valleys - with a cellar door in Bright. Her first releases have a definite Italian accent; vermentino, verduzzo and friulano, alongside a cracking riesling made using fruit sourced from the nearby King Valley. All rated 90+ with the vermentino and riesling my favourites, each scoring 94/100. This take on a Sardinian white grape variety that's taking Australia by storm is both lively and textural; dry and extremely food friendly. Well worth seeking out. By the way, Billy Buttons are the native daisies that you find on the mountain ranges over summer. $25. www.billybuttonwines.com.au.
It had been some time since I tasted the wines from Maxwell Wines in McLaren Vale, and the quality across the board came as something of a revelation. The wines are not short of flavour or structure but come with a deft touch, lacking the brute force of the some of their local siblings. I particularly enjoyed this premium grenache, which offers excellent value for money. There is bright jubey fruit intensity (think dark cherry and ripe raspberry) from 80+ year old vines, but also some earthiness and well-integrated French oak. There is plenty of length and depth here, but also immediate drinking appeal. Excellent buying for medium-term consumption. $24. www.maxwellwines.com.au.
This is the 30th anniversary release of a Clare Valley icon - a wine that has been relentless in its excellence for many years. The Pikes make a classic Clare style; powdery and floral on the nose with Granny Smith apple notes; crisp, dry and refreshing on the palate with brisk citrus notes, bright acid and river pebble notes/zingy minerality. Lean and clean with just 11% alcohol, this is absolutely brilliant in its youth and can be a "go to" wine for summer enjoyment. A lot of experts will tell you to cellar this, but for me it is just too delicious in its youth to bother waiting for development. I'll give it 96 points.
$26. www.pikeswines.com.au.
