The best

• red wine
• white wine
• champagne
• rosé
• whisky
• spirits
• beer

deals in Australia

HARTFORD COURT Stone Cote Vineyard Chardonnay The Stone Côte Vineyard is a small vineyard block within the renowned Durell Vineyard, which sits upon an ancient riverbed at the southern end of the Sonoma Coast AVA. The vineyard’s topography was shaped aeons ago by a river flowing through volcanic and sedimentary rock on its way to the San Pablo Bay. Tumbled and water-worn river rocks now litter the landscape, and very little topsoil remains. The nutritionally challenged soils force the vines to search deeply for nutrients and water, and as a result, the stressed vines yield very small clusters with intense varietal flavours. Climatically, this vineyard site is characterised by relatively cool daytime temperatures and maritime breezes, which marry with the low-fertility soils to create an ideal site for growing Chardonnay. The wine’s flinty aromas and mineral-laden finish are a reflection of this vineyard’s intrinsic terroir.

ARNOT-ROBERTS Trout Gulch Vineyard Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains The Trout Gulch Vineyard is found in a forested coastal canyon about 4 miles from the ocean in Santa Cruz County. This beautiful and pioneering site was planted by Bernard Turgeon in 1980 to the old Wente clone of Chardonnay, which is considered by many to be the heritage selection of Chardonnay in California. The soils in this cool site are fine sandy loam and the vines are carefully tended by Richard Alfaro. Harvest at Trout Gulch often has a slow-growing season resulting in wines that are high in natural acidity, strong minerality, and have notable salinity on the palate.