Domaine Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage La Guiraude
Alain Graillot has proved beyond a doubt that it is possible to make rich wines from the gently sloped alluvial plain where the Isère River meets the Rhone. His concentrated reds demonstrate all that is exciting about the Syrah grape: black fruit, intense aromaticity, pepper and spice complexity underpinned by crisp acidity and fine tannins. Graillot works organically, harvesting fruit by hand and fermenting in whole bunches. He chooses to age his wines in used barrels, one to three-years-old, purchased from Burgundy’s best estates. His Crozes-Hermitage is difficult to resist young. Despite the tannins that inevitably come from the inclusion of whole bunches in fermentation, Graillot wines are seldom hard-edged, overly tannic, or in need of extended cellaring. In fact, they are often flat-out delicious very soon after release. That being said, their track record for rewarding patient cellaring is exemplary. La Guiraude is a tête de cuvée, a barrel selection made only in vintages where it is felt there are some barrels that exhibit particularly intense and age-worthy personalities. Not necessarily a ‘better’ wine than the Domaine Crozes, it is typically more powerful and in need of longer cellaring.
Penfolds St Henri
Penfolds St Henri is one of Australia's greatest red wines. The Shiraz for St Henri is selected for subtlety and elegance and the finished wine has the structure complexity for extended bottle maturation. The 1991 is a classic St Henri vintage that is good to drink until 2022.
Shaw & Smith Pinot Noir
Red fruit aromas in the red cherry and redcurrant spectrum carry through onto the palate.
Henschke Tappa Pass Shiraz
Henschke have in recent years begun to identify and single out great quality parcels of Shiraz fruit that deserves to be bottled seperately and released as part of their Vineyard Selection. The Tappa Pass Shiraz is sourced from old low yielding Barossa vineyards that shows amazing depth and concentration. Rich, lush and intense it will develop further complexity with bottle age.
Mount Langi Ghiran Langi Shiraz
Mount Langi Ghiran Shiraz is rightfully considered by many to be Australia's best cool-climate Shiraz. Nestled in western Victoria, right in the heart of the Grampians wine region, Langi Shiraz is a classic, true to type wine that Dan Buckle has handcrafted. A sensuous Shiraz that displays exotic aromas and flavours of spice, savouriness and that trademark pepper character. Red berry fruit is not to be forgotten here and after a good decant, is more than suitable to be enjoyed from today onwards.
Taylors The Visionary Cabernet Sauvignon
This Cabernet Sauvignon gives pronounced flavours of chocolate, red berries and black cherry skins with echoes of light tobacco and bramble on the finish.
Domaine Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage
Alain Graillot has proved beyond a doubt that it is possible to make rich wines from the gently sloped alluvial plain where the Isère River meets the Rhone. His concentrated reds demonstrate all that is exciting about the Syrah grape: black fruit, intense aromaticity, pepper and spice complexity underpinned by crisp acidity and fine tannins. Graillot works organically, harvesting fruit by hand and fermenting in whole bunches. He chooses to age his wines in used barrels, one to three-years-old, purchased from Burgundy’s best estates. His Crozes-Hermitage is difficult to resist young. Despite the tannins that inevitably come from the inclusion of whole bunches in fermentation, Graillot wines are seldom hard-edged, overly tannic, or in need of extended cellaring. In fact, they are often flat-out delicious very soon after release. That being said, their track record for rewarding patient cellaring is exemplary.
Eric Et Joel Durand Confidence
Eric Et Joel Durand Empreintes
Houghton Jack Mann Cabernet Sauvignon
One word - legend. Jack Mann served Houghton for a remarkable 51 consecutive vintages. His determination to create wines of intensity, elegance and regional character have inspired a generation of Australian winemakers to achieve great things. Simply one of this country's greatest Cabernets, this wine is not just single vineyard fruit, the selection process is so rigorous that often it is just a few rows from the Justin Vineyard. Such is the reverence for that great man - Jack Mann.

