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qantas inflight guide to w i n e First edition

qantas First and business wines Editor’s letter

Qantas and Gourmet Traveller WINE have worked together for nearly a decade to promote , in the past partnering up for events such as our annual Winemaker of the Year awards and wine tastings held in Qantas lounges. So when Qantas took the initiative to pro- vide its customers with more information about the wines served in its First and Business cabins we were delighted to step onboard and lend a hand. In the following pages, we introduce you to the panel of judy sarris experts who have selected the fine Editor, Gourmet Australian wines you will enjoy Traveller WINE. during your Qantas flight, explain how and why the wines were chosen, and take you to the Australian vineyards and regions from where they came. Wine expert and member of the Gourmet Traveller panel Peter Bourne provides tasting notes for 145 of the magnificent wines that make up just part of the award-winning Qantas cellar. The selection is carefully tailored to enhance the menu served on each leg of your journey, and Qantas cabin crew will indicate which drops are available during your flight. If you are impressed by what you try, and I suspect you will be, I urge you to keep this guide for future refer- ence when enjoying the diverse and unique wines that has to offer.

The Legacy of Len Evans 6 the height of taste 7 Meet the Panel 8 Quest for the Best 10 Red, White and True Blue 12 Wine News 14

N T EN TS Tasting Notes 17

O Wine Index 48

C Contacts 50

Editorial Director Andy Harris Editor Judy Sarris Art Director Sabine Schmitz Deputy Editor/Copy Editor Emma Ventura Tasting Notes Peter Bourne Features Nick Ryan Subeditor Holly O’Neill Editorial Assistant Louise Butta Cover Photography Ben Dearnley Digital Production Specialist Sam Leong Advertising Production Renata Stankevicius Production Controller Hilary Johnson acp magazines ltd Chief Executive Officer Ian Law Group Publisher Specialist Titles Phil Scott This Qantas Inflight Guide to Wine is complimentary to Qantas customers and was developed by Qantas Inflight Services. Published by Qantas Airways Ltd, ABN 16 009 661 901 and by ACP Magazines Ltd ABN 18 053 273 546. 54-58 Park St, Sydney, NSW 2000. ©2007 All rights reserved. Printed by Lilyfield Printing Pty Ltd, 47-53 Bellona Ave, Regents Park, NSW 2143, phone (02) 8718 8344, www.lilyfieldprinting.com.au. Articles express the opinions of authors and not necessarily those of Qantas or ACP Magazines Ltd.

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gourmet traveller wine 5 australian icon

The Legacy of Len Evans Australian wine’s greatest champion helped shape the way Qantas serves wine.

o individual did more to transform the Australian wine Nindustry from rustic pursuit to global powerhouse than the late Len Evans AO, OBE. Evans’ passion for wine was enormous, and he devoted himself to spreading the word with evangelical zeal. He wrote Australia’s first regular wine column in The Bulletin news magazine and, in 1965, became the founding director of the Australian Wine Bureau, established to promote the industry both at home and abroad. Evans set up The Rothbury Estate in the Hunter Valley in 1969 and was influential in the success of Brian Croser’s Petaluma win- ery. Well-known as a gourmand, Evans also established a Sydney restaurant, the legendary Bulletin Place, which saw the demise of more great bottles during the heady days of the 1970s and early ’80s than any other. As a strong advocate of the Australian wine show system, he was instrumental in securing for wine the same benefits that other fields get from agricultural shows. Evans worked tirelessly with Qantas for more than 40 years, strongly believing the national carrier should showcase the best Australian wines. As chairman of the wine selection panel, he tasted extensively, debated forcefully and cajoled successfully with his fel- low panel members to ensure that Qantas could confidently serve wines which were typically Australian and recognisably world class. Despite his passing last year, Evans’ influence is still felt at Qantas. He personally selected the current members of the Wine Panel (see page 8) to continue his work, and it’s fitting that in the year he died, Qantas was named as having the best First and Business wine lists at the prestigious Cellars in the Sky awards in London (page 11). It’s nice to think that somewhere, somehow, Len Evans is sitting back, with a full glass, saying, “I told you so”. v

leading from above Evans believed the national carrier should serve the best wines. PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANSON SMART.

6 Food & Wine service

The Height of Taste Chef Neil Perry offers Qantas customers food and wine matches made in the heavens.

irline food has undergone something of a revolution in recent Ayears, keeping pace with increasingly sophisticated consumer palates and expectations. Qantas has been at the forefront of this change, working closely with Australian chef and restaurateur Neil Perry to deliver a restaurant-style experience in the air. Rockpool, Perry’s iconic Sydney restaurant and a significant site in the development of contemporary , has long been a favourite with Australian winemakers, some even bottling wines exclusively for the restaurant. Perry is pleased with the new flexibility in the airline’s Wine Program: “One of the great things about being able to buy smaller parcels of wine now is the chance it gives us to showcase the huge regional diversity of Australian wine,” he says. “We’re flying food that reflects the multicultural nature of Aus- tralian cuisine. We’ve got dishes with Indian flavours, or Thai or Moroccan. And now we’ve got a wide range of wines to work with them. Really aromatic whites work well with a lot of these dishes, as do some of the really fruit-driven wines.” Perry’s favourite food and wine match succeeds on several levels: “I love the tokays and muscats we serve with cheese. Not only do they work as a great food and wine match but we’re exposing Qantas customers to a fantastic and totally unique Australian wine style.” The quality of the menus and wine lists is reflected by revamped glassware and new Marc Newson-designed crockery and cutlery in Business and First. Food and wine this good deserves nothing less. v

choosing the right stuff Think of the ideal place to enjoy an exceptional wine, and a pressurised aircraft cabin may not be your first

. choice. The Qantas Wine Panel (see page 8) must consider the unique nature of drinking in the air. Altitude and low humidity tend to accentuate tannins and alcohol, making usually outstanding wines appear unbalanced inflight. If a wine is too young it can seem hard, so semi-mature wines are sought. Aromatics seem more pronounced in the air, so varieties such as pinot noir and work well, as do lighter styles like rosé. wine PHOTOGRAPHY BY Ben De ar nle y

gourmet traveller wine 7 wine selection

Meet the Panel If you enjoy the wines that Qantas serves inflight, you can thank three Australians and their highly experienced palates.

he dedication to excellence that drives the Qantas Wine Program Tis best illustrated by the calibre of people that sit on its Wine Panel. Vanya Cullen, Steve Pannell and Tom Carson are three of Australia’s most widely acclaimed winemakers as well as being highly respected wine show judges. Meeting four times a year, the Wine Panel rigorously assesses thousands of wines under strict wine show conditions to finally select the outstanding examples that make up the core of the Qantas Wine Program (the selection of wines served onboard).

VANYA CULLEN Vanya Cullen’s rise to prominence as a winemaker runs parallel with that of the West Australian region that she calls home. The daughter of Margaret River pio- neers Kevin and Diana Cullen, she and her siblings were often called into service during the establishment of the family’s Wilyabrup vineyard in the early 1970s. Having finally taken over winemaking duties from her trailblazing mother, Vanya has continued to build Cullen into one of the great names in Australian wine. She is responsible for what is arguably Australia’s best cabernet , a sublime , and a semillon that introduces some barrel-ferment complexity to the distinctive regional style. Cullen is also one of Australia’s top wine show judges and a leading expert on biodynamic viticulture, and was the 2000 Qantas/ Gourmet Traveller WINE Winemaker of the Year. She brings great skill to the Qantas Wine Panel and has a clear idea of its purpose:

8 gourmet traveller wine “We need to be looking for wines that are drinking well now and will show well on the plane as well as being bench- mark examples of their style.”

STEPHEN PANNELL Like Vanya Cullen, Stephen Pannell’s parents were instru- mental in the establishment of the Margaret River region, establishing the legendary vineyard in 1969. The family is still involved in the industry, with Pannell’s father and brother producing great wines under the Picardy label in Pember- ton, , but Steve himself ventured further afield to make his winemaking mark. After gaining an oenology degree from the University of , Pannell worked vintages across the world before becom- ing group red winemaker for the large BRL Hardy group. These days, he’s focused on producing richly generous McLaren Vale reds under his eponymous label, judging extensively and working with the Qantas Wine Panel. “The wine service on Qantas is a great advertisement for the Australian wine industry, so we take what we do pretty seriously,” he says. “Because Qantas is an icon, people are going to look for iconic wines they know and respect onboard, and we want to give them that. But at the same time we also look for new and exciting styles that are emerg- ing and keep Qantas customers in front of the pack.”

TOM CARSON Tom Carson’s career in wine began among the vines during a bleak Yarra Valley winter, and it didn’t take him long to realise that his future lay in the relative warmth of the winery. With an oenology degree under his belt, Carson returned to the Yarra, working first at Coldstream Hills with Australian wine legend James Halliday, before taking the reins and rejuvenating Victoria’s historic Yering Station winery in 1996. As a former dux of the Len Evans Tutorial, estab- lished by the late panel chairman to nurture the new breed of wine show judges, Carson is well placed to comment on the approach taken in the wine selection process: “It’s a little different to wine show judging because we’re not just trying to award some arbitrary measure of quality. We’re looking for wines that have that ‘wow’ v photography by ted sealey. factor and immediate drinkability on the ground and in the air.”

gourmet traveller wine 9 Quest for the Best Tastings, testing, trends – choosing which Australian wines to serve on a Qantas flight requires intensive research.

rguably Australia’s most visible ambassador internationally, AQantas has long been in a unique position to spread the good word on the world-class quality of Australian wine. When Len Evans first began consulting to Qantas more than 40 years ago, the mention of Australian wine overseas would be met with ignorance or downright derision. The Monty Python team could elicit cheap laughs with a sketch describing a tipple called “Perth Pink” as “not a wine for drinking … a wine for laying down and avoiding”. Since then, the Australian wine industry has boomed and the world has discovered the exceptional variety and quality that its many wine regions can produce. As the industry has evolved, so too has the way Qantas seeks to represent Australian wine to its custom- ers. “Our wine program is now made up of a rich tapestry of wines and is more closely aligned with the offering of Australia’s finest wine lists,” says Qantas Wine Program manager Peter Nixon. Offering a wide selection of styles, varieties and regions, the Qantas Wine Program features approximately 400 wines a year. It has been uniquely designed so that generally no two flights will carry exactly the same selection of wines. In order to offer customers the very best drops available, Qantas selects wine for inflight service using a formal submission process in addition to a more informal and ongoing assessment of the Australian wine scene. The formal submission process is used to form the core list for the Qantas Wine Program. Together with Peter Nixon, the Wine Panel (see page 8) reviews its list of approved wineries annually, based on a number of crite- ria. Recognition and reputation both in the wine industry and the

10 gourmet traveller wine wine selection

broader market are important considerations. The panel also looks to producers who have a proven ability to deliver definitive examples of classic regional wine styles. The process begins with select wineries being invited to submit wines for assessment at the Qantas Wine Panel’s quarterly meetings. The panel members then evaluate and score these wines according to the established show system – the wines being grouped by variety and their identities masked. Each wine faces scrutiny from a unique dual perspective: not only do the panel members rank among Australia’s most respected winemakers, they’re also judges on the notoriously tough Australian wine show circuit. This means that as well as having the ability to easily pinpoint a wine’s technical strengths and weaknesses, they also have the experience to quickly benchmark it against its peers. Combining these elements with an understanding of how wine tastes at 30,000 feet, the panel whittles down the thousands of sub- missions to the 400 or so wines that make up the program’s annual core list. Logistics previously restricted airline wine buyers to pur- chasing large bulk lots, but Qantas now has informal processes in place to buy small parcels from boutique producers. The result is that the inflight wine list changes more frequently, and passengers can enjoy the kinds of high-demand, limited-availability wine that one might find in the best restaurants. Sourcing and securing these vinous treasures is Nixon’s job – in many ways, he acts like the sommelier in a top-class restaurant. Nixon is involved heavily in the wine industry, reading widely, attending regular tastings, meeting with winemakers and actively monitoring the prevailing trends in Australian wine. It’s Nixon who ensures that the Qantas Wine Program offers a balance of benchmark wines and emerging superstars. Whether it’s an iconic Barossa shiraz or a single-vineyard pinot noir from the Mornington Peninsula, Qantas is continuing to work towards providing customers with the best of Australian wine. v

International Acclaim In 2005, Qantas became the first airline to be awarded both Best First Class and Business Class Wine Lists at the Cellars in the Sky competition – a prestigious international event run in conjunction with the International Wine Challenge in London. Qantas also took out prizes that year for Most Innovative First Class Wine List and Best First Class Red – the stellar 2001 Balnaves The Tally Reserve , which was made (fittingly) by the 2005 Qantas/Gourmet Traveller WINE Winemaker of the Year, Pete Bissell. In 2006, Qantas won again, this time for Best Business Class Sparkling (the 2001 Charles Heidsieck Mis en Cave, see page 16) and Most Original First Class Wine List. photography by ben dearnley.

gourmet traveller wine 11 australian regions

Red, White and True Blue Australia’s range of wine styles is as broad as the country itself.

ustralia is a vast island continent, and for many years writers Awith a lack of understanding have referred to it as a wide, brown land. Wide it may be, and in parts barren and brown, but anyone with a taste for wine knows that in many regions red and white are the colours that count. Each of the country’s major wine regions delivers a distinctive, well-defined take on the world’s great grape varieties. In all, there are 56 registered wine regions (Geographical Indications), with more waiting in the wings.

South Australia Silesian migrants planted their vines in the , north of Adelaide, more than 150 years ago. Since then, has been the heart of the country’s wine industry. The region’s shiraz is justly famous, whether as a single or blended with or mourvèdre to create supple and silky Rhône- style reds. Higher in the Barossa Ranges, the cooler Eden Valley produces exceptional riesling and shiraz. A further hour north from the Barossa is the Clare Valley, where winemaking was introduced by Jesuit priests in the 1850s. Clare are considered the benchmark for the uniquely Australian, dry, citrus-scented style, while several venerable old vineyards dotted throughout the valley produce exceptional, long-lived shiraz. The suburban sprawl of Adelaide is contained on its southern and eastern fringes by grape-growing areas of great note. Nestled in the that rise to 600 metres, the Adelaide Hills is rapidly emerging as the home of Australia’s best sauvignon blanc, and starting to fulfil its promise as a producer of outstanding pinot noir and chardonnay while putting a radical spin on shiraz. To the south of the city lies McLaren Vale, where lush vineyards meet the sea and rich, opulent reds rule the roost. Shiraz and grenache have long been staples, but Spanish and Italian varieties also show promise. Coonawarra, meanwhile, is nestled in the state’s south-eastern corner and is famous for two things: its russet col- oured terra rossa soil that runs in a narrow strip through the region and its stylishly structured cabernet sauvignon.

12 gourmet traveller wine Terroir australis In under a decade, Australia’s wineries have more than doubled to number over 2200, with wine made in every state and territory.

New South Wales Located 150km north of Sydney, the Hunter Valley is another historic heartland of Australian wine. Its long-lived semillon is arguably Aus- tralia’s most unique white wine style, while its earthy shiraz is an intriguing counterpoint to bolder examples from elsewhere.

Victoria It may be one of the smallest states in size, but Victoria has huge vinous diversity. In the Yarra Valley, Macedon Ranges and Morn- ington Peninsula chardonnay and pinot noir reign, while slightly warmer inland areas like Heathcote, Beechworth and Great Western produce exceptional shiraz. And no discussion of Australian wine is complete without mentioning the muscats and tokays of Rutherglen.

Western Australia West Australian wine has risen to prominence over the past 30 years, thanks to statuesque cabernet sauvignon from Margaret River. Some of the world’s most remote vineyards, tucked away in the state’s south-eastern corner in regions like Great Southern and Pemberton, are turning out exotically spiced shiraz and pristine riesling. s.c o m. a u. r ic har d h um phry Rising Stars Australia’s island state, Tasmania, is increasingly recognised as the source of the country’s best sparkling wines, and even in sun-drenched Queensland suitable sites have been identified. In both states, hard v PHOTOGRAPHY b y work in the winery is going into creating great wines of the future.

gourmet traveller wine 13 on the grapevine

wine news Whether it’s a classic Australian style, a taste of the future, or even a pink or “green” wine, there’s lots to enjoy on a Qantas flight.

RESPONSIBLE DRINKING Jasper Hill winemaker Ron Laughton succinctly sums up the interest in more sustainable winemaking methods: “We make our living from the soil, and we must strive to keep our soil living.” Biodynamism is agriculture in tune with the natural rhythms of the environment. Qantas Panel member and West Australian winemaker Vanya Cullen has been a pioneer of biodynamic viticulture, as have producers such as Jasper Hill, Castagna, and Carlei in Victoria. Carbon-neutral wine production is achieved by offsetting carbon emissions by planting trees. Cullen was the first winery in Australia to do this, with the Barossa’s recently following suit – proving great wine can be red, white and green. PINK FIT For some years, Australian wine writers have been extolling the virtues of rosé wines as the ideal libation for the country’s warm months. Now, it seems, the message has at last got through: it’s time for rosé to really take off. The very virtues that make rosé so good on the ground – vibrancy, a nd bs. freshness, aromatic lift – are even more valuable in the air. Altitude can be a hard marker when it comes to wine, flattening flavour and dulling aromas. But well-made rosé takes to the sky easily, its lively personality able to s.c o m. a u r ic har d h um phry cope with cabin pressure. Outstanding examples from some of Australia’s finest exponents – including Yering Station, , Charles Melton and Juniper Crossing – have proven hugely successful. Look out

for them inflight and allow your tastebuds to be tickled pink. PHOTOGRAPHY b y

14 gourmet traveller wine EXPANDING TASTES While varieties such as chardonnay and shiraz show no signs of falling from the top of the popularity perch, there’s a growing curiosity in Australia for the less well-known offerings from the vine. Travellers with Qantas can now take their tastebuds on new journeys with great Australian examples of classic Italian varieties, including the Castagna La Chiave () and the Centennial Vineyards Rondinella Corvina. For a sensual Spanish variety imbued with an Australian sense of style, look out for the Pondalowie MT Unwooded Tempranillo. spreading the joy That glass of wine you’re enjoying is just one of billions to have left Australian shores in the past year. Australia’s wine exports for the 12 months to the end of January 2007 reached a record 768 million litres. Australia’s biggest export markets in value terms are the UK (A$943 million), US (A$927 million), Canada (A$242 million), New Zealand (A$93 million) and Germany (A$71 million), with significant growth coming from China (exports leaping from 3 million to 24 million litres).

REGIONAL CLASSICS The ability to produce benchmark examples of classic varietal and regional synergy is what has made Australia’s Hunter Valley (semillon), Coonawarra (cabernet) and Clare Valley (riesling), to name a few, so special. Purists should look out for signature styles like McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon, Taylors St Andrews Riesling and the winner of Best First Class Red at the 2005 Cellars in the Sky awards, 2001 Balnaves The Tally Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, made by Pete Bissell (above).

gourmet traveller wine 15 on the grapevine

HEIDSIECK’S MIS IS A QANTAS HIT Charles Heidsieck is one of the finest houses in Champagne, and its 2001 Mis en Cave is an exemplary wine. So it’s not surprising that by choosing to serve a Champagne of such complexity and balance to its customers, Qantas picked up the gong for Best Business Class Sparkling of the Year at the 2006 Cellars in the Sky awards recently held in London (see page 11).

Request a good drop and toast Gourmet Traveller WINE as it celebrates its 10th birthday. Regarded as Australia’s leading wine publication, it was named Best Drink Magazine at the biannual World Food Media Awards in 2003 and 2005. For further information or to subscribe, go to www.magshop.com.au.

Wines to win Wine Ark is giving away two dozen bottles of wine from the pages of this guide every month from May to September 2007. Go to www.wine-ark.com.au/qantas for details. Wine Ark: Your passport to Australia’s best wines. You must be over 18 years of age to enter. PHOTOGRAPHY b y bs.

16 gourmet traveller wine Wine tasting Notes

Top Australian Wines from the Qantas cellar The following pages showcase some of the best and most exciting examples of Australian wine. Use these notes as a reference to the wines served on your flight. the notes

Peter Bourne Wine writer and educator Peter Bourne, who has written these tasting notes, is widely acknowl- edged as an independent and credible commentator. A regular contributor to Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine, he has years of experience as a national and international wine show judge. key

M cL a uc hla n. NSW = Tas = Tasmania Qld = Queensland Vic = Victoria SA = South Australia WA = Western Australia

For a quick reference to wines served in Qantas First and Business, see “Index to Wines Served Onboard”, page 48. PHOTOGRAPHY BY Am a nd

gourmet traveller wine 17 Tastings

WHITE WINES – Canberra District, NSW Many Australian are too over-the-top and unbalanced. But this savoury dry white has all the varietal descriptors – honeysuckle, musk, apricot. Alcohol is restrained by a seam of mineral acidity within a framework of classy French oak.

Coldstream Hills Chardonnay – Yarra Valley, Vic This has to be one of the most reliable chardonnays in the country. Aromas of nectarine, honeydew melon and guava are intertwined with nougat, grilled nuts and crème caramel. The rich yet refined palate has a peaches and cream complexity and a fine tail of zesty acidity.

Crawford River Reserve Riesling – Henty, Vic Many riesling aficionados claim the Thomsons of Crawford River make Australia’s best. Their 2005 Reserve especially supports such an assertion, with its clean, precise bouquet of wet slate, citrus and lemon sorbet. The palate is tight with lime and mineral characters and awesome acidity.

Crawford River Riesling – Henty, Vic Arguably Australia’s most distinctive riesling. The bouquet is a complex amalgam of mineral, almost earthy, characters with subtle lemon zest and pink grapefruit. The mouth fills with the same flavours, restrained by a wiry filament of mineral acidity. Has cellaring potential.

Cullen Sauvignon Blanc Semillon – Margaret River, WA Sourced from the Cullen biodynamic vineyards, the sauvignon component of this wine undergoes partial barrel fermentation to subdue its herbal notes and add additional depth. Its vitality and freshness will see it build in flavour and complexity.

gourmet traveller wine 19 Tastings

Curly Flat Chardonnay – Macedon Ranges, Vic Phillip Moraghan is one of the most exciting new winemakers, dedicated to making high-quality wines in the European mould. This has flavours of pink grapefruit, nectarine and custard apple overlaid with nougat, toast and preserved lemon. The palate is rich and complex.

Diamond Valley Chardonnay – Yarra Valley, Vic This chardonnay shimmers in the glass with an enticing bouquet of white nectarine, ripe fig and nougat. The palate is equally vibrant: sweet, juicy flavours sit parallel with the nose, while the fine acid finish dances lightly on the tongue. Delicious stuff.

Fire Gully Chardonnay – Margaret River, WA Fire Gully is made by chardonnay wunderkind Mike Peterkin, best known for his prestigious brand. This wine has peach and honeydew melon fruit, a rich and mouth-filling palate with lots of tropical fruit and a mix of butterscotch and grilled almonds.

Gembrook Hill Sauvignon Blanc – Yarra Valley, Vic Partial barrel fermentation and extended yeast lees contact adds layers of depth and complexity, moving the style towards a wine more akin to a Sancerre. Mineral almost to earthiness, its nucleus of lemony acidity keeps it fresh and bright as it develops in the bottle.

Giaconda Aeolia – Beechworth, Vic Roussanne is a minor player in its Rhône Valley homeland and equally obscure here. But in the hands of Rick Kinzbrunner it becomes a rich, multi-layered, savoury dry white. Exotic spices, pear, honeydew melon and fresh herbs intermingle with nougat and hazelnut.

20 gourmet traveller wine Giaconda Chardonnay – Beechworth, Vic Rick Kinzbrunner uses the whole Burgundian handbook to produce this multi-layered, ultra-complex gem with rich, almost tropical fruit characters – guava, rockmelon and fig. It’s biscuity, buttery and shows grilled almonds. Best decanted for at least an hour before service.

Giant Steps Vineyard Sexton Bernard Clones 95 + 96 Chardonnay – Yarra Valley, Vic Phil Sexton’s stellar chardonnay is made from a complex selection of chardonnay clones from Burgundy. Multi-layered, it shows lots of fig, melon and peach flavours enhanced with buttery malolactic characters and a background of smart oak.

Grosset Piccadilly Adelaide Hills Chardonnay – SA Adelaide Hills chardonnay shows all the intensity and refinement that makes the grape one of the world’s greatest varieties. This has intense aromas of ripe fig, pink grapefruit and honeydew melon plus almond meal and nougat. Harmony and balance are the keys.

Grosset Polish Hill Clare Valley Riesling – SA Jeffrey Grosset is Australia’s riesling king. The fruit is sourced from the mineral soils of the Polish Hill River area. Sweet citrus fruit aromas interplay with subtle spices, while the ripe apricot and lemon sorbet flavours dance a duet with the fresh mineral acidity.

Grosset Rockwood Vineyard Riesling – Clare Valley, SA This riesling is made exclusively for Qantas Business passengers. It has all the hallmarks of a great Grosset, with aromas of fresh lime, apricot and ripe pear lifted by a floral perfume. Lemon-fresh and bright, it has a steely edge of acidity that carries the wine to a long finish.

gourmet traveller wine 21 Tastings

Grosset Semillon Sauvignon Blanc – Clare Valley/Adelaide Hills, SA This is a deliciously crisp and crunchy, savoury dry white. Semillon provides the backbone, with exotic fruit flavours of guava, nectarine and lychee coming from the sauvignon. It has a slaty, mineral edge to the finish.

Hardys Eileen Hardy Chardonnay – South-eastern Australia The fruit sourcing for Hardys’ top chardonnay is multi-regional: Tasmania, Tumbarumba and the Yarra Valley. It’s a potpourri of grapefruit, melon and nectarine, with hints of nuts and malt extract and a rich yet restrained palate.

Heggies Reserve Riesling – Eden Valley, SA The Heggies vineyard sits at 550m, one of the highest in the Eden Valley, with the fruit for this reserve release drawn from the first riesling vines planted in 1975. It’s a classic Eden Valley riesling, with abundant fresh floral aromas joined by hints of dry toast and lime marmalade.

Henschke Julius Riesling – Eden Valley, SA Julius is the Henschkes’ top riesling from their Eden Valley home base. Aromas of freshly squeezed lemon juice and peach interplay with a wet pebble minerality and a hint of bath talc. The flavours are delicate and refined, with a taut thread of acidity giving depth and length.

Henschke Peggy’s Hill Riesling – Eden Valley, SA Prue and Stephen Henschke are among Australia’s most innovative winemakers, as their newly introduced Peggy’s Hill Riesling demonstrates. Its fresh, floral aromas reek of apricot nectar and fresh lime, tinged with fresh spring blossom. Sweet and juicy fruit flavours.

22 gourmet traveller wine Hewitson Riesling – Eden Valley, SA Winemaker Dean Hewitson sources his fruit from the upper reaches of the Eden Valley. It shows the typical wet slate, bath talc and rose petal aromas of the region, with a tightly coiled palate opening to reveal citrus-fresh flavours hung together by a thread of lemony acidity.

Houghton Museum Release Chardonnay – Frankland River, WA This superb wine’s rich bouquet of warm butter, preserved lemon and roasted almonds leads to a powerful palate with a sweet compote of poached stone-fruit flavours. A flash of dazzling acidity keeps the finish fresh and bright.

Houghton Museum Release Riesling – Frankland River, WA This cool Great Southern region produces rieslings that challenge the domination of the Clare and Eden valleys. The intense bouquet of lime cordial, apple and ripe apricot is spiced with a hint of orange blossom. The palate flavours are concentrated, deep and long.

Howard Park Chardonnay – Great Southern, WA Style and finesse abound in this tight, refined and somewhat restrained wine. White peach, grapefruit and limy aromas intertwine with nutty and biscuity characters. The flavours follow through to a savoury palate and mouth-watering minerality.

Howard Park Riesling – Great Southern, WA Although the newer Howard Park winery is in the Margaret River, its heart remains in the cooler Great Southern region. Orange blossom, lemon zest and sweet lime aromas abound, interplaying with a wet stone minerality and built around a core of tingling acidity.

gourmet traveller wine 23 Tastings

Jacob’s Creek Steingarten Riesling – Barossa, SA Steingarten is German for “stone garden”, and the original Orlando Steingarten vineyard is just that – a rocky outcrop with almost no top soil. The vines struggle to produce a few highly concentrated berries with explosive fruit flavours and a distinctive wet slate character.

Knappstein Ackland Vineyard Watervale Riesling – Clare Valley, SA This is a shy, subtle drop that needs time to show its best. At the moment, it’s all lemon blossom, nectarine, lemon zest and lots of mineral characters – damp slate and wet stones with a whiff of bath talc. A tight acidity encases the wine.

Kooyong Single Vineyard Selection Faultline Chardonnay – Mornington Peninsula, Vic Made by the ever-thoughtful Sandro Mosele, this has no harsh edges, just a harmonious blend of peach and ripe melon, walnut and nougat, preserved lime and almond biscotti, all wrapped together by a thread of fine, mineral acidity.

Lark Hill Chardonnay – Canberra District, NSW This biodynamic vineyard is one of the Canberra region’s best. The wine is terrific, with lots of bright fruit flavours of grapefruit, white nectarine and ripe fig enhanced by a touch of wild-ferment funk and nicely bound together with a thread of fresh granny smith apple acidity.

Lillydale Estate Chardonnay – Yarra Valley, Vic This wine emerged from the shadows to blitz the competition at the 2006 National Wine Show in Canberra. A ripe peach and honeydew melon bouquet with a touch of butterscotch and oatmeal character leads to a similarly flavoured palate, the finish controlled by lemon-fresh acid.

24 gourmet traveller wine Lost Valley Winery Cortese – Upper Goulburn, Vic Cortese is an obscure white variety from Piedmont in Italy, and Lost Valley is the first vineyard to grow it in Australia. It’s understated and austere on the nose, with crunchy pear and lanolin aromas, but tastes surprisingly rich and honey-like, with an almost viscous texture.

Madfish Riesling – Great Southern, WA Madfish is Howard Park’s junior label, but this multi-award-winning riesling often gives its more illustrious sibling a good nudge. It has aromas of freshly squeezed lime juice and ripe apricots with a hint of preserved lemon spice. Mouth-watering acidity.

Main Ridge Estate Chardonnay – Mornington Peninsula, Vic Nat and Rosalie White are Mornington Peninsula pioneers, having planted their vineyard in 1975. The fruit flavours shine in this chardonnay – concentrated honeydew melon, purple fig and white peach flavours intermingle with toasty characters.

McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Hunter Valley Semillon – NSW Dry straw, wild honey and lime marmalade intermingle in this iconic semillon, creating an uber-complex bouquet. The flavours are equally rich and multi-layered, held in check by a lemon essence-like acidity.

McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant Single Vineyard Lovedale Hunter Valley Semillon – NSW This single-vineyard semillon vies with its arch rival, Tyrrell’s Vat 1, for the title of Australia’s greatest semillon. It’s a refined wine with lots of herbal notes and the classic characters of honey-on-toast and lime marmalade. Startlingly fresh.

gourmet traveller wine 25 Tastings

Meerea Park Individual Vineyard Alexander Munro Semillon – Hunter Valley, NSW This wine shows all the hallmarks of a great Hunter semillon – warm toast, lime marmalade and a hint of lanolin, beeswax and preserved lemon. The richness is cut by a thrust of lemon sherbet acidity that will see it build in the bottle.

Mesh Riesling – Eden Valley, SA Mesh is a joint venture between Jeffrey Grosset and the Hill Smith family, the fruit coming from old vineyards in the upper reaches of the Eden Valley. Lemon blossom, pink grapefruit and wet slate aromas give way to a tight, linear palate which follows to a lingering, fresh grapefruit finish.

Nepenthe Ithaca Chardonnay – Adelaide Hills, SA This tangy chardonnay attests to winemaker Peter Leske’s success, with its fruit flavours of poached peach, grapefruit and ripe melon and a background of grilled almonds and lemon curd complexity. Clean, bright acidity lifts the wine to stellar status.

Oakridge Chardonnay – Yarra Valley, Vic David Bicknell is doing an amazing job at Oakridge. This wine has a bold bouquet of peach and fig, enhanced by whiffs of lemon butter and marzipan. The flavours are equally enticing, with a core of sweet fruit and a depth that carries through to a citrus-fresh conclusion.

Penfolds Reserve Bin Riesling – Eden Valley, SA Oliver Crawford is the talented young winemaker responsible for white wines. The fruit for this exquisite riesling exhibits aromas of wet slate, bath talc and citrus blossom with a concentrated, mouth-filling texture that leads to a vibrant, lemon-fresh finale.

26 gourmet traveller wine Museum Reserve The Contours Riesling – Eden Valley, SA In the 1950s, the century-old Pewsey Vale vineyard was replanted, with the rows following the contours of the steep block – hence the name. This is a semi-mature wine, already showing some complex dry toast and marmalade characters.

Picardy Chardonnay – Pemberton, WA The Pannell family founded Moss Wood, and their latest enterprise shows passion for Burgundy. The vineyard planted with new Dijon clones provides a platform of intense fruit flavours to which sympathetic winemaking adds character, leading to a wondrous grapefruit acidity.

Pierro Chardonnay – Margaret River, WA Mike Peterkin’s tiny plots of chardonnay offer individual characters that he fuses through barrel ferment, yeast lees contact and malolactic fermentation. Peach, rockmelon and cumquat mix with complex flavours. It’s a triumph of terroir and thoughtful winemaking.

Pierro LTC Semillon Sauvignon Blanc – Margaret River, WA The LTC is the antithesis of the blend made by Peterkin’s near neighbour (and relative) Vanya Cullen. Dominated by semillon, it’s fresh, juicy, clean and bright, with guava, fresh lime and gooseberry flavours and a crunchy green apple acidity. A scrumptious dry white.

Pikes The Merle Reserve Riesling – Clare Valley, SA Neil and Andrew Pike separated the best blocks at their Polish Hill River vineyards to make a reserve wine dedicated to their late mother, Merle. It’s still emerging, with a mineral, lemon-pith fragrance now showing whiffs of ripe pear and warm almonds. The palate is taut and fine.

gourmet traveller wine 27 Tastings

Port Phillip Estate Chardonnay – Mornington Peninsula, Vic In the Mornington, each twist and turn in the road offers a distinct site and aspect. One such special place is the Port Phillip Estate Vineyard at Red Hill. In this chardonnay, pink grapefruit, preserved lemon and ripe apricot combine with lemony oak and biscuity yeast lees characters.

Redbank Sunday Morning – King Valley, Vic This aptly named pinot gris is made with pristine fruit from an ultra-cool vineyard located 800m above sea level. Inviting aromas of nashi pear and wild honey lead to a fresh, crisp palate given complexity by the viscous, creamy texture that is the hallmark of the variety.

Shaw and Smith M3 Vineyard Chardonnay – Adelaide Hills, SA Made by cousins Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith from the vineyard they own with Hill Smith’s brother, Matthew – hence M3. It’s the epitome of classy chardonnay with a mosaic of flavours: grapefruit, melon, nougat, preserved lemon, almond and a hint of marzipan.

Shaw and Smith Sauvignon Blanc – Adelaide Hills, SA This is a brilliant combination of pristine Adelaide Hills fruit and the winemaking skills of Martin Shaw. Boisterous aromas of gooseberry and passionfruit with a whiff of new-mown hay lead to a juicy, tropical fruit-flavoured palate and a zing of teeth-tingling adicity.

Taylors St Andrews Bottle Aged Riesling – Clare Valley, SA St Andrews is Taylors’ flagship label, and its pre-aged riesling is indeed a flag-bearer, with its shimmering green-gold colour and developed lime cordial and orange marmalade bouquet. The palate is opulent and generous yet remains controlled by a decisive cut of citrus-fresh acidity.

28 gourmet traveller wine Ten Minutes by Tractor McCutcheon Vineyard Chardonnay – Mornington Peninsula, Vic Fruit from the coolest part of the Mornington Peninsula results in a wine of intense peach and melon flavours supported by complex winemaking artifices. Nougat, almond meal and preserved lemon.

Ten Minutes by Tractor Wallis Vineyard Chardonnay – Mornington Peninsula, Vic Although it’s only a few minutes from the McCutcheon Vineyard and identical techniques were used in the making of this wine, it’s surprisingly different – leaner and tighter, with grapefruit and nectarine flavours driven by a lemon-bright acidity.

Tim Adams Pinot Gris – Clare Valley, SA Pinot gris generally prefers cooler climes, but if this offering from Tim Adams is any indication, we’ll see more from the Clare soon. The generous bouquet of pear and ripe apricot leads to an equally lush palate, its lemon-sherbet sweetness balanced by mineral acidity.

Toolangi Estate Chardonnay – Yarra Valley, Vic Toolangi is a new label going places. This wine is from a low-yielding vineyard and made by Yering Station’s magician Tom Carson. Ripe stone-fruit and rockmelon fruit flavours abound with almond meal, warmed nuts and lemon curd characters. Refined and harmonious.

Toolangi Reserve Chardonnay – Yarra Valley, Vic Yarra Valley was the leading region for the cool-climate varieties of chardonnay a decade ago but of late has been overshadowed. This wine could revive its fortunes, with its exotic aromas of toffee, peach, ripe fig and lemon wrapped around a fine spine of bracing acidity.

gourmet traveller wine 29 Tastings

Tyrrell’s Wines Vat 1 Hunter Semillon – Hunter Valley, NSW Vat 1 must be the most consistent wine in the country. The lemon essence, almond biscuit and lime cordial bouquet lead to a complex and interesting palate, at once fresh and vibrant, rich and complex. The shimmering acidity dances on the tongue, flowing to a lingering finale.

Voyager Estate Sauvignon Blanc Semillon – Margaret River, WA This fantastic winery has emerged as one of the new stars of the Margaret River region. The mouth-watering aromas of freshly cut grass and passionfruit are mirrored by the brightly flavoured, lush and juicy palate. The finish is crisp and clean.

Wellington Sauvignon Blanc – Tas Winemaker Andrew Hood insists on letting the fruit do the talking. This sauvignon blanc provides the perfect illustration of that philosophy, with its lifted aromas of freshly mown grass, gooseberry and a touch of passionfruit. It’s lean, tight and bright without being mean or skinny in any way.

Yalumba The Virgilius Eden Valley Viognier – SA has championed viognier for almost 20 years, with The Virgilius at the apex of its portfolio. Winemaker Louisa Rose’s experience with the variety shows – apricot nectar, wild honey and exotic musky perfumes abound on a background of spicy oak. Rich but well defined.

Yalumba Viognier – Eden Valley, SA The uber-complex Virgilius may be at the pinnacle of Yalumba’s range, but this fresh and vital version sits just a notch below. Its right on the button, with apricot nectar and wild honey aromas and an intense yet restrained palate. It sets a benchmark that’s rarely topped.

30 gourmet traveller wine Zarephath Riesling – Porongurup, WA Zarephath means refinement, and this very refined riesling has been acknowledged by the judges at the 2006 Qantas Wine Show of Western Australia. Intense lime aromas are overlaid with a touch of spicy apple freshness, the palate alive with lemon sherbet and pink grapefruit.

ROSÉ WINES

Charles Melton Rose of Virginia – Barossa Valley, SA Charlie Melton only makes red wines, with the exception of this voluptuous beauty. Deep magenta in colour, its aromas are of abundant red fruit – ripe raspberry, strawberry compote and redcurrant jelly and a touch of licorice allsorts.

Dominique Portet Fontaine Rosé – Yarra Valley, Vic Dominique Portet has lived in Australia for more than 30 years, but his approach to winemaking remains firmly French. This pale rose-gold wine has sweet raspberry and cherry aromas with an underlying savoury character. The palate is subtle with a long, abnormally dry finish.

Spinifex Rosé – Barossa Valley, SA Rosé is the flavour of the moment, but sadly too many are soft and squishy. Spinifex offers a different interpretation with this pale salmon-pink beauty. The aromas are more savoury than sweet, with rose petal, violet and musk stick overlaid with ripe red berry fruit.

Turkey Flat Vineyards Rosé – Barossa Valley, SA This dazzling rosé enraptures the senses with its bold bouquet of raspberry jelly and fresh cranberry juice and mere whiff of wild violets. The palate is generously flavoured with loads of red berry fruit, the rampant sweetness restrained by a lemon zest finish.

gourmet traveller wine 31 Tastings

Yering Station ED Pinot Noir Rosé – Yarra Valley, Vic The fairy-floss-pink colour gives an indication of the subtlety of this wine, as indeed the discreet red berry fruit aromas confirm. It’s all about finesse and style, with wild raspberry and ripe strawberry flavours and a bone-dry finish – as the ED (extra dry) descriptor implies.

RED WINES

Balgownie Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – Bendigo, Vic From one of Australia’s oldest boutique vineyards, this has huge concentration and a delicious savoury character. Cassis and blackberry fruit mingle with an earthy minerality. Fine tannins give structure and a tight finish.

Balnaves The Tally Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – Coonawarra, SA The stature of this winery continues to grow. The Tally is Doug Balnaves’ top wine. It’s a potent and powerful wine with lots of cassis, mulberry and blueberry fruit flavours supported by high-class oak.

Bannockburn Pinot Noir – Geelong, Vic This pioneering pinot deserves every one of its innumerable accolades. It’s savoury rather than fruity, and its complex, multi-layered fruit flavours are underscored by abundant mineral characters. Dense and intense with a solid framework, it’s a pinot built for the long-haul.

Barossa Valley Estate Ebenezer Cabernet Sauvignon – Barossa Valley, SA Barossa Valley Estate began life as a cooperative, with some members at Ebenezer, a tiny hamlet at the northern end of the valley. This is lush, dense and concentrated with lots of blackcurrant, blueberry and mulberry characters.

32 gourmet traveller wine Bremerton Old Adam Shiraz – Langhorne Creek, SA Aromas of marinated prunes, spiced cherries and licorice allsorts combine with nuances of sweet vanilla oak to create a super-rich, inviting bouquet. The wine has a mouth-filling intensity, its potent fruit flavours agreeably balanced by the solid tannin framework.

Bress Shiraz – Heathcote, Vic The Bress Gold Label is made from 100 per cent Heathcote fruit, its dense dark plum and prune flavours overlaid with licorice, an earthy minerality and wild game. The dark fruit flavours are closed and concentrated, with sinewy tannins that add to the depth, length and savoury richness.

Castagna Genesis – Beechworth, Vic Julian Castagna seeks quality at all costs, employing biodynamic principles to pursue his goal. This wine is quite European in its flavours: savoury rather than sweet, yet crammed with intense berry fruit flavours against a background of damp earth and black truffles.

Castagna La Chiave – Beechworth, Vic Made according to biodynamic principles, Castagna wines show purity and precision. This sangiovese has an intense savoury bouquet of fresh tobacco, cherry and warm earth. Beef-stock, spiced walnuts and damson plum merge with earthy tannins and sweetly toasted oak.

Centennial Vineyards Reserve Rondinella Corvina – Southern Highlands, NSW In Italy, the rondinella and corvina varieties form the core of the easy-drinking Valpolicella. This is more medium-bodied, with intense, savoury flavours of bitter cherry, ripe raspberry and redcurrant fruit.

gourmet traveller wine 33 Tastings

Chapel Hill The Vicar – McLaren Vale, SA Chapel Hill’s top red follows a religious theme yet is anything but a communion wine. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and merlot, it’s the epitome of a great McLaren Vale red with loads of sweet, ripe, dark berry fruit overlaid with a slick of vanilla oak.

Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz – NSW Australia’s shiraz viognier king, Tim Kirk, made this classy shiraz. Sweet spices and pure red berry fruit flavours dominate the nose with a hint of licorice allsorts. The palate is ultra-clean and fine with a marvellous amalgam of acid and tannins.

Coriole Vineyards Lloyd Reserve Shiraz – McLaren Vale, SA Named in honour of Coriole’s founder, Hugh Lloyd, this has an incredible structure, weight and depth. It lets the fruit shine without being shrouded by unnecessary oak or excessive tannins. Concentrated, with blackberry, licorice and beef- stock flavours and a long finish.

Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot – Margaret River, WA Named in honour of pioneering winemaker Di Cullen, this wine is super-concentrated yet in no way brazen, with dark berry flavours enhanced by hints of sweet spice and dried herbs. Intense rather than dense, it has a long, ethereal finish.

d’Arenberg The Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier – McLaren Vale, SA This fashionable northern Rhône blend shows the region’s typical dark plum and blackberry shiraz fruit flavours – redefined and refined by the dash of spicy viognier. The palate is sumptuous and polished, with a sweet lift of oak.

34 gourmet traveller wine De Bortoli Estate Grown Pinot Noir – Yarra Valley, Vic The stature of De Bortoli’s Yarra Valley operation is soaring due to the efforts of winemaker Steve Webber. This pinot shows the intense red berry fruit flavours that epitomise Yarra pinot, overlaid with the funky characters you’d expect in the real thing from Burgundy.

Eldredge Blue Chip Shiraz – Clare Valley, SA The wines of the Eldredge family are among the Clare’s hidden gems. The complex bouquet has earthy, ironstone characters reminiscent of the area. This dense, savoury core is enriched by dark plum, licorice and cherry flavours and lifted by a solid lashing of sweet, spicy oak.

Farr Rising Pinot Noir – Mornington Peninsula, Vic Young Nick Farr lives in his father’s shadow, although he’s two heads taller than Gary. Still, Nick’s wines express his own palate, as shown by this succulent pinot. Bright fruit abounds – raspberry, redcurrant and blood plum – with a filament of sweetly spiced oak.

Geoff Merrill Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – Coonawarra/ McLaren Vale, SA Geoff Merrill’s image has been boosted by his latest success: the 2006 Jimmy Watson Award. This red is a lovely amalgam of black olive and blackcurrant, mint and tomato bush complexity. Despite its 14 per cent alcohol, the palate is quite restrained.

Geoff Merrill Henley Shiraz – McLaren Vale, SA Geoff Merrill’s wines have not been this serious in the past, but he has thrown down the gauntlet with the Henley, pitting it against some of the best shiraz in the world. It measures up well, its depth and opulence controlled by a judicious use of oak leading to a seamless finish.

gourmet traveller wine 35 Tastings

Grant Burge Meshach Shiraz – Barossa Valley, SA This monumental shiraz sets out to emulate Grange and does a pretty good job: dense, dark berry fruit, dark chocolate and licorice against a background of charry oak. It’s held back from excess by a strong framework of tannins, which contain any hint of overindulgence.

Grant Burge The Holy Trinity Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre – Barossa Valley, SA This classic southern Rhône blend has grenache providing juicy, sweet raspberry and ripe plum flavours. The shiraz component adds backbone and structure, while the dash of mourvèdre gives an inky concentration and earthy complexity.

Grosset Gaia – Clare Valley, SA Jeffrey Grosset blends cabernet sauvignon, merlot and to craft his top Bordeaux- style red. It’s known simply as Gaia, after the Greek goddess of earth. Bursting with dark berry fruit flavours, it’s intense yet in no way heavy, with a length and depth that will see it build complexity.

Heathcote Estate Shiraz – Heathcote, Vic Heathcote Estate is a rising star. This wine has a dense core of dark berry fruit, licorice and earthy minerality. It’s bound together by the judicious use of top French oak to create a shining example of the intense yet fine shiraz upon which Heathcote’s reputation is founded.

Henschke Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc Merlot – Eden Valley, SA The top cabernet in the Henschke portfolio. Cassis and mulberry flavours intermingle with tomato leaf and mint to form a fine, long, savoury palate. The finely honed tannin structure gives depth and length to this ultra-classy cabernet.

36 gourmet traveller wine Hillcrest Premium Pinot Noir – Yarra Valley, Vic The vineyard has been revitalised following organic principles with the aid of winemaker Phillip Jones of fame. This fragrant pinot has a luxurious bouquet of cherry, forest floor, earth and hints of spicy oak. It’s smooth, refined and elegant, with a touch of funk.

Houghton Shiraz – Frankland River, WA This seamless shiraz is made at Western Australia’s oldest winery. Cinnamon and clove blend with aromas of ripe raspberry and damson and a background of dusky oak. Intense and concentrated, tightly controlled and surprisingly refined with velvety tannins.

Houghton Gladstones Cabernet Sauvignon – Margaret River, WA Pioneering wine researcher John Gladstones recommended cabernet sauvignon as the leading grape in the Margaret River in the late 1960s. Sweet raspberry notes lead to deeply flavoured underlying fruit, supported by fine, textural tannins that build weight and richness.

Howard Park Leston Cabernet Sauvignon – Margaret River, WA The Leston vineyards surround Howard Park’s new Margaret River winery, producing cabernet fruit that is richer and juicer than that of its Scotsdale sibling (below). Intense blackcurrant, mulberry and blueberry flavours are lifted by an overlay of spicy oak.

Howard Park Scotsdale Cabernet Sauvignon – Great Southern, WA Cabernet fruit for the Scotsdale Road winery is sourced from throughout the Great Southern and carefully crafted to create the more discreet of the two Howard Park cabernets. Blackberry, gorse and dried-herb aromas, plus a waft of spicy oak.

gourmet traveller wine 37 Tastings

John Duval Wines Plexus Shiraz Grenache Mourvèdre – Barossa Valley, SA When John Duval left Penfolds, the winemaking world held its collective breath. Now he is back. This is the classic “iron fist in a velvet glove” of soft, silky tannins: lean and muscular yet with a rich, gentle heart.

Kalleske Greenock Shiraz – Barossa Valley, SA Troy Kalleske is a sixth-generation grape grower, sourcing the fruit for this single-vineyard shiraz from the family’s Greenock vineyards, where vines date from 1875. It’s a lavish wine with aromas of blackberry, bitter chocolate, plum cake and licorice bound with sweet spices.

Katnook Estate Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon – Coonawarra, SA Katnook’s prestige cabernet is a powerhouse. Intense blackcurrant and damson flavoured fruit is aged in new French oak for more than 40 months. The result is opulent yet seamless with dusty mulberry bush, roasted coffee beans and plum cake.

Kooyong Massale Pinot Noir – Mornington Peninsula, Vic “Massale” is the mass selection of pinot noir clones traditionally planted in Burgundy – the home of pinot noir. While this pinot is proudly Australian, the thread of savoury complexity is quite Burgundian, with sweet, beguiling fruit and friendly characters.

Kooyong Single Vineyard Selection Ferrous Pinot Noir – Mornington Peninsula, Vic The Ferrous Block is planted in deep, red ironstone soil, giving the wine great depth and concentration. Winemaker Sandro Mosele overlays this dense fruit with spicy oak to create an exceptional wine with dark berries and a fine tannin structure.

38 gourmet traveller wine Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon – Coonawarra, SA Sydney Hamilton founded Leconfield in 1974 when he was 76, hoping to make a great Bordeaux-like cabernet sauvignon. His vision is preserved today by his nephew, Richard. The Leconfield style is all about elegance and restraint, with classic fine-fruited flavours of mint and cassis.

Leeuwin Estate Prelude Vineyards Cabernet Merlot – Margaret River, WA The white wines of are held in such esteem that its reds are often overlooked. One sip of this – savoury, minty with echoes of Bordeaux – will resolve that. The bouquet of herbs, cassis and sawdust leads to an equally appealing palate.

Main Ridge Estate Half Acre Pinot Noir – Mornington Peninsula, Vic Nat White’s pinots reflect his personality: thoughtful and introspective. This one is well structured and intensely flavoured with bags of bitter cherry and dark plum and an underlying dense, savoury character.

Majella Cabernet Sauvignon – Coonawarra, SA Growers since the 1960s, the Lynn family only began making wines under the Majella label in the early 1990s. The Majella style is more full bodied and full flavoured than most Coonawarra cabernets, with oodles of mulberry and blueberry flavours plus succulent oak.

McWilliam’s Barwang Shiraz – Hilltops, NSW At the centre of the Hilltops region is Young, famed for its fabulous cherries which thrive in similar climatic conditions to premium vineyards. Aptly, the Barwang Shiraz has an intense savoury, black cherry and licorice bouquet with a touch of mocha and warm brick.

gourmet traveller wine 39 Tastings

McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant Single Vineyard Rosehill Shiraz – Hunter Valley, NSW Hunter legend Maurice O’Shea established the Rosehill Vineyard more than 50 years ago, but this is a bolder wine than those of his era. It has a rich, earthy bouquet and complex flavours – plum, licorice, spiced oak and smoky beef stock.

Murdock Cabernet Sauvignon – Coonawarra, SA To taste Murdock’s merlot (below) and then the cabernet sauvignon is like tasting cheese and chalk – the cabernet is much more structured and angular. Time has softened the wine, allowing the blackcurrant and mulberry fruit flavours to merge with the dense, earthy tannins.

Murdock Merlot – Coonawarra, SA Coonawarra is the perfect spot for this early-ripening merlot, and Dave Murdock is one of the region’s best viticulturalists. Soft dark plum and blueberry fruit flavours meld smoothly with the fine, integrated tannin structure and sweetly spiced oak to give a deliciously seamless red.

Nepenthe Charleston Pinot Noir – Adelaide Hills, SA Nepenthe produces wines of outstanding quality and value with a style that is expressive of the fruit rather than the winemaker’s ego. Dark fruit flavours abound: plum, black cherry and a sweet lift of spicy oak with a full and firm palate in keeping with the regional style.

Paringa Estate Estate Pinot Noir – Mornington Peninsula, Vic Highly spiced, lush and plush, this pinot has all the hallmarks of Lindsay McCall’s signature style. The bouquet is of dark berry fruit, sweet spices and a whiff of plum cake. It’s equally opulent on the palate, with distinctive winemaking influences adding complexity.

40 gourmet traveller wine Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon – SA Penfolds sources the finest fruit from its South Australian vineyards for this iconic cabernet sauvignon. A year spent in new American oak endows the wine with sweet vanilla flavours and a mocha richness. The result is a dense, lush red wine with oodles of dark berry fruit flavours.

Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz – SA Perhaps the most undervalued red in the Penfolds portfolio, Bin 28 is the epitome of a classic shiraz. The bouquet is bold with lots of dark berry fruit and dense, chewy tannins. The palate shows similar characters to the nose, with a touch of licorice and warm earth.

Penfolds St Henri Shiraz – Barossa Valley, SA St Henri is another underrated shiraz from Penfolds. Rich but not dense, flavoursome but not fat, this gentle shiraz is about genuine fruit flavour that stands proudly unsupported by any overt oak. Finesse and style are its hallmarks – and it has oodles of each.

Pikes Shiraz – Clare Valley, SA Neil Pike is a much overlooked Clare winemaker who is both a traditionalist and innovator. His shiraz is a traditional Clare style with a generous heart of dark berry fruit and an earthy, mineral richness. The wine’s power is harnessed in some nice chewy tannins.

Pizzini Coronamento – King Valley, Vic Nebbiolo is a finicky variety – even on its home turf in Piedmont. But Fred Pizzini has tamed it with his Coronamento, meaning “to achieve one’s dreams”. Warm earth, dark plum, black truffle and rose petal on the nose; an intense, sinewy, multi-layered, well-balanced palate.

gourmet traveller wine 41 Tastings

Pondalowie Vineyards MT Tempranillo – Bendigo, Vic Tempranillo is the major red grape of Spain and Portugal, perhaps most famous as the backbone variety of Rioja. It’s a newcomer to Australia, but this fresh, unwooded version is excellent. The aromas are of dark cherry, raspberry and tobacco with an earthy, complex background.

Rolf Binder Christa Rolf Shiraz Grenache – Barossa Valley, SA Christa and Rolf Binder are the two winemaking children of Rolf senior, who founded the Veritas winery (now Rolf Binder) in the mid 1950s. This is an easy-drinking red with ample amounts of soft, juicy raspberry, dark cherry and plum and a gentle kick of grainy tannins.

St Hallett Faith Shiraz – Barossa, SA Descriptors of licorice, tar and leather could sound negative if they weren’t wrapped around a generous core of rich dark berry fruit flavours, as is the case with this shiraz. These seemingly disparate flavours are meshed together by a sweet seasoning of vanilla oak.

Seppelt St Peters Great Western Vineyards Shiraz – Grampians, Vic Old vineyards provide the fruit for this masterful shiraz. The ripe flavours of plum and blackberry are reined in by an overlay of warm earth and licorice. While the palate is of medium weight, its depth and power carry it to a long conclusion.

Setanta Black Sanglain Cabernet Sauvignon – Adelaide Hills, SA The name Setanta comes from Irish folklore, its three creators proudly of Irish descent. This elegant, refined, cool-climate cabernet has a lifted bouquet of mint, cassis and cedary oak. Intense flavours are carried by a backbone of finely grained tannins.

42 gourmet traveller wine Shaw and Smith Shiraz – Adelaide Hills, SA Martin Shaw’s shiraz has masses of style and finesse. Sweet spices – nutmeg, clove and allspice – mix with raspberry and dark cherry. The mid-weight palate is intensely flavoured, luxurious and tightly bound by an ethereal thread of acidity and a fine patina of tannins.

Stella Bella Shiraz – Margaret River, WA This is a medium-weight shiraz with fruit flavours that are of wild raspberry, plum and cherry with a hint of dusty Moroccan spice. The palate is lean and sinewy, though in no way mean, offering a lift of sweet vanilla oak on the finish.

Stonier Reserve Pinot Noir – Mornington Peninsula, Vic The Stonier wines have entered a new age in the hands of Geraldine McFaul. This is made from the oldest vines, crop-thinned to give ripe, juicy and highly flavoured fruit – dark cherry, strawberry and rhubarb – with a dash of exotic spices from the high-quality oak.

Tahbilk Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – Nagambie Lakes, Vic is home to some of the country’s original cabernet sauvignon vines. This concentrated red is all about fruit weight and richness. Blackberry and bitter chocolate flavours with a distinct whiff of damp earth help move the style from sweet to savoury.

Tarrawarra Estate Pinot Noir – Yarra Valley, Vic Tarrawarra is one of the Yarra’s finest wineries, and this pinot has the richness and intensity that can only come from top-notch fruit. Dark berry fruit flavours abound with a distinct earthy/chocolatey character and gentle overlay of dusty oak complexity. A serious pinot.

gourmet traveller wine 43 Tastings

Taylors St Andrews Shiraz – Clare Valley, SA St Andrews is owned by the Taylor family and the name used for their prestige wines. Dark chocolate, blackberry pastille and damson aromas lead the way to a dense, concentrated palate bursting with rich, dark berry fruit flavours, sweet spices and a touch of licorice.

Toolangi Pinot Noir – Yarra Valley, Vic Fruit drawn from low-yielding vineyards has been carefully crafted by Yering Station’s winemaking maestro, Tom Carson, into this finely structured gem. It offers raspberry and ripe strawberry fruit flavours with a gentle touch of toasty oak and hints of truffle-like complexity.

Torbreck Cuvee Juveniles – Barossa Valley, SA Dave Powell originally made this Rhône-style blend for the Parisian wine bar Juveniles. A blend of grenache, mataro (aka mourvèdre) and shiraz, it sees no oak and is bottled young and fresh. Sweet red berry fruits dominate the nose with a background of exotic spices.

Torbreck The Steading – Barossa Valley, SA This is a Châteauneuf-du-Pape lookalike: 60 per cent grenache leads the way with equal parts of shiraz and mataro. Eighteen months in older oak has married the fruit into a sweet, juicy, high-toned amalgam. It’s seductively easy to drink yet powerful, with 14.5 per cent alcohol.

Torbreck The Struie Shiraz – Barossa Valley, SA Fruit from an old shiraz vineyard in the Eden Valley adds depth to the unbridled potency of the Barossa component to create this bold but stylish red. Sweet prune and pickled plum aromas overlay intense briary, smoky characters with hints of nutmeg, clove and Christmas pud.

44 gourmet traveller wine Tower Estate Hunter Valley Shiraz – NSW This power-packed shiraz comes from Tower’s home base, Len Evans’ beloved Hunter Valley. It has bold flavours and great concentration, with dark plum, blackberry and fresh aniseed flavours overlaid with a slick of sweet vanilla oak and dense, earthy tannins.

Turkey Flat Vineyards Shiraz – Barossa Valley, SA Brash and bold, this classic Barossa Valley shiraz is sourced from old vines that produce microscopic yields of highly concentrated fruit. Intense flavours of ripe plum and blackberry are enhanced with a licorice and mocha character, while the potent palate has soft tannins.

Voyager Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot – Margaret River, WA Voyager Estate reds offer leafy, Bordeaux-like characteristics. Aromas of cassis, spearmint and fresh mulberry leaves dominate the nose, following through to a tight, savoury palate enriched by judicious use of top-class French oak.

Wirra Wirra Vineyards RSW Shiraz – McLaren Vale, SA Robert Strangways Wigley established Wirra Wirra in 1894 and his initials have been used to designate the winery’s top shiraz. Bold shiraz flavours of plum, blackberry pastille, bitter chocolate and five-spice are enriched by a gentle lick of sweet oak.

Wirra Wirra Vineyards Woodhenge Shiraz – McLaren Vale, SA Woodhenge is the monumental fence that greets visitors to the Wirra winery. But its namesake shiraz is in no way overbuilt. The bouquet of wild blackberry melds with plum cake, licorice, and a whiff of apricot nectar from the dash of viognier.

gourmet traveller wine 45 Tastings

Wolf Blass Grey Label Shiraz – SA made his reputation as a masterful blender. His legacy lives on with this sumptuous shiraz built on the dense dark chocolate and rich, dark berry flavours of the Barossa, the earthy minerality of the Clare and the sheer grunt of top-quality McLaren Vale fruit.

Woodlands Ivy Kathleen Cabernet Sauvignon – Margaret River, WA After ceasing production in the 1990s, the Watson family have re-entered the Australian market. A smidge of adds to the character of this dense, tightly knit cabernet sauvignon with abundant flavours of cassis and mint.

Wood Park – King Valley, Vic Zinfandel is famous in California and almost unknown to the rest of the world. (It has a minor presence as primitivo in Puglia, Italy.) This has abundant flavours of blackberry and juicy plum with a generous lashing of sweet plum cake, nutmeg and licorice allsorts.

Yalumba Shiraz Viognier – Barossa, Vic The folks at Yalumba were among the first to champion the exotic white grape viognier. This is an unashamedly cheeky Aussie red, streets away from the French style, with its super-rich plum cake and dark cherry flavours “spiced” by an apricot-like lift of viognier.

Yalumba The Signature – Barossa, SA The original Signature red from Yalumba was a special Galway Vintage inspired by Robert Menzies – an avid Yalumba fan. Sir Bob would approve of this cabernet sauvignon-shiraz blend. It’s a wondrous amalgam of dark berries and a lick of toasty oak.

46 gourmet traveller wine Yering Station Reserve Shiraz Viognier – Yarra Valley, Vic Tom Carson’s Côte Rôtie lookalike gets close to the real thing, though it’s still proudly Aussie, with oodles of sweet dark berry fruit lifted by the viognier’s violet-like perfume. Fruit richness is held back from excess by the tight thread of acid interwoven with succulent tannins.

Yering Station Shiraz Viognier – Yarra Valley, Vic The popularity of this traditional Rhône Valley blend of shiraz with a dash of viognier increases unabated. This example is a sumptuous combination of ripe cherry and raspberry aromas with a dash of sweet apricot nectar from the viognier. The palate is equally plush.

SWEET WINE

De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon – , NSW Australia’s benchmark dessert wine – a position it’s proudly held since its maiden vintage in 1982. Recent vintages show a renewed focus, with opulent apricot and tropical-fruit flavours reined in by a zing of tight and bright lemon-fresh acidity.

fortified WINES

Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Liqueur – Rutherglen, Vic Dense, treacle-like consistency. An intricate mosaic of brandied prune, spiced plums, crème caramel and dusty spice cupboard greet the nose, with similar multi-layered richness evident on the palate.

Seppelt DP63 Grand Muscat – Rutherglen, Vic This is the colour of worn leather and has sumptuous aromas of old cedar cupboards, toffee, rum and raisin, licorice allsorts and crème caramel. The flavours are explosive – syrupy yet with a spine of soft acidity that tightens the wine as it flows to a seemingly endless finale.

gourmet traveller wine 47 index to wines served onboard

QANTAS FIRST

Balnaves The Tally Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra ...... 32 Bannockburn Pinot Noir, Geelong ...... 32 Bress Shiraz, Heathcote ...... 33 Castagna Genesis Syrah, Beechworth ...... 33 Castagna La Chiave, Beechworth ...... 33 Centennial Vineyards Reserve Rondinella Corvina, Southern Highlands ...... 33 Charles Melton Rose of Virginia, Barossa Valley ...... 31 Clonakilla Viognier, Canberra District ...... 19 Lloyd Reserve Shiraz, McLaren Vale ...... 34 Crawford River Reserve Riesling, Henty ...... 19 Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Margaret River ...... 34 Cullen Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, Margaret River ...... 19 Curly Flat Chardonnay, Macedon Ranges ...... 20 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Riverina ...... 47 Dominique Portet Fontaine Rosé, Yarra Valley ...... 31 Farr Rising Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula ...... 35 Gembrook Hill Sauvignon Blanc, Yarra Valley ...... 20 Geoff Merrill Henley Shiraz, McLaren Vale ...... 35 Giaconda Aeolia Roussanne, Beechworth ...... 20 Giaconda Chardonnay, Beechworth ...... 21 Grant Burge Meshach Shiraz, Barossa Valley ...... 36 Grosset Gaia, Clare Valley ...... 36 Grosset Piccadilly Adelaide Hills Chardonnay ...... 21 Grosset Polish Hill Clare Valley Riesling ...... 21 Grosset Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, Clare Valley/Adelaide Hills ...... 22 Hardys Eileen Hardy Chardonnay, South-eastern Australia ...... 22 Heggies Reserve Riesling, Eden Valley ...... 22 Henschke Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc Merlot, Eden Valley .... 36 Henschke Julius Riesling, Eden Valley ...... 22 Hillcrest Premium Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley ...... 37 Houghton Gladstones Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River ...... 37 Houghton Museum Release Chardonnay, Frankland River ...... 23 Howard Park Chardonnay, Great Southern ...... 23 Howard Park Riesling, Great Southern ...... 23 Jacob’s Creek Steingarten Riesling, Barossa ...... 24 John Duval Wines Plexus Shiraz Grenache Mourvèdre, Barossa Valley ...... 38 Kalleske Greenock Shiraz, Barossa Valley ...... 38 Katnook Estate Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra ...... 38 Knappstein Ackland Vineyard Watervale Riesling, Clare Valley ...... 24 Kooyong Single Vineyard Selection Faultline Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula .24 Kooyong Single Vineyard Selection Ferrous Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula ..... 38 Lost Valley Winery Cortese, Upper Goulburn ...... 25 Main Ridge Estate Half Acre Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula ...... 39 Main Ridge Estate Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula ...... 25 McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant Single Vineyard Lovedale Hunter Valley Semillon ... 25 Meerea Park Individual Vineyard Alexander Munro Semillon, Hunter Valley ...... 26 Mesh Riesling, Eden Valley ...... 26 Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Liqueur Muscat, Rutherglen ...... 47 Paringa Estate Estate Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula ...... 40 Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon, South Australia ...... 41 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz, Barossa Valley ...... 41 Pewsey Vale Museum Reserve The Contours Riesling, Eden Valley ...... 27 Picardy Chardonnay, Pemberton ...... 27 Pierro Chardonnay, Margaret River ...... 27 Pierro LTC Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, Margaret River ...... 27 Pikes The Merle Reserve Riesling, Clare Valley ...... 27 Pizzini Coronamento Nebbiolo, King Valley ...... 41 Pondalowie Vineyards MT Tempranillo, Bendigo ...... 42 Port Phillip Estate Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula ...... 28 Seppelt St Peters Great Western Vineyards Shiraz, Grampians ...... 42 Setanta Black Sanglain Cabernet Sauvignon, Adelaide Hills ...... 42 Shaw and Smith M3 Vineyard Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills ...... 28 Shaw and Smith Shiraz, Adelaide Hills ...... 43 Spinifex Rosé, Barossa Valley ...... 31 Stonier Reserve Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula ...... 43 Tahbilk Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Nagambie Lakes ...... 43 Tarrawarra Estate Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley ...... 43 Ten Minutes by Tractor McCutcheon Vineyard Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula ... 29 Ten Minutes by Tractor Wallis Vineyard Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula ...... 29 Tim Adams Pinot Gris, Clare Valley ...... 29 Toolangi Reserve Chardonnay, Yarra Valley ...... 29 Torbreck The Steading, Barossa Valley ...... 44 Torbreck The Struie Shiraz, Barossa Valley ...... 44 Tower Estate Hunter Valley Shiraz ...... 45 Tyrrell’s Wines Vat 1 Hunter Semillon, Hunter Valley ...... 30

48 gourmet traveller wine Wellington Sauvignon Blanc, Tasmania ...... 30 Wirra Wirra Vineyards RSW Shiraz, McLaren Vale ...... 45 Woodlands Ivy Kathleen Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River ...... 46 Wood Park Zinfandel, King Valley ...... 46 Yalumba The Signature, Barossa ...... 46 Yalumba The Virgilius Eden Valley Viognier ...... 30 Yering Station Reserve Shiraz Viognier, Yarra Valley ...... 47 Zarephath Riesling, Porongurup ...... 31

QANTAS BUSINESS

Balgownie Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Bendigo ...... 32 Barossa Valley Estate Ebenezer Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley ...... 32 Bremerton Old Adam Shiraz, Langhorne Creek ...... 33 Chapel Hill The Vicar, McLaren Vale ...... 34 Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz ...... 34 Coldstream Hills Chardonnay, Yarra Valley ...... 19 Crawford River Riesling, Henty ...... 19 d’Arenberg The Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier, McLaren Vale ...... 34 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Riverina ...... 47 De Bortoli Estate Grown Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley ...... 35 Diamond Valley Chardonnay, Yarra Valley ...... 20 Eldredge Blue Chip Shiraz, Clare Valley ...... 35 Fire Gully Chardonnay, Margaret River ...... 20 Geoff Merrill Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra/McLaren Vale ...... 35 Giant Steps Vineyard Sexton Bernard Clones 95 + 96 Chardonnay, Yarra Valley ....21 Grant Burge The Holy Trinity Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre, Barossa Valley ...... 36 Grosset Rockwood Vineyard Riesling, Clare Valley ...... 21 Heathcote Estate Shiraz, Heathcote ...... 36 Henschke Peggy’s Hill Riesling, Eden Valley ...... 22 Hewitson Riesling, Eden Valley ...... 23 Houghton Museum Release Riesling, Frankland River ...... 23 Houghton Shiraz, Frankland River ...... 37 Howard Park Leston Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River ...... 37 Howard Park Scotsdale Cabernet Sauvignon, Great Southern ...... 37 Kooyong Massale Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula ...... 38 Lark Hill Chardonnay, Canberra District ...... 24 Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra...... 39 Leeuwin Estate Prelude Vineyards Cabernet Merlot, Margaret River ...... 39 Lillydale Estate Chardonnay, Yarra Valley ...... 24 Madfish Riesling, Great Southern ...... 25 Majella Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra ...... 39 McWilliam’s Barwang Shiraz, Hilltops ...... 39 McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Hunter Valley Semillon ...... 25 McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant Single Vineyard Rosehill Shiraz, Hunter Valley ...... 40 Murdock Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra ...... 40 Murdock Merlot, Coonawarra ...... 40 Nepenthe Charleston Pinot Noir, Adelaide Hills ...... 40 Nepenthe Ithaca Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills ...... 26 Oakridge Chardonnay, Yarra Valley ...... 26 Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz, South Australia ...... 41 Penfolds Reserve Bin Riesling, Eden Valley ...... 26 Pikes Shiraz, Clare Valley ...... 41 Redbank Sunday Morning Pinot Gris, King Valley ...... 28 Rolf Binder Christa Rolf Shiraz Grenache, Barossa Valley ...... 42 St Hallett Faith Shiraz, Barossa ...... 42 Seppelt DP63 Grand Muscat, Rutherglen ...... 47 Shaw and Smith Sauvignon Blanc, Adelaide Hills ...... 28 Stella Bella Shiraz, Margaret River ...... 43 Taylors St Andrews Bottle Aged Riesling, Clare Valley ...... 28 Taylors St Andrews Shiraz, Clare Valley ...... 44 Toolangi Estate Chardonnay, Yarra Valley ...... 29 Toolangi Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley ...... 44 Torbreck Cuvee Juveniles, Barossa Valley ...... 44 Turkey Flat Vineyards Rosé, Barossa Valley ...... 31 Turkey Flat Vineyards Shiraz, Barossa Valley ...... 45 Voyager Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Margaret River ...... 45 Voyager Estate Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, Margaret River ...... 30 Wirra Wirra Vineyards Woodhenge Shiraz, McLaren Vale ...... 45 Wolf Blass Grey Label Shiraz, South Australia ...... 46 Yalumba Shiraz Viognier, Barossa ...... 46 Yalumba Viognier, Eden Valley ...... 30 Yering Station ED Pinot Noir Rosé, Yarra Valley ...... 32 Yering Station Shiraz Viognier, Yarra Valley ...... 47

gourmet traveller wine 49 contacts

BALGOWNIE ESTATE (03) 5449 6222, LOST VALLEY WINERY www.balgownieestate.com.au (03) 9592 3531, www.lostvalleywinery.com BALNAVES (08) 8737 2946, MADFISH (08) 8561 3200, www.balnaves.com.au www.madfishwines.com.au BANNOCKBURN (03) 5281 1363, MAIN RIDGE ESTATE www.bannockburnvineyards.com (03) 5989 2686, www.mre.com.au BAROSSA VALLEY ESTATE MAJELLA (08) 8736 3055, (08) 8562 3599, www.bve.com.au www.majellawines.com.au BARWANG MCWILLIAM’S (02) 9722 1200, (02) 6382 3594, www.mcwilliams.com.au www.mcwilliams.com.au BREMERTON (08) 8537 3093, MEEREA PARK (02) 9427 5222, www.bremerton.com.au www.meereapark.com.au BRESS (03) 5474 2262, MESH (08) 8112 4200, www.bress.com.au www.meshwine.com CASTAGNA (03) 5728 2888, MORRIS OF RUTHERGLEN www.castagna.com.au (02) 8874 8222, www.morriswines.com CENTENNIAL VINEYARDS MURDOCK (08) 8737 3700, (02) 4861 8700, www.centennial.net.au www.murdockwines.com CHAPEL HILL (08) 8323 8429, NEPENTHE (08) 8388 4439, www.chapelhillwine.com.au www.nepenthe.com.au CHARLES MELTON (08) 8563 3606, OAKRIDGE (03) 9739 1920, www.charlesmeltonwines.com.au www.oakridgeestate.com.au CLONAKILLA (02) 6227 5877, PARINGA ESTATE (03) 5989 2669, www.clonakilla.com.au www.paringaestate.com.au COLDSTREAM HILLS (03) 5964 9410, PENFOLDS (08) 8568 9389, www.coldstreamhills.com.au www.penfolds.com CORIOLE VINEYARDS PEWSEY VALE (08) 8561 3200, (08) 8323 8305, www.coriole.com www.pewseyvale.com CRAWFORD RIVER (03) 5578 2267, PICARDY (08) 9776 0036, www.crawfordriverwines.com www.picardy.com.au CULLEN (08) 9755 5277, PIERRO (08) 9755 6220, www.pierro.com.au www.cullenwines.com.au PIKES (08) 8843 4370, CURLY FLAT (03) 5429 1956, www.pikeswines.com.au www.curlyflat.com PIZZINI (03) 5729 8278, D’ARENBERG (08) 8323 8206, www.pizzini.com.au www.darenberg.com.au PONDALOWIE VINEYARDS DE BORTOLI (03) 5965 2271, (03) 5437 3332, www.pondalowie.com.au www.debortoli.com.au PORT PHILLIP ESTATE DIAMOND VALLEY (03) 9722 0840, (03) 5989 2708, www.portphillip.net www.diamondvalley.com.au REDBANK (08) 8561 3200, DOMINIQUE PORTET (03) 5962 5760, www.redbankwines.com www.dominiqueportet.com ROLF BINDER (08) 8562 3300, ELDREDGE (08) 8842 3086, www.veritaswinery.com [email protected] SEPPELT (03) 5361 2239/(08) 8568 6217, FARR RISING (03) 5281 1733, www.seppelt.com.au www.byfarr.com.au SETANTA (08) 8380 5516, FIRE GULLY (08) 9755 6220, www.setantawines.com.au www.pierro.com.au SHAW AND SMITH (08) 8398 0500, GEMBROOK HILL (03) 5968 1622, www.shawandsmith.com www.gembrookhill.com.au SPINIFEX (08) 8562 1914, GEOFF MERRILL (08) 8381 6877, www.spinifexwines.com.au www.geoffmerrillwines.com STELLA BELLA (08) 9757 6377, GIACONDA (03) 9583 1202, www.stellabella.com.au www.giaconda.com.au ST HALLETT (08) 8563 7000, GIANT STEPS VINEYARD www.sthallett.com.au (03) 5962 6111, www.giant-steps.com.au STONIER (03) 5989 8300, GRANT BURGE (02) 6585 9523, www.stoniers.com.au www.grantburgewines.com.au TAHBILK (03) 5794 2555, GROSSET (08) 8849 2175, www.tahbilk.com www.grosset.com.au TARRAWARRA ESTATE HARDYS (08) 9755 5604, (03) 5962 3311, www.tarrawarra.com.au www.hardywines.com.au TAYLORS (02) 8585 3555, HEATHCOTE ESTATE (03) 9667 6644, www.taylors.com.au www.heathcoteestate.com TEN MINUTES BY TRACTOR HEGGIES (08) 8561 3200, (03) 5989 6455, www.negociants.com www.tenminutesbytractor.com.au HENSCHKE (08) 8564 8223, TIM ADAMS (08) 8842 2429, www.henschke.com.au www.timadamswines.com.au HEWITSON (08) 8443 6466, TOOLANGI (03) 9822 9488, www.hewitson.com.au www.toolangi.com HILLCREST (03) 5964 6689, TORBRECK (08) 8562 4155, www.hillcrestvineyard.com.au www.torbreck.com HOUGHTON (08) 8392 2222, TOWER ESTATE (02) 4998 7989, www.hardywines.com.au www.towerestate.com HOWARD PARK (08) 9756 5200, TURKEY FLAT VINEYARDS www.howardparkwines.com.au (08) 8563 2851, www.turkeyflat.com.au JACOB’S CREEK (08) 8521 3000, TYRRELL’S WINES (02) 4993 7000, www.jacobscreek.com www.tyrrells.com.au JOHN DUVAL (08) 8563 2591, VOYAGER ESTATE (08) 9757 6354, www.johnduvalwines.com www.voyagerestate.com.au KALLESKE 0409 339 599, WELLINGTON (03) 6248 5844, www.kalleske.com www.hoodwines.com.au KATNOOK ESTATE (02) 9908 0532, WIRRA WIRRA VINEYARDS www.winesource.com.au (08) 8323 8141, www.wirra.com.au KNAPPSTEIN (08) 8842 2600, WOLF BLASS (08) 8568 7311, www.knappsteinwines.com.au www.wolfblass.com.au KOOYONG (03) 5989 7355, WOODLANDS (08) 9755 6226, www.kooyong.com www.woodlandswines.com LARK HILL (02) 6238 1393, WOOD PARK (03) 5727 3778, www.larkhillwine.com.au www.woodparkwines.com.au LECONFIELD (08) 8323 8830, YALUMBA (08) 8561 3200, www.leconfieldwines.com www.yalumba.com LEEUWIN ESTATE (08) 9759 0000, YERING STATION www.leeuwinestate.com.au (03) 9730 0100, www.yering.com LILLYDALE ESTATE ZAREPATH (08) 9853 1152, www.lillydaleestate.com.au www.zarepathwines.com Australia’s international dialling code is +61.

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50 gourmet traveller wine