2010 Gemtree ‘Moonstone’ Savagnin

Until DNA showed us differently, we thought the French grape savagnin was the sexy Spanish albarino. While the latter might have been easier to sell, especially given the quiet popularity on restaurant lists of albarino from Gallica in north-western Spain, savagnin makes excellent, easy-drinking wines like this. This Gemtree white has an alluring, almost ethereal floral bouquet and vibrant fruity flavours that are dry, tangy and zesty.

 The Other White Varietials chapter in Quaff is a ripper with lots of fascinating and delicious wines recommended. The Gemtree is one of those ranked in the Quaff 2011's Top 20 wines of the year.

Rating: Bloody Good

Cost: $ 14.95

Winemaker: Mike Brown.   

Limited availability in all Australian states. www.gemtreevineyards.com.au

Reviewed 8^th September 2010

2008 Littore Tempranillo

Three generations of the Littore family have been growing grapes and making wines from their family property on the Murray near Mildura. They purchased the Idyll winery near Geelong and established Jindalee. You may have seen some of those wines in Quaff. They’ve now established Littore Family Wines and this is their first appearance in Quaff under that label. What a debut! This medium-bodied red is sourced from Heathcote and the Murray–Darling and is sensational. There’s riotous floral fragrances with a hint of violets and lavender, and ripe plummy, redcurranty flavours. It’s juicy, fleshy and succulent in the mid-palate, neatly balanced, finishing fresh and clean. Delicious.

 Just a note in case you are checking this out on the Littore website: they call this the Paisley Series. Don't ask me why. There's no mention of this on the bottle.

 Still, the wine is amazing.

Rating: Bloody Good

Cost: $ 9.95

Winemaker: David Thompson and the team.   

Wide availability in all Australian states.  www.littorewines.com.au

Reviewed: 8 September 2010

2010 Angove ‘Nine Vines’ Rosé

This is well up there with Australia’s finest rosés and is rated Bloody Good for the fourth year in a row. This is restrained, fresh, pristine and vibrant, with intense ripe red cherry and red plum flavours, smooth texture, and a long, dryish finish that is crisp and refreshing. I expect it to pick up some savoury, earthy, gravelly complexity over the next six months.

Check it out when Quaff 2011 hits the bookshops and see exactly how well this has done.

Rating: Bloody Good

Cost: $ 13.95

Winemaker: Tony Ingle and the team.

Wide availability in all Australian states. www.angoves.com.au

Reviewed: 8 September 2010

2009 De Bortoli 'Montage' Semillon Sauvignon

Followers of Quaff will know what I think about the remarkably priced wines of De Bortoli. These guys are amazing. The Montage label is small – so it's not mentioned on the De Bortoli website – with just three blends; a Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay Semillon and Cabernet Merlot. Occasionally, they are amazing value for money as this is.

The 2009 De Bortoli 'Montage' Semillon Sauvignon Blanc is clean, fresh and vibrant and has some interesting minerally, sea shell complexities. You may well think this is silly or daft but have a sniff, it's a bit like the smell you get from freshly shucked oyster. It's usually only found in in expensive chardonnays. Anyway, I tasted this with three other experienced members of the panel and we all rated it a strong silver medal, which for a white that costs less that $10 is remarkable. Enjoy.

Rating: Bloody Good

Cost: $ 9.50

Wide availability in all Australian states.  www.debortoli.com.au

Reviewed: 2 July 2010

2009 Chapel Hill 'Parsons Nose' Shiraz

Chapel Hill is another of McLaren Vale's star performers. Their Gourmet Retreat is a great place to stay while in the Vale and their reds, especially, continue to please, even thrill. I remember loving their current vintage Sangiovese much more than most examples of the variety in Australia. Here's an entry level shiraz that is both well-priced and bloody good value. In the tricky 2009 vintage, it is soft, round and fleshy, has dark plum and redcurrant flavours that are ripe, clean, fresh and concentrated. There's that McLaren Vale lush quality that gives the wines velvety texture while the balance between fruit weight, oak and tannin make the wine immediately approachable.

Rating: Bloody Good

Cost: $ 14.95

Winemaker: Michael Fragos, Bryn Richards.

Wide availability in all Australian states. www.chapelhillwine.com.au

Reviewed: 23 June 2010