2009 Bird in Hand Shiraz $30

I've been a huge fan of Adelaide Hills shiraz since its recent emergence as the most exciting new red wine style in the country: with exemplary shiraz from Shaw & Smith, Petaluma, Longview 'Yakka' and The Lane 'Block 14'. A bracket of seven examples from the region in my most recent new release tasting confirmed my view and threw up the latest vintage of the Nugent family's Bird in Hand Shiraz. A web search indicated that it had already won four trophies and two further gold medals. The 2009 Bird in Hand Shiraz has bright floral aromatics, cool juicy, brambly, mulberry, blackberry pastille flavours that are rich and concentrated, plush fleshy texture and soft fine tannins. Delicious. 

2009 Willow Creek Pinot Noir $40

The quality of pinot noir produced in Australia has improved dramatically in the past decade as vineyards get older and viticulturists learn more about this tricky variety. No region in Australia is making outstanding pinot more consistently than the Mornington Peninsula. After 20 years, Willow Creek's vines are mature and at the peak of form: you could say the same about winemaker, Geraldine McFaul who has 15 vintages under her belt at Stonier's and Willow Creek on Mornington. Together with an experienced viticultural team, they have produced a classy single vineyard pinot from the difficult 2009 vintage. It has gently brooding aromatics, blackberry, mulberry and bramble flavours that are deep and long; smooth, satiny texture – an almost ethereal feel – before a pleasing, lingering finish. 

2006 Tahbilk Shiraz $21.50

One of the highlights of the tasting year were the celebrations for Nagambie Lakes producer, Tahbilk’s 160th anniversary celebrations, with examples of this wine stretching back to 1958. Some of the older vintages showed how well these wines can age: the 1961 (complex, still with attractive sweet fruit), 1966 (lively with ripe sweet fruit and a lovely dry finish), 1986 (bold pepper characters, still lively) and 1987 (complex, spicy, earthy flavours). The stars were the most recent reds, including this impressive 2006 Shiraz: vibrant ripe red berry aromas, redcurrant and red plum flavours, silky smooth texture, finishing with ripe, fine-grained tannins in delicate balance with weighty fruit. 

That's the entry in Quaff 2011. There's another reason for thinking about Tahbilk this week - and that's the floods in Central Victoria. I haven't had a report from Tahbilk but suspect that they are in the thick of things and quite likely ravaged by the floods. That's another good reason to enjoy a bottle of this: enjoy it with a roast of lamb and toast this historic winery. 

2009 & 2010 Turkey Flat Rosé $25

While Turkey Flat has reliably been one of Australia’s finest rosés, the 2009 is an absolute cracker. It’s a blend of grenache, shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and dolcetto that has attractive brambly redcurrant flavours, with a hint of licorice and musk stick. A touch of sweetness is offset by lively natural acidity and a gentle grip.

I tasted the 2010 Turkey Flat Rosé in a line up of 21 rosés yesterday and it was as good as the previous wine – in fact, it topped the tasting just ahead of the 2010 Majella 'Melody' Rosé. The 2010 Turkey Flat has ripe sweet raspberry, musk stick and redcurrant flavours, a hint of brambles, is vibrant, fresh and tangy on the palate, finishing crisp, clean and long. 

2009 Radford Eden Valley Riesling $24

Ben Radford is chief winemaker at the Barossa’s iconic Rockford, so Gill makes the family wine on their property high in the Eden Valley. The vineyard is managed biodynamically and boasts some of the region’s oldest riesling vines, dating back to the 1930s. This is riesling at its purest and most elemental: fine, subtle and delicate, showing bright, intense lemongrass and lime juice flavours, lingering crisp and ultra-dry. 

www.radfordwines.com