It was a matrimony between an American biochemist and the founder of Margaret River Devils Lair, that set the scene for one of the nation's most illustrious estates. A member of the Top 1OO Wineries of World, Giant Steps were established 1997, with a view to assembling an elite range of limited release Yarra Valley vintages. Crafted from the fruit of superior sites, some yielding just a few hundred cases each year, these are exclusive editions from bespoke parcels of elite terroir, bearing the curiously cryptic monikers of precious blocks of vine, Gruyere Farm, Applejack and Wombat Creek. Fashioned for aficianados of the euro style, defined by their winsome fruit and graceful tannins, the Giant Steps single vineyard range are all distinct for their expression of..
Big wines from little vineyards»
Established 1973, Woodlands of Wilyabrup were one of the first vineyards in Margaret River, planted with a view to emulating the great growths of Bordeaux. Recipients of the highly prestigious Jack Mann Memorial Medal and Wine Industry Lifetime Achievement Award for their tremendous vintages of all things Cabernet. Assembling the rich Medoc style blends are what Woodlands do best. Painstakingly crafted by hand, to challenge the primacy of the illustrious Chateaux de la rive gauche, very few vineyards yield the quality of fruit that merits vintaging into a statuesque wine dominated by the prettily fragrant Cabernet Franc. Woodlands were established from the ground up with a view to achieving limited harvests of the abstruse Bordeaux varietals, only a few hundred..
The complex bordeaux blend by one of margaret river's founding wineries»
Blackberry and raspberry, cherry and licorice, peppery aromas soar from the glass of this opulent, voluptuously textured Shiraz. Before David Powell took on the task of raiding Barossa vineyards, he spent several years on the Scottish Highlands as... More»
Lovely flavours of butterscotch and apricot, fresh lifted spirit and that typical Tokay aroma of cold tea. A rich mix of select parcels at various stages of maturity, chosen for their softness and articulation of all good... More»
Vibrant with rich fruit flavours of citrus, fleshy stonefruits and tropical notes. Voyager are meticulous in everything they do, from varietal and clonal selection to vineyard management and the winemaking process... More»
Flavours are supported by hints of leather, black olive and a touch of savoury before a long but delicate finish. The Famiglia range of wines is all about fine tuning the classic Italians into a contemporary Australian styling... More»
The well delineated palate offers tremendous texture and combines glorious fruit purity with subtle complexities and savoury elegance. Dave Powell was honoured when good friend Ignatius Chan asked him to make a wine for his renowned Singapore establishment... More»
Velvet palate of perfumed cherry, plum and dark currant flavours, persistent and refined. A pure, single vineyard wine, from fruit picked off a single plot of Shiraz, planted 1960 and still managed by... More»
Clonakilla are one of our nation's most eminent vineyard wineries, a tiny production operation, established by a CSIRO scientist at Murrumbateman, very near Canberra. It turned out to be a fortuitous planting, with a climate not dissimilar to Bordeaux and northern Rhone, the Clonakilla property now occupies a rank next to the mighty Grange on the prestigious Exceptional Langtons Classification, it yields vintages of Australia's most invaluable Shiraz. At $26.99, the estate's entry level belies its stature and excellence within the pantheon of great Australian wine, an essential experience this week for all enthusiasts, a canny choice for shrewd and judicious aspirants of elite new world Shiraz...
Here's what our most picky pundits prefer»
The Heathcote Wineworks were one of the first commercial wineries in central Victoria. Prominently placed along Heathcote's main boulevard, established by Thomas Craven in 1854 to cater for the huge influx of gold miners seeking their fortune. Thomas Craven was a purveyor of spirits and wine, he traded in gold, providing a lifeline to local prospectors. An entrepreneurial type, he also operated a coach service from stables behind the cellar door, despatching supplies and delivering mail around the central Victorian goldfields. The legacy endures within a measured range of small batch Shiraz, crafted to traditional techniques and fashioned for timeless excellence. Enthusiasts of grand old brands with a provenance and history are advised to avail themselves of a case or two Shiraz from Heathcote..
The alluring case for craven's place»