Stockist/Retailer: AustralianWinesOnline

(2024) Maybe this wine just hit my particular sweet spot, but I loved it. Initially there are waxy, parrafin notes in abundance, a fine mineral sophistication, and abundant lime fruit. In the mouth it's ravishing stuff, textured and citrussy with a certain fat, but with such vivid, streaking mineral and lime juice core.

(2022) The vineyard was planted in 1889, on red-brown clay in the heart of the Barossa Valley, the wine matured for just four months in older French oak barrels. Pale and quite transparent, the nose is beguiling, with floral and woodland scents, fine dried berry fruits and all sorts of mellow, autumnal notes. In the mouth just lovely delicacy and sweetness to the fruit, all herb-strewn cherry orchards, with a light creaminess of flavour and texture, and plenty of light and shade, some bittering notes of acidity and very fine tannins extending the finish. Note the price quoted is for the 2015 vintage at time of review, which I scored 94/100.

(2020) Yalumba was the first producer of Viognier in Australia that really impressed me many years ago with a wine called 'Virgilius'. That wine will now set you back more than £30 per bottle, so I'm delighted to find this excellent example from the same region (The Eden Valley), made by the same winemaker, Louisa Rose, made with some barrel fermentation and wild yeasts, giving a similar character to its big brother. Aromas of lychee and jasmine dominate over peach and apricot, then the palate is powerful and broad, lots of grip and fruit weight and texture, a bite of graperfuit or marmalade orange bittersweet acidity into a long, intense finish. Watch the video for more information and food-matching ideas.

(2010) No oak, but some lees ageing gives this wine a fresh, apple and blossom character, with a touch of oatmeal and a light nuttiness. On the palate the fruit is ripe and juicy, with a touch of pithy grapefruit but that apple crunch and melon juiciness. The citrussy acidity is good, and this Chablis-style chardonnay has good concentration and length.