Stockist/Retailer: Hic Wine Merchants

(2025) A delightful Pinot Gris, textured and lightly waxy, and overflowing with aromas of lemon verbena and ripe pear. The texture fills the mouth and flavours run from citrus to mango, but all the time balanced and clean thanks to a well tempered but positive acid profile. A lively rendition of Pinot Gris, little hints of ginger and quince jelly adding complexity.

(2025) From nine selected rows of a vineyard planted in 1985, on red volcanic soil. The fruit was whole bunch pressed and fermented in new, one and two year old French oak barriques where it matured for 11 months with monthly stirring. We're in the pungent and flinty spectrum here, Brazil nut and oatmeal smoothing the picture and juicy stone fruits in the mix. The acid punch on the palate is welcome, as it shears through quite exotic, lychee and mango fruit. A distinct kumquat, bitter orange acidity is set against a little barrel toast. Price and stockist for an older vintage at time of review.

(2025) An aromatic blend of Gewürztraminer, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc, "inspired by the wines of Northern Italy," apparently - including a touch of residual sugar. Bright, light floral aromas, lemon sherbet and crisp rosy apples too. The palate has that touch of sweetness, but is racy and refined, with plenty of pithy dry and lightly saline acidity.

(2025) Black Label was first produced in 1954, and has a reputation for ageing gracefully given its relatively modest price. It spent 15 months in new and seasoned French oak, barrels and vats of various sizes. Firm, floral-touched and refined black fruit on the nose leads on to a palate of youthful intensity and concentration. There's a real white pepper spice to this, and the tannins are grippy and peppery. The fruit is solid and is just beginning to show some more open juiciness, while this very young wine leaves the palate tingling with its precise concentration, acidity and spice. Impressice and with potential to improve in bottle. Price and stockist quoted is for the previous vintage at time of review.

(2025) The organic vineyards from which this wine's fruit is sourced sit at over 700 metres altitude. A little Carménère is in the blend, the wine aged fourteen months in French oak. Smooth and elegant on the nose, with density and a cedary character, some characteristic leafiness in the background. Having said that, this has 14.5% alcohol and onto the palate the sweet, all-encompassing succulence and ripeness of black fruit is what drives this; it is chocolaty and dense, and far from Cab Franc's greener side. Tannins are sumptuous, a cherry note of sour and acidity works beautifully, in a long and fleshy wine that walks a nice line between hedonism and elegance.

(2022) The indigenous Malagouzia variety was thought to be extinct in Greece, until rediscovered by Vangelis Gerovassiliou in the 1970s. Since then it has thrived and gained popularity, here in the hands of the very modern Alpha Estate in Macedonia. The 'Turtles' is a single vineyard, named because of the protected turtle nesting site within this vineyard. It has an alluring nose, definitely aromatic with hints of jasmine and leafy green herbs, a cool lemony fruit too. In the mouth it has a really nice texture, gently slippery with those clean flavours of white peach and firm pear, good acid balance and a hint of saltiness to add to the gastronomic credentials. Watch the video for more information.

(2022) From producer Larry Cherubino, 100% Riesling from 20-year-old vineyards, it is dry with only 2g/l of residual sugar. Almost clear as water with a touch of green. The nose is quite subdued, just a little salty and gently waxed lemon note. Very dry, with apple cores and lemon pith, so mouth-watering, a leafy green herb note too. The finish is chalky and talcumy, but bone-dry. You will see this listed as coming from Mount Barker, where Larry Cherubino used to source fruit, but the wine is now 100% from Frankland River.

(2022) This blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir is partially fermented in oak and spends a minimum of 24 months on the lees. It is Brut, and opens with a very fine sense of minerals and small, summer blossom aromas. The fruit is elegant, with raspberry and redcurrant. In the mouth the mousse is cushiony and rich, with rosy red apple and those fragrant summer fruit and floral notes, ending with some richness but very good clarity, a pleasing touch of mouth-watering bitterness. A delicious, elegant and successful style.

(2022) Winemaker James Ceccato explained that, perhaps due to climate change, Botrytis has been less reliable than usual over the past few years as the need to leave the grapes on the vine late into the season is at risk from rain events. This wine comes from 45-year-old vineyards planted on clay, and spends 12 months in French oak before bottling with 162g/l of residual sugar. Honey and lemon curd notes on the nose are also quite delicate, with floral aspects. The palate has richness, but it's not the full-on viscous and oily style, plenty of sweetness offset by some dry extract and good acidity, for a slightly lighter but delicious style. Price and stockist quoted at time of review is for a previous vintage. Price is for a half bottle.

(2021) From eighteen-year-old vineyards in Kakheti, this is from one of the bigger producers, the wine quite widely available. It was fermented in and spent five months in qvevri and again has quite a deep yellow-to-amber colour. There's an orange and apricot quality on the nose here, juicy and citrussy, a suggestion of honey and light waxiness too. In the mouth the fruit is significantly sweeter than the Château Mukhrani Qvevri white, again some honey, but then a salty lemon core of acidity pushes on to the bone-dry finish.