(2024) Not Sherry, but a solera-aged Pedro Ximénez from a family that produced its first fortified PX wine in the 1940s. Perhaps slightly lighter in colour than a typical Spanish version - nut brown rather than mahogany brown - it pours with engine oil thickness and gloriously sweet and luscious aromas of fig, raisin and walnut, a delicate rancio character adding a layer of intrigue. In the mouth super-sweet and mouth-filling, really all about the sweet and unctuous flavour rather than massive complexity, but utterly delicious.
(2024) Wild yeast fermented and with a mere 10.5% alcohol, this South Australian Sauvignon comes across as more Loire than Marlborough. Relatively subtle, aromas of stone fruits, citrus and kiwi fruit are light and fragrant, reminiscent of a Touraine Sauvignon perhaps. The suggestion of juiciness continues on the palate, and though this does have plenty of ripe fruit sweetness and a talcum powder gentleness, the peach and citrus acidity is soft but more than adequate, adding a tangy freshness and length. Mixed six price is £9.99.
(2024) The apricot - and dried apricot - aroma is unmissable in this wine. Fermented and matured in older French oak for 10 months, a little cedar and spice adds piquant highlights to the fruit. In the mouth it is medium-bodied, again apricot and peach, a gentle nutty background and enough acidity to keep this fresh makes for an all-round satisfying wine.
(2024) The great grape of Condrieu in the northern Rhône was almost unknown outside of the appellation until relatively recently, and Yalumba was a real pioneer and advocate for the variety in South Australia. From the elevated slopes of Eden Valley, the fruit for this, their top cuvée, comes from a vineyard planted over 40 years ago. Gorgeous nose, all the luscious, lightly caramelised pear and exotic nectarine and mango you could wish for. There's a creamy oak overlay and hints of the exotic, from sesame seeds to summer blossom. On the palate it is textured and rippling with fruit, full-bodied but not over-bearing with its 13.5% alcohol. It's a wine that manages to be both slip down very easily and offer some structure, depth and seriousness, hints of ginger spice and a limey lick of acidity cleansing the finish.
(2024) d'Arenberg is one of the iconic names of Australian wine and has been a constant presence on UK wine shelves for decades. This is 100% biodynamic Grenache, foot trodden two-thirds of the way through ferment and pressed in a basket press as is d'Arenberg's way. It was matured in French oak for nine months. It has a terrific nose, straddling a buoyant, crushed red berry fruit with masses of fresh-cracked black pepper and a certain meatiness. In the mouth it has substantial tannins and fine acid core, but the weight of fruit is equal to that all the way, giving this lots of drinkability as well as a bit of serious gastronomic usefulness. Watch the video for more information and food-matching ideas.
(2024) I rather enjoyed this unusual Sauvignon Blanc from RedHeads Wine, unusual because the fruit comes from Coonawarra, a territory normally associated with Cabernet Sauvignon. Unoaked, I liked the suggestion of lime peel and melon skin on the nose that added a certain savoury character rather than just overt fruit. Fruit is there, some gooseberry, grapefruit and just a hint of more tropical passion fruit, and the acid balance in this 12.5% wine is good.
(2024) It's always interesting if a wine has a particular human story behind it, and this one certainly has. Winemaker Marty Edwards spent two decades with a larger wine company before being diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2012, whilst still barely 40 years of age. So he quit the job, and after life-changing Deep Brain Stimulation surgery in 2018, felt well enough to establish Silver Lining Wines, where profits go to support Parkinson's research and charities in Australia. The wine displays its cooler-climate credentials coming from vineyards at altitude in the Adelaide Hills. Whole berries were fermented with natural yeasts and foot trodden, then matured in new and used French oak barriques for 10 months. It has game, olives and plenty of pepper on the nose, a certain roughening tannin adding a welcome chewiness to plush, mouth-filling black fruit. Spicy, well-balanced and satisfying stuff. Watch the video for more information.
(2024) Cool climate character is good, with herbs, pepper and a certain meatiness. Plummy, the palate perhaps a slightly raw quality, a touch of charry character from the oak adds to that. Tannins are firm and this has reasonable balance overall. £24.99, but 'Angels' pay £15.99
(2024) A wine from the Eden Valley, made in a joint project between Jeffrey Grosset, famed for his iconic Clare Valley Rieslings, and Robert Hill Smith of the Yalumba family of wineries. Waxy and floral, its flits around Paraffin and minerals, a squirt of lime. The palate has a certain richness, a hint of peach but big core of citrus. Despite being bone dry and having all that lemony thrust of fruit, there's a certain weight and extract here that makes it feel relatively rounded and full.
(2024) With a huge total acidity of 8.2g/l this is as sharp as a tack, aromas of icing sugar and lime also have a ripeness to offset the crystalline precision. The palate has a sheer, bone-dry precision between its lemon and lime, taut fruit and shimmering acid length. Invigorating stuff, and rather fabulous. Price and stockist quoted at time of review are for a previous vintage.
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The great grape of Condrieu in the northern Rhône was almost unknown outside of the appellation until relatively recently, and Yalumba was a real pioneer and advocate for the variety in South Australia. From the elevated slopes of Eden Valley, the fruit for this, their top cuvée, comes from a vineyard planted over 40 years ago. Gorgeous nose, all the luscious, lightly caramelised pear and exotic nectarine and mango you could wish for. There's a creamy oak overlay and hints of the exotic, from sesame seeds to summer blossom. On the palate it is textured and rippling with fruit, full-bodied but not over-bearing with its 13.5% alcohol. It's a wine that manages to be both slip down very easily and offer some structure, depth and seriousness, hints of ginger spice and a limey lick of acidity cleansing the finish. 