Australian Red Wine Mixed - 6 Pack Value
$336
$441
Our Australian Red Wine Mixed - 6 pack value, a curated selection of Australia's renowned red wines. This exclusive collection features a variety of varietals and blends from acclaimed wine regions such as Barossa Valley, Margaret River, and Coonawarra. These exceptional quality and outstanding value of Shiraz to elegant and complex Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, each bottle offers a unique expression of Australia's winemaking excellence promises exceptional quality and outstanding value. Cheers to unforgettable moments and delicious wines!
1 x Brokenwood Hunter Valley Shiraz 2019 ~ NSW, Australia
94/100 - Bob Campbell - The Real Review
93/100 - James Suckling
92/100 - James Halliday
90/100 - Huon Hooke - The Real Review
91/100 - 2021 Halliday Wine Companion (2018 Vintage)
95/100 - Mike Bennie (2017 vintage)
95/100 - James Suckling (2017 vintage)
95/100 - James Halliday (2017 vintage)
92/100 James Halliday (2015 vintage)
95/100 James Halliday (2014 vintage)
92/100 The Wine Front (2014 vintage)
94/100 James Halliday (2013 vintage)
95/100 James Halliday (2011 vintage)
James Halliday 5 Star Winery
Bob Campbell - The Real Review ""Ripe shiraz with raspberry, plum, eucalyptus, violet, floral and spice flavours. A supple, sinewy wine with hints of baked earth. Approachable now but should age well. A classy wine with a fine, peppery texture.""
James Suckling - ""This has such impressively ripe yet poised style and offers bold blackberries, raspberries and plums with chocolate, leaves and bark, too. The palate has impressively supple and fleshy style and delivers ripe dark-berry flavors with freshness. Drinking well already. Drink or hold.""
Ned Goodwin MW - James Halliday ""When I think of Brokenwood, I think of this wine. The medium-bodied stalwart that showcases the savoury steadying hand that the Hunter imparts to its better wines. Red cherry, damson plum, baking spice, a seasoning of vanillan oak. There's a loamy, earthen feel to the swathe of tannin, gentle enough to encroach upon, yet firm enough to ensure ageability.""
Huon Hooke - The Real Review ""Bright, deep purple/red hue, with a nose of ground black peppercorns and subtle red fruits, the palate intense and shrill, youthfully aggressive with a little astringency from acidity and tannins, gritty and somewhat unready. It's a bit immature, but has very good potential""
James Halliday - ""An archetypal Hunter Valley shiraz: medium-bodied with predominantly earthy/black fruits peppered by fine tannins that underwrite the cellaring certainty of a pure-bred wine."" (2018 Vintage)
Mike Bennie - ""Fragrant wine of pure-feeling fruit expression, just shy of medium weight, shaped with fine ribbons of tannin. Anise, kirsch and graphite mineral notes come to the fore. It’s a wine that feels sleek and spicy, silky and elegant, svelte and succulent, a touch of class, but with high drinkability in tow"" (2017 vintage)
The Winefront ~ ""It’s grown on the Graveyard vineyard; it’s essentially a “declassified Graveyard Shiraz”. It sees all-French oak, of course."" (2017 vintage)
James Suckling - ""This is a deep and pretty red with crushed blackberries, spices and dried flowers. Rose-petal undertones. Full-bodied yet tight and very integrated. Some smoke and tea undertones. Ripe fruit. Sliced meat, too."" (2017 vintage)
James Halliday - ""This may be the junior brother to Graveyard, but it's a brilliant one, with 25% new French oak, the grapes coming from the replanted vines on the Graveyard Vineyard. You have to work out whether you want six bottles of this or one bottle of Graveyard"" (2017 vintage)
The Winemaker ~ ""Lovely mid depth colour with purple tints. Lifted red spice, ginger and earthy notes on the aroma. Ripe fruit and low oak impact on the palate, with the new oak providing a slight vanillin sweetness. The ripe fruit tannins are perfect and with the acid give a very long finish to the wine. Typical medium bodied Hunter Valley Shiraz from a great year that will reward for many years"" (2017 Vintage)
Established in 1970 Brokenwood Wines is one of Australia's most reputable premium wine labels and a must-visit in the Hunter Valley. It was established by Australia's leading wine critic, James Halliday. Consistently listed as a 5 star winery, Brokenwood is home to the famous Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz, the highly acclaimed ILR Reserve Semillon, and the popular Cricket Pitch Range.
At nearly 40 years young, Brokenwood Wines, in the heart of the Hunter Valley, can lay claim to not only an iconic vineyard with the Graveyard Vineyard but to the preservation of a wine fraternity that proudly has as its mission statement, 'to make great wine and have fun'.
The original land that was to become the Cricket Pitch Vineyard was purchased in 1970 and planted immediately to Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Graveyard Vineyard, planted to Shiraz in 1968, was bought in 1978 and by the mid 1980s was producing a premium Single Vineyard wine. The first Langton's Classification of Premium Australian Wine was launched in 1993 and the Graveyard Shiraz was then, and remains, the highest-placed Hunter Valley Shiraz.
The Hunter Valley is the best-known and most highly prized wine region in New South Wales. It is known as the region where the Australian wine industry started. The valley's winemakers have pioneered two distinctive styles of wine (oaked Chardonnay and dry Semillon) and has retained a strong connection with both of them. The Hunter Valley's most famous wine style is its distinctive dry Semillon, made there since the 1870s. Hunter Valley Semillons are renowned for their ability to improve with age.
Today, Brokenwood boasts an impressive array of premium quality wines, sourced from 'all the right regions, for all the right reasons', from the Graveyard Shiraz to the Cricket Pitch Sauvignon Blanc Semillon and Cricket Pitch Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot.
“Our philosophy is to produce wine that focuses on the unique regional characteristics of the Hunter Valley and premium wine regions throughout Australia.” Iain Riggs, Chief Winemaker & Managing Director, Brokenwood Wines.
Shiraz is the name given to the dark-skinned Syrah grape when grown in Australia and selected pockets of the New World. Though genetically identical, the stylistic differences between Shiraz and Syrah are usually pronounced.
Shiraz is so important to Australian viticulture that it is the most planted grape variety in the majority of Australian vineyards and has become virtually synonymous with the country's wine regions, and in particular the Barossa Valley.
1 x Brown Hill Fimiston Reserve Shiraz 2018 ~ Margaret River, Western Australia
95/100 Ray Jordan WA Wine Guide 2021
94/100 James Halliday
93/100 The Wine Companion
90/100 James Suckling
87/100 The Real Review
94/100 James Halliday (2016 vintage)
Silver Medal RASV Melbourne Wine Show (2016 vintage)
95/100 Ray Jordan (2015 vintage)
94/100 James Halliday (2014 vintage)
94/100 James Halliday (2013 vintage)
94/100 Ray Jordan (2013 vintage)
‘SMALL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR’ ~ The West Australian Wine Guide 2010
‘SMALL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR’ ~ The West Australian Wine , Guide 2009
James Halliday “Hand-picked and sorted, destemmed then crushed, part of the must drained off to finish fermentation in French barriques, the remainder pressed to tank, the parcels blended and matured for 18 months in French barriques (35% new). While only medium-bodied, the blackberry and plum fruit has a sprinkle of spices.”
Erin Larkin, The Wine Companion ""Matured 18 months in a combination of new and seasoned French barriques. Spicy and peppery, this is is firmly on the black fruit spectrum, the plush texture creates an undertow of movement. The tannins assert themselves through the finish, leaving a trace of crushed black pepper and spice, but here again, the fruit overtakes them and balance is restored. A lovely creature, always moving.""
James Suckling ""A classically styled shiraz that has plenty of cedary-wood aromas with spice and earth across red and dark berries. The palate has a gently chewy, spice and pepper feel with dark plums to close. Drink now. Screw cap.""
Stuart Knox, The Real Review ""Rosemary, olives and blackcurrants are vibrant aromatics. Forest berries over the palate with fresh bay leaf and anise notes. The palate has a lovely mid-weight and flow to finish. Well balanced and appealing if a touch simple""
The Western Australian Wine Guide 2018 ""Brown Hill Estate is small family-run southern Margaret River producer has gone from strength to strength with a range of exceptional quality and value-for-money wines. The vines are all dry grown and on quite harsh gravelly soils, resulting in small yields. All grapes are hand-picked. The reds are put into a high percentage of new American and French oak. Great value and super wines.""
Brown Hill Estate is a family run, multi-award winning Margaret River winery focussed on single vineyards. It utilizes traditional methods of handpicking and hand sorting to get the best quality from its grapes, and French coopered barrels in production.
Margaret River is one of the best-known wine regions in Australia, recognized internationally for the quality of its wines and the natural beauty of the region. Although originally renowned for its unusually refined Cabernet Sauvignon and intensely citrusy chardonnay varieties, the region now produces Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blends and Shiraz.
Located in the south-western corner of Western Australia, Margaret River is famous for having a more 'European' wine style than its counterparts across Australia, owing to the regions temperate, coastal location which is very similar to that of Bordeaux.
Shiraz is the name given to the dark-skinned Syrah grape when grown in Australia and selected pockets of the New World. Though genetically identical, the stylistic differences between Shiraz and Syrah are usually pronounced.
Shiraz is so important to Australian viticulture that it is the most planted grape variety in the majority of Australian vineyards and has become virtually synonymous with the country's wine regions, and in particular the Barossa Valley.
1 x Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Syrah 2019 - Victoria, Australia
96/100 - Jane Faulkner - James Halliday
96/100 - James Halliday (2018 vintage)
94/100 - Stuart Knox - The Real Review (2018 vintage)
96/100 - Campbell Mattinson - James Halliday (2017 vintage)
95/100 - The Wine Front (2017 vintage)
92/100 - Jeremy Oliver (2017 vintage)
96/100 - James Halliday (2016 vintage)
93/100 - James Suckling (2013 vintage)
Jane Faulkner - James Halliday ""Aside from the striking deep garnet hue that immediately beckons, this starts out a bit shy. Let it be. Let it breathe. It will then unfurl to reveal a savoury, refined wine. Dark fruit, a dusting of pepper and licorice, mocha, warm earth and Aussie bush aromas. It works off a medium-bodied palate with the most exquisite tannins. Top of the class.""
James Halliday ""It takes a microsecond for the wine to establish this part of the Mornington Peninsula to deliver full-bodied shiraz that hasn't been over-extracted or otherwise forced to provide its layered purple and black fruits. The oak and tannin contributions have been calculated with the usual attention to detail."" (2018 Vintage)
Stuart Knox - The Real Review ""Deep to almost opaque purple throughout the glass. Fragrant nose: lavender, mulberries and iodine aromas lift from the glass. Medium-bodied and very slippery across the tongue. The blue fruits are plush whilst we have undertones of blood sausage and broken slate. Acidity and tannins are subtle in the shadows, allowing it to flow very long if just a little loose knit at the finish. A very stylish wine for the price.""
Campbell Mattinson - James Halliday ""Deft use of whole bunches and quality French oak haven't hurt, but the fruit here is of deliciously high quality. This is another fantastic release under this label. Garden herbs, nuts, twigs and spice notes blend seamlessly with red and black cherries, licorice and wood smoke. Flamboyance is its middle name, but it has the discipline to make the most of it."" (2017 Vintage)
James Halliday "" 5% whole bunches wild-fermented in oak cuves, matured in French oak (15% new) for 11 months. The vintage was challenging for pinot, but not for shiraz. Both the bouquet and medium to full-bodied palate have a smoky/savoury/spicy undertow easily dealt with by the black fruits and generous tannins."" (2016 Vintage)
James Suckling ""A fragrant, ripe and supple wine that has a spicy and meaty edge, peppery too, dark plums, red fruits and mulberries abound but the spice is the dominant character. The palate has supple, smooth and fluffy texture, tannins are fine and elegant, gathered up in the middle palate, raspberry and summer berry pudding flavours are bright and lively. The approachability is good, really silky. Drink now."" (2013 Vintage)
Yabby Lake Vineyard was established by the Kirby family in 1998 and over the past decade, Yabby Lake has built a reputation for single-vineyard Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of great purity and character.
James Halliday ""This high-profile wine business was established by Robert and Mem Kirby (of Village Roadshow), who had been landowners in the Mornington Peninsula for decades. In 1998 they established Yabby Lake Vineyard, under the direction of vineyard manager Keith Harris; the vineyard is on a north-facing slope, capturing maximum sunshine while also receiving sea breezes. The main focus is the 25ha of pinot noir, 14ha of chardonnay and 8ha of pinot gris; 3h of shiraz, merlot and sauvignon blanc take a back seat. The arrival of the hugely talented Tom Carson as Group Winemaker has added lustre to the winery and its wines, making the first Jimmy Watson Trophy-winning Pinot Noir in 2014, and continuing to blitz the Australian wine show circuit with Single Block Pinots.""
Led by Tom Carson ""one of Australia's most lauded winemakers"" so cites Huon Hooke of the Real Review. Under Carson's direction, Yabby Lake's philosophy is to craft wines representative of their site and their season in which they were grown. Yabby Lake believe it’s this attention and care in the vineyard that is most critical to allowing this expression.
Huon Hooke ""One of Carson’s biggest moments was winning the Jimmy Watson Trophy [Australia's most prestigious winemaker accolade] with his 2012 Block 1 Pinot Noir – the first pinot ever to win this coveted award.""
Mornington Peninsula is one of Victoria's most important Australian wine regions, located an hour's drive south of Melbourne on the southern coast of Australia. It is one of Australia's coolest winegrowing regions and produces elegant Chardonnay and internationally award-winning Pinot Noir wines, and gaining a reputation for its quality medium-bodied, peppery shiraz.
Syrah is a dark-skinned red wine grape. Its origins have been popularly debated, but its modern viticultural home is unquestionably the northern Rhône Valley of eastern France. In Australia, Syrah is the flagship variety and has developed such a distinct personality that it is essentially regarded as a distinct variety, is commonly known as Shiraz.
1 x Pike & Joyce Adelaide Hills ""W.J.J."" Reserve Pinot Noir 2022 - Adelaide Hills, Australia
92/100 Ned Goodwin MW, Halliday Wine Companion (2021 vintage)
91/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2021 vintage)
95/100 James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion (2020 vintage)
5 Star - Halliday Wine Companion
Bronze - Australian & New Zealand Boutique Wine Show (2021 vintage)
Ned Goodwin MW, Halliday Wine Companion ""A mid-weighted pinot of succulent red fruit and pomegranate accents, grappling fibrous whole-bunch tannins. Mezcal, cardamon and tamarind lathering a twiggy, easygoing finish of some density, sappy intensity and impressive linger."" (2021 vintage)
Huon Hooke, The Real Review ""Medium depth red with faint purple and brick-red tints; the bouquet is reserved and sweet-cherry lifted, with sweet basil-like herbal hints. The wine is light-medium bodied and lean, but nicely balanced and very quaffable. Attractive flavour and freshness, backed by a little firmness from tannins, wholly appropriate."" (2021 vintage)
Australian & New Zealand Boutique Wine Show ""Lovely red fruits, great acid and tannin profile."" (2021 vintage)
Australian & New Zealand Boutique Wine Show ""Light-bodied. Good poise and flavour."" (2021 vintage)
James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion ""Clear, welcoming hue; a warm bouquet of dark cherries, spice and a background of forest floor, the palate building on the bouquet with a seductive, juicy mix of ripe fruit, discreet tannins and French oak. All in balance, all in harmony."" (2020 vintage)
This is a partnership between the Pike family (of Clare Valley fame) and the Joyce family, related to Andrew Pike’s wife, Cathy.
The winery is situated in Lenswood, which is a subregion of the Adelaide Hills. The Adelaide Hills region is well-known for its cool climate, high-altitude vineyards, and diverse range of premium cool-climate wines.
The Joyce family have been orchardists at Lenswood for over 100 years and also have extensive operations in the Riverland. Together with Andrew they have established this vineyard site, which was previously apple and pear orchards, is characterized by steep North and East facing slopes and possesses fantastic gravelly clay and loam soils which are ideally suited to the classic cool climate varieties that have been planted – Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. to sauvignon blanc (5.9ha), pinot noir (5.73ha), pinot gris (3.22ha), chardonnay (3.18ha) and semillon (0.47ha). The wines are made at the Pikes’ Clare Valley winery and exported around the world.
The vineyard is all hand pruned and handpicked with the fruit being chilled overnight in the Joyce cool rooms. Traditional old world techniques as well as modern Australian winemaking are incorporated to produce a style which reflects the variety and region.""
Pike & Joyce owns and operates vineyards covering around 32 hectares in the Lenswood area of Adelaide Hills. The vineyards are planted at varying altitudes, providing an excellent opportunity to grow a variety of grape varieties that thrive in the cool climate.
Pinot Noir is the dominant red wine grape of Burgundy, now produced in wine regions all over the world, including western Germany, northern Italy, Chile, South Africa, Australia and, perhaps most notably, California, Oregon and New Zealand.
The essence of Pinot Noir wine is its aroma of strawberry and cherry (fresh red cherries in lighter wines and stewed black cherries in weightier examples), underpinned in the most complex examples by hints of forest floor. Well-built Pinot Noirs, particularly from warmer harvests, also exhibit notes of leather and violets, sometimes approaching the flavor spectrum of Syrah.
1 x Cloud Street Shiraz 2020 - Victoria, Australia
Winemaker ""...a wine crafted with passion and expertise. This Shiraz showcases the rich and robust flavors that Shiraz enthusiasts adore, offering a bold and memorable experience.""
Cloud Street are producers of outstanding value, sourcing quality fruit from well-regarded wine growing regions within the state of Victoria and fashioning it into fresh, lively and deliciously uncomplicated wine with a single varietal focus. The perfect accompaniment to sophisticated day to day living, for those who wish to drink well on a budget. Cloud Street evokes the feeling and experiences of an Australian way of life. Grab a glass and stay a while.
Shiraz, also known as Syrah is a popular red wine. Though the spiritual homeland of this red grape is France, Syrah has been planted throughout the world to great success. It expresses itself differently depending on the climate, soil and regional style.
Syrah is typically bold and full-bodied, with aromatic notes of smoke, black fruit and pepper spice. Stylistically, it can be round and fruity, or dense and tannic. And in warmer New World regions like Australia, Syrah is most often be called Shiraz.
Winemakers who work in cooler-climate growing regions, both in the Old World and New World, tend to call their wines Syrah. The most famous examples come from the northern Rhône Valley of France, notably Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie. In the New World, in regions like Sonoma Coast, California; Yarra Valley, Australia; and parts of Chile, the wines are called Syrah because they emulate the leaner, acid-driven, savory styles of the Old World French classics.
Shiraz tends to come from warmer growing climates, namely the South Australian regions of Barossa, McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills. Stylistically, these wines are lush, fruit-forward examples that embody the warmer, sunnier climate. Shiraz is so important to Australian viticulture that it is the most planted grape variety in the majority of Australian vineyards and has become virtually synonymous with the country's wine regions, and in particular the Barossa Valley.
1 x McHenry Hohnen Hazel's Vineyard GSM (Organic) 2019 ~ Margaret River, Western Australia
88/100 - The Real Review (2019 vintage)
5 Star Winery - James Halliday (2018 vintage)
94/100 - Campbell Mattinson (2018 vintage)
Made from Biodynamic Grapes
Huan Hooke, The Real Review ""Very deep, dark, bright purple colour, the bouquet raw and concentrated, a trifle callow, with raw power and plenty of astringency. A massive wine that is raw, unready and very firm to finish. It demands more time. And hearty food."" (2019 Vintage)
The Winemaker ""This classic southern Rhone blend, GSM bursts with aromas of mulberry and cherry confection over notes of fragrant violets and myrtle pepper. The inclusion of a high percentage of whole clusters in this stellar vintage provides extra lift to the nose with sweetened chai spice aromas, perfectly balanced by a touch of dry herbs and savoury jamon. The palate is initially juicy and sweet, combining crunchy red plums and red liquorice from the Grenache, with Syrah and Mataro adding structure, spice and savouriness. The finish is persistent with layers of cocoa, coffee liqueur and a frame of firm but fine tannins.""
McHenry Hohnen was founded by one of the pioneers of the Margaret River winemaking region, David Hohnen and his brother in law, Murray McHenry, an accomplished fine wine retailer. Both have been making wine in Margaret River since the early 1970’s. McHenry Hohnen vineyards are 100% biodynamic. Their three unique vineyards (Burnside, Calgardup and Hazel’s) produce wines that are a reflection of the land. McHenry Hohnen focusses on crafting site-expressive wines and are known for producing some of the region's best wines.
Margaret River is one of the best-known wine regions in Australia, recognized internationally for the quality of its wines and the natural beauty of the region. Although originally renowned for its unusually refined cabernet sauvignon and intensely citrusy chardonnay varieties, the region now produces Semillon Sauvignon blanc blends and Shiraz.
Located in the south-western corner of Western Australia, it is famous for having a more 'European' wine style than its counterparts across Australia, owing to the regions temperate, coastal location which is very similar to that of Bordeaux.
GSM is a famous blend of red wine grapes from the Cotes du Rhone region in France. It is made from Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre.
1 x Brokenwood Hunter Valley Shiraz 2019 ~ NSW, Australia
94/100 - Bob Campbell - The Real Review
93/100 - James Suckling
92/100 - James Halliday
90/100 - Huon Hooke - The Real Review
91/100 - 2021 Halliday Wine Companion (2018 Vintage)
95/100 - Mike Bennie (2017 vintage)
95/100 - James Suckling (2017 vintage)
95/100 - James Halliday (2017 vintage)
92/100 James Halliday (2015 vintage)
95/100 James Halliday (2014 vintage)
92/100 The Wine Front (2014 vintage)
94/100 James Halliday (2013 vintage)
95/100 James Halliday (2011 vintage)
James Halliday 5 Star Winery
Bob Campbell - The Real Review ""Ripe shiraz with raspberry, plum, eucalyptus, violet, floral and spice flavours. A supple, sinewy wine with hints of baked earth. Approachable now but should age well. A classy wine with a fine, peppery texture.""
James Suckling - ""This has such impressively ripe yet poised style and offers bold blackberries, raspberries and plums with chocolate, leaves and bark, too. The palate has impressively supple and fleshy style and delivers ripe dark-berry flavors with freshness. Drinking well already. Drink or hold.""
Ned Goodwin MW - James Halliday ""When I think of Brokenwood, I think of this wine. The medium-bodied stalwart that showcases the savoury steadying hand that the Hunter imparts to its better wines. Red cherry, damson plum, baking spice, a seasoning of vanillan oak. There's a loamy, earthen feel to the swathe of tannin, gentle enough to encroach upon, yet firm enough to ensure ageability.""
Huon Hooke - The Real Review ""Bright, deep purple/red hue, with a nose of ground black peppercorns and subtle red fruits, the palate intense and shrill, youthfully aggressive with a little astringency from acidity and tannins, gritty and somewhat unready. It's a bit immature, but has very good potential""
James Halliday - ""An archetypal Hunter Valley shiraz: medium-bodied with predominantly earthy/black fruits peppered by fine tannins that underwrite the cellaring certainty of a pure-bred wine."" (2018 Vintage)
Mike Bennie - ""Fragrant wine of pure-feeling fruit expression, just shy of medium weight, shaped with fine ribbons of tannin. Anise, kirsch and graphite mineral notes come to the fore. It’s a wine that feels sleek and spicy, silky and elegant, svelte and succulent, a touch of class, but with high drinkability in tow"" (2017 vintage)
The Winefront ~ ""It’s grown on the Graveyard vineyard; it’s essentially a “declassified Graveyard Shiraz”. It sees all-French oak, of course."" (2017 vintage)
James Suckling - ""This is a deep and pretty red with crushed blackberries, spices and dried flowers. Rose-petal undertones. Full-bodied yet tight and very integrated. Some smoke and tea undertones. Ripe fruit. Sliced meat, too."" (2017 vintage)
James Halliday - ""This may be the junior brother to Graveyard, but it's a brilliant one, with 25% new French oak, the grapes coming from the replanted vines on the Graveyard Vineyard. You have to work out whether you want six bottles of this or one bottle of Graveyard"" (2017 vintage)
The Winemaker ~ ""Lovely mid depth colour with purple tints. Lifted red spice, ginger and earthy notes on the aroma. Ripe fruit and low oak impact on the palate, with the new oak providing a slight vanillin sweetness. The ripe fruit tannins are perfect and with the acid give a very long finish to the wine. Typical medium bodied Hunter Valley Shiraz from a great year that will reward for many years"" (2017 Vintage)
Established in 1970 Brokenwood Wines is one of Australia's most reputable premium wine labels and a must-visit in the Hunter Valley. It was established by Australia's leading wine critic, James Halliday. Consistently listed as a 5 star winery, Brokenwood is home to the famous Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz, the highly acclaimed ILR Reserve Semillon, and the popular Cricket Pitch Range.
At nearly 40 years young, Brokenwood Wines, in the heart of the Hunter Valley, can lay claim to not only an iconic vineyard with the Graveyard Vineyard but to the preservation of a wine fraternity that proudly has as its mission statement, 'to make great wine and have fun'.
The original land that was to become the Cricket Pitch Vineyard was purchased in 1970 and planted immediately to Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Graveyard Vineyard, planted to Shiraz in 1968, was bought in 1978 and by the mid 1980s was producing a premium Single Vineyard wine. The first Langton's Classification of Premium Australian Wine was launched in 1993 and the Graveyard Shiraz was then, and remains, the highest-placed Hunter Valley Shiraz.
The Hunter Valley is the best-known and most highly prized wine region in New South Wales. It is known as the region where the Australian wine industry started. The valley's winemakers have pioneered two distinctive styles of wine (oaked Chardonnay and dry Semillon) and has retained a strong connection with both of them. The Hunter Valley's most famous wine style is its distinctive dry Semillon, made there since the 1870s. Hunter Valley Semillons are renowned for their ability to improve with age.
Today, Brokenwood boasts an impressive array of premium quality wines, sourced from 'all the right regions, for all the right reasons', from the Graveyard Shiraz to the Cricket Pitch Sauvignon Blanc Semillon and Cricket Pitch Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot.
“Our philosophy is to produce wine that focuses on the unique regional characteristics of the Hunter Valley and premium wine regions throughout Australia.” Iain Riggs, Chief Winemaker & Managing Director, Brokenwood Wines.
Shiraz is the name given to the dark-skinned Syrah grape when grown in Australia and selected pockets of the New World. Though genetically identical, the stylistic differences between Shiraz and Syrah are usually pronounced.
Shiraz is so important to Australian viticulture that it is the most planted grape variety in the majority of Australian vineyards and has become virtually synonymous with the country's wine regions, and in particular the Barossa Valley.
1 x Brown Hill Fimiston Reserve Shiraz 2018 ~ Margaret River, Western Australia
95/100 Ray Jordan WA Wine Guide 2021
94/100 James Halliday
93/100 The Wine Companion
90/100 James Suckling
87/100 The Real Review
94/100 James Halliday (2016 vintage)
Silver Medal RASV Melbourne Wine Show (2016 vintage)
95/100 Ray Jordan (2015 vintage)
94/100 James Halliday (2014 vintage)
94/100 James Halliday (2013 vintage)
94/100 Ray Jordan (2013 vintage)
‘SMALL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR’ ~ The West Australian Wine Guide 2010
‘SMALL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR’ ~ The West Australian Wine , Guide 2009
James Halliday “Hand-picked and sorted, destemmed then crushed, part of the must drained off to finish fermentation in French barriques, the remainder pressed to tank, the parcels blended and matured for 18 months in French barriques (35% new). While only medium-bodied, the blackberry and plum fruit has a sprinkle of spices.”
Erin Larkin, The Wine Companion ""Matured 18 months in a combination of new and seasoned French barriques. Spicy and peppery, this is is firmly on the black fruit spectrum, the plush texture creates an undertow of movement. The tannins assert themselves through the finish, leaving a trace of crushed black pepper and spice, but here again, the fruit overtakes them and balance is restored. A lovely creature, always moving.""
James Suckling ""A classically styled shiraz that has plenty of cedary-wood aromas with spice and earth across red and dark berries. The palate has a gently chewy, spice and pepper feel with dark plums to close. Drink now. Screw cap.""
Stuart Knox, The Real Review ""Rosemary, olives and blackcurrants are vibrant aromatics. Forest berries over the palate with fresh bay leaf and anise notes. The palate has a lovely mid-weight and flow to finish. Well balanced and appealing if a touch simple""
The Western Australian Wine Guide 2018 ""Brown Hill Estate is small family-run southern Margaret River producer has gone from strength to strength with a range of exceptional quality and value-for-money wines. The vines are all dry grown and on quite harsh gravelly soils, resulting in small yields. All grapes are hand-picked. The reds are put into a high percentage of new American and French oak. Great value and super wines.""
Brown Hill Estate is a family run, multi-award winning Margaret River winery focussed on single vineyards. It utilizes traditional methods of handpicking and hand sorting to get the best quality from its grapes, and French coopered barrels in production.
Margaret River is one of the best-known wine regions in Australia, recognized internationally for the quality of its wines and the natural beauty of the region. Although originally renowned for its unusually refined Cabernet Sauvignon and intensely citrusy chardonnay varieties, the region now produces Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blends and Shiraz.
Located in the south-western corner of Western Australia, Margaret River is famous for having a more 'European' wine style than its counterparts across Australia, owing to the regions temperate, coastal location which is very similar to that of Bordeaux.
Shiraz is the name given to the dark-skinned Syrah grape when grown in Australia and selected pockets of the New World. Though genetically identical, the stylistic differences between Shiraz and Syrah are usually pronounced.
Shiraz is so important to Australian viticulture that it is the most planted grape variety in the majority of Australian vineyards and has become virtually synonymous with the country's wine regions, and in particular the Barossa Valley.
1 x Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Syrah 2019 - Victoria, Australia
96/100 - Jane Faulkner - James Halliday
96/100 - James Halliday (2018 vintage)
94/100 - Stuart Knox - The Real Review (2018 vintage)
96/100 - Campbell Mattinson - James Halliday (2017 vintage)
95/100 - The Wine Front (2017 vintage)
92/100 - Jeremy Oliver (2017 vintage)
96/100 - James Halliday (2016 vintage)
93/100 - James Suckling (2013 vintage)
Jane Faulkner - James Halliday ""Aside from the striking deep garnet hue that immediately beckons, this starts out a bit shy. Let it be. Let it breathe. It will then unfurl to reveal a savoury, refined wine. Dark fruit, a dusting of pepper and licorice, mocha, warm earth and Aussie bush aromas. It works off a medium-bodied palate with the most exquisite tannins. Top of the class.""
James Halliday ""It takes a microsecond for the wine to establish this part of the Mornington Peninsula to deliver full-bodied shiraz that hasn't been over-extracted or otherwise forced to provide its layered purple and black fruits. The oak and tannin contributions have been calculated with the usual attention to detail."" (2018 Vintage)
Stuart Knox - The Real Review ""Deep to almost opaque purple throughout the glass. Fragrant nose: lavender, mulberries and iodine aromas lift from the glass. Medium-bodied and very slippery across the tongue. The blue fruits are plush whilst we have undertones of blood sausage and broken slate. Acidity and tannins are subtle in the shadows, allowing it to flow very long if just a little loose knit at the finish. A very stylish wine for the price.""
Campbell Mattinson - James Halliday ""Deft use of whole bunches and quality French oak haven't hurt, but the fruit here is of deliciously high quality. This is another fantastic release under this label. Garden herbs, nuts, twigs and spice notes blend seamlessly with red and black cherries, licorice and wood smoke. Flamboyance is its middle name, but it has the discipline to make the most of it."" (2017 Vintage)
James Halliday "" 5% whole bunches wild-fermented in oak cuves, matured in French oak (15% new) for 11 months. The vintage was challenging for pinot, but not for shiraz. Both the bouquet and medium to full-bodied palate have a smoky/savoury/spicy undertow easily dealt with by the black fruits and generous tannins."" (2016 Vintage)
James Suckling ""A fragrant, ripe and supple wine that has a spicy and meaty edge, peppery too, dark plums, red fruits and mulberries abound but the spice is the dominant character. The palate has supple, smooth and fluffy texture, tannins are fine and elegant, gathered up in the middle palate, raspberry and summer berry pudding flavours are bright and lively. The approachability is good, really silky. Drink now."" (2013 Vintage)
Yabby Lake Vineyard was established by the Kirby family in 1998 and over the past decade, Yabby Lake has built a reputation for single-vineyard Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of great purity and character.
James Halliday ""This high-profile wine business was established by Robert and Mem Kirby (of Village Roadshow), who had been landowners in the Mornington Peninsula for decades. In 1998 they established Yabby Lake Vineyard, under the direction of vineyard manager Keith Harris; the vineyard is on a north-facing slope, capturing maximum sunshine while also receiving sea breezes. The main focus is the 25ha of pinot noir, 14ha of chardonnay and 8ha of pinot gris; 3h of shiraz, merlot and sauvignon blanc take a back seat. The arrival of the hugely talented Tom Carson as Group Winemaker has added lustre to the winery and its wines, making the first Jimmy Watson Trophy-winning Pinot Noir in 2014, and continuing to blitz the Australian wine show circuit with Single Block Pinots.""
Led by Tom Carson ""one of Australia's most lauded winemakers"" so cites Huon Hooke of the Real Review. Under Carson's direction, Yabby Lake's philosophy is to craft wines representative of their site and their season in which they were grown. Yabby Lake believe it’s this attention and care in the vineyard that is most critical to allowing this expression.
Huon Hooke ""One of Carson’s biggest moments was winning the Jimmy Watson Trophy [Australia's most prestigious winemaker accolade] with his 2012 Block 1 Pinot Noir – the first pinot ever to win this coveted award.""
Mornington Peninsula is one of Victoria's most important Australian wine regions, located an hour's drive south of Melbourne on the southern coast of Australia. It is one of Australia's coolest winegrowing regions and produces elegant Chardonnay and internationally award-winning Pinot Noir wines, and gaining a reputation for its quality medium-bodied, peppery shiraz.
Syrah is a dark-skinned red wine grape. Its origins have been popularly debated, but its modern viticultural home is unquestionably the northern Rhône Valley of eastern France. In Australia, Syrah is the flagship variety and has developed such a distinct personality that it is essentially regarded as a distinct variety, is commonly known as Shiraz.
1 x Pike & Joyce Adelaide Hills ""W.J.J."" Reserve Pinot Noir 2022 - Adelaide Hills, Australia
92/100 Ned Goodwin MW, Halliday Wine Companion (2021 vintage)
91/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2021 vintage)
95/100 James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion (2020 vintage)
5 Star - Halliday Wine Companion
Bronze - Australian & New Zealand Boutique Wine Show (2021 vintage)
Ned Goodwin MW, Halliday Wine Companion ""A mid-weighted pinot of succulent red fruit and pomegranate accents, grappling fibrous whole-bunch tannins. Mezcal, cardamon and tamarind lathering a twiggy, easygoing finish of some density, sappy intensity and impressive linger."" (2021 vintage)
Huon Hooke, The Real Review ""Medium depth red with faint purple and brick-red tints; the bouquet is reserved and sweet-cherry lifted, with sweet basil-like herbal hints. The wine is light-medium bodied and lean, but nicely balanced and very quaffable. Attractive flavour and freshness, backed by a little firmness from tannins, wholly appropriate."" (2021 vintage)
Australian & New Zealand Boutique Wine Show ""Lovely red fruits, great acid and tannin profile."" (2021 vintage)
Australian & New Zealand Boutique Wine Show ""Light-bodied. Good poise and flavour."" (2021 vintage)
James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion ""Clear, welcoming hue; a warm bouquet of dark cherries, spice and a background of forest floor, the palate building on the bouquet with a seductive, juicy mix of ripe fruit, discreet tannins and French oak. All in balance, all in harmony."" (2020 vintage)
This is a partnership between the Pike family (of Clare Valley fame) and the Joyce family, related to Andrew Pike’s wife, Cathy.
The winery is situated in Lenswood, which is a subregion of the Adelaide Hills. The Adelaide Hills region is well-known for its cool climate, high-altitude vineyards, and diverse range of premium cool-climate wines.
The Joyce family have been orchardists at Lenswood for over 100 years and also have extensive operations in the Riverland. Together with Andrew they have established this vineyard site, which was previously apple and pear orchards, is characterized by steep North and East facing slopes and possesses fantastic gravelly clay and loam soils which are ideally suited to the classic cool climate varieties that have been planted – Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. to sauvignon blanc (5.9ha), pinot noir (5.73ha), pinot gris (3.22ha), chardonnay (3.18ha) and semillon (0.47ha). The wines are made at the Pikes’ Clare Valley winery and exported around the world.
The vineyard is all hand pruned and handpicked with the fruit being chilled overnight in the Joyce cool rooms. Traditional old world techniques as well as modern Australian winemaking are incorporated to produce a style which reflects the variety and region.""
Pike & Joyce owns and operates vineyards covering around 32 hectares in the Lenswood area of Adelaide Hills. The vineyards are planted at varying altitudes, providing an excellent opportunity to grow a variety of grape varieties that thrive in the cool climate.
Pinot Noir is the dominant red wine grape of Burgundy, now produced in wine regions all over the world, including western Germany, northern Italy, Chile, South Africa, Australia and, perhaps most notably, California, Oregon and New Zealand.
The essence of Pinot Noir wine is its aroma of strawberry and cherry (fresh red cherries in lighter wines and stewed black cherries in weightier examples), underpinned in the most complex examples by hints of forest floor. Well-built Pinot Noirs, particularly from warmer harvests, also exhibit notes of leather and violets, sometimes approaching the flavor spectrum of Syrah.
1 x Cloud Street Shiraz 2020 - Victoria, Australia
Winemaker ""...a wine crafted with passion and expertise. This Shiraz showcases the rich and robust flavors that Shiraz enthusiasts adore, offering a bold and memorable experience.""
Cloud Street are producers of outstanding value, sourcing quality fruit from well-regarded wine growing regions within the state of Victoria and fashioning it into fresh, lively and deliciously uncomplicated wine with a single varietal focus. The perfect accompaniment to sophisticated day to day living, for those who wish to drink well on a budget. Cloud Street evokes the feeling and experiences of an Australian way of life. Grab a glass and stay a while.
Shiraz, also known as Syrah is a popular red wine. Though the spiritual homeland of this red grape is France, Syrah has been planted throughout the world to great success. It expresses itself differently depending on the climate, soil and regional style.
Syrah is typically bold and full-bodied, with aromatic notes of smoke, black fruit and pepper spice. Stylistically, it can be round and fruity, or dense and tannic. And in warmer New World regions like Australia, Syrah is most often be called Shiraz.
Winemakers who work in cooler-climate growing regions, both in the Old World and New World, tend to call their wines Syrah. The most famous examples come from the northern Rhône Valley of France, notably Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie. In the New World, in regions like Sonoma Coast, California; Yarra Valley, Australia; and parts of Chile, the wines are called Syrah because they emulate the leaner, acid-driven, savory styles of the Old World French classics.
Shiraz tends to come from warmer growing climates, namely the South Australian regions of Barossa, McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills. Stylistically, these wines are lush, fruit-forward examples that embody the warmer, sunnier climate. Shiraz is so important to Australian viticulture that it is the most planted grape variety in the majority of Australian vineyards and has become virtually synonymous with the country's wine regions, and in particular the Barossa Valley.
1 x McHenry Hohnen Hazel's Vineyard GSM (Organic) 2019 ~ Margaret River, Western Australia
88/100 - The Real Review (2019 vintage)
5 Star Winery - James Halliday (2018 vintage)
94/100 - Campbell Mattinson (2018 vintage)
Made from Biodynamic Grapes
Huan Hooke, The Real Review ""Very deep, dark, bright purple colour, the bouquet raw and concentrated, a trifle callow, with raw power and plenty of astringency. A massive wine that is raw, unready and very firm to finish. It demands more time. And hearty food."" (2019 Vintage)
The Winemaker ""This classic southern Rhone blend, GSM bursts with aromas of mulberry and cherry confection over notes of fragrant violets and myrtle pepper. The inclusion of a high percentage of whole clusters in this stellar vintage provides extra lift to the nose with sweetened chai spice aromas, perfectly balanced by a touch of dry herbs and savoury jamon. The palate is initially juicy and sweet, combining crunchy red plums and red liquorice from the Grenache, with Syrah and Mataro adding structure, spice and savouriness. The finish is persistent with layers of cocoa, coffee liqueur and a frame of firm but fine tannins.""
McHenry Hohnen was founded by one of the pioneers of the Margaret River winemaking region, David Hohnen and his brother in law, Murray McHenry, an accomplished fine wine retailer. Both have been making wine in Margaret River since the early 1970’s. McHenry Hohnen vineyards are 100% biodynamic. Their three unique vineyards (Burnside, Calgardup and Hazel’s) produce wines that are a reflection of the land. McHenry Hohnen focusses on crafting site-expressive wines and are known for producing some of the region's best wines.
Margaret River is one of the best-known wine regions in Australia, recognized internationally for the quality of its wines and the natural beauty of the region. Although originally renowned for its unusually refined cabernet sauvignon and intensely citrusy chardonnay varieties, the region now produces Semillon Sauvignon blanc blends and Shiraz.
Located in the south-western corner of Western Australia, it is famous for having a more 'European' wine style than its counterparts across Australia, owing to the regions temperate, coastal location which is very similar to that of Bordeaux.
GSM is a famous blend of red wine grapes from the Cotes du Rhone region in France. It is made from Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre.
Our Australian Red Wine Mixed - 6 pack value, a curated selection of Australia's renowned red wines. This exclusive collection features a variety of varietals and blends from acclaimed wine regions such as Barossa Valley, Margaret River, and Coonawarra. These exceptional quality and outstanding value of Shiraz to elegant and complex Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, each bottle offers a unique expression of Australia's winemaking excellence promises exceptional quality and outstanding value. Cheers to unforgettable moments and delicious wines!
1 x Brokenwood Hunter Valley Shiraz 2019 ~ NSW, Australia
94/100 - Bob Campbell - The Real Review
93/100 - James Suckling
92/100 - James Halliday
90/100 - Huon Hooke - The Real Review
91/100 - 2021 Halliday Wine Companion (2018 Vintage)
95/100 - Mike Bennie (2017 vintage)
95/100 - James Suckling (2017 vintage)
95/100 - James Halliday (2017 vintage)
92/100 James Halliday (2015 vintage)
95/100 James Halliday (2014 vintage)
92/100 The Wine Front (2014 vintage)
94/100 James Halliday (2013 vintage)
95/100 James Halliday (2011 vintage)
James Halliday 5 Star Winery
Bob Campbell - The Real Review ""Ripe shiraz with raspberry, plum, eucalyptus, violet, floral and spice flavours. A supple, sinewy wine with hints of baked earth. Approachable now but should age well. A classy wine with a fine, peppery texture.""
James Suckling - ""This has such impressively ripe yet poised style and offers bold blackberries, raspberries and plums with chocolate, leaves and bark, too. The palate has impressively supple and fleshy style and delivers ripe dark-berry flavors with freshness. Drinking well already. Drink or hold.""
Ned Goodwin MW - James Halliday ""When I think of Brokenwood, I think of this wine. The medium-bodied stalwart that showcases the savoury steadying hand that the Hunter imparts to its better wines. Red cherry, damson plum, baking spice, a seasoning of vanillan oak. There's a loamy, earthen feel to the swathe of tannin, gentle enough to encroach upon, yet firm enough to ensure ageability.""
Huon Hooke - The Real Review ""Bright, deep purple/red hue, with a nose of ground black peppercorns and subtle red fruits, the palate intense and shrill, youthfully aggressive with a little astringency from acidity and tannins, gritty and somewhat unready. It's a bit immature, but has very good potential""
James Halliday - ""An archetypal Hunter Valley shiraz: medium-bodied with predominantly earthy/black fruits peppered by fine tannins that underwrite the cellaring certainty of a pure-bred wine."" (2018 Vintage)
Mike Bennie - ""Fragrant wine of pure-feeling fruit expression, just shy of medium weight, shaped with fine ribbons of tannin. Anise, kirsch and graphite mineral notes come to the fore. It’s a wine that feels sleek and spicy, silky and elegant, svelte and succulent, a touch of class, but with high drinkability in tow"" (2017 vintage)
The Winefront ~ ""It’s grown on the Graveyard vineyard; it’s essentially a “declassified Graveyard Shiraz”. It sees all-French oak, of course."" (2017 vintage)
James Suckling - ""This is a deep and pretty red with crushed blackberries, spices and dried flowers. Rose-petal undertones. Full-bodied yet tight and very integrated. Some smoke and tea undertones. Ripe fruit. Sliced meat, too."" (2017 vintage)
James Halliday - ""This may be the junior brother to Graveyard, but it's a brilliant one, with 25% new French oak, the grapes coming from the replanted vines on the Graveyard Vineyard. You have to work out whether you want six bottles of this or one bottle of Graveyard"" (2017 vintage)
The Winemaker ~ ""Lovely mid depth colour with purple tints. Lifted red spice, ginger and earthy notes on the aroma. Ripe fruit and low oak impact on the palate, with the new oak providing a slight vanillin sweetness. The ripe fruit tannins are perfect and with the acid give a very long finish to the wine. Typical medium bodied Hunter Valley Shiraz from a great year that will reward for many years"" (2017 Vintage)
Established in 1970 Brokenwood Wines is one of Australia's most reputable premium wine labels and a must-visit in the Hunter Valley. It was established by Australia's leading wine critic, James Halliday. Consistently listed as a 5 star winery, Brokenwood is home to the famous Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz, the highly acclaimed ILR Reserve Semillon, and the popular Cricket Pitch Range.
At nearly 40 years young, Brokenwood Wines, in the heart of the Hunter Valley, can lay claim to not only an iconic vineyard with the Graveyard Vineyard but to the preservation of a wine fraternity that proudly has as its mission statement, 'to make great wine and have fun'.
The original land that was to become the Cricket Pitch Vineyard was purchased in 1970 and planted immediately to Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Graveyard Vineyard, planted to Shiraz in 1968, was bought in 1978 and by the mid 1980s was producing a premium Single Vineyard wine. The first Langton's Classification of Premium Australian Wine was launched in 1993 and the Graveyard Shiraz was then, and remains, the highest-placed Hunter Valley Shiraz.
The Hunter Valley is the best-known and most highly prized wine region in New South Wales. It is known as the region where the Australian wine industry started. The valley's winemakers have pioneered two distinctive styles of wine (oaked Chardonnay and dry Semillon) and has retained a strong connection with both of them. The Hunter Valley's most famous wine style is its distinctive dry Semillon, made there since the 1870s. Hunter Valley Semillons are renowned for their ability to improve with age.
Today, Brokenwood boasts an impressive array of premium quality wines, sourced from 'all the right regions, for all the right reasons', from the Graveyard Shiraz to the Cricket Pitch Sauvignon Blanc Semillon and Cricket Pitch Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot.
“Our philosophy is to produce wine that focuses on the unique regional characteristics of the Hunter Valley and premium wine regions throughout Australia.” Iain Riggs, Chief Winemaker & Managing Director, Brokenwood Wines.
Shiraz is the name given to the dark-skinned Syrah grape when grown in Australia and selected pockets of the New World. Though genetically identical, the stylistic differences between Shiraz and Syrah are usually pronounced.
Shiraz is so important to Australian viticulture that it is the most planted grape variety in the majority of Australian vineyards and has become virtually synonymous with the country's wine regions, and in particular the Barossa Valley.
1 x Brown Hill Fimiston Reserve Shiraz 2018 ~ Margaret River, Western Australia
95/100 Ray Jordan WA Wine Guide 2021
94/100 James Halliday
93/100 The Wine Companion
90/100 James Suckling
87/100 The Real Review
94/100 James Halliday (2016 vintage)
Silver Medal RASV Melbourne Wine Show (2016 vintage)
95/100 Ray Jordan (2015 vintage)
94/100 James Halliday (2014 vintage)
94/100 James Halliday (2013 vintage)
94/100 Ray Jordan (2013 vintage)
‘SMALL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR’ ~ The West Australian Wine Guide 2010
‘SMALL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR’ ~ The West Australian Wine , Guide 2009
James Halliday “Hand-picked and sorted, destemmed then crushed, part of the must drained off to finish fermentation in French barriques, the remainder pressed to tank, the parcels blended and matured for 18 months in French barriques (35% new). While only medium-bodied, the blackberry and plum fruit has a sprinkle of spices.”
Erin Larkin, The Wine Companion ""Matured 18 months in a combination of new and seasoned French barriques. Spicy and peppery, this is is firmly on the black fruit spectrum, the plush texture creates an undertow of movement. The tannins assert themselves through the finish, leaving a trace of crushed black pepper and spice, but here again, the fruit overtakes them and balance is restored. A lovely creature, always moving.""
James Suckling ""A classically styled shiraz that has plenty of cedary-wood aromas with spice and earth across red and dark berries. The palate has a gently chewy, spice and pepper feel with dark plums to close. Drink now. Screw cap.""
Stuart Knox, The Real Review ""Rosemary, olives and blackcurrants are vibrant aromatics. Forest berries over the palate with fresh bay leaf and anise notes. The palate has a lovely mid-weight and flow to finish. Well balanced and appealing if a touch simple""
The Western Australian Wine Guide 2018 ""Brown Hill Estate is small family-run southern Margaret River producer has gone from strength to strength with a range of exceptional quality and value-for-money wines. The vines are all dry grown and on quite harsh gravelly soils, resulting in small yields. All grapes are hand-picked. The reds are put into a high percentage of new American and French oak. Great value and super wines.""
Brown Hill Estate is a family run, multi-award winning Margaret River winery focussed on single vineyards. It utilizes traditional methods of handpicking and hand sorting to get the best quality from its grapes, and French coopered barrels in production.
Margaret River is one of the best-known wine regions in Australia, recognized internationally for the quality of its wines and the natural beauty of the region. Although originally renowned for its unusually refined Cabernet Sauvignon and intensely citrusy chardonnay varieties, the region now produces Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blends and Shiraz.
Located in the south-western corner of Western Australia, Margaret River is famous for having a more 'European' wine style than its counterparts across Australia, owing to the regions temperate, coastal location which is very similar to that of Bordeaux.
Shiraz is the name given to the dark-skinned Syrah grape when grown in Australia and selected pockets of the New World. Though genetically identical, the stylistic differences between Shiraz and Syrah are usually pronounced.
Shiraz is so important to Australian viticulture that it is the most planted grape variety in the majority of Australian vineyards and has become virtually synonymous with the country's wine regions, and in particular the Barossa Valley.
1 x Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Syrah 2019 - Victoria, Australia
96/100 - Jane Faulkner - James Halliday
96/100 - James Halliday (2018 vintage)
94/100 - Stuart Knox - The Real Review (2018 vintage)
96/100 - Campbell Mattinson - James Halliday (2017 vintage)
95/100 - The Wine Front (2017 vintage)
92/100 - Jeremy Oliver (2017 vintage)
96/100 - James Halliday (2016 vintage)
93/100 - James Suckling (2013 vintage)
Jane Faulkner - James Halliday ""Aside from the striking deep garnet hue that immediately beckons, this starts out a bit shy. Let it be. Let it breathe. It will then unfurl to reveal a savoury, refined wine. Dark fruit, a dusting of pepper and licorice, mocha, warm earth and Aussie bush aromas. It works off a medium-bodied palate with the most exquisite tannins. Top of the class.""
James Halliday ""It takes a microsecond for the wine to establish this part of the Mornington Peninsula to deliver full-bodied shiraz that hasn't been over-extracted or otherwise forced to provide its layered purple and black fruits. The oak and tannin contributions have been calculated with the usual attention to detail."" (2018 Vintage)
Stuart Knox - The Real Review ""Deep to almost opaque purple throughout the glass. Fragrant nose: lavender, mulberries and iodine aromas lift from the glass. Medium-bodied and very slippery across the tongue. The blue fruits are plush whilst we have undertones of blood sausage and broken slate. Acidity and tannins are subtle in the shadows, allowing it to flow very long if just a little loose knit at the finish. A very stylish wine for the price.""
Campbell Mattinson - James Halliday ""Deft use of whole bunches and quality French oak haven't hurt, but the fruit here is of deliciously high quality. This is another fantastic release under this label. Garden herbs, nuts, twigs and spice notes blend seamlessly with red and black cherries, licorice and wood smoke. Flamboyance is its middle name, but it has the discipline to make the most of it."" (2017 Vintage)
James Halliday "" 5% whole bunches wild-fermented in oak cuves, matured in French oak (15% new) for 11 months. The vintage was challenging for pinot, but not for shiraz. Both the bouquet and medium to full-bodied palate have a smoky/savoury/spicy undertow easily dealt with by the black fruits and generous tannins."" (2016 Vintage)
James Suckling ""A fragrant, ripe and supple wine that has a spicy and meaty edge, peppery too, dark plums, red fruits and mulberries abound but the spice is the dominant character. The palate has supple, smooth and fluffy texture, tannins are fine and elegant, gathered up in the middle palate, raspberry and summer berry pudding flavours are bright and lively. The approachability is good, really silky. Drink now."" (2013 Vintage)
Yabby Lake Vineyard was established by the Kirby family in 1998 and over the past decade, Yabby Lake has built a reputation for single-vineyard Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of great purity and character.
James Halliday ""This high-profile wine business was established by Robert and Mem Kirby (of Village Roadshow), who had been landowners in the Mornington Peninsula for decades. In 1998 they established Yabby Lake Vineyard, under the direction of vineyard manager Keith Harris; the vineyard is on a north-facing slope, capturing maximum sunshine while also receiving sea breezes. The main focus is the 25ha of pinot noir, 14ha of chardonnay and 8ha of pinot gris; 3h of shiraz, merlot and sauvignon blanc take a back seat. The arrival of the hugely talented Tom Carson as Group Winemaker has added lustre to the winery and its wines, making the first Jimmy Watson Trophy-winning Pinot Noir in 2014, and continuing to blitz the Australian wine show circuit with Single Block Pinots.""
Led by Tom Carson ""one of Australia's most lauded winemakers"" so cites Huon Hooke of the Real Review. Under Carson's direction, Yabby Lake's philosophy is to craft wines representative of their site and their season in which they were grown. Yabby Lake believe it’s this attention and care in the vineyard that is most critical to allowing this expression.
Huon Hooke ""One of Carson’s biggest moments was winning the Jimmy Watson Trophy [Australia's most prestigious winemaker accolade] with his 2012 Block 1 Pinot Noir – the first pinot ever to win this coveted award.""
Mornington Peninsula is one of Victoria's most important Australian wine regions, located an hour's drive south of Melbourne on the southern coast of Australia. It is one of Australia's coolest winegrowing regions and produces elegant Chardonnay and internationally award-winning Pinot Noir wines, and gaining a reputation for its quality medium-bodied, peppery shiraz.
Syrah is a dark-skinned red wine grape. Its origins have been popularly debated, but its modern viticultural home is unquestionably the northern Rhône Valley of eastern France. In Australia, Syrah is the flagship variety and has developed such a distinct personality that it is essentially regarded as a distinct variety, is commonly known as Shiraz.
1 x Pike & Joyce Adelaide Hills ""W.J.J."" Reserve Pinot Noir 2022 - Adelaide Hills, Australia
92/100 Ned Goodwin MW, Halliday Wine Companion (2021 vintage)
91/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2021 vintage)
95/100 James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion (2020 vintage)
5 Star - Halliday Wine Companion
Bronze - Australian & New Zealand Boutique Wine Show (2021 vintage)
Ned Goodwin MW, Halliday Wine Companion ""A mid-weighted pinot of succulent red fruit and pomegranate accents, grappling fibrous whole-bunch tannins. Mezcal, cardamon and tamarind lathering a twiggy, easygoing finish of some density, sappy intensity and impressive linger."" (2021 vintage)
Huon Hooke, The Real Review ""Medium depth red with faint purple and brick-red tints; the bouquet is reserved and sweet-cherry lifted, with sweet basil-like herbal hints. The wine is light-medium bodied and lean, but nicely balanced and very quaffable. Attractive flavour and freshness, backed by a little firmness from tannins, wholly appropriate."" (2021 vintage)
Australian & New Zealand Boutique Wine Show ""Lovely red fruits, great acid and tannin profile."" (2021 vintage)
Australian & New Zealand Boutique Wine Show ""Light-bodied. Good poise and flavour."" (2021 vintage)
James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion ""Clear, welcoming hue; a warm bouquet of dark cherries, spice and a background of forest floor, the palate building on the bouquet with a seductive, juicy mix of ripe fruit, discreet tannins and French oak. All in balance, all in harmony."" (2020 vintage)
This is a partnership between the Pike family (of Clare Valley fame) and the Joyce family, related to Andrew Pike’s wife, Cathy.
The winery is situated in Lenswood, which is a subregion of the Adelaide Hills. The Adelaide Hills region is well-known for its cool climate, high-altitude vineyards, and diverse range of premium cool-climate wines.
The Joyce family have been orchardists at Lenswood for over 100 years and also have extensive operations in the Riverland. Together with Andrew they have established this vineyard site, which was previously apple and pear orchards, is characterized by steep North and East facing slopes and possesses fantastic gravelly clay and loam soils which are ideally suited to the classic cool climate varieties that have been planted – Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. to sauvignon blanc (5.9ha), pinot noir (5.73ha), pinot gris (3.22ha), chardonnay (3.18ha) and semillon (0.47ha). The wines are made at the Pikes’ Clare Valley winery and exported around the world.
The vineyard is all hand pruned and handpicked with the fruit being chilled overnight in the Joyce cool rooms. Traditional old world techniques as well as modern Australian winemaking are incorporated to produce a style which reflects the variety and region.""
Pike & Joyce owns and operates vineyards covering around 32 hectares in the Lenswood area of Adelaide Hills. The vineyards are planted at varying altitudes, providing an excellent opportunity to grow a variety of grape varieties that thrive in the cool climate.
Pinot Noir is the dominant red wine grape of Burgundy, now produced in wine regions all over the world, including western Germany, northern Italy, Chile, South Africa, Australia and, perhaps most notably, California, Oregon and New Zealand.
The essence of Pinot Noir wine is its aroma of strawberry and cherry (fresh red cherries in lighter wines and stewed black cherries in weightier examples), underpinned in the most complex examples by hints of forest floor. Well-built Pinot Noirs, particularly from warmer harvests, also exhibit notes of leather and violets, sometimes approaching the flavor spectrum of Syrah.
1 x Cloud Street Shiraz 2020 - Victoria, Australia
Winemaker ""...a wine crafted with passion and expertise. This Shiraz showcases the rich and robust flavors that Shiraz enthusiasts adore, offering a bold and memorable experience.""
Cloud Street are producers of outstanding value, sourcing quality fruit from well-regarded wine growing regions within the state of Victoria and fashioning it into fresh, lively and deliciously uncomplicated wine with a single varietal focus. The perfect accompaniment to sophisticated day to day living, for those who wish to drink well on a budget. Cloud Street evokes the feeling and experiences of an Australian way of life. Grab a glass and stay a while.
Shiraz, also known as Syrah is a popular red wine. Though the spiritual homeland of this red grape is France, Syrah has been planted throughout the world to great success. It expresses itself differently depending on the climate, soil and regional style.
Syrah is typically bold and full-bodied, with aromatic notes of smoke, black fruit and pepper spice. Stylistically, it can be round and fruity, or dense and tannic. And in warmer New World regions like Australia, Syrah is most often be called Shiraz.
Winemakers who work in cooler-climate growing regions, both in the Old World and New World, tend to call their wines Syrah. The most famous examples come from the northern Rhône Valley of France, notably Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie. In the New World, in regions like Sonoma Coast, California; Yarra Valley, Australia; and parts of Chile, the wines are called Syrah because they emulate the leaner, acid-driven, savory styles of the Old World French classics.
Shiraz tends to come from warmer growing climates, namely the South Australian regions of Barossa, McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills. Stylistically, these wines are lush, fruit-forward examples that embody the warmer, sunnier climate. Shiraz is so important to Australian viticulture that it is the most planted grape variety in the majority of Australian vineyards and has become virtually synonymous with the country's wine regions, and in particular the Barossa Valley.
1 x McHenry Hohnen Hazel's Vineyard GSM (Organic) 2019 ~ Margaret River, Western Australia
88/100 - The Real Review (2019 vintage)
5 Star Winery - James Halliday (2018 vintage)
94/100 - Campbell Mattinson (2018 vintage)
Made from Biodynamic Grapes
Huan Hooke, The Real Review ""Very deep, dark, bright purple colour, the bouquet raw and concentrated, a trifle callow, with raw power and plenty of astringency. A massive wine that is raw, unready and very firm to finish. It demands more time. And hearty food."" (2019 Vintage)
The Winemaker ""This classic southern Rhone blend, GSM bursts with aromas of mulberry and cherry confection over notes of fragrant violets and myrtle pepper. The inclusion of a high percentage of whole clusters in this stellar vintage provides extra lift to the nose with sweetened chai spice aromas, perfectly balanced by a touch of dry herbs and savoury jamon. The palate is initially juicy and sweet, combining crunchy red plums and red liquorice from the Grenache, with Syrah and Mataro adding structure, spice and savouriness. The finish is persistent with layers of cocoa, coffee liqueur and a frame of firm but fine tannins.""
McHenry Hohnen was founded by one of the pioneers of the Margaret River winemaking region, David Hohnen and his brother in law, Murray McHenry, an accomplished fine wine retailer. Both have been making wine in Margaret River since the early 1970’s. McHenry Hohnen vineyards are 100% biodynamic. Their three unique vineyards (Burnside, Calgardup and Hazel’s) produce wines that are a reflection of the land. McHenry Hohnen focusses on crafting site-expressive wines and are known for producing some of the region's best wines.
Margaret River is one of the best-known wine regions in Australia, recognized internationally for the quality of its wines and the natural beauty of the region. Although originally renowned for its unusually refined cabernet sauvignon and intensely citrusy chardonnay varieties, the region now produces Semillon Sauvignon blanc blends and Shiraz.
Located in the south-western corner of Western Australia, it is famous for having a more 'European' wine style than its counterparts across Australia, owing to the regions temperate, coastal location which is very similar to that of Bordeaux.
GSM is a famous blend of red wine grapes from the Cotes du Rhone region in France. It is made from Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre.
1 x Brokenwood Hunter Valley Shiraz 2019 ~ NSW, Australia
94/100 - Bob Campbell - The Real Review
93/100 - James Suckling
92/100 - James Halliday
90/100 - Huon Hooke - The Real Review
91/100 - 2021 Halliday Wine Companion (2018 Vintage)
95/100 - Mike Bennie (2017 vintage)
95/100 - James Suckling (2017 vintage)
95/100 - James Halliday (2017 vintage)
92/100 James Halliday (2015 vintage)
95/100 James Halliday (2014 vintage)
92/100 The Wine Front (2014 vintage)
94/100 James Halliday (2013 vintage)
95/100 James Halliday (2011 vintage)
James Halliday 5 Star Winery
Bob Campbell - The Real Review ""Ripe shiraz with raspberry, plum, eucalyptus, violet, floral and spice flavours. A supple, sinewy wine with hints of baked earth. Approachable now but should age well. A classy wine with a fine, peppery texture.""
James Suckling - ""This has such impressively ripe yet poised style and offers bold blackberries, raspberries and plums with chocolate, leaves and bark, too. The palate has impressively supple and fleshy style and delivers ripe dark-berry flavors with freshness. Drinking well already. Drink or hold.""
Ned Goodwin MW - James Halliday ""When I think of Brokenwood, I think of this wine. The medium-bodied stalwart that showcases the savoury steadying hand that the Hunter imparts to its better wines. Red cherry, damson plum, baking spice, a seasoning of vanillan oak. There's a loamy, earthen feel to the swathe of tannin, gentle enough to encroach upon, yet firm enough to ensure ageability.""
Huon Hooke - The Real Review ""Bright, deep purple/red hue, with a nose of ground black peppercorns and subtle red fruits, the palate intense and shrill, youthfully aggressive with a little astringency from acidity and tannins, gritty and somewhat unready. It's a bit immature, but has very good potential""
James Halliday - ""An archetypal Hunter Valley shiraz: medium-bodied with predominantly earthy/black fruits peppered by fine tannins that underwrite the cellaring certainty of a pure-bred wine."" (2018 Vintage)
Mike Bennie - ""Fragrant wine of pure-feeling fruit expression, just shy of medium weight, shaped with fine ribbons of tannin. Anise, kirsch and graphite mineral notes come to the fore. It’s a wine that feels sleek and spicy, silky and elegant, svelte and succulent, a touch of class, but with high drinkability in tow"" (2017 vintage)
The Winefront ~ ""It’s grown on the Graveyard vineyard; it’s essentially a “declassified Graveyard Shiraz”. It sees all-French oak, of course."" (2017 vintage)
James Suckling - ""This is a deep and pretty red with crushed blackberries, spices and dried flowers. Rose-petal undertones. Full-bodied yet tight and very integrated. Some smoke and tea undertones. Ripe fruit. Sliced meat, too."" (2017 vintage)
James Halliday - ""This may be the junior brother to Graveyard, but it's a brilliant one, with 25% new French oak, the grapes coming from the replanted vines on the Graveyard Vineyard. You have to work out whether you want six bottles of this or one bottle of Graveyard"" (2017 vintage)
The Winemaker ~ ""Lovely mid depth colour with purple tints. Lifted red spice, ginger and earthy notes on the aroma. Ripe fruit and low oak impact on the palate, with the new oak providing a slight vanillin sweetness. The ripe fruit tannins are perfect and with the acid give a very long finish to the wine. Typical medium bodied Hunter Valley Shiraz from a great year that will reward for many years"" (2017 Vintage)
Established in 1970 Brokenwood Wines is one of Australia's most reputable premium wine labels and a must-visit in the Hunter Valley. It was established by Australia's leading wine critic, James Halliday. Consistently listed as a 5 star winery, Brokenwood is home to the famous Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz, the highly acclaimed ILR Reserve Semillon, and the popular Cricket Pitch Range.
At nearly 40 years young, Brokenwood Wines, in the heart of the Hunter Valley, can lay claim to not only an iconic vineyard with the Graveyard Vineyard but to the preservation of a wine fraternity that proudly has as its mission statement, 'to make great wine and have fun'.
The original land that was to become the Cricket Pitch Vineyard was purchased in 1970 and planted immediately to Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. The Graveyard Vineyard, planted to Shiraz in 1968, was bought in 1978 and by the mid 1980s was producing a premium Single Vineyard wine. The first Langton's Classification of Premium Australian Wine was launched in 1993 and the Graveyard Shiraz was then, and remains, the highest-placed Hunter Valley Shiraz.
The Hunter Valley is the best-known and most highly prized wine region in New South Wales. It is known as the region where the Australian wine industry started. The valley's winemakers have pioneered two distinctive styles of wine (oaked Chardonnay and dry Semillon) and has retained a strong connection with both of them. The Hunter Valley's most famous wine style is its distinctive dry Semillon, made there since the 1870s. Hunter Valley Semillons are renowned for their ability to improve with age.
Today, Brokenwood boasts an impressive array of premium quality wines, sourced from 'all the right regions, for all the right reasons', from the Graveyard Shiraz to the Cricket Pitch Sauvignon Blanc Semillon and Cricket Pitch Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot.
“Our philosophy is to produce wine that focuses on the unique regional characteristics of the Hunter Valley and premium wine regions throughout Australia.” Iain Riggs, Chief Winemaker & Managing Director, Brokenwood Wines.
Shiraz is the name given to the dark-skinned Syrah grape when grown in Australia and selected pockets of the New World. Though genetically identical, the stylistic differences between Shiraz and Syrah are usually pronounced.
Shiraz is so important to Australian viticulture that it is the most planted grape variety in the majority of Australian vineyards and has become virtually synonymous with the country's wine regions, and in particular the Barossa Valley.
1 x Brown Hill Fimiston Reserve Shiraz 2018 ~ Margaret River, Western Australia
95/100 Ray Jordan WA Wine Guide 2021
94/100 James Halliday
93/100 The Wine Companion
90/100 James Suckling
87/100 The Real Review
94/100 James Halliday (2016 vintage)
Silver Medal RASV Melbourne Wine Show (2016 vintage)
95/100 Ray Jordan (2015 vintage)
94/100 James Halliday (2014 vintage)
94/100 James Halliday (2013 vintage)
94/100 Ray Jordan (2013 vintage)
‘SMALL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR’ ~ The West Australian Wine Guide 2010
‘SMALL PRODUCER OF THE YEAR’ ~ The West Australian Wine , Guide 2009
James Halliday “Hand-picked and sorted, destemmed then crushed, part of the must drained off to finish fermentation in French barriques, the remainder pressed to tank, the parcels blended and matured for 18 months in French barriques (35% new). While only medium-bodied, the blackberry and plum fruit has a sprinkle of spices.”
Erin Larkin, The Wine Companion ""Matured 18 months in a combination of new and seasoned French barriques. Spicy and peppery, this is is firmly on the black fruit spectrum, the plush texture creates an undertow of movement. The tannins assert themselves through the finish, leaving a trace of crushed black pepper and spice, but here again, the fruit overtakes them and balance is restored. A lovely creature, always moving.""
James Suckling ""A classically styled shiraz that has plenty of cedary-wood aromas with spice and earth across red and dark berries. The palate has a gently chewy, spice and pepper feel with dark plums to close. Drink now. Screw cap.""
Stuart Knox, The Real Review ""Rosemary, olives and blackcurrants are vibrant aromatics. Forest berries over the palate with fresh bay leaf and anise notes. The palate has a lovely mid-weight and flow to finish. Well balanced and appealing if a touch simple""
The Western Australian Wine Guide 2018 ""Brown Hill Estate is small family-run southern Margaret River producer has gone from strength to strength with a range of exceptional quality and value-for-money wines. The vines are all dry grown and on quite harsh gravelly soils, resulting in small yields. All grapes are hand-picked. The reds are put into a high percentage of new American and French oak. Great value and super wines.""
Brown Hill Estate is a family run, multi-award winning Margaret River winery focussed on single vineyards. It utilizes traditional methods of handpicking and hand sorting to get the best quality from its grapes, and French coopered barrels in production.
Margaret River is one of the best-known wine regions in Australia, recognized internationally for the quality of its wines and the natural beauty of the region. Although originally renowned for its unusually refined Cabernet Sauvignon and intensely citrusy chardonnay varieties, the region now produces Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blends and Shiraz.
Located in the south-western corner of Western Australia, Margaret River is famous for having a more 'European' wine style than its counterparts across Australia, owing to the regions temperate, coastal location which is very similar to that of Bordeaux.
Shiraz is the name given to the dark-skinned Syrah grape when grown in Australia and selected pockets of the New World. Though genetically identical, the stylistic differences between Shiraz and Syrah are usually pronounced.
Shiraz is so important to Australian viticulture that it is the most planted grape variety in the majority of Australian vineyards and has become virtually synonymous with the country's wine regions, and in particular the Barossa Valley.
1 x Yabby Lake Single Vineyard Syrah 2019 - Victoria, Australia
96/100 - Jane Faulkner - James Halliday
96/100 - James Halliday (2018 vintage)
94/100 - Stuart Knox - The Real Review (2018 vintage)
96/100 - Campbell Mattinson - James Halliday (2017 vintage)
95/100 - The Wine Front (2017 vintage)
92/100 - Jeremy Oliver (2017 vintage)
96/100 - James Halliday (2016 vintage)
93/100 - James Suckling (2013 vintage)
Jane Faulkner - James Halliday ""Aside from the striking deep garnet hue that immediately beckons, this starts out a bit shy. Let it be. Let it breathe. It will then unfurl to reveal a savoury, refined wine. Dark fruit, a dusting of pepper and licorice, mocha, warm earth and Aussie bush aromas. It works off a medium-bodied palate with the most exquisite tannins. Top of the class.""
James Halliday ""It takes a microsecond for the wine to establish this part of the Mornington Peninsula to deliver full-bodied shiraz that hasn't been over-extracted or otherwise forced to provide its layered purple and black fruits. The oak and tannin contributions have been calculated with the usual attention to detail."" (2018 Vintage)
Stuart Knox - The Real Review ""Deep to almost opaque purple throughout the glass. Fragrant nose: lavender, mulberries and iodine aromas lift from the glass. Medium-bodied and very slippery across the tongue. The blue fruits are plush whilst we have undertones of blood sausage and broken slate. Acidity and tannins are subtle in the shadows, allowing it to flow very long if just a little loose knit at the finish. A very stylish wine for the price.""
Campbell Mattinson - James Halliday ""Deft use of whole bunches and quality French oak haven't hurt, but the fruit here is of deliciously high quality. This is another fantastic release under this label. Garden herbs, nuts, twigs and spice notes blend seamlessly with red and black cherries, licorice and wood smoke. Flamboyance is its middle name, but it has the discipline to make the most of it."" (2017 Vintage)
James Halliday "" 5% whole bunches wild-fermented in oak cuves, matured in French oak (15% new) for 11 months. The vintage was challenging for pinot, but not for shiraz. Both the bouquet and medium to full-bodied palate have a smoky/savoury/spicy undertow easily dealt with by the black fruits and generous tannins."" (2016 Vintage)
James Suckling ""A fragrant, ripe and supple wine that has a spicy and meaty edge, peppery too, dark plums, red fruits and mulberries abound but the spice is the dominant character. The palate has supple, smooth and fluffy texture, tannins are fine and elegant, gathered up in the middle palate, raspberry and summer berry pudding flavours are bright and lively. The approachability is good, really silky. Drink now."" (2013 Vintage)
Yabby Lake Vineyard was established by the Kirby family in 1998 and over the past decade, Yabby Lake has built a reputation for single-vineyard Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of great purity and character.
James Halliday ""This high-profile wine business was established by Robert and Mem Kirby (of Village Roadshow), who had been landowners in the Mornington Peninsula for decades. In 1998 they established Yabby Lake Vineyard, under the direction of vineyard manager Keith Harris; the vineyard is on a north-facing slope, capturing maximum sunshine while also receiving sea breezes. The main focus is the 25ha of pinot noir, 14ha of chardonnay and 8ha of pinot gris; 3h of shiraz, merlot and sauvignon blanc take a back seat. The arrival of the hugely talented Tom Carson as Group Winemaker has added lustre to the winery and its wines, making the first Jimmy Watson Trophy-winning Pinot Noir in 2014, and continuing to blitz the Australian wine show circuit with Single Block Pinots.""
Led by Tom Carson ""one of Australia's most lauded winemakers"" so cites Huon Hooke of the Real Review. Under Carson's direction, Yabby Lake's philosophy is to craft wines representative of their site and their season in which they were grown. Yabby Lake believe it’s this attention and care in the vineyard that is most critical to allowing this expression.
Huon Hooke ""One of Carson’s biggest moments was winning the Jimmy Watson Trophy [Australia's most prestigious winemaker accolade] with his 2012 Block 1 Pinot Noir – the first pinot ever to win this coveted award.""
Mornington Peninsula is one of Victoria's most important Australian wine regions, located an hour's drive south of Melbourne on the southern coast of Australia. It is one of Australia's coolest winegrowing regions and produces elegant Chardonnay and internationally award-winning Pinot Noir wines, and gaining a reputation for its quality medium-bodied, peppery shiraz.
Syrah is a dark-skinned red wine grape. Its origins have been popularly debated, but its modern viticultural home is unquestionably the northern Rhône Valley of eastern France. In Australia, Syrah is the flagship variety and has developed such a distinct personality that it is essentially regarded as a distinct variety, is commonly known as Shiraz.
1 x Pike & Joyce Adelaide Hills ""W.J.J."" Reserve Pinot Noir 2022 - Adelaide Hills, Australia
92/100 Ned Goodwin MW, Halliday Wine Companion (2021 vintage)
91/100 Huon Hooke, The Real Review (2021 vintage)
95/100 James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion (2020 vintage)
5 Star - Halliday Wine Companion
Bronze - Australian & New Zealand Boutique Wine Show (2021 vintage)
Ned Goodwin MW, Halliday Wine Companion ""A mid-weighted pinot of succulent red fruit and pomegranate accents, grappling fibrous whole-bunch tannins. Mezcal, cardamon and tamarind lathering a twiggy, easygoing finish of some density, sappy intensity and impressive linger."" (2021 vintage)
Huon Hooke, The Real Review ""Medium depth red with faint purple and brick-red tints; the bouquet is reserved and sweet-cherry lifted, with sweet basil-like herbal hints. The wine is light-medium bodied and lean, but nicely balanced and very quaffable. Attractive flavour and freshness, backed by a little firmness from tannins, wholly appropriate."" (2021 vintage)
Australian & New Zealand Boutique Wine Show ""Lovely red fruits, great acid and tannin profile."" (2021 vintage)
Australian & New Zealand Boutique Wine Show ""Light-bodied. Good poise and flavour."" (2021 vintage)
James Halliday, Halliday Wine Companion ""Clear, welcoming hue; a warm bouquet of dark cherries, spice and a background of forest floor, the palate building on the bouquet with a seductive, juicy mix of ripe fruit, discreet tannins and French oak. All in balance, all in harmony."" (2020 vintage)
This is a partnership between the Pike family (of Clare Valley fame) and the Joyce family, related to Andrew Pike’s wife, Cathy.
The winery is situated in Lenswood, which is a subregion of the Adelaide Hills. The Adelaide Hills region is well-known for its cool climate, high-altitude vineyards, and diverse range of premium cool-climate wines.
The Joyce family have been orchardists at Lenswood for over 100 years and also have extensive operations in the Riverland. Together with Andrew they have established this vineyard site, which was previously apple and pear orchards, is characterized by steep North and East facing slopes and possesses fantastic gravelly clay and loam soils which are ideally suited to the classic cool climate varieties that have been planted – Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. to sauvignon blanc (5.9ha), pinot noir (5.73ha), pinot gris (3.22ha), chardonnay (3.18ha) and semillon (0.47ha). The wines are made at the Pikes’ Clare Valley winery and exported around the world.
The vineyard is all hand pruned and handpicked with the fruit being chilled overnight in the Joyce cool rooms. Traditional old world techniques as well as modern Australian winemaking are incorporated to produce a style which reflects the variety and region.""
Pike & Joyce owns and operates vineyards covering around 32 hectares in the Lenswood area of Adelaide Hills. The vineyards are planted at varying altitudes, providing an excellent opportunity to grow a variety of grape varieties that thrive in the cool climate.
Pinot Noir is the dominant red wine grape of Burgundy, now produced in wine regions all over the world, including western Germany, northern Italy, Chile, South Africa, Australia and, perhaps most notably, California, Oregon and New Zealand.
The essence of Pinot Noir wine is its aroma of strawberry and cherry (fresh red cherries in lighter wines and stewed black cherries in weightier examples), underpinned in the most complex examples by hints of forest floor. Well-built Pinot Noirs, particularly from warmer harvests, also exhibit notes of leather and violets, sometimes approaching the flavor spectrum of Syrah.
1 x Cloud Street Shiraz 2020 - Victoria, Australia
Winemaker ""...a wine crafted with passion and expertise. This Shiraz showcases the rich and robust flavors that Shiraz enthusiasts adore, offering a bold and memorable experience.""
Cloud Street are producers of outstanding value, sourcing quality fruit from well-regarded wine growing regions within the state of Victoria and fashioning it into fresh, lively and deliciously uncomplicated wine with a single varietal focus. The perfect accompaniment to sophisticated day to day living, for those who wish to drink well on a budget. Cloud Street evokes the feeling and experiences of an Australian way of life. Grab a glass and stay a while.
Shiraz, also known as Syrah is a popular red wine. Though the spiritual homeland of this red grape is France, Syrah has been planted throughout the world to great success. It expresses itself differently depending on the climate, soil and regional style.
Syrah is typically bold and full-bodied, with aromatic notes of smoke, black fruit and pepper spice. Stylistically, it can be round and fruity, or dense and tannic. And in warmer New World regions like Australia, Syrah is most often be called Shiraz.
Winemakers who work in cooler-climate growing regions, both in the Old World and New World, tend to call their wines Syrah. The most famous examples come from the northern Rhône Valley of France, notably Hermitage and Côte-Rôtie. In the New World, in regions like Sonoma Coast, California; Yarra Valley, Australia; and parts of Chile, the wines are called Syrah because they emulate the leaner, acid-driven, savory styles of the Old World French classics.
Shiraz tends to come from warmer growing climates, namely the South Australian regions of Barossa, McLaren Vale and Adelaide Hills. Stylistically, these wines are lush, fruit-forward examples that embody the warmer, sunnier climate. Shiraz is so important to Australian viticulture that it is the most planted grape variety in the majority of Australian vineyards and has become virtually synonymous with the country's wine regions, and in particular the Barossa Valley.
1 x McHenry Hohnen Hazel's Vineyard GSM (Organic) 2019 ~ Margaret River, Western Australia
88/100 - The Real Review (2019 vintage)
5 Star Winery - James Halliday (2018 vintage)
94/100 - Campbell Mattinson (2018 vintage)
Made from Biodynamic Grapes
Huan Hooke, The Real Review ""Very deep, dark, bright purple colour, the bouquet raw and concentrated, a trifle callow, with raw power and plenty of astringency. A massive wine that is raw, unready and very firm to finish. It demands more time. And hearty food."" (2019 Vintage)
The Winemaker ""This classic southern Rhone blend, GSM bursts with aromas of mulberry and cherry confection over notes of fragrant violets and myrtle pepper. The inclusion of a high percentage of whole clusters in this stellar vintage provides extra lift to the nose with sweetened chai spice aromas, perfectly balanced by a touch of dry herbs and savoury jamon. The palate is initially juicy and sweet, combining crunchy red plums and red liquorice from the Grenache, with Syrah and Mataro adding structure, spice and savouriness. The finish is persistent with layers of cocoa, coffee liqueur and a frame of firm but fine tannins.""
McHenry Hohnen was founded by one of the pioneers of the Margaret River winemaking region, David Hohnen and his brother in law, Murray McHenry, an accomplished fine wine retailer. Both have been making wine in Margaret River since the early 1970’s. McHenry Hohnen vineyards are 100% biodynamic. Their three unique vineyards (Burnside, Calgardup and Hazel’s) produce wines that are a reflection of the land. McHenry Hohnen focusses on crafting site-expressive wines and are known for producing some of the region's best wines.
Margaret River is one of the best-known wine regions in Australia, recognized internationally for the quality of its wines and the natural beauty of the region. Although originally renowned for its unusually refined cabernet sauvignon and intensely citrusy chardonnay varieties, the region now produces Semillon Sauvignon blanc blends and Shiraz.
Located in the south-western corner of Western Australia, it is famous for having a more 'European' wine style than its counterparts across Australia, owing to the regions temperate, coastal location which is very similar to that of Bordeaux.
GSM is a famous blend of red wine grapes from the Cotes du Rhone region in France. It is made from Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre.