Australia & NZ
These far-flung wine regions may be referred to ‘new’ when compared against the historic European wine regions, but they have a long winemaking history. Spared from Phylloxera, Australia in particular has world's highest concentration of venerable vines and legendary producers such as Penfolds, Henschke and Tyrell’s have been around for over 150 years. Though for many years piggybacking on Europe’s successes, branding their own wines as ‘Chablis’, ‘Hermitage’ etc., Australia now have created a real identity of their own, making inimitable styles like Coonawarra Cabernet or Hunter Valley Semillon.
New Zealand doesn’t quite have as an extensive history but has established itself in an astonishingly short amount of time as a reliable source of whistle clean, distinctive examples of varietals like Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.
Australia & NZ
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The Real Review (98)
Concentrated, complex pinot noir with cassis, blackberry, dark cherry, violet, wood smoke and savoury/dried herb flavours. Accessible now but with a proven history of ageing gracefully. Elegant wine with impressive power.$357.00 -
James Suckling (97)
Lively and vibrant red fruits of wild strawberries and red cherries followed by rose hips, ground spices and a touch of citrus zest. Medium-bodied, finely grained velvety tannins with a delightful acid backbone. Zesty and layered wine with beautiful balance and complexity. It’s already enjoyable but will age gracefully.$438.00 -
(12x75cl) 2018Vinous (89)
This is Sauvignon Blanc made in a host of ways, hence the name Raranga, which means “woven” in Māori. There were parcels fermented in tank and in barrels, while a small proportion was fermented on skins, and a splash was whole-bunch fermented. After a couple of years, this is starting to shed its primary fruit and taking on characters of lanolin and oatmeal alongside citrus, pear and lemon tart. It has good depth and concentration and offers some interest texturally. The finish is clean and zesty although a little brief.$315.00 -
(1x75cl) 2018Vinous (89)
This is Sauvignon Blanc made in a host of ways, hence the name Raranga, which means “woven” in Māori. There were parcels fermented in tank and in barrels, while a small proportion was fermented on skins, and a splash was whole-bunch fermented. After a couple of years, this is starting to shed its primary fruit and taking on characters of lanolin and oatmeal alongside citrus, pear and lemon tart. It has good depth and concentration and offers some interest texturally. The finish is clean and zesty although a little brief.$101.00 -
Indulge yourself with Australian Domaine Wines Mclarren Vale The Hattrick 1999, a treasure hailing from the acclaimed vineyards of McLaren Vale. This vintage expresses the winemaker's craft at its finest, an epitome of unparalleled Australian viticulture. Nestled between the rolling hills and breezy coastline, the vines are blessed with Mediterranean climate, favourable for producing premium quality grapes.
The Hattrick 1999, produced by Domaine Wines, is an artful blend of three key varietals - Shiraz, Grenache and Mourvèdre. Aged in seasoned oak barrels, each grape contributes unique characteristics, achieving a harmonious amalgamation. The wine is intense yet refined, revealing ripe fruit flavours, underpinned by a touch of spice and an enduring finish.
Thus, Australian Domaine Wines Mclarren Vale The Hattrick 1999 is truly a testament to the winery’s commitment to precision, quality and outstanding character, a signature of the Domaine Wine label. Savour this exceptional wine, a milestone of a robust 1999 harvest and a tribute to the divine terroir of McLaren Vale.
$604.00 -
$126.00 -
(6x75cl) 2019$453.00 -
$394.00 -
Halliday Wine Companion (96)
Fruit off the Leongatha vineyard, destemmed, wild-yeast fermented, left 2 weeks on skins and aged in French oak, 25% new, for 14 months. A selection of the best barrels was then put aside for the Estate. Striking aromatics set the scene: a heady mix of florals, forest floor, blood orange and spiced cherries. The palate unfurls with a core of sweet-savoury flavours from fruit and oak, fine tannins and everything superbly integrated and aligned. There’s complexity, detail and definition all in one.$736.00 -
The Real Review (95)
Medium full ruby with a tinge of purple; the aromas are of red fruits, the profile lean and elegant, with bountiful drying tannins, and touches of foresty pinot mystery. The wine is lean and drying on the aftertaste. Nice elegant wine, worth a little cellaring also.$476.00 -
$716.00
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(6x75cl) 2021The Real Review (98)
Full ruby with purple tints and the bouquet is earthy/broken rock, ferrous/iron-like qualities with a touch of oak adding a smoky, fivespice aroma note and aftertaste. The wine is deep and mouth-filling, showing good concentration and drive, muscle and grip, and an enduring aftertaste. A big, dramatic finish: a peacock's tail. Beautiful aromatics: a serious pinot noir indeed.$1,209.00 -
(6x75cl) 2022
Halliday Wine Companion (97)
All up, this spends 14 months in French oak (36% new) and the outcome is an impressive wine. No wallflower as it’s rich, ripe, full-bodied and laden with aromas and flavours of dark cherries, florals, joss sticks, chinotto, baking spices and garrigue. Raw silk tannins flood the palate, so, too the sweet fruit; concentrated and powerful, yet there’s a succulence and vitality within. A lot to consider, including cellaring for a few years before drinking. And yet, for hedonists, there’s an innate beauty making this irresistible now.$1,307.00 -
The Real Review (98)
Intense, vibrant chardonnay with pronounced saline/oyster shell character giving a nod in the direction of Burgundy. A backbone of fine, taut acidity adds energy and suggests cellaring potential. Powerful, beautifully structured wine that is threaded with mouth-watering tension.$1,405.00 -
Wine Advocate (93+)
Medium to deep ruby colored, the 2011 Bell Hill Pinot Noir offers a black fruit nose with notes of black cherries, mulberries and blackberries plus nuances of cloves, cinnamon and anise. Medium bodied, the palate is densely packed with black berry and baking spice flavors and highly structured with a refreshing acid backbone and firm, grainy tannins, finishing long with a pleasant herbal lift.$328.00 -
Exemplifying artistry in winemaking, Bell Hill Pinot Noir 2017 is a scintillating masterpiece of the vine. Having its roots in the limestone-rich soils of North Canterbury, New Zealand, this remarkable vintage embodies the diligent care and precision Bell Hill Vineyard imperatively demands. The grapes are rigorously selected from two unique blocks, meticulously hand-harvested and crafted using a burgundian approach. Resulting in a wine that defines depth, complexity and longevity.
The 2017 vintage presents an expressive bouquet of ripe berries and delicate floral undertones ennobled by a subtle earthiness and whispers of oriental spices. Its velvet tannins and structured body unfurl in the palate to reveal layers of dark cherry, cocoa and truffle, underpinned by its refreshing, lingering finish. Truly, Bell Hill Pinot Noir 2017 affirms itself as an indulgent indulgence capturing the essence of its origin, drawn by purity, elegance and an unwavering testimony to the grandeur of Bell Hill Vineyard.
$1,535.00 -
The Real Wine Review (96)
Relatively light in colour but with impressive purity and power with floral, violet, red rose, red cherry and a chalk-mineral character. Graceful wine with an ethereal texture and very lengthy finish. A seriously good pinot noir with a promising future.$786.00 -
Vinous (93)
(from vines reportedly between 85 and 115 years of age) Inky ruby. Spicy blackberry, cherry and dark chocolate on the nose, with complicating notes of espresso and dried violet. Cool and restrained, with a suave, silky tone to the dark fruit flavors and gentle acids bringing freshness and energy. Nothing overdone here. There's impressive clarity and length to the blackberry and blackcurrant flavors. Really gorgeous.$372.00 -
Halliday Wine Companion (97)
From the estate's highest vineyard block situated on the eastern ridge of the Barossa foothills, and is a quite lovely example of shiraz grown in a temperate climate. It's medium-bodied, the bouquet full of spice, red fruits, rose petals and cherry blossom characters all translating straight to the long, supple palate. Tannins and oak are part of the backdrop, simply providing the finish of the wine.$292.00 -
James Suckling (98)
Cloaked in freshly ground black pepper, plenty of meaty charcuterie complexity and loads of spice. Orange rind and graphite. Some musky lift. Blackberries and plums. Concentrated dark-plum and black-cherry flavours, with blackberry, dark chocolate and mocha. Best from 2019.$531.00 -
Jancis Robinson (18)
If the Holdaway Sauvignon was all about the fruit, with a little bit of winemaking, this is more about the winemaking but could not be built like this without that same fruit quality and intensity – as it opens there’s blackcurrant leaf and an almost hidden note of tropical fruit and richness. Marked struck-match, smoky, cordite first impression, but not excessive unless you don’t like this style. This is bold, fresh, with the start of some cedary development of bottle age. On the palate, the texture is rounded and deep, filling the mouth but still incredibly fresh. Long, mouth-watering, salty finish, and a promise of more bottle-aged complexity to come. Delicious now but no rush. Classy, complex, distinctive. For lovers of Sauvignon in the style of Dogpoint Section 94.$201.00 -
Vinous (96)
White Bordeaux fans, get your coat; you've scored. The 2021 Sauvignon Blanc Abstract is a gorgeous, rich, full-bodied mouthful of intensely concentrated barrel-fermented Sauvignon. This is curvy, suave and sophisticated. Its ripe blackcurrant and fennel aromas meet lees-derived savory notes and nutty oak characters (aged in puncheons, 15% new). The 2021 has substance as well as fine acidity that provides mouthwatering refreshment. Its long finish is laced with layers of fragrance and texture. This has the componentry to age well, but it's delicious now, so why would you wait?$397.00 -
Vinous (96)
The 2019 Sauvignon Blanc Abstract Three Rows is a pure and sophisticated wine from, true to its name, three rows of a dry farmed parcel. It is bright and tangy yet savory. The fruit is pure and delicate, like a cloud. It is transparent and yet expansive in the mouth, having no heaviness. Light honey, nectarine, musky boxwood and oatmeal flavors abound with a light creamy character. Sensitive Sauvignon.$228.00 -
Vinous (94)
Northern Rhône lovers will be impressed by the 2019 Syrah Element Vineyard. Suave and silky smooth, its aromatics beguile with plenty of cool-climate Syrah nuance. White pepper and potpourri aromas add something exotic to blackberry fruit and smoked woody characters. The fragrant finish is tranquil and refined with a coating of fine, powdery tannins.$191.00 -
Cameron Douglas MS (97)
A perfumed, complex bouquet with aromas of roses and ripe cherry, a soft raw sugar and baking spices scent with a core of silty soil minerality. Equally complex with a firm yet finely textured mouthfeel, harmonious synergies between fruit, minerality, tannins and acidity. With each taste the complexity expands with flavours of cherry and plum, forest berries and wild flowers. A Grand Cru level wine with a delicious, layered, perfumed, youthful and long. Best drinking from late 2022 through 2030+.$254.00 -
$171.00 -
Vinous (93)
The 2021 Pinot Noir Escaroth is a full meal in a glass, just like Violet Beauregard's chewing gum in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory." It's perfumed with red and black fruits, and I swear I got a whiff of roast beef too. With yields of 3.2 tons per hectare, there's a richness of substance and structure. The finish is focused with real grip and concentration.$178.00 -
Jancis Robinson (18)
Seductive and well-judged ‘reductive’ (smoky, struck-match) aroma and really toasty as it opens up, something cedary. Very Coche Dury but, most importantly, there is the fruit intensity to carry off this winemaking style. Nutty, creamy, mealy citrus. So many things going on that it makes you slow down to try to enjoy all this complexity. Deep, deliciously fresh and incredibly persistent with an aftertaste of savoury/mineral citrus. Worth every penny of its NZ price of $45 (from the producer's website). Classy and got better and better over the few days post opening.$316.00 -
Vinous (97)
The 2021 Chardonnay Reed Vineyard is pure, harmonious and suave, caressing the mouth with its gentle texture and purity. It's not showy but a wine worth getting to know: it provides cognitive and sensory pleasure. You can expect almond, oatmeal, smoky nuts and party popper aromas. Yes, party poppers. I really love the smell of party poppers, so I want to keep smelling this and having a little party shimmy. Pure and textural with a gourmand character that will make you want to lick your cheeks to keep tasting it. Already good; this is going to be great.$237.00 -
The Real Review (95)
Weighty, mouth-filling chardonnay with grapefruit, saline/oyster shell, lime zest, nutty yeast lees and a suggestion of sizzled butter. Great without the complication of food but even better with my hot-smoked salmon.$354.00
