Established 1851 by the French Marist order, Mission Estate are New Zealand's oldest winery, under continuous management ever since. The city of Lyon's Society of Mary sailed to New Zealand with little more than faith, fair winds and a few healthy vines. Men of Burgundy, they knew from good wine, they chose their ground and planted rootstock near Ngaruroro River between Napier and Hastings at Pakowhai. Agriculture and livestock were a necessity, but the establishment of a productive vineyard was essential. The area is now known as Hawke's Bay, internationally renowned for the rich terroirs of Gimblett Gravels, home of New Zealand's most salient brands...
The burgundy tradition of te ika a maui»
Gary and Nick Farr are father and son, they make wine together but aren't afraid to go head to head when their opinions differ. Nick grew up amongst some of the world's most sacred vineyards, he knows about the land and found a magnificent little site, barely east of Lake Colac. Irrewarra is the vigneron's shangri-la, prepared for viticulture by generations of grazing and eons of the sobering south sea breezes, which stimulate vines to yield meagre harvests of parched little grapes, sleek of tannin and rich in flavour. Vintaged in excruciatingly limited lots, there are fully two styles of Irrewarra on offer, a grapefruit and oyster shell Chardonnay, a Pinot Noir of pasture and of place, both finished to delight the senses and to excite the most inscrutable palates...
It's irrewarra by farr»
A satin palate of sherbet and spiced fruit flavours, ever more intense in bubbles and refined in citrus acidity to balance the exquisite natural grape sweetness. The top shelf in toothsome and dulcetly fragrant, fruit forward frizzante wines, fashioned for those who know what they like... More»
In grand central Victorian styling, the palate shows abundant spice and pepper as well as fully ripe berry fruits, lovely rounded mouthfeel and texture, subtle oak in support. Blackjack has claimed the eminent M... More»
The nose expresses soil, earth and vinuous tones of vibrant black jelly fruit. In the early 1980s, due to lack of demand, the government paid incentives to growers to rip out their vines... More»
Velvet palate of perfumed cherry, plum and dark currant flavours, persistent and refined. A pure, single vineyard wine, from fruit picked off a single plot of Shiraz, planted 1960 and still managed by... More»
Some pungent herbaceous and capsicum characters fill the background. Marlborough is the heartland of New Zealand viticulture and Whitehaven are situated amongst the very best vineyards on Marlborough's golden... More»
The palate is fruit driven and fresh, with added layers of cream and a lithe softness derived from the secondary fermentations. Australia is renowned for being home to some of the world's most beautiful beaches... More»
Clonakilla are one of our nation's most eminent vineyard wineries, a tiny production operation, established by a CSIRO scientist at Murrumbateman, very near Canberra. It turned out to be a fortuitous planting, with a climate not dissimilar to Bordeaux and northern Rhone, the Clonakilla property now occupies a rank next to the mighty Grange on the prestigious Exceptional Langtons Classification, it yields vintages of Australia's most invaluable Shiraz. At $26.99, the estate's entry level belies its stature and excellence within the pantheon of great Australian wine, an essential experience this week for all enthusiasts, a canny choice for shrewd and judicious aspirants of elite new world Shiraz...
Here's what our most picky pundits prefer»
Geoff Hardy's family have been making Australian wine since 1857. Geoff grew up amongst the most distinguished vineyards in our land and he knows from good red wine. He retains access to the finest fruit in McLaren Vale and is the man behind many of our nation's most memorable vintages. Undercover is a moniker that Geoff has assigned to a collation of exceptional parcels, albeit bottled behind an abstruse label to secrete the provenance of a spectacular Shiraz. Gold Medal Winner & Best Value at the hotly contested 2016 China Wine & Spirit Awards, the pick of crop this week, seriously..
Sound shiraz for the savvy & shrewd»