The Accomplice Chardonnay 2011
(Australia)

Whilst some people regard Aussie Chardonnay to be about as subtle and delicate as the V8 'Utes' driven by many a burly Oz winemaker, Aussie Chardonnay is now a more delicate, subtly oaked wine style. When they throttle back on the oak (like here), the wines are superb value.

A medium-bodied dry wine with lovely peach and nectarine flavours.

Soldier's Block Chardonnay 2011
(Western Australia) soldiers

Grapes were picked earlier than usual, for this area, to ensure balance and freshness in the final wine. Fermentation in temperature controlled stainless steel retains the fresh fruit character of this un-oaked wine.

An elegant, easy drinking wine. This vibrant Chardonnay exhibits lifted fruit character, textural mouth-feel, a bright palate and a long and foodie finish. Think full-flavoured fish such as trout or halibut or chicken in a light creamy sauce.

Yalumba 'Y Series' Riesling 2010
(Barossa, Australia)

This wine is a blend of fruit from the Barossa Valley and Eden Valley. Together, these two adjacent regions make up the Barossa. The warmer Barossa Valley produces wines that have richness of flavour, while the cooler Eden Valley provides elegant and lifted aromatics.

Yalumba is renowned for its quality Riesling wines. It offers generous lemon and tropical fruit flavours with refreshing length and natural acidity. Reddish yellow in colour with orange peel on the nose.

Dandelion Wonderland Riesling 2010
(Eden Valley, Australia)

Dandelion Vineyards is the new venture of wine marketing legend, general trade character and all round reprobate Zar Brooks and his winemaking wife Elena. The name Dandelion comes from their approach in the vineyard. “When I see a weed I see the Devil” is an old grower’s mantra, but at Dandelion they encourage the humble dandelion amongst the vines as they suppress winter weeds, whilst providing mulch in summer.

Nick Stock, one of Australia’s leading journalists, has described Dandelion as follows: "Brooks has teamed up with his winemaking wife Elena, a woman whose talents are outweighed only by her tolerance, in an exciting new venture called Dandelion Vineyards. The approach is remarkably simple and sees Elena making wine from a suite of beautiful old vineyards from across that blessed curve that runs from the Barossa, up through the Eden Valley and Adelaide Hills and down into McLaren Vale."

Bone dry, their 2010 Riesling is bursting fruit freshness, with invigorating, intense smells of lime skin, citrus blossom, green apple, ripe guavas and cinnamon spice. The flavours on the palate start with crisp and crunchy fruit flavours including grapefruit, lime sorbet and white fleshed stone-fruit , including apricot as well as the classic Eden Valley Riesling flavours of mandarin citrus on the mid palate, developing into rich lemon meringue tart-like flavour on the finish.

Winner of a Gold medal at the Brisbane wine awards.

Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2010
(Eden Valley, Australia)

The 2010 vintage has created delicate and aromatic Viognier wines. The colour is pale gold with green highlights, with a nose of pure aromas displaying apricot nectar, lifted honeysuckle and orange oil perfume. The palate is long, rich and luscious, with intense stone fruit - particularly white peach and apricot flavours, finishing with an aromatic citrus freshness. This wine will continue to grow and develop in the bottle, firstly showing enhanced apricots and spice, then after a couple of years, honey flavours and toast.

Shaw and Smith Sauvignon Blanc 2011
(Adelaide Hills, Australia)

A benchmark for Australian Sauvignon Blanc. Made from 100% Adelaide Hills grapes, the wine is unwooded to maximise varietal punch. The aroma has restrained sauvignon grassiness coupled with riper fruit characters. The palate is fresh and lively with pure fruit varietal flavours and crisp acidity.
Best drunk young.

A huge personal favourite, this wine has been very highly rated by Jancis Robinson MW, Jane MacQuitty (The Times), and many others.

"A direct, zesty pick-me-up wine, with its pungent herbaceous and gooseberry characters."
Christelle Guibert, Decanter - 1st Jan 2012

"Tangy green aromas, a hint of sweetness."
Jancis Robinson MW - 13th Oct 2011

"A pale hue with a greenish tinge and soaring aromatics give the game away. This is an intense, lipsmacking and linear, but by no means skinny, Sauvignon. Vividly etched with passionfruit, pea pod and hints of bay leaf...Great (100% natural acid) line makes for a well focused, persistent finish. A cracker."
Sarah Ahmed, TheWineDetective.co.uk - 16th Sep 2011

Leeuwin Estate Art Series Riesling 2009
(Margaret River, Australia)

Western Australia - and particularly its premier wine growing region of Margaret River - produces a distinctly different wine style to the rest of Australia. Generally speaking, Western Australia wine leans towards a more ‘European’ wine style, being more restrained and less exuberant than some of its more easterly based counterparts. Leeuwin’s Riesling is a case in point - less intensely lime-fruit than the Rieslings from Clare Valley, but conversely having a more drinkable style that is less austere and more food-friendly. Still dry (as is almost all Australian Riesling), this is more a cross between a dry Alsace Riesling and sunny Australian fresh citrus fruits.

Grosset Polish Hill Riesling 2011
(Clare Valley, South Australia)

Previously named as winemaker of the year, Grosset is often named as the finest maker of Riesling in Australia.

De Bortoli's Noble One Botrytis Semillon 2006 75cl
(Australia)

Australia's most awarded dessert wine. The wine is golden yellow and exhibits apricot and quince fruit combined with citrus, vanillin oak and a hint of almond. A lucious mouthfilling wine with lingering botrytis fruit and vanillin oak flavours that finish with a crisp, clean acidity. A great complement to fresh fruity desserts or an almond tart.