The trending white wine in Italy these days is Pecorino (which is also the name of a cheese). Pale straw in colour, it has a spicy bouquet of peach with oak notes; medium-bodied with a smoky, floral, peach flavour, it finishes on a delightful note of lilacs.
Dense and thick anise, potent leather, black liquorice, and ample kirsch, blackberry, dried black plum in this dry-farmed, old-vine Carignan from Maule. There’s a fragrant, dusky potpourri spicing this potent, ripe, dense, thick palate, with concentrated salty wash on the hot finish. Requires equally dense red meats to match the intensity. Decant.
For the Legacy series, winemaker Bruce Nicholson has chosen the Riesling variety from the 2008 vintage. Medium straw in colour, the wine offers a nose of honey and grapefruit with a note of minerality. On the palate it has a light spritz; medium-bodied, peachy-citrus flavour, off-dry with great tension between sweetness and tartness propelled by lively acidity.
Made from 100% Pinot Noir from Three Mile Creek and Acta Vineyards. Pretty medium rose salmon in the glass, vibrant red fruit on the nose followed by full fruited strawberry and raspberry notes, juicy and well structured with generous mouthfeel and good length with a touch of pepper spice in the close.
One of the most consistent white Burgundies vintage to vintage. Bright straw in colour with a minerally, green apple and citrus bouquet; medium-bodied, dry and crisp; fresh and lively on the palate with a lemony, green apple flavour and a long finish.
Opens with fragrant violets, blueberry, black plum, vanilla and white pepper. Ripe dark berries and chocolate fill the full-bodied palate, buttressed by plush tannins and 14 months in French and American oak. Cracked pepper and gamey notes on the finish. Not shy, so can handle well-marinated meats.
Fresh with good fruit and a creamy texture, subtle and balanced with a clean finish. The wine opened up with food and particularly did well with white fish and poultry dishes.