89
2010 All Saints Estate Marsanne, Victoria
£14.9, 12.2%, Cockburn & Campbell
A light, refreshing, herbal, honeysuckle-scented Marsanne from All Saints, favouring mealy, citrus fruit over oak influence. The wine is tangy and well-balanced, light enough to enjoy as an aperitif as well as with food. Experience shows that Victorian Marsannes age extremely well.
Available from (as of date of review): Cockburn & Campbell
Drinking window: 2012-20
88
2010 All Saints Estate Durif, Victoria
£16.00, 14%, Cockburn & Campbell
Made from the comparatively rare Durif (aka Petite Sirah) grape variety, this carries its 14% alcohol with ease and seems much ligher than that on the palate. The All Saints hallmarks of freshenss and balance are attractively expressed here. There's plum, some nutmeg spice, a nip of dry tannin and bright, almost Italianate acidity.
Available from (as of date of review): Cockburn & Campbell
Drinking window: 2012-14
91
2010 Mere et Fils Adelaide Hills Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills, South Australia
NA, 13%, Contact the winery
The qualty of Australian Chardonnay has leapt forward like a roo on heat over the last few years. This cool climate example from the Adelaide Hills is typical of the quality on offer from Down Under. Wild yeast fermented in older oak, some creamy lees on the palate and fine, citrus-tinged fruit with an echo of apricot. Subtle winemakin from Matt Gant.
Available from (as of date of review): Contact the winery
Drinking window: 2012-14
92
2009 Vasse Felix Semillon, Margaret River
£13.99, 12.5%, Marks & Spencer
2009 Vasse Felix Semillon, Margaret River (£13.99, 12.5%, Marks & Spencer). If you find some Hunter Valley Semillons a little austere, especially when they're young, try a bottle of this western Australian example instead. Made by the talented Virginia Wilcock, it's got lovely notes of toast, honeysuckle and cream soda, with zesty acidity and subtle vanilla oak. It's very enjoyable now, but I suspect this will reward cellaring too.
Available from (as of date of review): Marks & Spencer
95
2006 Fow Hollow Hunter Valley Single Vineyard Semillon
£22 down to £16.50 for a case, 11.5%, Marks & Spencer
This looks and tastes suspiciously like Vat 1, Tyrrell's sublime Hunter Semillon. It's light and unoaked, but with lovely aged aromas and flavours of toast, cream and citrus fruit. On past performance, these wines age for decades, but you'll have trouble keeping your hands off the screwcap here. Wonderfully complex. A bargain on the 25% off deal, so hurry.
Available from (as of date of review): Marks & Spencer
89
2008 Cave de Beblenheim Grafenreben Riesling d'Alsace
£8.82, 12%, Waitrose
It's easy to forget about Alsace Riesling in the rush to buy examples of the grape from Germany and Australia, but they can be some of France's best whites, especially if they are made in a dry style, like this one. The wine is fresh and delicate, with lovely lime-like flavours, some stony minerality, a hint of the complex bitterness that is so typical of the region and a fine, lingering finish.
Available from (as of date of review): Waitrose