When I began writing this article, scribbling down everything I know and believe (and crave!) about great hamburgers, my mind immediately wandered back to a television program I had developed a minor addiction to a few years back featuring Chef Heston Blumenthal – and his  … Read More

What are the criteria that go into picking the white wines for red wine drinkers will love? Well, for starters, I’ve found that the most ardent and dedicated drinkers of red wines tend to gravitate to wines that are big and bold, with dry tannin and complex, savoury  … Read More

When most people think about aging and cellaring wines, their minds immediately gravitate towards reds. And with good reason; in large part, the illustrious red wines made in places like Bordeaux, Burgundy, Piedmont, Rioja and Napa, owe at least a portion of their often hefty  … Read More

94/100 Points: “Long and lively; packed with fruit concentration, citrus purity and white flowers. Green melon, smooth nutty oak, with hints of vanilla, build palate weight, nuances of spice, and other textural components. Good minerality and sour acidity pulses throughout the finish.”

Winemaker Ben Riggs love affair with Montepulciano began during his days as a “flying winemaker” – working harvest in central and southern Italy and it was these early impressions which inspired his vision for an Australian take on iconic Italian flavours. Typcially, the wines made from this variety are full bodied with deep colour, spice and plum flavours and high levels of tannin. They usually require some bottle aging and are well paired with hearty Italian cuisine or sharp cheeses.

Enticing raspberry perfume, laden with cherries, liquorice and savoury notes fill the nose. Vibrant earthy plum with hints of spice of cumin, wooden bark and chocolate round the palate and give it an unctuous mouth feel. A well balanced and true iconic gnarly McLaren Vale Grenache.

“Very well-made, and totally seductive, the combination of low alcohol, fresh lime/citrus fruit, and residual sugar judged to perfection. Great Chinese food friend.” 94/100 Points – James Halliday

94/100 Points: “Silky smooth with just enough attitude to set it apart. Flavours are in the cherry-plum and cola realm, though notes of peppercorn and chocolate, as modest as they are, are important aspects of the wine’s personality. Ultra fine-grained tannin, edges of mineral and finesse through the finish are all quality markers. Medium-weight but it h has presence.”