Penfolds Thomas Hyland Chardonnay 2008 ( Gold and Trophy,Class 1) Sourced primarily from the Adelaide Hills with components from McLaren Vale and the Fleurieu Peninsula, this collected the trophy for ‘Best Wine Under $20, although it is generally priced a little above that mark in retail outlets. A lovely balance of fruit and oak maturation, this wine label generally includes some Yattarna fruit (Penfold’s ultra-premium Chardonnay)and is ideally suited to pasta, salad and seafood dishes.
Deen De Bortoli Vat 7 Chardonnay 2008 (Silver, Class 1). De Bortoli is a large winery with vineyards throughout New South Wales and the Yarra Valley in Victoria, utilising specific vineyards to give the stone fruit flavours required for this style of wine. This has a nice creamy, nutty texture and should drink well over the next 2-3 years with many chicken, seafood and light pasta dishes.
Heggies Vineyard Riesling 2009: (Top Gold, Class 2) Heggies is one of Australia’s highest altitude cool climate vineyards , and only the free run portion was selected for this vintage. The palate opens with grapefuit zest and a crisp minerality on the finish. The wine shows a fine balance between stylish Riesling fruit notes and natural acidity. Drink now or cellar for a minimum of five years.
Crabtree Watervale Riesling 2009: (Top Gold, Class 30) Crabtree Wines has built an enviable reputation for classic Watervale Riesling having been awarded the 2008 Riesling Wine Of The Year Award by Winestate Magazine, and now a Top Gold in the Adelaide Wine Show with their new vintage. Will age very nicely.
Rymill Coonawarra ‘The Yearling’ Sauvignon Blanc 2009: (Silver, Class 3) The Rymills are descendants of John Riddoch, one of the original wine merchants and pastoralists in the South East. Whilst the Coonawarra region has not generally been known for growing Sauvignon Blanc , we have included some excellent examples in our dozens over the last couple of years .
This one has subtle hints of fresh herbs, and a crisp finish revealing touches of lemon and lime . Enjoy well chilled while young and fresh, ideally with a light seafood dish.
Catching Thieves Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (Top Silver,Class 9) A lovely crisp blend from the Margaret River, this one has passionfruit and stonefruit flavours and is beautifully supported by a citrus acid backbone giving the wine lovely structure and a lingering finish. An excellent luncheon style wine, well suited to a grilled chicken caesar or with any seafood while young and fresh.
