Blends / Other

Here’s a quaffable, light red wine that we love drinking. The Accidental Red came about in 2022 by…..unforeseen opportunity…..by accident! The Merlot being pressed for Rosé had too much juice remaining to discard to compost and Shiraz pressings had too much colour for Rosé so in they went together. In 2023 we decided to make the Accidental Red deliberately and to make it better. And we have! Merlot berries are fermented with pressed out Shiraz juice, so in effect there was half the amount of the usual skins for the wine volume. A relatively quick wild yeast fermentation (limiting the time on skins) then into...

The Shiraz Vioginer is a selection of the best Shiraz Viognier parcels, crafted from the Murrumbateman vineyard. One of the greatest vintages of this wine. It has a super complex array of white and black peppers, hard brown spices, leaves, flowers and fresh wet earth, as well as graphite-like dark stony notes. The palate is immaculately detailed, long and silky with flavors of blackberries, red cherries, red plums, dark cherries, blackberries and dark chocolate. The palate is delivered with steady elegance and power, showing unwavering build and a seemingly never-ending trail of fresh and spicy fruit flavors. With the most immaculate...

"Supple, concentrated and lithe, this bounds with cassis, mulberry, raspberry and aniseed. Plenty of very soft tannins frame the fruit and chorale it through to the finish. Lovely." Wine Companion Erin Larkin. 93 points. WINERY NOTES: COLOUR Medium dark red colour with purple tints. NOSE Spicy berry fruit aromas and hints of cedar and oak influence on the nose. PALATE The palate is refined and smooth, showing flavours of ripe blackberry and red currant characters. Fine, ripe tannins round out the wine, with lingering dried herb and savoury nuances on the finish. WINEMAKING Cabernet from one of our oldest blocks in the Carbunup...

ERIN LARKIN, HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION 2023, 94 points. 2020 was a glorious vintage and it's here for all to see. Structural, dense, concentrated and broody, the length of flavour tails out through the long finish.... The GOLD medal tally so far.... WINE SHOW OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA 2022   MARGARET RIVER WINE SHOW 2022   ROYAL QUEENSLAND WINE AWARDS 2022   PERTH ROYAL WINE AWARDS 2022   MARGARET RIVER WINE SHOW 2021   #DEEP    

This reveals itself gently as it’s not a showy wine but it is elegant and lovely. Delicate aromas, a core of sweet fruit tempered by savoury inputs of woodsy spices, menthol and powdery yet super fine tannins with bright acidity driving the long finish.95 points. Jane Faulkner Published 06 July 2023

HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION 2024, 96 points. At once powerful yet contained with the varieties (percentage split unknown) beautifully matched. While the classy cabernet aromas and flavours come through, they are rendered more savoury by the malbec and oak. The fuller-bodied palate is alive and vibrant, flavours build and the tannins have presence, all textural and ripe. The finish lingers long as will this wine as in at least two decades.   #DEEP

Malbec is a key variety in Margaret River, not only for its suitability as a blending partner for cabernet sauvignon, but also as a standalone wine. In addition to this, Margaret River's strength is its ability to produce wines of extraordinary power and grace, without heavy weight in the mouth. This wine, for all the preamble, is exactly that. Bright, layered, spicy, ripe, plush and delicious; medium bodied and full of flavour. Beaut. 93 points. Erin Larkin Published 03 August 2022

BLEND 72.3% petit verdot, 19.3% cabernet sauvignon, 7.2% malbec, 1.2% shiraz COLOUR Deep violet red AROMATICS A classic blend showcasing petit verdot, cabernet sauvignon and malbec in harmony. Rose petal, mulberry jam, and rich cacao are the predominant aromas and flavours. PALATE These flavours and aromas are balanced on the palate by bright acidity, sweet oak spice, and elegant tannins that complement the finish. OAK MATURATION Fourteen months AGEING POTENTIAL Drink over the next 10 + years. WINEMAKING All fruit was selective machine picked in the cool of the early morning. The malbec fruit was then destemmed without...

Halliday Winemaker of the Year 2021. Andrew Caillard MW 93 points. Medium light crimson. Fragrant and sweet red cherry, redcurrant, strawberry aromas with Campari, negroni- like complexity. Seductive red cherry stone, Campari, strawberry flavours, fine bittersweet textures, very good mid-palate richness and integrated fresh acidity. A hint of tar. Quite pinot-noir like with a whip of acidity at the finish. Drink now – 2026 12.3% alc 93 points. 67% Grenache, 33% Bushvine Mataro - Krondorf Vineyard. Organically farmed, single vineyard. Soil: Sandy loam/heavy red clay over a calcareous subsoil. Tasting notes: Ruby red fruit, red musk,...

Halliday Winemaker of the Year 2021. Andrew Caillard MW 95 points. Medium crimson. Intense musky plum, strawberry, herb garden aniseed. Lovely musky plum, strawberry, orange rind, aniseed flavours and fine loose knit chalky textures. Superb mid-palate volume and mineral length. A flourish of mataro (3%) and shiraz (2%) gives the wine complexity and torque. Absolutely delicious. Drink now - 2032 14 % alc 95 points. 95% Grenache, 3% Mataro, 2% Shiraz - Springton, Eden Valley. Single block planted in 1858. Soil: Granitic rock with quartz seams. Elevation: 395m. No fining, no filtration. 14.0% Alc. Tasting notes: Deep, powerful brambly red...

INTERNATIONAL WINE SHOW CHALLENGE 2023, TROPHY.     "A wine of pedigree with a palate that is beautifully balanced with notes of dark fruits, red berries, pencil shavings, and herbs. Beads of refreshing acidity run through to the powerful finish, demonstrating the skill with which it has been crafted. A sophisticated and age-worthy example."   JANE FAULKNER, HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION 2024 While Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are stamped on the label, percentages unknown even if the latter adds lots of its positive attributes to the wine. A dark red/inky hue laden with mulberries, plums, cassis and a baker’s...

RAY JORDAN TOP 100 REDS 2024 From the start this is a captivating blend. Scented notes of violets and red berry strike immediately. The palate is a sumptuous feast of fruit with a complex savoury dark chocolate addition. Retains a smooth and refined palate structure. The supple completeness of the middle palate is a feature, with those fine sinewy tannins adding definition and structure. 95 p;oints.  

HUON HOOKE, THE REAL REVIEW 2023, 95 points. Very deep and youthful red-purple colour, bright and shiny; intense cassis aroma, subtly briary, concentrated fruit evident. The wine is full-bodied and firmly structured, a powerhouse with lavish tannins which are in good balance with the considerable strength of the fruit. There's a lovely core of sweet fruit. This will be long lived and richly reward cellaring.   ERIN LARKIN, HALLIDAY WINE COMPANION 2023,  94 points. With 14/4/1% merlot/cabernet franc/malbec. All varieties fermented and matured separately, in French oak for up to 14 months (15% new). This is routinely a very smart...

Trophy, Western Australian Wine Show, 2023. Trophy, Hobart Royal wine Show, 2023. Gold, National Wine Show 2023.   Fruit from a single vineyard in Wilyabrup, matured in French oak for 14 months (10% new). 2020 was a sensational vintage in Margaret River (warm, ripe and early) and has produced a tranche of effortless-feeling wines, this being one of them. Medium weight, spicy and silky, it has just enough savoury spice to balance the red and purple fruit, bringing the balance and line into focus. Lovely. 93 points. Erin Larkin Published 28 March 2022

95 Points - James Halliday - Halliday's Wine Companion 30yo vines, hand-picked, destemmed, whole berries, open-fermented, 8 days on skins, only free-run juice, 3 months in old puncheons, 3 months in a concrete egg. A rare thing: a mataro that is full of juicy fruit and soft tannins. WINERY NOTES: Aromas of forest floor, blackberry and thyme. It is an amazing wine with true presence and vibrancy. Rich, juicy, textural and earthy with delicately balanced acidity. Cellar now — 2033. Total production 1920 bottles. #95

Cellar Door: Gralyn Shiraz Cab 2001 - $449

Mataro, 1997-planted from three distinct soil types on the Greenock Creek estate, matured in old American (75%) and French oak (25%). As is always the case with wines from this cult producer, there is incredible concentration on display all the while showing balance despite the heady alcohol content. Opulent blue and black fruits with characteristic mataro spice and garrigue with layers of dark spice, fine tannins and impressive energy and fruit heft on the finish.93 points. Dave Brookes Published 04 December 2023   #GC

Clare Valley cabernet has its own DNA and once you're hooked, there's no going back. Here's why: mulberries dipped in mint dark chocolate, goji berries, refreshing yet deep and earthy. Currants, sweet and sour cherries, sandy tannins with a slight green edge to the finish. There's a lot going on here. This is still finding its way but it's certainly not lost. 95 points. Jane Faulkner Published 13 August 2021

James Halliday Wine Companion 92 points. No details other than a touch of nero d'Avola in the mix, and there's certainly a lovely black cherry-jubey-cola lift among the more meaty-reductive-savoury notes. While more medium-bodied, the tannins are firm and there seems to be a lot of charry oak drying and clipping the finish. 92 points. Jane Faulkner Published 01 August 2020.

"50% grenache, 30% mataro and 20% shiraz from 25-76yo vines, wild yeast-open fermented with 10% whole bunches, 14 days on skins, daily plunging and pumpovers, 500 dozen made. Beautifully and harmoniously structured and textured, clarity and purity its watchwords." James Halliday 96/100, Aug 2020 This is the second style of wine to be produced under the ‘HEAD RED’ range and like the ‘HEAD RED’ Shiraz is essentially a barrel de-classification. Always picked on the cusp of ripeness with some whole-bunches retained for the fermentation which is more of an infusion than an extraction. The fruit here is sourced...

  Blend: Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc & Merlot Dark crimson with garnet hues. Intense aromas of raspberry, blackberry, cassis, vanilla flower and dark chocolate with lifted notes of anise, black pepper and cedar. A rich and focussed palate opens with elegant red and black fruits entwined with hints of cocoa, crushed herbs and baking spices, balanced by bright acidity and fine-grained tannins for a long, lingering finish. STUART KNOX, THE REAL REVIEW. 96 points.     Producer Notes: Keyneton Euphonium is a beautiful composition of shiraz from up to 50-year-old vines growing in the Eden and Barossa Valleys,...

  "Briary aromas of blackberry and mulberry confiture are supported by sweet vanilla oak and lightly herbal undertones of white pepper and spices. Smooth, fine and silky, its tightly focused and pristine palate is stained with juicy dark berry, cherry and plum-like flavours tightly knit with lightly smoky vanilla/chocolate oak and fine-grained tannins. Finishes long and savoury, with structure and balance. Drink 2014-2022+."   Jeremy Oliver - 95 points.  

Houghton was established in 1836, just four years after the fledgling colony of Western Australia was founded. It is one of Australia's oldest operating wineries. Houghton is now the tenth-largest red and white bottle brand in Australia, and sources fruit from every major premium grape-growing region in WA, including Gingin, Margaret River, Frankland River and Mount Barker in the Great Southern, and the emerging Pemberton region. A wine of elegance and fruit power, C.W. Ferguson honours the contribution of early Houghton winemaker Charles William Ferguson. During his time at Houghton, Charles established a solid reputation for Houghton...

Erin Larkin for James Halliday's Wine Companion 93 points. Fruit from the Ferguson Valley. Pure and bright with a course of scintillating fruit flavour that trails across the palate. Not overly complex or long, but certainly overly delicious. Gives the mourvèdre earthy tannins that make it such a wonderful variety, and traps within them a core of mulberries straight from the tree in summer. Erin Larkin Published 13 August 2021. colour | Dark red. nose | Blueberries and liquorice. palate | A generous palate featuring flavours of blackberry, coffee and cigar flavours, balanced with soft velvety tannins. winemaking Mourvedre grapes...

Erin Larkin for James Halliday's Wine Companion, 93 points. "Garden mint, tea, cocoa, blackcurrant, pastille, licorice and raspberry coulis. Super-lovely. Really well executed and elegant. Erin Larkin Published 03 August 2022." colour Dark red. nose Mulberry, cherry and bayleaf. palate Floral notes with dark cherries, cassis and a chocolate caramel finish. winemaking With 60% Cabernet and 40% Shiraz, the combined flavours have been brought together by the subtle influences of 10 months in French oak. Cabernet and Shiraz grapes were harvested and fermented and aged separately. Each component was fermented in stainless steel...

"Gosh, this is good. Super-supple fruit that achieves both plushness of tannins and a velvety mouthfeel. Cabernet from Geographe has a really generous chocolate character that is woven through the blackcurrant and cassis fruit. It makes for pleasurable drinking. Add to that a whack of malbec and the resulting wine is floral, satisfying, elegant and delicious. Great effort. 94 points" Erin Larkin Published 03 August 2022. colour | Dark crimson nose | Ripe fresh aroma of black plums and berries with dusty edges. palate | A core of sweet fruit, blueberry and black plum, entwined with fresh savoury French oak giving ripe and plentiful...

Established as a collaboration with the Hahn family in 1997, today Barossa winemaker Rolf Binder continues to produce the wines under the same label, with the JJ Hahn range now available in many countries. These are classic Barossa reds that represent exceptional drinkability and value. A full-bodied, full-flavoured classic is the promise behind the very deep brick red colour. Notes of tea leaf, cedar, sweet berries, spice, chocolate and cigar box aromas fill the glass. Ripe black forest fruits and spice are balanced by rounded tannins and seamless structure. The palate reflects the nose with flavours of cedar, stewed fruit and cigar box....

The Lynn family have been residents of the Penola - Coonawarra district for over four generations, starting out as Store-Keepers and then graduating into grazing. The property on which Majella now stands was originally owned by Frank Lynn and bought by his nephew, George, in 1960 for Merino wool production. Majella now has 61ha under vine and makes some of the finest wines in Coonawarra.  The colour is vibrant deep ruby red with a crimson hue. Fresh mint, eucalyptus and spice make up the lifted nose. The palate is soft and well balanced, with blackberries and cassis flavours with supple soft tannins. A perfect pairing of Cabernet...

Dry-grown primitivo from southern Moppa, hand picked with 30% whole clusters in the wild ferments. Deep purple-red colour, with aromas of deep dark plum and black fruits sheathed in purple floral notes, souk-like spice and dark chocolate. Plenty of dark fruit horsepower on the palate, with a bright, spicy line and kinetic, sandy tannin and support on the rich finish. 91 points. Dave Brookes Published 17 January 2022     Grape Variety: Primitivo (a.k.a. Zinfandel) Every Wednesday evening as the sun was setting, my family used to walk a well worn path across an empty paddock behind our house to our friends house for dinner. One night...

93 Points Dark and brooding but bright and bouncy. Handy combination. Sweet cherries, blackberries, iodine and wood smoke. It's one of those wines where the flavours all feel familiar, though they're arranged in a slightly different way. It works here. In the end it's an easy wine to like, full of fruit and character. James Halliday 2019 Wine Companion 93 Points Beefy red of amplitude and generosity, imbued with dark cherry, black currant fruit and a lift of violet florals. It’s heady stuff, done superbly, loose and juicy with anough grunt of graphite tannin to give structure and needed chew. Really enjoyable drinking here....

Grenache/mataro/shiraz blend, aged in seasoned puncheons. Realising its aspiration of a 'soft, slurpy' southern Rhône style, this is a juicy, fruity and engaging GMS. Glossy red fruits of old bush-vine grenache are seamlessly melded with the savoury spice of whole-bunch mataro and the black licorice and satsuma plum of shiraz. Fine, supple tannins lend just the right amount of grip to steady the finish. Tyson Stelzer Published 16 August 2021.

JH 95. The year was unusual, with cabernet and shiraz ripening at the same time (shiraz is usually first). 50% of this wine was co-fermented and left on skins for a month, the other parcels separately vinified, all parcels matured in French hogsheads. A very complex wine of high quality. Whether it captured '17 is another question. James Halliday Published 01 August 2020. #95

A blend of 80% Shiraz and 20% Pinot Noir. Small production. Big heart. 95 points - Mike Bennie The Wine Front "Cor blimey, this is a wine! Such beautiful texture, vibrancy, shimmering cherry juice and cranberry tang, layers of spice, herb, a bristling line of acidity and such fine and shape-giving tannins. It’s one of those wines that feels beautiful let alone tastes delicious. Lighter weight style with all the structure. Super stuff here." Halliday Wine Companion, 95 points. The tension between tannin, acidity, savoury nuances and fruit is high. It feels as though all the components here are sitting straight and alert....

This is a new face, the blend proportions not stated, hand picked and co-fermented before 10 days on skins in tank then six months maturation in old puncheons. It's been very well made, a bright and juicy medium-bodied, fruit-driven wine, red fruits to the fore, ready now. 90 points. James Halliday Published 29 July 2023.   Hand picked and destemmed  to tank for a short cold soak.   Inoculated for a warm ferment of around 10 days with pumping over three times daily.    Pressed at dryness to old barrels for MLF before being racked to tank for blending which occurred in October after 6 months in wood....

Noon Eclipse is predominantly Grenache (80%+) with smaller proportions of Shiraz and Graciano. The grapes come from the three Noon ‘home’ vineyards in McLaren Vale. The grapes are hand-picked and fermented in small, open vats with hand-plunging to help extract colour and tannins.

Trophy Best Dry Red Blend - Melbourne International Wine Competition 2019. The red wine for everyone. A perfect blend of cabernet sauvignon (65%), shiraz (25%) and merlot (10%) makes this red wine balanced and smooth, deliciously easy to drink and impossible not to like. Pair with spaghetti and meatballs, baked pasta dishes such as lasagne and similar veggie bakes, bean dishes with smoked ham or chorizo, pepperoni pizza. WINE NOTES Colour: deep crimson Aroma: cassis, black plum, mulberry, cedar, spice Palate: dark berries, black olive, dried herb, fine silky tannins Cellar: up to 10 years VITICULTURE Region: Yarra Valley Vineyard: Melba...

A blend of 40% each tinta cão and tinta amarela (co-fermented), and 20% touriga separately fermented and blended later. A five-day cold soak and a total of 21 days on skins. The vibrant, striking crimson-purple hue introduces a wine that accompanied me up to dinner on the day it was tasted. The bouquet is intensely floral, with rosehip, cherry blossom and eastern spices, the palate gloriously juicy yet with a mouth-watering, savoury spine. 96 points. James Halliday Published 13 September 2022

Wine Front (Ray Jordan) 95 points. Huon Hooke , The Real Review , 95 points. COLOUR Deep red  AROMA Immediate Cabernet aromas; Cassis, dry herbs and bay leaves, hints of Shiraz dark fruits PALATE Rich, fleshy and full - bramble berry fruits fleshed out with generous dark fruited Shiraz. A youthful freshness, driven by very fine tannin and balanced acidity WINEMAKER'S COMMENTS For generations known colloquially as ‘Claret’, the blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz together highlights the varieties' complementary characteristics. Cabernet for classic tannin structure and bramble berry aromatics, whilst Shiraz carries...

The Real Review – 92 points “Intense cherry-red colour. Dark cherry and charry meat aromatics. Dark berries on entry, but then it becomes a distinctly savoury wine with dry earth, exotic spice and dried blood elements all filling the palate. The tannins are firm and granular as expected for the variety, they accentuate the savoury nature whilst creating drive and length. Time and/or food will reward you here” Stuart Knox. COLOUR Deep ruby red with purple hues BOUQUET Lush red berries with primary fruits at the fore and a hint of sweet paprika PALATE Summer red berries carry through. Supple fine-grain tannins and bright...

The Real Review – 91 points “Medium-intense ruby-red hue. Cherry, violets and African spice aromatics. Medium to full-bodied. Dark cherry, anise and bay leaf spices with a dry earth undertone. Good length with a firm tannic grip that dries it well. No rush to get into this wine.” Stuart Knox. COLOUR Light, bright cherry red BOUQUET A lifted nose displaying delicate spice of clove and nutmeg with some cherry notes at the fore. PALATE Satsuma plums and sour cherry set the tone for this crunchy and vibrant wine. Firm tannins and refreshing acidity, coupled with bright fruit round out this medium-bodied beauty.   #hedonist

Mataro was brought to Australia by James Busby in 1832 from Perpignan in the Roussillon in southern France and has shown its suitability to the Barossa Valley climate exceptionally well ever since. The broad appeal to Mataro lies in its earthy ruggedness and ability to show finesse and structure. While often used as a blending component, at Turkey Flat we feel Mataro deserves to star in its own right as a single varietal.   The Real Review: "Ink black core with a deep purple rim. Deep and dark aromas of plum, blood and tar tell a story that resonates on the intense and weighty palate. Cola spices fill in as it builds long, caressed...

Gary Walsh, The Wine Front , 94 points.. Dark cherries, black raspberry, liquorice and spice. Full of flavour, but less than full-bodied, chocolate, earth and spice, succulence and depth, fine almost brick dust tannin, a bit of a ‘mineral’ feel, and very good length. Something like black forest cake flavour in the aftertaste, and other things too, of course. What a bargain. Tasted: Oct 2019; Alcohol: 14.2%;Closure: Screwcap; Drink: 2019-2028+; Rated: 94 Points; Gary Walsh; The Wine Front. . James Halliday Wine Companion 93 points. Grenache 49%, shiraz 35%, mataro 16%. An even flow of berried flavour, immaculate balance, a bit...

Decanter Magazine....Top 10 Wines of Australia 2020. “Renowned for producing fine wines in Jerez, Pedro Ximènez (or PX) can really excel in other part of the world. Intense marmalade aromas with some sweet spice and dried figs. The palate is lusciously rich with some pure marmalade and dried figs characters, very long, sweet and rich finish but with a good freshness.” Decanter, Top 10 Australian Wines. This fortified Pedro Ximénez was made from grapes grown specifically for us by a number of traditional Barossa grape growers. Pedro Ximénez are amongst the last grape varieties to be harvested each vintage in...

This vintage not rated yet but here is the review for the 2022: "The best iteration of Mencía in the country. Think cool-climate syrah in a more savoury, mellifluous guise, smattered with dried thyme, fennel and peppery tannins, a twine of attractive astringency. A sphere of blue-fruited succulence expands across a fullish girth with energy, drive, length and immense joy. Great drinking!"  - 95 Points - Ned Goodwin MW , Halliday Wine Companion 2023. 100 dozen made.   THE VINEYARD Sourced from approximately 10-year-old vines at Oliver’s Taranga Vineyard Seaview, McLaren Vale. WINEMAKING Picked...