Even Keel. It's been a while. Hammered by weather issues, small crop volumes and the like in recent years, it's great to see the label come across the bench once again. These are smart wines made by the very personable and hilarious Sam Coverdale. From the cool climes of Tumbarumba, the fruit is handpicked, whole bunch pressed and sits on lees for 10 months in older French oak. Going through full malolactic fermentation, this is a joy to drink. Initially, it feels lean and skeletal, but a precision washes over you. This is a Chardonnay I'd recommend to decant. Possessing a measured dr ..read more

  One of the better Merlots I've seen for a while, this Nightfall Lupus is coiled and focused with a furrowed brow. A keeper, give it the time it deserves and let it breathe and you'll be rewarded in spades. Absolutely humming on day three of tasting, blackberry pie and blackcurrants flow freely with an array of dried Mediterranean herbs. Kicks of earth link with waves of spearmint and dried mint leaves adding a neat savoury appeal. The longer it sits the more cigar box and leather find the courage to move forward. A touch of cedar rises up showing some oak influence. Long, moreish and ..read more

  Damn, this is a great drink. It's a shining beacon for how fabulously approachable and delicious Great Southern Pinot Noir can be. Pour this large. Machine harvested with a portion seeing whole bunch fermentation (15%) and another portion seeing barrel fermentation then spending ten months in mix of new and used French oak (25% new). Dark cherries and strawberries light up the stage with an evocative presence. It's juicy yet there is some generosity for the curious. Tilled earth, char, a smidge of black tea, twigs and a little pine needle add detail. A fabulous length keeps you captiv ..read more

  What a beauty! This Aquila Cabernet Franc from Nightfall Wines glides with ease. There is an unmissable precision as it seemingly floats through the mouth.  The layers of interest cascade from the glass as every sip reveals something new. The detail is most impressive. Black fruits and berries swarm. Blackberry paste, tomato leaf and spearmint leaves fold into one another. A little earthiness kicks up before cedar and sandalwood express the time spent in oak as soft pillows of cocoa powdery tannins dry out ever so slowly leaving a puckering finish. And that length! Wow. This wil ..read more

  Delicate, supple and a joy to embrace, this is a fabulous Grenache from Ox Hardy. If you seek a silky, juicy glass or two of a medium-bodied red, this will fill your bucket and then some. From vines 40+ and 50+ years of age, the fruit is sourced from Blewitt Springs and McLaren Flat. Handpicked, it goes to open fermenters with 10% whole bunches and sees six months in seasoned French oak. Juicy is definitely the word. It's a playful and silky wine highlighted by red cherries and raspberries. That red fruit dances freely. Ripples of earthiness and an array of woodsy spices drive long and ..read more

  A terrific food wine, you won't lose with this in your glass. This classic GSM blend from Head Wines is very much an all-rounder. A 60/20/20 blend, the Grenache is sourced from nine vineyards across the Barossa, the Shiraz comes from the Eden Valley and the Mataro component comes off 60 year old vines in the Nuriootpa sub-region. It's a clever, approachable wine that hits the mark at the price point. Baked raspberries, dark cherries, blueberries and plums get you in the mood. Some earthiness comes with the territory as do waves of spices that seem never-ending. The shape, feel, length ..read more

  Australia's best Viognier? Absolutely! Not one winery in Australia has hung its hat on Viognier as its flagship white wine, but Yalumba has. They've been singing its praises for 40+ years and this Virgilus 2022 is another excellent release. It sees seasoned French oak for ten months and has been delicately handed as ever. There are a few Eden Valley Viogniers well worth putting on your radar and this is certainly one of them. Take a whiff and it creates quite a relaxed ambience. There is a captivating interplay between fruit and savoury characters along with silky feels as it caresses ..read more

  A smooth, soulful Cabernet at a very reasonable $16. Value much? This Hesketh Twist of Fate is a handy drink. Rock solid, it ticks the boxes with its varietal presence. There is some alcohol warmth but that will be absorbed beside some food. Rich dark plums, blackberries and Ribena are partnered by olive tapenade, roasted peppers and dried sage. A little spice clutches to a respectable finish. It's pretty good. Drink to five years. 89/100 Region: Limestone Coast  RRP: $16 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow me: Twitter and&nb ..read more

  This is a ripping autumn drink. Great fruit. Great texture. Interest all round. Hello to the Head Wines Les Blancs 2023. It's a blend of White Grenache, Viognier and Savagnin (50/30/15) with a dollop of Vermentino. But White Grenache?? I assumed it was Grenache Gris but I'm wrong. This from Alex Head, "In 2008, in looking for neutrality, high acidity, etc, I had already started using white varieties to acidify my red wines, and these old beauties gave me another string for the bow. A little research found that they were planted in 1953 from cuttings off the Helbig vineyard in Greenock ..read more

  Sleek, silky and juicy sum up this fabulous Old Vine Grenache from Head Wines. The fruit is sourced from two sites that are 80 and 163 years old. The former coming off clay soils in Krondorf and the latter on quartz and ironstone from the cooler Springton site. Scents of purple flowers and red petals before handfuls of raspberries, red cherries and baked raspberry tart get the jump early. Red apple skin muses with woodsy and baking spices that drive long. That hum from the spice seems endless and whispers at you to return for more. This is a wine that flexes some muscle with a little ..read more