Sourced from the Hill Smith Vineyard in the Adelaide Hills, this Camino Wine Co Chardonnay is a fruit-driven delight that calls for verandah chills on a warm afternoon. It sees eight months in neutral French oak and that ensures the fruit is the hero. Aromas of small white field flowers are met by yellow grapefruit, lemony tang, sherbet and green apples on the stage. Tense through the core, lemon pith sticks to the mid-palate with lemon curd slowly making its presence known. A lithe creaminess pushes through to a long finish highlighted by a citrusy tang. The vibrance and energy are ap ..read more

  Delicate with lacy fruit, this Levantine Hill Syrah is a silky and supple delight. As much as its curved lines add appeal, there is a measured density which I found alluring. Blackberries, mulberries, dark plums and blueberries work in unison delivering fabulous flow and depth. Chorizo and pan juices add a delicious meatiness with superfine spices stitched to the fabric. The length is pitched perfectly and lingers longer than expected. You could embrace this with an array of food-matching recommendations but a bag of Kettle chips and a comfy spot on the lounge will do me just fine. D ..read more

  What a luxurious ride through Chardonnay paradise. Silky and devilishly delicious, the width and length on offer only heighten the enjoyment factor. It's quite stunning really. White fleshed nectarines, a little mango and lemon juice introduce themselves first up. Cashews drive the nutty savoury presence with praline, brioche, vanilla cream and a flash of melted butter. Some flint builds the courage to shoulder its way forward while fine ginger spices draw concentric circles on a persistent and lengthy finish. A lick of grapefruit seals the deal and stamps its class. Sip slow and embr ..read more

  A brilliant drink! This Cabernet Franc with a dollop of Shiraz (9%) from Terre à Terre presses all the right buttons. From the third in a series of cool vintages, the vines are densely planted at 1.5 metres apart, translating to more canopy per hectare and better fruit exposure. Once fermented, the final wine saw a combination of French oak barrels and foudre for 14 months. Blackcurrants, blackberries and dark plums are all the rage. Black tea, leather, and dried Mediterranean herbs bump in adding detail. There is a delightful mouthfeel and presence that brings its own lift of so ..read more

  The best of the best from Redman Wines, The Redman is a blend of Cabernet and Shiraz (70/30). An old school style, this is worth getting around if you prefer traditional winemaking. Proven to develop with age, this is a keeper. It sees two years in French oak and reveals stewed fruit, blackberries and blackcurrants on an inviting opening. Leather, bay leaf and shimmers of earth complement the fruit adding fabulous savoury nuances. A super-fine spice crawls through almost in stealth mode with dark chocolate and sweet vanilla a byproduct of the oak. Licorice rides long and leaves a lasti ..read more

  Old school Barossa Shiraz nailing the brief. Winemaker Jason Barrette has been around the block and his new range of wines under the Camino Wine Co label are very smart. The wines are sourced from premier sites, and this Shiraz highlights his skillset. Sourced from 80-100 year old vines located in the heart of Maranaga behind the Gnadenfrei Church and next to the Torbreck Laird Vineyard, it saw 19 months in American oak and was not fined or filtered prior to bottling. Patience is key with this one though. Gee, it shone over a few days. Give it that time to reveal its true persona and ..read more

  If you like them savoury then this is right up your alley. Hello to a most impressive Yarra Valley Pinot Noir from Levantine Hill. A blend from an array of estate plantings, this sings all things autumnal and savoury. Red cherries and dark cherries along with strawberries make an early impression before cola, black tea, sauteed mushrooms, dried leaves and twigs go about their work. They fold into one another with ease as pancetta and oven roasted tomato skin rise up with more time in the glass. An array of fine spices add fairy dust and further interest to heighten the enjoyment facto ..read more

  Experienced winemaker Jason Barrette has released his own range of wines under the Camino Wine Co banner. Sourced from some respectable sites, this Grenache immediately caught my attention coming off 1912 planted centenarian vines. What an excellent debut! The Lyndoch vineyard is located in the southern Barossa and the clay based soils of the area make themselves known. Twenty-five percent whole bunches were used and the finished wine was not fined or filtered. Pretty aromas of red petals and roses light the stage with raspberries, baked rhubarb, strawberries, raspberry rope, red cherr ..read more

  Power and grace sum up this Big Bully from Briar Ridge best. Very Cabernet and showing all the varietal traits you'd expect, there is an energy and vibrance that cannot be overlooked and that was a consistent highlight over a couple of days of tasting. Sourced from Wrattonbully, just up the road from Coonawarra, it is bursting with blackberries and blackcurrants. After dinner mints and barbecued capsicum tack for the ride. Black olives, dried sage and some pan juices add neat nuances. Drying with tannins edging towards the powdery spectrum, this is a Cabernet on the rise that is sure ..read more

  Sourced from the Hilltops region, this Briar Ridge Hillrose Shiraz needs some time to breathe. Give it that chance and you'll be rewarded. Quite red fruit driven initially, this didn't see any new oak in the winery. Highlights of cherry pie, chocolate dust and chocolate biscuit crumb, rose hip and raspberries reveal themselves the longer it sits. And time keeps delivering with plums building momentum. Black earthiness and dried herbs play a neat supporting role. Drying with dusty tannins on an elongated finish, it would show better with food.  Drink to five years+ 91/100 Region:&n ..read more