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

  Brand new and sourced from the Adelaide Hills subregion of Woodside, this Gamay is part of the ever-growing Hesketh range of wines. So delicious, slinky and slurpable, you could get very dangerous with this. Incredibly smooth and ridiculously approachable, it is loaded with berry basket and forest berry fruits. Purple flowers aromas add pretty factor. Tilled earth brings some briar to the party and red apples offer an acid crunch - yes! It's a wonderful uncomplicated drink in many ways. A mighty fine debut from these young vines. Drink now. 91/100 Region: Adelaide Hills RRP:&nbs ..read more

  This Hesketh Rules of Engagement Pinot Grigio is a great buy for 16 bucks. Tidy fruit with some textural interest = winning! There is the faintest blush to its appearance - nice! White fleshed nectarines, canned pear, a drop or two of lemon juice with a Mediterranean tonic-like feel. A little more time in the glass sees an ever so minute flicker of musk rise up. A great buy for the money, but more importantly, it's a great drink. Drink now. 91/100 Region: Limestone Coast RRP: $16 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow me: Twitter and ..read more

  Clean and crisp, this Hesketh Regional Selections Sauvignon Blanc is a clear step up from the entry level Bright Young Things. Vibrant with an expressive personality, think pineapple sage, lemon grass, passionfruit and lemon juice. There is a good whip-crack of acidity that knocks everything into shape. It's good gear. Drink now 90/100 Region: Adelaide Hills RRP: $25 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow me: Twitter and Instagram  If you enjoy the reviews, consider a donation ..read more

  A bone dry Rosé looking to wash down a burger or a barbecued meal. Rose gold in the glass, rhubarb, red currants and a creamy drive are etched with super fine spices. There is some personality here but it is timid and holds its cards close. Long and persistent with textural rub to finish, it would work best beside some food. Drink now. 87/100 Region: Limestone Coast RRP: $16 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow me: Twitter and Instagram  If you enjoy the reviews, consider a donation ..read more

  This Hesketh Bright Young Things Sauvignon Blanc offers simple pleasure. Fresh with respectable energy, it is highlighted by green melon, pears and passionfruit with capsicum and cut green herbs. A dash of lemon rushes late and leaves its imprint. A fair partner for fish and chips or a bag of sea salt crisps by the water. Drink now. 87/100 Region: Limestone Coast RRP: $16 Source: Sample Winery Website Subscribe to Qwine here Follow me: Twitter and Instagram  If you enjoy the reviews, consider a donation ..read more

  The best of the best from Nightfall Wines, this Draco is a single vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon and is the flagship for the brand. A sheer delight to embrace, over a few days of tasting it loosened the belt buckle and sat back in a more relaxed manner. Rest assured, it will live long and will reward your patience. More savoury than the black fruit driven 2019, that Coonawarra earthiness really shines through here. Sure there are the Cabernet dark berries and blackberries varietal traits that you'd expect, but the puffs of earth, church pew, dried thyme, tomato paste, cocoa powder ..read more