Sunshine Drinking

 China Wine & Spirits Awards: Best Value 2018

 Perth Royal Wine Awards: Gold 2017

 Margaret River Wine Show 2017: Gold Medal

 James Halliday's Best Australian Red Wines Under $25 

 Margaret River Wine Show 2017: Gold Medal

95 Points - James Halliday

The pale but bright hue opens the door for this blend of shiraz and tempranillo, chiefly tank-fermented, a small portion fermented in barrel. Its fragrant bouquet is attractive enough, but doesn't quite prepare you for the intensity and drive that spears through to the finish and aftertaste. Wild strawberry and hints of forest make this a very special rose.

100% Cabernet Franc and the colour is incredibly striking – Blood orange / copper.  Both the nose and the palate evoke a big bowl of summer fruits – strawberries and raspberries, although the acidity is present to add balance and freshness. The additional bottle age adds depth and complexity which is often missing with Rosé wines. Wonderful persistency, much preferred over MIP’s ‘Classic’ and a steal at the price...

16.5 Points - Jancis Robinson "Rose petal, redcurrant - good generosity of fruit, and a clear step up from their basic cuvée. Good persistence too. Worth the premium."

The Domaine Sainte Lucie Made in Provence (MIP) Premium Rosé 2016 is delicately pale pink in colour and packed full of berry fruit on the nose. Flavours of sour cherry, strawberry, pear drops are intermixed with hints of herbs and earth. The texture here is satiny and luscious yet the overall effect is buoyant and infectiously juicy. Outstanding on all accounts, and just what you're looking for when you need a dry rosé for a hot summers day...

The Domaine Sainte Lucie Made in Provence (MIP) Premium 2015 rosé wine is delicately pale pink in colour and packed full of berry fruit on the nose. Outstanding on all accounts, and just what you're looking for when you need a dry rosé for a hot summer...

James Suckling "This has a wonderful acid intensity with stone and lemon undertones. A linear and tight white. So focused that it is almost unforgiving. But the fruit density and purity brings it all together. Drink now."

Lagar de Cervera is La Rioja Alta S.A.'s property in Galicia and produces one of Spain's most distinctive whites. Situated in the north-west, it has established a reputation for producing superb wine of great depth and freshness. The 2016 vintage stands our for its aromatic intensity and zingy citrus flavours. The climatic conditions of the year, with heavy Spring rains followed by a Summer drought and high temperatures, concentrated the flavours. Some additional lees contact enhanced the density and complexity of the wine on the mid-palate whilst maintaining its freshness.

Those eagle eyed Decanter readers may have spotted the unprecedented score for a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (August 2017 Edition).

The Marlborough producer, Auntsfield has been awarded a colossal 98 points for their 2016 single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, the same score awarded by Decanter for the 2016 Bordeaux En-Primeur’s – Chateaux Mouton Rothschild, Pichon Lalande & Figeac...

94-96 Points - Jeb Dunnuck 

Incorporating 10% Syrah and 15% Mourvédre, the Grenache-dominated 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape (there's a touch of Cinsault) sports a saturated ruby/purple color. It shows hints of new oak in its black raspberries, blackberry, cured meats, crushed violets and spice-driven aromatics. This gives way to a rich, incredibly concentrated base cuvée that could easily be mistaken for the Vieille Vignes from another good year. Polished, concentrated and young, it's going to need bottle age.

 Decanter World Wine Awards: Bronze 2017

90 Points - Luis Gutierezz (erobertparker.com)

The just-bottled, screw-capped 2016 Felino Chardonnay was quite impressive. It's now produced exclusively with grapes grown in the Valle de Uco and was cropped from an unusual wet and cold growing season. It fermented with indigenous yeasts with full malolactic, with 15% of the volume put into neutral French oak barrels and bottled seven months after the harvest. It's very fresh and varietal, with a nose that mixes white flowers and fruit and a balsamic twist. The palate is fresh and sharp, elegant with very clean flavors, showcasing the minerality of the soils. Is this the finest Felino Chardonnay to date?

97+ Points - Stuart McCloskey

What a welcome back after a three-vintage absence (for me, not the wine!). Waves of plums, mulberries, black cherries and hints of blood orange wash effortlessly across your palate. There is an intense core of rich dark fruits perfectly framed by fine tannins which is impossible not to admire. Certainly, an intriguing Pinot Noir which straddles styles and certainly would not be out of place with some of Sonoma’s ‘top’ Pinot Noirs. Utterly joyful and quite honestly soars above many of its New Zealand peers. Served in a Zalto Burgundy glass but I do feel a little unkind with my score – Perhaps another point (98+) if I had the patience to decant which I would highly recommend.

97 Points - Bob Campbell MW

Rich, concentrated pinot noir with ripe plum, black cherry, liquorice, spice, anise and nutty oak flavours. A powerful wine that's a pleasure to taste now but has the potential to develop well in bottle.