Our Top 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."

Winemaker "It took us a while to get this one right, when we were first experimenting with Petite Sirah the tannins were so pronounced that tasters actually started howling as it crossed their palate. We later planted other naturally tannic varietals Tannat and Saperavi, softening the tannins so the only howl we hear now is one of enjoyment. Taken from Dadd’s Block on the high side – sandy loam with long sunlight hours and low rainfall. The best of these varieties is selected each year, either on their own or as a blend."

97 Points - Magda Sienkiewicz "It has evolved beautifully since we took possession in late 2019. The aromas have developed with lanoline, light petrol, rich citrus and honeyed pears. The perfume is truly luxurious and the palate bursts with deliciously ripe citrus and candied orange peel, a little sweetness mid palate and a streak of minerals drives the wine to a dry finish (not bone dry). There is so much to enjoy with Hutton Vale Farm’s Riesling – the generosity, its poise, balance and elegance too. Best of all, it is accessible now, but has the quality to evolve slowly and gracefully over the next decade or so. As a side note: If you ever wondered about the

distinct ‘petrol’ aroma, it is down to a compound identified as TDN (1,1,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene) which concentrates and intensifies as the wine matures."

97+ Points - Stuart McCloskey “A fabulous Roussanne from Wild Duck Creek which has taken me by surprise – this is sampling magnificently and I'm not entirely sure why this has passed me by…Served at warehouse temperature (13-15 degrees) which is spot on and helps the bouquet to unfurl with delicate aromatics of honeysuckle, peach, orchard fruits, spiced apple and a background of fresh hay – a faint waft of fresh ginger in the background. The textural palate feel is weighty, luxurious and balanced amazingly. Perfect, if I am being honest. There’s a lovely grippy textural feel which adds structure to the satin like texture. Fruit is pointed towards an autumnal orchard with touches of stone fruits, spiced honey and fresh ginger. I enjoy the savouriness with a little hay coming across too. A streak of acidity keeps the palate alive and complements the richness wonderfully. In summary; opulent, magnificently textured, super long, full of energy and will certainly appeal to those seeking all of the above. Magnificent. Served using Zalto Bordeaux glassware. Drink now to 2030.”

James Halliday "Bright, clear purple-red; offers a rich tapestry of succulent fruit in a blood plum spectrum, the oak evident but not over the top, finishing with soft tannins."

Jay Miller (robertparker.com) "The 2005 Grenache Clarendon is dark ruby-colored with an enticing bouquet of violets, damp earth, and sappy black cherry. This leads to a ripe, velvety-textured, intensely fruity, structured wine which will evolve for 4-5 years and drink well through 2020."

James Suckling  "Ripe lime and lemon fruits with some candied glacé citrus are cast across flinty and stony aromas. The palate has a long, fluid build of concentrated citrus and stone fruit flavours. Terrific depth. Drink now. Screw cap."

Robert Parker "Peg Bay's 2016 Riesling offers up hints of struck flint or crushed stone, singed orange zest, ripe nectarine and tangerines. It would benefit from a brief decanting—just don't let it warm too much. It's slightly sweet and medium-bodied, weighing in along the lines of a Pfalz wine, with plenty of weight and richness for a Riesling."

James Halliday "Some colour development; cigar box and spice nuances to the bouquet, then some bottle-developed complexity, moving the black cherry fruit towards the sour cherry; has overall balance; less than 500 dozen made."

96 Points - James Halliday "From a single vineyard; free-run juice only used. Remarkable wild yeast wine with no additions until bottling. Beautiful nutty infused strawberry and cherry flavours, mouthfeel, balance, length. All boxes (and then some) ticked. 13% alc, screwcap."

96++ to 97++ Stuart McCloskey “A very grown-up style of Riesling and more similar to Alsace than many new world styles.  The nose is restrained but provides glimpses of lemony minerality, fresh lime, wet stones and mineral salts. The palate is mouth-watering, incredibly pure, tightly knit and clearly has the ability to age for 10-20 years. The Stonegarden single vineyard sits almost 400-metres above sea level and forms part of an ancient seabed. The vineyard's rocky, loam topsoil sits above a substrate of red clay containing rose quartz and black mica schist fragments, which this wine amplifies. The heat of summer and low night temperatures provide the long, slow ripening of fruit resulting in complex flavours and fine-boned acidity. I believe this wine lives and breathes its natural terroir and stands proudly amongst Australia’s finest Rieslings. I look forward to seeing how this wine has evolved in five years’ time. Delicious now but the investment is in its future. Served in Zalto Universal glassware”

Winemaker "An apricot and spicy ginger bouquet following through to a textured, rich, apricot and musk palate while finishing clean, with a great line of length. Our climatic advantage of warm days and cool nights, coupled with planting numerous Viognier clones, creates layers of intensity. A small amount of HTK clone planted at 9,000 vines per hectare adds to the concentration. The fruit was hand picked, whole-bunch pressed and fermented in barrel. Our ‘Golden Lox’ has to be picked just right. Picked too late; no structure. Picked too early; no apricots. And, ripening very fast; we have less than a 24 hour window to get it just right!"