White

Jeb Dunnuck (erobertparker.com)

“I continue to be blown away by the quality coming from Domaine de la Bila Haut, which is run with the Chapoutier team. They’ve continued to grow these Roussillon releases, and even at the entry-level price point, the quality is stunning. The straight Les Vignes de Bila Haut is a no-brainer purchase.” 

Made in a semidried, Vin Santo style where the grapes are handpicked at optimum ripeness and acid balance, they are then placed on racks and dried before crushing and fermenting. This wine has no botrytis or fortification. Sublimely sweet and rich, bursting with pure pear, pineapple and cream aromas and flavours. A refined acid structure balances the sweetness to give a lingering, velvety finish.

92 Points - Stuart McCloskey

The 2015 is a blend of 85% Viura and 15% Malvasía from vines 50+ year-old-vines and raised in French (75%) and American (25%) oak barrels. The nose reveals an inviting perfume of mineral, melon and jasmine. The palate is dry, spicy, elegant, offering lots of ripe flours, beautifully balanced and finishes which is long and satisfying. White Rioja at this price does not get much better than this!

18 Points - Raymond Chan

Bright straw-yellow colour with some depth, lighter on the edge. The nose is softly full and gently up-front and voluminous with aromas of yellow stonefruits in an amalgam with white peaches and a subtle mealy and nutty overlay. Medium-full bodied, the palate is stylishly up-front with flavours of ripe yellow stonefruits and peaches with nutty and savoury mineral interest. The mouthfeel has fruit richness lending rounded textures and plenty of presence...

What a great vintage on the back of the 98 (Decanter) Point 2016... Cool fermentation with cultured yeast in stainless steel tanks was utilised to retain the fresh varietal aromatics. This was balanced by a portion of the fruit subjected to traditional winemaking practices; handpicked, whole bunch pressed and fermented in seasoned oak barrels, adding texture and length to the wine. The result is a hand-crafted wine combining the bright fresh fruit characters with an underlying minerality and fine structure.

90 Points - Luis Gutierrez (erobertparker.com)

The nose is quite serious and balanced showing moderate effect of the yeasts and oak, waxy aromas of apples, hints of honeycomb, fennel and licorice. The palate is quite fresh and surprisingly fruit-driven with good acidity and clean flavors. It's approachable and should also be able to age and improve in bottle for a few years. Quite impressed! 

93+ Points - Vinous (Antonio Galloni)

Pale bright straw-green. High-pitched aromas of cantaloupe and hazelnut complement sage, rosemary and green fig. Bright and juicy in the mouth, with a strong impression of extract enlivening the flavors of orange zest, botanical herbs and fresh fruit salad. This is the best Pecorino wine ever made by Tiberio, and it’s also the best, most varietally accurate Pecorino wine of the year.

93 Points - Bob Campbell 

Pungent, flavoursome sauvignon blanc with classic passionfruit, capsicum, pink grapefruit and citrus flavours. A good example of the Marlborough style, with appealing punchy varietal character.

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.

Fresh and lively with peach, pear and rocky mineral scents, the palate is layered with conference pear, green apple, white blossom, a touch of soft spice and a mineral freshness. There is considerable concentration and structure alongside a delicious salty quality leading to a long and elegant finish. This extremely appealing wine would partner well with almost any seafood dish.

 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?

93 Points - James Suckling

This is another gorgeous white with sliced apple, lemon rind, and just a hint of cream. Grapefruit. Full body, layered and beautiful. Energetic and vivid. Screw cap. Drink now or hold.

This fruit driven unoaked Chardonnay has been produced using premium grapes from the Margaret River region. The wine exhibits the classic varietal Chardonnay aromas of peaches and citrus. On the palate, vibrant notes of stone fruit are complemented by fresh grapefruit characters and a creamy, nutty soft finish.

Silver Medal – 2017 Wine Show of Western Australia

The blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon is one of the classic Margaret River wine styles. The Sauvignon Blanc in this wine displays tropical fruit and citrus aromas which are complemented by the grassy nuances of Semillon. On the palate, the wine is fresh and vibrant showing passion fruit characters with a lingering crisp finish.

91 Points - Luis Gutierrez (erobertparker.com)

There is great purity and precision, a sharp Chardonnay with very little effect of the oak, just a spicy twist, a wine that incites you to drink with effervescent acidity that makes you salivate and cleanses your palate. Great, sharp Chardonnay.

94 Points – Bob Campbell

Bright, fresh and reasonably concentrated sauvignon blanc with capsicum, lemongrass, gooseberry, wet stone, mineral and subtle tropical fruit flavours. Impressive purity and length, this high energy wine could develop well in bottle.

93 Points - James Suckling 

Pungent passion fruit and fragrant melon, Tahitian lime citrus, this really takes sauvignon to another place for Marlborough, exposing the edgy, exciting and minerally possibilities whilst embracing the rampant intensity of fruit. Great acid, mouth-watering from front to back. Drink now.

95 Points - Neal Martin

The 2014 Doisy-Vedrines has a tightly knit, backward bouquet that demands much more encouragement than its peers. The palate is well balanced with a viscous texture, extremely well judged acidity, poised with a beautiful quince and marmalade-tinged finish that lingers in the mouth. Superb. Tasted blind at the annual Southwold tasting.

17.75 Points – Decanter Panel

Individual judges’ scores:
John Livingstone-Learmonth - 18 Points
Ben Llewelyn - 17 Points
Marcel Orford-Williams - 18 Points

90 Points - Neal Martin

It has quite a forward, rich, generous bouquet with subtle honeysuckle and apricot notes merging with the apply aromas. The palate is fresh and crisp on the entry, a little grassiness at first, gently opening up to a gooseberry, nettle and green apple-flavored finish. This might be my pick of Olivier Bernard's three 2015 offerings under the Clos des Lunes label and it comes highly recommended.

90 Points - Antonio Galloni

The highlight in this range from Foxglove, the 2014 Chardonnay packs a serious punch for the money. Bright, juicy and exuberant, the Foxglove Chardonnay will thrill readers looking for a budget-priced Chardonnay. Lemon peel, white flowers and mint meld together in a rich, beautifully layered Chardonnay long on class. Aging in steel and blocked malolactic fermentation keep the flavors bright, but there is no shortage of depth or intensity. This is a fabulous wine, especially considering its modest price.

17 Points - Julia Harding MW (JancisRobinson.com)

On the nose this has both the freshness of capsicum and the sweetness of green figs, neither under- nor over-ripe, as well as a light saltiness and a hint of passionfruit. On the palate it is mercifully dry with really good intensity and focus in a difficult vintage. It has both fruit weight and freshness and persistence and a long stony finish. Mouth-wateringly pure. 

93 Points - Bob Campbell MW

Delicately aromatic sauvignon blanc with wet stone, mineral, lime zest, gooseberry and subtle passionfruit flavours. A taut, linear wine in a bone-dry style with mouth-watering acidity. Impressive purity and drive 

Pale yellow with green hues. Aromas of citrus fruits, lemon and a fine touch of spice and ginger which follow to the palate. This wine is lively, medium-bodied with an attractive underlying mineral touch.

95 Points – Bob Campbell 

Campbell Mattinson (Wine Companion)

Excellent intensity. Lemongrass and ripe stone fruit flavours meet gravel and sweat. Super fresh and lively. Textural finish.

92 points - James Halliday 

Gold Medal – 2017 Wine Show of Western Australia
Silver Medal – 2017 Perth Royal Wine Show

96 Points – James Halliday Wine Companion 2016 "Small batch-fermented in French oak (18.5% new) on lees for 7 months with light battonage. The combination of high quality cool grown grapes and sensitive winemaking has produced this lovely chardonnay, the first release of a chardonnay in the Senses range. Delicacy teams with intensity (an oxymoron if ever there was one), grapefruit, white peach and nectarine the drivers, not the oak."

The Doisy-Daëne Blanc Sec 2014 has a pleasant, refined bouquet with scents of green apple intermingling with lime and granitic scents. The palate is taut and fresh with a sharpline of acidity and a penetrating malic finish that leaves the palate feeling totally refreshed and asking for more. Very fine.

90 Points - Stuart McCloskey

Stylish Sauternes from an outstanding vintage. At perfect maturity and awaiting the company of Stilton or Roquefort.

A portion of our 2011 Viognier was fermented in French oak with the balance fermented in tank. The result is a style with intense and complex aromas of frangipani, apricot candied citrus and spice.

This wine displays the classic varietal characteristics of Viognier, with a viscous, creamy mouthfeel highlighted by textured cashew nuts on the finish.

This is the original Mount Edward vineyard, planted in 1998-1999, though about two thirds of it was replanted after a consultant came to Otago and told them to replant some different stuff. Anyway, it’s sort of in an outwash of the glacier, a bit unique in that regard, and in one of the hottest places in Lowburn/Pisa, but gets cool air across it regularly. Winemaker Duncan Forsyth is giving me a low down, and the prior intel is the gist. “It’s Presbyterian where the wines around here are more Catholic, for the most part, though the Catholic wines do tend to get more interesting with time”, Forsyth says. Brilliant kick off; flint and slate, green apple, citrus blossom, ginger, lemongrass, touch of barely-there raw honeycomb. So much on. Crackles in the palate, crisp, tangy, pure, a wash of mineral-charged cold lemon-ginger-chamomile tea with bristling acidity and purity. It’s delicate, racy, imbued with personality and ribald in its drinkability. Lots to like. Very good.

19 Points - Raymond Chan

The wine is smooth in texture and there is considerable power and drive. The alcohol and lacy acidity are balanced, and the wine has excellent proportion, the dense core unfolding succulent citrus and exotic tropical fruit flavours on a very long and sustained finish. This is a full and substantial dryish Riesling with citrus, marmalade and honied flavours, showing drive, power and balance.

The 2012 Pinot Gris Estate has a gram more acidity than the 2013 and a degree more alcohol at 13.8%. As such, it is more expressive on the nose with dried honey and grilled almond/smoke scents. The palate is clean and fresh with nectarine, dried quince, lemongrass and fennel, with a long and persistent finish that is very satisfying. Excellent–and a fantastic value to boot.

93 Points - James Suckling.com (Monday, November 13, 2017)

A blend of six parcels this wine embodies the signature style of rich, ripe peach fruits and toasty oak warmth on the nose (20% new). The palate fuses ripe citrus and stone fruits together in a powerful, fresh and balanced mode. This is a trademark of Brajkovich – he embraces chardonnay's richness and delivers energy and flavor. Drink now.

92 Points - Lisa Perrotti-Brown

The 2015 Estate Chardonnay is more open-knit and less taut than the single vineyard wines, with an expressive nose of ripe nectarines, pink grapefruit and guava, plus underlying notes of baking bread and ginger. Medium-bodied, it offers richness and good depth in the mouth with a an approachable, refreshing backbone and great harmony.

“One of the finest producers of Albarino” – Robert Parker, Wine Advocate

Intense golden yellow in colour with aromas of apple and peach that blend with herb and mineral notes. This beautifully aged Albariño is elegant, smooth and complex with flavours of nectarine, orange and lime. Perfectly balanced with a long and expressive finish.

95 Points - James Halliday

Fruit off a Karridale single vineyard, the whole-berries pressed to old barriques and a (600l) demi-muid for 11 months with lees stirring. From that a wine that is palate-focused and free of the nervy pressures of immediacy has been created, says winemaker Stuart Pym. This is intensely flavoured, high-toned and complex: imagine crushed gravel, Chinese tea-smoke, and lemon verbena with crackling acidity yet texture galore.

97 Points Stuart McCloskey 

Dog Point's Section 94 has always been a favourite of mine and can, in correct cellaring conditions, mature wonderfully over a decade. This is another example of a medium to full-bodied, textural style of Sauvignon Blanc. The grapes for Section 94 come from a single, low cropping vineyard parcel first planted in 1992. The fruit is hand-picked, whole bunch pressed and aged in older French oak barrels for 18 months. Every vintage has a funky edge which you either love or not. Those seeking simplistic Kiwi fruit pops should avoid at all costs as this is a serious, large scale wine that deserves a little respect. The aromas are taut, tightly wound with the ‘funk’ reducing with 20/30 minutes in a decanter (highly recommended). Tropical no - Yellow stone fruits in abundance with a vein of minerality appearing mid-palate. There’s a real intensity which is exceptional and rarely found with the majority of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. The finish is endless… In short, brilliant!

Tasted blind at the Sauternes 2011 horizontal tasting. The Château Doisy-Védrines 2011 has a very fragrant, almost floral bouquet with pure honey, quince and yellow flower scents that soar from the glass and embrace you like your favourite aunt. The palate is medium-bodied with a viscous texture and superb acidity that really set this Sauternes alight: real tension and a sense of energy here. It just “flows” toward a vibrant, honeyed finish that has only just begun to “motor." This surpasses its showing from barrel and constitutes a magnificent effort from Olivier Castèja and his team.

91 Points - Stephan Reinhardt (erobertparker.com)

The 2015 Riesling Von Der Fels has been sourced from up to 30-year-old vines for two years, so it is based on ten-year older vines than in recent times to better express the chalky minerality. The wine opens pure, fresh and with crushed stone and bright, perfectly-ripe fruit aromas. Intense and lush on the palate, but well-organized and mineral, this Riesling from Keller's best vineyards reveals ripe and intense, yet still clear and fresh fruit flavors. It is a very elegant, vital and pretty expressive Riesling with tension, finesse and grip. The 2015 juiciness and intensity is as present as the the pronounced acidity, the remarkable concentration and lingering salinity. This is an excellent terroir Riesling.

96 Points - James Halliday

Made in a semidried, Vin Santo style where the grapes are handpicked at optimum ripeness and acid balance, they are then placed on racks and dried before crushing and fermenting. This wine has no botrytis or fortification. Sublimely sweet and rich, bursting with pure pear, pineapple and cream aromas and flavours. A refined acid structure balances the sweetness to give a lingering, velvety finish.

91 Points – David Schildknecht (erobertparker.com)

The Eyrie 2011 Chardonnay is dominated by bright, juicy grapefruit and lime tinged with their piquant pips as well as with saliva-liberating salinity. Straight and penetrating as an arrow; amazingly buoyant (but then, there’s only 11.7% alcohol!). A streak of salinity serves to enhance the mouthwateringly sustained and invigorating finish. This outstanding value is apt to remain riveting through at least 2020 – a prognostication I venture with plenty of track record to back it up.