Yellowglen Bella Bianco 2009 – up to $20 – ** – Low (8%) alcohol bubbly. A blend of white frontignac and riesling. Bouquet of ripe pears and apricots. Notably sweet palate continues the fruity pear theme with maybe a hint of oranges and lemons at the finish. Pleasant luncheon or picnic style.

Patina Sticky Tea Riesling 2009 – 375ml – up to $22 – ** – Orange New South Wales. Low (7.6%) alcohol. Yes, it does have a pleasant fragrance not unlike a cup of iced lemon tea. Medium sweet at the front of the palate but dries off nicely at the finish with some citrus undertones.

Kreglinger Estate Brut de Blancs 2003 – up to $65 – **** – Tasmania. Chardonnay, disgorged mid-2009. Vigorous bead, pale straw hues. Lime blossoms and toasted cashews on the nose. Seven years since vintage yet still fresh and youthful on the palate. Dry and steely style with flavours of Granny Smith tarte tatin and zested lime peel acidity to finish.

Baritone Maxim Cabernet Shiraz 2008 – 1 litre – up to $13 – ** – Limestone Coast, South Australia. Solid, juicy red, packed with ripe fruit. Palate is warm (14.5% alcohol) and generous with medium tannins and a firm food-suiting finish. Excellent value for money.

James Oatley Tic Tok Shiraz 2008 – up to $18 – *** – Shiraz from Frankland River, Western Australia; Mudgee, New South Wales; McLaren Vale, South Australia. Vibrant purple edge in the glass. Upfront nose of blackberries and lightly toasted oak. Soft and rich in the mouth showing blackberry tart and a sub-structure of mocha.

Barwang Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 – up to $20 – *** – Hilltops region, New South Wales. Dense purple hues. Inviting, lifted bouquet, reminiscent of cassis and blackcurrant conserve. Dry, tightly structured, cool climate, berry-packed palate supported by assertive tannins. Intense and lasting finish. Cellar to 2015.

Penfolds St Henri Shiraz 2006 – up to $90 – ***** – Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Limestone Coast, South Australia. Shiraz 89%, cabernet sauvignon 11%. The product notes remind us that unlike other premium reds, St Henri does not use any new oak and maturation is in old 1460 litre vats. Near opaque, deep crimson. The complex nose is savoury rather than sweet and shows notes of summer berries, mint, just raked autumn leaves and leather. The palate displays hints of blood plums, mulberries and espresso coffee. Well-integrated tannins are chewy and sinewy while the finish is long, dry and firm, with lingering notes of almost bitter dark chocolate. Cellar to 2025.

Ratings

***** - outstanding 

**** – classy

*** - first-rate

** - good stuff

* - commercial

Prices in Australian dollars.

This is a full-strength – 4.5% alcohol – beer sold in clear glass 355ml stubbies. A very different style from Coopers Sparkling Ale but quite enjoyable for all that. Lightish amber in colour with a pleasing malty nose. Surprisingly full-bodied in the mouth with the malt continuing to a dryish finish.

Reschke Coonawarra Sauvignon Blanc 2009 – $19 – **

Pale, hint of lime green in colour. Aromatic, almost pungent fruitiness on the nose, with the faintest hint of grassiness and toasted oak. A rather full-bodied style of sauvignon blanc on the palate, showing notes of tropical fruit salad that lead to an off-dry finish.

Cape Mentelle Margaret River Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon 2009 – up to $28 – *** ˜˜˜

In appearance, almost water pale. Fresh lifted aromas of cut grass and lime. The lime character continues through on to the palate along with a herbal edge and bottom notes of creamy barrel ferment. The finish is clean and tangy.

Moss Wood Margaret River Chardonnay 2008 – $57 – ****

Light golden colour. Shows a generously perfumed nose of apricots, brioche and beautifully handled oak. There are not many wines that deliver on the palate what is promised on the nose, but this is one of them. All components, including the toasty oak, are beautifully integrated in this classic and delicious example of Australian chardonnay.

Tahbilk Viognier 2009 – up to $21.50 -***˜

Nagambie Lakes, Victoria. Pleasant nose of newly picked white peaches and a touch of lemon zest. The palate displays pleasing stone fruit flavours and finishes with an impressive overall tanginess that is not unlike lemon sherbet.

Hickinbotham Pinot Sauvage 2008 – $32 – *** ˜˜˜

Mornington Peninsula, Victoria. A sparkling pinot noir rosé made using the methode traditionelle, without the usual dosage – hence the sauvage nomenclature. Pale pink rose hues. Nose of strawberry shortcake and honey. Given the sauvage label, tasters might expect enamel-stripping dryness. Against expectations, abundant pinot fruit more than compensates for the absence of dosage, and one is left with moreish flavours of ripe cherries and summer berries.

Annapurna Estate Merlot 2005 – $20 – **

Alpine Valleys, Victoria. Dark cherry red hues. Lifted nose of raspberries and a hint of dark chocolate. Smooth and mellow in the mouth showing soft to medium tannins with notes of sweet berries and a pleasant hint of mocha.

Epsilon Barossa Valley Shiraz 2008 – up to $21 – ***

Deep red, violet edged appearance. Warm spicy nose: blackberry flan with a touch of cloves. Noticeably dry and medium-weighted in the mouth with solid yet unaggressive tannins. Earthy fruitiness leads to a firm and penetrating finish.

d’Arenberg The Wild Pixie Shiraz / Roussanne 2008 – up to $30 – ***

McLaren Vale, South Australia. A blend of 95% shiraz and 5% of the white variety roussanne. A ‘foot-trod, basket-pressed, vegan-friendly’ creation of the ‘Wild Pixie’ himself, Chester Osborn. Dense crimson in colour. Savouriness and berries on the nose with hints of peppermint gum. The palate is led by lip-smacking tannic astringency, followed by notes of juicy, almost smoky, fruits of the forest conserve. Will go well with substantial mains dishes.

Ratings

*****  - outstanding

**** - classy

*** - first-rate

** - good stuff

* - commercial

A $ denotes excellent value for money.

100% Chardonnay. Very pale yellow with an edge of green, fine bead. White flower petals, light biscuity yeast and a hint of green apple on the nose. Youthful, dry and elegant in the mouth with delicate Apple Danish flavours against a background of beautifully integrated lime acidity at the finish.

De Bortoli Rococo Yarra Valley Rosé NV – $22 – ***

A sparkling blend of chardonnay, pinot meunier and pinot noir. The colour is a pale, just off-white, candy pink. Lively fragrant nose of rose water and strawberries. Shows a dry, clean palate of new season summer berries with a tang of lemon zest at the finish. Ideal summer luncheon fizz.

Hennessy VS Cognac Collectors’ Edition No. 1 – around $60

Look no further than this for the ideal Christmas present. The stylish bottle is designed by two artists, David Burrows and Kesh, and the decorative facade will save the thrifty giver the expense of gift wrapping. Lovely nose of mature spirit, cashew nuts and oaky vanilla. The palate is velvety smooth, with raisin-fruity top notes, mature oak, and undertones of warm spiciness.

Macadamia Nut Liqueur- 500ml bottle – $46.50

From the Mount Tamborine distillery near Queensland’s Gold Coast comes this nutty liqueur. Light sherry in colour, it offers upfront aromatics of the Queensland nut, AKA the macadamia. The palate is unashamedly sweet and slightly spirity (20% alcohol) and is quintessentially macadamia in flavour. Those who enjoy Frangelico will find this one appealing. I like liqueurs a tad drier and I found that a mix of this with the same amount of dark rum over ice is quite delicious.

Strongbow Clear Slow-Filtered Cider –a six-pack of 355ml bottles up to $15

A full strength (5% alcohol) cider advertised as low carb*. Golden colour. Fresh green apple nose. Refreshing, crisp, dry appley palate. Delicious.

*I’ve yet to meet a serious drinker who worries about this sort of thing.

Aja Blush Moscato Rosé 2009 – $20 – **

Displays bright raspberry hues. Juicy nose reminded me of strawberry conserve. A light (8.5% alcohol) sweet style with a soft and pleasant spritzig mouth-feel. Flavours of summer pudding: strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, are plentiful.

Gallagher Brut Rosé 2008 – $25 – **

Canberra District. Sparkling blend of pinot noir 65% and chardonnay 35%. Pale rose pink. Nose of cherries and fresh baguette. Medium-weighted palate has more of the dark cherry influence, along with notes of juicy Red Delicious apples.

Moss Brothers Margaret River Semillon 2009 – $27ish – ***

Pale straw hues. Generous nose of lemons, grassiness and young pineapple. Fuller bodied style of this varietal with a long palate of lychees and lemons and herbaceousness. Medium citric acidity adds weight to the finish.

Barambah First Grid Unwooded Chardonnay 2009 – $19 – **

South Burnett, Queensland. Shades of light gold. Ripe apricots and a tropical fruits on the nose. Flavoursome style that oozes ripeness on the palate. The warm climate fruit is quite distinct but there is sufficient lemon-like acidity to give a pleasant balance to the sweet juiciness.

Angove McLaren Vale Shiraz 2008 – $18 – ***

Attractive lifted nose shows a tad of black pepper and an acrid yet appealing edge not unlike peppermint eucalyptus. That mintiness follows through on the palate and with the blackcurrant and blackberry fruit creates a degree of pleasing, moreish complexity. Firm, slightly chewy tannins complete the overall package.

Tyrrell’s Old Winery Shiraz 2008 – $14 – ** ˜˜

Heathcote, Victoria, and McLaren Vale, South Australia. A savoury warm nose of dark cherries and toasted wood. Nicely balanced sweet blackberry fruit and medium tannic astringency make this a good all-round dining companion.

Wine Ratings

***** - outstanding

****  - classy

*** – first-rate 

** – good stuff

* – commercial

 You can more or less judge the state of the Australian wine industry by the quality of wine available in casks. When cask wine is generally crap, it’s bad for consumers and means the industry is making a packet, selling all it produces across the price spectrum.

 When cask wine is good, like now, it indicates that wine makers and exporters are taking a beating and selling at bargain prices. Consumers love it.

 By way of illustration, recently I bought two flavoursome cask wines, the two litre Yalumba 2008 riesling for $12, and from New Zealand, the Dimension two litre Marlborough sauvignon blanc for under $15. I suggest that in times of wine shortage, both these wines would have entered the market in bottles, at a significantly higher price.

 Why the cheap wine? Currently, due to over-planting and bountiful harvests, there’s too much wine of all sorts available in Australia. Similarly, in New Zealand, they’re swimming in sauvignon blanc.

 And, if a wine glut is not enough, now we read that the Australian dollar is worth 50 per cent more than it was a year ago. In simple terms, this means that Australian wines cost a lot more overseas. See for example, Soaring dollar knocks the froth off Foster’s: Exports and Wine exports increase but values decline.

 The trickledown effect from a poor wine export market, combined with the wine glut, means that in the short term at least, drinkers of cask wine (not to mention cleanskins) are in for a treat.

 But that’s not all. As the Oz dollar climbs, imports gradually become cheaper. Last week I bought a bottle of Piper Heidsieck NV for the bargain price of $33.

This is a powerful drop at 57.2 per cent alcohol, but the power is smooth and constrained in its rich mouthfeel. Flavours are reminiscent of molasses, vanilla, walnuts, chocolate, toffee and warm spices. It goes down very well on its own, with ice, or with a splash of water. Try also as a fine mixer. For a Dark ‘n Stormy, pour one measure of rum over ice and add about four times that amount of dry ginger ale, garnish with a wedge of lime.

Chandon Vintage Brut 2006 – up to $40 ****

Yarra Valley, Victoria. Pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot meunier blend. This bubbly spent two and half years on yeast lees and the lees contact is evident in the aromatic, bakery oven nose. The palate shows brioche like flavours along with new season white peaches and a hint of lime juice. It finishes with lip-smacking zest.

Thistle Hill Riesling 2009 – $30 ***

Mudgee, New South Wales. Organic wine. Intense lime and lime blossom nose. Quite a full-bodied palate for a riesling – in contrast to the steely styles of say, the Clare Valley. Flavours are in the apple pie with lemon zest spectrum rather than the expected Granny Smith with a squeeze of lime. A riesling that could convert lovers of unwooded chardonnay.

Scarborough Chardonnay 2008 – $19 **

Pokolbin, New South Wales. Melons, fresh apricots and dried pears on the nose. Medium-bodied, with ripe stone fruit and a suggestion of oak on the palate. Finishes with medium acidity.

Summit Estate The Pinnacle White 2009 – $19 ***

Granite Belt, Queensland. A blend of marsanne, roussanne and viognier. This white has a lovely aromatic nose with just a hint of new French oak. The palate is generous and displays fresh tropical fruitiness and citrus crispness at the finish.

Peter Lehmann Layers 2009 – $16 **

Adelaide, South Australia. Semillon, muscat, gewürztraminer, pinot gris, chardonnay blend. Juicy ripe fruitiness on the nose. A softer style of white, on the palate it shows pears, apricots and dried apples. Finishes slightly off dry.

Printhie Sauvignon Blanc 2009 – $17 **

Orange, New South Wales. Lifted, herbal, passionfruit nose. Generous palate shows more passionfruit along with lychee and an edge of pineapple. Firm dryish finish.

Shelmerdine Yarra Valley Rosé 2009 – $20 ***

Pinot noir. Very pale rose pink. Bouquet shows strawberry shortcake and a little Turkish Delight. Palate shows more of the strawberry character with a slight savoury edge, while the finish is medium dry with soft acidity.

Yellow Tail Pinot Noir 2009 – under $10 **

Yenda, New South Wales. Medium ruby hues with Cherry Ripe notes on the nose. Medium dry style shows plenty of dark cherry character supported by dryish tannins. Good value, particularly for this varietal.

 Annie’s Lane Sparkling Shiraz NV $25 ****

Clare Valley, South Australia. Cellar door and on premise only. Crown seal. Average age of components is five years. Mid crimson. Attractive nose of spicy blackberries and chocolate. Sweet rich blackberries and just enough vanillin oak on the palate combine into an overall luscious whole. Seek this one out – I could drink a bucket of it.

Best’s Bin No.1 Shiraz 2008 – $25 **** 

Great Western, Victoria. Fragrant raspberries and blackberries combine with faint pepper and floral and minty notes to create a nose of some complexity. The palate is elegant and dry with medium tannins supporting lengthy, essence of “summer pudding” flavours.

Ratings

***** – outstanding

**** - classy

*** - first-rate

** - good drinking

* - commercial

Prices in Australian dollars

I know it’s only September, but this red gets my value for money wine of the year award already.

 A lovely robust melange of fully ripe berries, plums, sweet vanillin American oak, mildly assertive tannins and a pleasant aftertaste. Good on its own or with tucker and a stunner at the price. Some very ordinary cask wines are dearer.

 Crown Ambassador Reserve Lager 2009 – $70 the 750ml bottle – ****˜

Limited release of 6000 bottles. Bottle-conditioned lager (yeast is still in the bottle from the secondary fermentation). The price is as heady as the fresh hops, malt and alcohol (10.2%) evident in the bouquet. The colour is a rich copper with hues of non-milked tea. The palate, thick, smooth and velvety in texture, has sweet edges of toffee, malt and dark chocolate. This sweetness is counter-balanced by the bite of aromatic hops. The finish is long and luscious, yet there is also a mild bitterness, along with hints of dark roast espresso coffee. Cellar for five years if you can. I could drink a bucket of it.

 Witches Falls Granite Belt Moscato 2009 – up to $18 – **

Queensland. Low alcohol – 6%. Faint raisiny nose – the raisin character is more noticeable on the spritzy palate. A light sweet style that will go well with dessert courses.

 Philip Lobley Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2008 – $32 – ***

Upper Goulburn Valley, Victoria. Perfumey kiwifruit and white blossoms on the nose. Mouth-filling expression of the grape, with concentrated flavours of passionfruit and blackcurrant leafiness. Zesty citrus-like acidity at the finish.

 Shaw & Smith Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2009 – up to $26 – ***˜

Adelaide Hills, South Australia. Pungent, almost NZ-like herbal, asparagus, and tomato leaf notes on the nose. Flavours include grassiness, herbs and not fully ripe pineapple. A dry clean palate with forward acid. Great aperitif style.

 Fox Creek McLaren Vale Chardonnay 2008 – up to $17 – ***˜

South Australia. A medium-bodied white showing pleasing melon, peach and some lemony character. Restrained use of lightly toasted French oak provides structure to mature fruit.

 Angullong Fossil Hill Sangiovese 2008 – up to $20 – ***

Orange, New South Wales. Mid-ruby hues. Nose of tobacco leaf and dark cherries. A dry savoury style, showing definite cherry flavours and assertive tannins well suited to main course accompaniment.

 Zema Estate Cluny 2005 – up to $25 – ***

Coonawarra, South Australia. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and malbec. Release – October 2009. Complex nose with hints of red and black currants and mulberries. Youthful and lively palate has a hit of acid and displays medium tannins behind the blackcurrant and blueberry fruit. Will cellar well until at least 2014.

 Molly Dooker Two Left Feet 2007 – up to $25 – ***

South Australia. Shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, merlot blend. Deep crimson. Aromatic plummy nose. A full-flavoured, rounded red with soft sweet berries and plums on the palate and a lingering mocha-like, just-firm finish.

 Wynns Coonawarra Estate The Gables Cabernet Shiraz 2006 – up to $45 – ****

A classic Australian grape blend in a fine wine. The nose has that inviting perfume you encounter when you walk into an established maturation cellar: a seamless intermingling of expensive barriques and young, skilfully constructed red wine. The palate shows finesse, complexity, concentration of fruit and, if a tad young, potential for graceful ageing.

 Rating system

***** – outstanding

**** – classy

*** - first-rate

** - good stuff

* – commercial

A $ denotes excellent value for money. Prices Australian dollars.