Vintages Release: April 15, 2017

• The following Coriole ‘Reserve’ is named for one of the founders, Mary Kathleen Lloyd. It was sourced from three small, estate vineyards planted between 1968 and 1986—average age of vines, +35 years. It’s a 90% Cabernet Sauvignon/10% Merlot blend—all carefully selected and hand-picked.

  
Coriole ‘Mary Kathleen - Reserve’ 2012
McLaren Vale $40.95 (745489) 14.0% alcohol
Predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon, the highly perfumed nose of dark berry fruit, savory herbs and peppery spice aromas abound. A delicious surge of sour cherry, rhubarb and bramble berry adorned with sweet vanilla, piquant spice and bittersweet chocolate coats the palate along with soft, ripe tannin. It’s medium-full bodied with generous mouthfeel and oodles of charm. Best opened 2020 – 2032. Impatient?—aerate/decant three hours pouring with seasoned, grilled-medium-rare striploin. (Vic Harradine)

Vintages Release date: May 13, 2017

  
Wakefield Wines ‘Estate’ Merlot 2015
Clare Valley $18.95 (683201) 14.0% alcohol
Black raspberry, vanilla and black plum aromas provide segue for a flood of rich, luscious palate-coating, boysenberry jam nicely balanced with tang-laden passion fruit, spice and racy pie cherry. There’s terrific value, good structure, soft tannin, smooth texture and persistent purity of fruit. It’s lively and juicy with a fruit-filled, tang-laden, and monumentally long aftertaste—it was tough to spit; it flirted with 5 stars. Pour with braised lamb shanks and grilled root veggies. (Vic Harradine)

Vintages Release date: May 27, 2017

• Fruit for the following Wakefield Chardonnay was sourced from their Estate vineyard in cool-climate, Clare Valley. It was picked at night, taken directly to the winery, chilled and whole-bunch pressed; after settling most was fermented in French oak barrel, only 10% new, and stayed on lees a short four months, with the oak nicely integrated at bottling.

  
Wakefield Wines ‘Estate’ Chardonnay 2016
Clare Valley $15.95 (711556) 13.5% alcohol
This offers a generously textured, mouth-filling stream of crisp, refreshing flavour from twist top to final drop of the lengthy finish and aftertaste. Aromas of tropical fruit, ginger and nutmeg abound. They precede a medium-full bodied, tapestry of palate-bathing flavour—white nectarine, apple pie spice, nutty notes and gorgeous lemony tang. It’s well balanced, well priced and well … delicious. Long story short—pick up a few. (Vic Harradine)

Vintages Release date: July 8, 2017

  
Wakefield Wines ‘Estate’ Pinot Noir 2016
Adelaide Hills $19.95 (197392) 14.0% alcohol
Lifted aromas of red berry fruit, cherry and savory herb set the table for a smorgasbord of palate-coating flavour. Racy passion fruit and tangy red currant interweave with juicy black cherry and ripe raspberry berry notes providing a yin and yang / sweet and tang experience that’s balanced and beautiful. It’s medium-weight and well textured with a dry, mouth-watering finish that lingers—you shouldn’t, the price-quality balance tips well in your favour. (Vic Harradine)

Vintages Release date: TBD

• The following Wakefield ‘Estate’ Cab is fashioned for the long haul with firm tannin underpinning, full complement of ripe luscious fruit and excellent, cool-climate Clare tang and acidity.

  
Wakefield Wines ‘Estate’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Clare Valley $18.95 (744235) 14.0% alcohol
The lifted lively nose is resplendent with black currant, spice and espresso roast aromas. It coats the palate with a full-bodied, full-textured, full-Monty gusher of chewy cassis, mulberry, peppery and minty notes joined by tang-laden pie cherry persisting through the lengthy mouth-watering finish. It’s a bit taut at present handsomely rewarding a three-hour aeration/decant or careful cellaring 2018-2023. (Vic Harradine)

• The following ‘Jaraman’ Shiraz and its label have quite a story to tell. You may have noticed the three tiny Seahorses on Wakefield wine labels. Shortly after the Taylor family purchased their Clare Valley property they dug a dam uncovering tiny shells of Seahorses. In geological terms that indicates a former salt-water body of water (true Seahorses live only in salt, or brackish water) and this would lead one to believe there’s also limestone base. There was and still is, and it and the terra rossa topsoil contribute to the high quality of this and all Wakefield Clare wines. Jaraman translates to ‘horse’ in a number of Australian Aboriginal languages and dialects.

   
Wakefield Wines ‘Jaraman’ Shiraz 2015
Clare Valley / McLaren Vale $24.95 (377036) 14.5% alcohol
Baking spice, dark cherry/berry fruit, sweet vanilla and sprigs of savory herb aromas leap from this stunning multi-region Shiraz. It’s rich, luscious, balanced and beautiful showcasing a dazzling array of ripe fruit flavour with mulberry, black plum and red cherry to the fore adorned with black pepper, dark bittersweet chocolate and hints of eucalyptus. There’s persistent purity of fruit, good structure, complexity and an incredibly long finish and aftertaste. (Vic Harradine) 

  
Henry of Pelham Estate Riesling 2016 
VQA Short Hills Bench $17.95 (557165) 12.0% alcohol
Fruit for Henry of Pelham's Estate wines are sourced within the small Short Hills Bench appellation—one of the warmest in Niagara. This is pale yellow in colour with a slight green cast. There are aromas of lemon and apple on the nose. On the palate it’s full bodied and just off dry. The palate flavours—gentle sweetness and crisp acidity—entwine in a manner reminiscent of lemon meringue pie. The effect fades away in the finish, leaving you with flavours of nectar and honey. A great match for spicy Pad Thai. (Dave Isaacs)
  
  
Henry of Pelham Estate Pinot Noir 2015
VQA Short Hills Bench $24.95 (268391) 13.5% alcohol
Medium-pale red with a slight orange tinge, this has notes of dried fruit, cherry jam and smoke on the nose. It's dry, light bodied, and tart on the palate with sour cherry and tannin that starts in the background and then slowly moves forward. There’s a lengthy tang-laden finish. It pairs well with cherry-glazed duck breast. (Dave Isaacs)

Vintages Release date: TBD

• Fruit for the following Parker Coonawarra Estate ‘Terra Rossa’ Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from the rich red soils at the southern end of Coonawarra on their Abbey vineyard from 4 separate blocks—Scarlett, Pepper Tree Single Wire, Pepper Tree Double Wire and Ash. The micro-climate provides beneficial, extended hang time.

   
Parker Coonawarra ‘Terra Rossa’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Coonawarra $34.95 14.5% alcohol
This is both elegant and firmly structured showcasing ripe fruit, deft balance, tang-laden acidity and a monumentally long finish and aftertaste. Aromas of red and black berry fruit mingle with spice and hints of mint and mocha on the nose. It coats the palate with a medium-plus bodied, nicely textured surge of boysenberry and blueberry interweaving with fennel and dark bittersweet chocolate. The aftertaste goes on and on with juicy ripe fruit and excellent acidity underpinned by fine-grained tannin. Open from 2019 to 2035. (Vic Harradine)

  
Parker Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
Coonawarra $19.95 (467571) 14.5% alcohol
Perfumed aromas of minty notes, spice and dark berry fruit open the door to a smooth and mellow flow of red berry fruit and savory herbs interwoven with red licorice on the palate. It’s medium bodied with generous mouthfeel and a lengthy finish and aftertaste Pour now after a two-hour aeration/decant alongside rare to medium-rare, grilled striploin. Vic Harradine)

• The following fabulous Coonawarra Chardonnay was fashioned from cooler plots predominantly from viticulturist, Brett Williams’ vineyard, the balance from a small plot from V&A Lane. The Williams fruit was barrel-fermented—first malolactic conversion followed by alcohol fermentation –then aged in new French oak barriques for 9 months with regular lees stirring. The V&A was fermented in stainless steel and blended later.

  
Parker Coonawarra Estate Chardonnay 2015
Coonawarra $19.95 (447029) 13.5% alcohol
This value-laden gem leaps from the glass with aromas of baking spice, peach, apricot and nutty notes. It coats the palate with a nicely textured surge of lemon zest and green apple adorned with melon and pear. It’s mid-plus weight with good complexity, structure and purity of fruit—it’s balanced and beautiful from twist top to last drop. Pour with roast chicken, veal or pork. (Vic Harradine)

• The following Hesketh Sauvignon Blanc is the 2016 vintage. The 2015 vintage is presently available on Vintages’ shelves—you may want to give it a try.

  
Hesketh ‘Bright Young Things’ Sauvignon Blanc 2016
South Australia $14.95 (447086) 13.5% alcohol
Fruit for this was sourced 2/3rds from Adelaide Hills and 1/3rd from the Limestone Coast GI. Lifted aromas of tropical fruit and floral notes abound. A light-medium bodied, nicely textured, balanced stream of crisp, clean, refreshing flavour bathes the palate infusing the mouth-watering finish and aftertaste—Granny Smith apple and melon decorated with savory herbal notes. The price-quality balance tips well in your favour. (Vic Harradine)

• Shiraz and Mataro, aka Mourvèdre, fruit for the following wine was sourced from the Old Mundulla Vineyard, then open top, cool fermented on skins 8-10 days. Winemaker Phil Lehmann maintains, ‘cool fermentation retains purity, enhances aromatics and lowers tannin extraction’. 90% was then matured six months in 2nd and 3rd fill, 300L French hogsheads before final blending and bottling.

  
Hesketh ‘Mezzo – Single Vineyard’ Shiraz/Mataro 2015
Tatiara District, South Australia $19.95 14.5% alcohol
This red blend is rich and juicy with ripe fruit flavour underpinned by firm structure. There’s persistent purity of fruit, deft balance and lingering aftertaste. Aromas of spice, vanilla and dark berry fruit introduce a medium-plus bodied, generously textured river of bramble berry and tang-laden red cherry interwoven with mocha and wisps of peppery notes. The finish layers on fruit and acidity in equal portions with a brushstroke of ripe, fine-grained tannin. Aerate/decant for two hours prior to serving. (Vic Harradine)

Vickery Watervale Riesling 2016
Watervale $23.00 12.0% alcohol
This classy, elegant Riesling dances from the glass with robust aromas of citrus, spice and mineral notes. An outpouring of Key Lime, lemon pie filling and saline/minerality ride a bracing line of delectable acidity across the palate infusing the crisp, clean and refreshing aftertaste. There’s excellent depth, good balance and ability to age here. Pour with grilled calamari or pan-seared fish. (Vic Harradine)

• The following Chardonnay is unique and stunningly delicious. Sourced from Dijon clone fruit from the cooler Eden Valley, 60% underwent malolactic conversion before indigenous-yeast fermentation (reverse fermentation) in 50% new and 50% second-fill, French, 300L hogshead, remaining in barrel 11 months on their lees.

  
St. John’s Road ‘PL – Reversed Ferment’ Chardonnay 2015
Eden Valley $30.00 13.5 % alcohol
This is a spectacular cool-climate Chardonnay balanced-on-a-pin with depth, complexity and charm. Alluring aromas of baking spice, sweet vanilla and citrus precede a medium-plus bodied stream of full-blown flavour—lemon curd, Granny Smith apple and nutty notes. It finishes with mouth-watering citrus tang and oaky bits. This needs a further, carefully cellared, 12 months in bottle to be handsomely rewarded with a 5-star wine. (Vic Harradine)