Winestate Magazine

Editor & Publisher Peter Simic E: editor@winestate.com.au Managing Editor Lara Simic E: lara@winestate.com.au NZ Editor Michael Cooper E: michaelcooper.wine@outlook.com Administration Lyn Hannam E: administration@winestate.com.au Graphic Designer Nao

SOMETHING HAS BEEN HAPPENING OVER THE PAST FEW ISSUES, indeed over the next one, and back over the past few years. Wine Judges have been selecting more mid-weight wines than the blockbusters of the past. The number of so called alternative varietals

AS parts of Europe looked, from an October perspective, as though they are were heading towards a second Covid-19 wave, and a winter of partial, and possibly even national, lockdown, a saving grace, of sorts, for the wine industry is that harvest is

BROWN Marmorated Stink Bug (BMSB) and the Glassy Winged Sharpshooter might not be names familiar with wine lovers, but they could stop you enjoying your favourite drops in the future. The fight to keep Australian and New Zealand vineyards safe from i

HOME to Hollywood and home-grown movie stars, smart restaurants and luxury rentals, Byron Bay is also the Wellness Capital of Australia. But there's more to the NSW tourism mecca for keen beer and spirits fans and those yearning for some of the best

FOR chef and business owner Andrew Baturo and his wife Jaimee, Thai cuisine has always been a favourite. Their first holiday together was to Thailand and their chef at their French-Vietnamese inspired restaurant, Libertine in the Barracks complex at

BONDI Junction has seen a blizzard of new developments in recent years, including a spate of residential apartments. Walking past soaring blocks such as Bondi Central, you are left in no doubt that the suburb has transitioned to a sub-regional centre

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRANSTHERM Cellaring Your Fine Wines in Perfect Conditions ■

BALNAVES of Coonawarra – one of the region’s most popular cellar door stops - has undergone a generational change with winemaker Pete Bissell retiring after a quarter of a century. Bissell has been a winemaker for 40 years but will not be leaving the

4 TASTED 3 AWARDED Three quality examples of approachable sparklings showing some complexity. Syn Coonawarra Sparkling Rosé NV ★★★★½ A very refreshing style with a fine bead and a pretty strawberry bouquet with a hint of Turkish Delight. The palate i

15 TASTED 7 AWARDED A very mixed lot here. There are good wines offering value for money but there are some that show lack of freshness and others with the acidity out of balance. Kirrihill Regional Selection Clare Valley Riesling 2020 ★★★★½ Nose sho

31 TASTED 16 AWARDED The general consensus across the board was that this is a very mixed group with the best being great and the worst the worst! “The good wines here are what the consumers want; fresh and well made,” noted one judge. Spinyback Nels

13 TASTED 7 AWARDED A mixed bag of wines not surprising at this level. However, there were some nice examples of the styles. “Why would you make wines that stick out at this price,” said one judge. “You would still need to have balanced wines and not

11 TASTED 4 AWARDED The judges were disappointed with this group. “Too many forced, rather than varietal, wines here,” said one judge. “Natural ferment creates problems for this lightly structured variety – whilst some others added an element of arti

7 TASTED 7 AWARDED A consistent group of no fault, good drinking, wines. “A pleasure to taste and offering good value for your money,” said one judge. Midnight's Promise Hunter Valley Semillon 2017 ★★★★★ A very well-made, pale-yellow wine with green

29 TASTED 23 AWARDED Some good results here for the price. The 2020s were a touch above the 19s because of freshness however there were good 2019s with age development a factor. “There has been a lot of work with rosé lately as a designated style rat

Prices shown are approximate New Zealand retail. Wines available in export markets are shown as (A) Australia, (UK) and (US). Winestate’s New Zealand editor is author of the internationally acclaimed Wine Atlas of New Zealand and the annual New Zeala

Prices shown are approximate New Zealand retail. Wines available in export markets are shown as (A) Australia, (UK) and (US). Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2019 ★★★★★ Full of youthful promise, this powerful, single vineyard red was

8 TASTED 5 AWARDED A nice bunch of quaffers with a couple of wines showing more complexity. Buller Wines The Nook King Valley Prosecco NV ★★★★ A well-made wine with elegant peach driven aromas, zesty lemon notes and a clean, bright and refreshing pal

Preece King Valley Pinot Grigio 2020 Subtle estery nose and a clean, refined and refreshing palate with a lingering zesty end. $20 Mitchelton Wines - Nagambie Wine Corporation Phone: 03 5736 2222 Email: mitchelton@mitchelton.com.au Web: www.mitchelto

Leefield Station Marlborough Pinot Noir Rosé 2019 Confectionery green berry bouquet with chalky tannins on the palate, some savoury development and “Perfect phenolics!” $19.99 Marisco Vineyards Phone: +64 9 522 9684 Email: georgia@marisco.co.nz Web:

AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND WINE BUYING GUIDE Why not give a gift subscription? Call us today on +61 8 8357 9277 or visit www.winestate.com.au ■

Grandeur Wellington Phone: 08 8383 0866 Email: peter@gwellington.com.au Web: www.grandeurwellington.com.au Marisco Vineyards Phone: +64 9 522 9684 Email: georgia@marisco.co.nz Web: www.marisco.co.nz Mitchelton Wines - Nagambie Wine Corporation Phone:

THERE'S a reason today's singers do covers of decades-old songs. Their message and appeal is enduring and crosses multiple generations. Take Summer Wine, a hit for Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood in the 1960s. Artists as diverse as The Corrs and Bono