2016 Australia

A blend of 97 percent Shiraz and three percent Viognier from the Frankland River region of Western Australia, a note of black pepper marks this out as a cool-climate Shiraz, but alongside the spice there’s also rich, ripe fruit. Red plum, black cherry and brambles combine with dried herbs and a hint of toastiness, all supported by ripe tannins and energetic acidity.

Not the Pythonesque antithesis of Kangeright, Kangerong is actually a zone of Mornington Peninsula.  This is a fruity, understated Chardonnay, with its character from extended lees’ contact rather than oak. The fruit comes from two selected Chardonnay blocks, a stone’s throw apart.
100% chardonnay.
Cool & discreet.

There is a distinct sense of concentration that runs through this wine. Honeysuckle notes layer with chalky minerals and citrus fruit. The finish is long and textured.
Katherine Dart MW, Wine Buyer

Circe is a boutique label producing wines from deep red volcanic basalt soils in the cool climate Mornington Peninsula.
The nose is fruit forward and aromatic with wild strawberries, rose petals and a warm dusting of cinnamon. On the palate, ripe raspberry and red cherry eventually give way to a complex myriad of exotic spices which will develop further from bottle age. The length is impressive and balanced by fresh acidity and fine tannins. 
Katherine Dart MW, Wine Buyer

Circe’s Hillcrest Road now leads Pinot Noir production in the area – which is no mean feat, given the level of competition. It is sourced from a 1.2-hectare cool northeast-facing site planted in 1993, about 2.5 miles from the coast. With only 20 hl/ha making it to fermentation, low yield is the main weapon in the quality arsenal. For the 2016 vintage, fermentation was 100 percent whole bunch with six days foot-stomping. This considered winemaking delivers a wine of standout sophistication – offering delicate wood smoke and spice on the nose and black cherry on the palate. This is a deep and complex wine meant to be savoured slowly or reserved to evolve in the cellar for years to come. 
Katherine Dart MW, Wine Buyer

This has vast depth on the nose. It is very refined, with bags of concentrated, ripe tropical fruit and just a touch of buttered brioche. There’s a lovely saline glide on the tongue, all intense and mineral. The ripeness shows after a few minutes, with toffee apple, grapefruit and banana coming to the fore. There's a poise here and promise of much more after a few years in bottle. Drink 2019-2024.
Ben Grosvenor, Private Account Manager

The 2016 vintage of Penfolds’ flagship white wine, Yattarna Chardonnay, is a blend of fruit from Tasmania, Henty, Tumbarumba and the Adelaide Hills. The name Yattarna comes from the Aboriginal language and means “little by little, gradually”, appropriate as the wine continues to evolve from one vintage to the next. The nose is quite subdued at present, providing compelling minerality, but with no hint of the wine’s barrel fermentation, nor its eight months’ ageing in French oak (65 percent new). It’s rich on the palate, with a touch of toast, lovely depth and minerality along with ripe, white-fleshed fruit, balanced by rapier-like acidity. This has a long finish and will age very well. Drink 2019-2024.
Chris Pollington, Private Account Manager

Many of the vines behind Bin 138 were originally used for the production of fortified wines, back when table wine was not so popular in Australia, providing old-vine concentration for this cuvée. You can taste the liquorice-like intensity right from the off, with plenty of spice and rich jammy fruit coming through from the Grenache too. The palate is slightly less expressive right now, more brooding than past vintages with more solidity and rich chocolate depths. Very different to the rest of the Penfolds reds, this wine is noticeable for its clever use of both French and American oak. Drink 2020-2026.
Peter Newton, Private Account Manager

The name ‘Woodcutter's’ originates from when David Powell spent several years working in the Scottish Highlands as a lumberjack in the Torbreck forest.
 
At just over £10 a bottle this should be must buy. The black fruits and pepper notes delivers surprising depth and concentration for its 'level'. There is a small presence of tannins suggesting that it’ll age well over the next 5 years. Surely this is the perfect BBQ wine to buy now and enjoy over the nex few years up to the 2021 Ashes series!
Hugo Thompson, Private Account Manager

Marananga is a famous sub-region of Barossa, source to some of the most famous names in Australian wine and this is one to add to that list. Rich and decadent, it is a real Shiraz-lover’s wine. A blend of both French and American oak, around 30 percent new, adds a level of spice to the Christmas cake and plum fruit. There is a touch of menthol which freshens the palate before finishing with seamless and svelte tannins. Always one of the standouts in the Bin series, the 2016 doesn’t disappoint. Drink 2020-2028.
Fergus Stewart, Private Account Manager