South Australia Wine

Winemaker Description 

Brilliant pale green with a fresh, vibrant nose displaying aromas of lemon, granny smith apple and some perfume and floral notes. Hills & Valley Riesling is fresh and crisp with a palate full of lemon, lime and apple flavors. The wine has a touch of sweetness balanced with pleasant acidity providing both length and structure to the soft finish.

Great with Indian food or anything with a hint of spice. 

🍷 General Consensus Excellent Value fresh and vibrant, displaying lemon, granny smith apple, and floral notes. It has a touch of sweetness balanced by crisp acidity for a soft, structured finish.📜 Expert Opinion Consistent Performer This label is recognized as a classic, reliably delivering pure, aromatic Riesling with great food-matching potential.

Winemaker Description 

Deep crimson with red brick hues. A lovely amalgam of varietal notes, Shiraz offering plenty of dark fruit, while Cabernet Sauvignon provides lovely cool lifted aromas. A gentle swirl reveals preserved plums, fresh mulberry with pouring cream, cherry compote, milk chocolate, baking spices, fresh bay leaf, subtle white pepper and licorice.

The palate is quite succulent, with lovely refreshing acidity and subtle tannins holding the fruit together beautifully. Ripe red fruits offer richness on the mid-palate, with flavors of dark cherry, pomegranate, and cranberry. Savory, charcuterie meats add a lovely savory, umami edge. Softly textured, medium bodied and very approachable.

Memo Summary Notes

Given its body and flavor intensity, this wine pairs exceptionally well with rich, savory dishes:

• Red Meats: Grilled steak, ribs, or lamb shanks.

• Hearty Dishes: Beef stew or shepherd's pie.

• Cheese: Aged cheddar or blue cheese.

  
  

Winemaker Description

‘Mollydooker’ is old Aussie slang for a left handed boxer and our Boxer always punches well above his Fruit Weight™. Did you notice he has two left-handed gloves?

The 2022 Boxer boasts a robust foundation of dark fruit, black cherries, moccha, and a hint of clove spice that comes alive in the glass. Its velvety texture delivers notes of fresh plum, balanced tannins, and a subtle touch of toasted oak, all of which enhance the richness of the fruit. This wine offers a complex experience with multiple layers that are sure to impress.

Our Professional Review

Bart Hopkins 67Wine.com | A full bodied, darkly colored Grenache with intense richness and depth of flavor. Aromas of savory red fruits on the nose, with lovely intensity in the mouth, smooth tannins and a delicious long-lasting finish. Powerful, precise and concentrated with no over ripeness. A great wine for hearty dishes and perfect for barbecues.

Winemaker Description

Dark, intense deep purple-crimson in the glass. On the nose: striking notes of rhubarb, raspberry jam and redcurrant. The palate is soft and rich, showing a more full-body style of Grenache. A flow of red cherries, rhubarb and red plums are laced with a fine layer of cedar, introducing more dark-flavored characters like plums and hints of dark chocolate. Texture is firm and finely balanced.

Expert Review

James Suckling 92 Points | An inviting nose of baked cherry, blueberry, moss and bark. Medium- to full-bodied with velvety tannins. Juicy and fresh red and black fruit with savory undertones. Herb and earthy notes ground the palate. A bit of tension here, which I like. Drink or hold.

Expert Review - Vintage 2022

The Australian Wine Companion 91 Points | Yalumba continues to grace us with a range of wines made from viognier, from entry-level to aspirational, that convey a deep understanding of both the variety and site. Pale straw with green flashes and aromas of lemon, grapefruit and apricot along with hints of lemon sorbet, wildflowers, a liminal whiff of white pepper and stone. Flecks of dried herbs join in on the palate, which is stony and savoury, lingering nicely as it fades away. A great introduction to the variety. 

James Suckling 91 Points | A fresh, juicy and precise viognier with aroma of peaches, apricots and fresh flowers. Medium-bodied with fresh acidity. Vivid and playful, with a refreshing finish.

Producer Description 

With 175 years of unbroken independence, Yalumba continues to make wine at its founder's home estate under the direction of the same family today. Samuel's Collection honors Yalumba's founder Samuel Smith, his spirit of independence and conviction to invest in the land and make great wine.

Pure aromas reminiscent of fresh apricots, lifted ginger, saffron and fresh white flowers. The palate is long, rich, and luscious, with intense and expressive stone fruit flavors finishing with an alluring freshness. This wine will continue to grow and develop in the bottle, firstly showing enhanced apricots and spice, then honey flavors and toast complexity.

Enjoy with a Moroccan tagine and couscous, or baba ghanoush.

Winemaker Description

St Henri is a time-honoured and alternative expression of shiraz, and an intriguing counterpoint to Grange. It is unusual amongst high quality Australian red wines as it does not rely on any new oak. Released for the first time by Penfolds in the early 1950s (first commercial vintage 1957), it gained a new lease of life in the 1990s as its quality and distinctive style became better understood. Proudly, a wine style that hasn’t succumbed to the dictates of fashion or commerce.

Expert Reviews

Wine Spectator 93 Points | Juicy blueberry and huckleberry fruit flavors at the core are accented by black and red licorice details, with dense, grippy tannins and notes of black pepper and Earl Grey tea. Impressive for its concentration and focus, along with its muscular structure. Drink now through 2035. 284 cases imported.

Wine Advocate 97 Points | The 2018 St Henri Shiraz is a terrific effort, perhaps rivaling the top-flight wines under this label in 1976 and 1986. Remarkably fine and silky in texture yet simultaneously dense and concentrated, it showcases the amazing fruit harvested in 2018. Boysenberry, mulberry and mocha shadings all swirl together effortlessly in a whorl of full-bodied elegance, finishing long and effortless. Mainly Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, it includes smaller amounts of fruit from Port Lincoln, Robe, Padthaway, Clare Valley and the Adelaide Hills, all aged 12 months in large old wooden vats.

Decanter 93 Points | A shift in emphasis for St Henri, with its gaze fixed on depth and seriousness rather than its familiar comforting embrace. With no new oak, it’s always a fruit-driven statement, but this time the rich, red earthy tones are clouded over by a deep well of purple and blue fruit flavours. As a result, it appears to have a broader frame than before, finishing a bit short for a wine of this stature, but still with lots of pleasing savoury grip on the finish. Released at AU$135. Drinking Window 2022 - 2050.

James Suckling 99 Points | A great St. Henri and, although multi-regional, this is very much a wine that speaks of the Barossa Valley, with aromas of ripe blackberries and red plums that are so fresh, together with tobacco, young-leather, earth, chocolate, coal-smoke and tarry accents. Effortless depth on the palate with summer berries, framed in fine, alabaster-like tannins that are underscored with discreet power. So long and captivating. A blend of Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Port Lincoln, Robe, Padthaway, Clare Valley and Adelaide Hills. Drink over the next decade or more. Screw cap.Vinous 95 points Dark, bright-rimmed violet color. A wild, highly complex bouquet evokes spice-tinged black/blue fruits, pipe tobacco, savory herbs, potpourri and olive paste. Weighty and yet energetic in style, offering mineral-driven bitter cherry, cassis, chewing tobacco and exotic spice flavors that turn sweeter through the back half. Round, slowly building tannins give framework to a very long, smoky finish that echoes the cherry and tobacco notes.

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2020 

Australian Wine Companion 97 Points | The Virgilius continues to be the benchmark for viognier in Australia, no doubt prompting a few nervous glances from the French in the process. Pale straw in the glass with notes of apricot, lemon, grapefruit and crisp nashi pear with hints of soft spice, almond paste, marzipan, white flowers and crushed quartz. In the mouth, it weaves its textural magic leaving a slinky wake across the palate, finishing dry and stony with ample acid drive and precision and a lovely 'sucking on a river pebble' sense of savoury composure and elegance.

The Wine Spectator 94 Points | The 2020 The Virgilius Viognier hails from a hot, dry, low-yielding season, yet the elevation of Eden Valley often protects it from the worst of the heat. It leads with aromas of nougat, white peach, apricot, jasmine tea and green apple skins. In the mouth, the wine is silky and svelte, unctuous in its flavor outlay, but taut in the splay of phenolics through the middle and back of the palate. Very smart, again. Matured for 10 months in French oak. 

James Suckling 93 Points | Yalumba is the pioneer of viognier in Australia and they continue to do a good job. Fealty to type. Floral lift infused with orange blossom, apricot pith and glazed quince. Round and full-weighted. A nicely measured confluence of viscosity, tactile oak vanillin, oatmeal lees and freshness. Slippery length. 

The WIne Enthusiast 92 Points | This premium Viognier, from the winery that has cheered loudest for the variety, opens with flint and almond alongside honeyed orchard fruit aromas. Viognier’s characteristically luscious mouthfeel dominates the palate. The fruit and acidity are quiet, but holding on after a few years of bottle age. A subdued, food friendly and harmonious drop.

Memo Summary Notes

The Yalumba "The Virgilius" Viognier 2020 is widely considered the benchmark for Australian Viognier. Produced by Yalumba, the winery that single-handedly pioneered the variety in Australia, this flagship bottling is designed to rival the great Condrieu wines of the Northern Rhône.

Sourced from the estate's oldest vines (planted in 1980) in the high-altitude Eden Valley, where cooler nights help the grape maintain acidity—a rarity for this naturally low-acid variety.

This is a serious gastronomy wine. It pairs perfectly with richly spiced Asian cuisine (Thai green curry, Beef Rendang), roasted pork with fennel, or buttery lobster. It is also one of the few whites that can handle a truffle risotto.

Expert Review- Vintage 2023

Christina Pickard of the Wine Enthusiast writes 93 Points | Lime leaf, waxy citrus, white peach notes and a hint of honey open this Clare Valley Riesling. The combo of dryness, cheek-sucking, orange peel acidity and chalky texture makes for a somewhat austere wine solo, but pair with a creamy goat's cheese or seafood risotto and watch it shine. 

Producer Description 

Originally a pastoral run dating back to 1839, and originally named Wolta Wolta, Jim Barry purchased the land for The Lodge Hill Vineyard in 1977 as he was sure it would “produce some of the best Riesling in the Clare Valley.” Situated at 480 meters above sea level and situated on the Eastern Ranges of the Clare Valley, the grapes at our Lodge Hill Vineyard are exposed to concentrated bursts of sunlight and cool nights which encourage slower ripening. This helps deliver beautiful natural acidity and citrus characters that ripen early because of the small crop it produces. Gentle pressing and a rapid move into the fermentation allows the natural fruit flavors to be preserved.

Aromas of fresh lime, spice, citrus blossom, white peach, and nectarine skins open on the nose. In the mouth, the lime flavors take center stage commanding attention on entry. The fruit is fleshy with considerable weight and framed with a refreshing driving acid. A lot of wine!

Winemaker Notes

Winemaker Description 

Red Schooner's new "Red Wine of the World," this red blend is sourced from famed regions of southern Australia, the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. Consisting of Grenache, Shiraz and Mataro with a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon, Transit 2 is bold yet nuanced, featuring scents and flavors of dark fruit, black pepper, leather and vibrant raspberries. 

A hint of mint stems from the region's native trees. Just like our Red Schooner Malbec from Argentina is known by the "voyage" that produced it, this wine is called a sequential "transit."

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2017

James Suckling 96 Points | Released after seven years in bottle. Delicate yet complex aromas of finger limes, grapefruit, kerosine, sage oil, preserved lemons, gun smoke and salted nuts. The palate is high tension, with an intense concentration of flavors that are coiled around a textural palate and striking acidity. Made from vines planted in 1965, this has years of life ahead in the bottle. Excellent. Drink or hold.

Memo Summary Notes

It comes from the high-altitude Eden Valley, specifically from vines planted in 1965 on the coolest, south-facing slope of the estate.

Pewsey Vale is unique because they hold this wine in their cellars for five to seven years before release, ensuring you receive a bottle that has already begun its transformation into a complex, aged masterpiece.

Food Pairing: * Traditional: Kingfish crudo or oysters with a lime mignonette.

• Spicy: Five-spice duck breast or a tofu Pad Thai (the acidity balances the spice and oil)

Winemaker Description 

Yalumba GEN is a commitment for betterment and a fierce determination for the future. It’s a responsibility not taken lightly and it’s our family’s promise to you. It’s more than 172 years of sustainable practices and it’s our commitment to organic certification, allowing nature to work its magic with minimal intervention. It’s the assurance that when you choose Yalumba GEN, you choose a better future for future generations.
Organic Winemaking: This wine is certified by the Australian Certified Organic standards and is 100% vegan. It's made without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in the vineyard. With very few additions, the wine goes through wild fermentation, using only the natural yeasts present in the vineyard and on grape skins.

Tasting Notes: Crimson in color with violet hues. Spiced plums and peppercorns with fruit cake and forest floor aromas. The palate is a mix of violets and spice with hints of Dutch licorice, lingering plum and cherry flavors. This is a fruit driven, medium-bodied wine with soft, silky tannins and a persistent savory finish. 

Enjoy With: Mexican lasagna, bruschetta pasta or a Swiss brown mushroom burger with caramelized onions and crispy potato chips. 

Expert Reviews - Vintage 2023

The Wine Advocate 93+ Points | The 2023 Bin 51 Riesling leads with an austere, searing nose of grilled lime, bath salts, lemon zest, crushed quartz, preserved citrus and pear skin. In the mouth, the wine is fleshy in its way and light on its feet. It's a beautiful wine, poised without being heavy or concentrated, and there's a cleansing finish that has a rounded feel to it.

The Wine Spectator 91 Points | Offers tangy and bright lemon-lime flavors on a sleek frame, with notes of green apple, white pepper and sea salt minerality, plus lingering notes of grapefruit zest. Drink now. 660 cases imported.

Winemaker Description 

Bin 51 captures many of the attributes of the Eden Valley locale. The region’s high altitude and cool climate induces riesling with great finesse and elegance with a capacity for long-term cellaring. South Australia has gained worldwide recognition for producing world-class Riesling and Eden Valley always features. In their youth, the wines possess scented floral and citrus aromas, with a mineral edge and marked natural acidity, contributing significantly to the palate texture and flavor.