Australia & NZ
These far-flung wine regions may be referred to ‘new’ when compared against the historic European wine regions, but they have a long winemaking history. Spared from Phylloxera, Australia in particular has world's highest concentration of venerable vines and legendary producers such as Penfolds, Henschke and Tyrell’s have been around for over 150 years. Though for many years piggybacking on Europe’s successes, branding their own wines as ‘Chablis’, ‘Hermitage’ etc., Australia now have created a real identity of their own, making inimitable styles like Coonawarra Cabernet or Hunter Valley Semillon.
New Zealand doesn’t quite have as an extensive history but has established itself in an astonishingly short amount of time as a reliable source of whistle clean, distinctive examples of varietals like Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.
Read More
Australia & NZ
Photo
AI Chat
-
Wine Advocate (93+)
The 2012 Polish Hill Riesling has an expressive nose replete with very ripe and seductive, warm apples and green mango aromas intermingled with frangipani, soursop and honeydew. Opulent in the mouth, it is youthfully tight though, like the nose, it already has an expressive character and is finishing long. Though approachable now, it should drink best from 2015 to 2026+.Inc. VAT£198.53 -
(1x75cl) 2017James Suckling (98)
This is a ravishing Riesling of the highest order, X-factor multiplied. Throw up any part (flesh, juice, skin, pith) of lime or lemons of any kind, add ethereal acidity and marvel at the elegance and length of the palate. Jeffrey Grosset is the undisputed king of the Clare Valley.Inc. VAT£99.20 -
Jancis Robinson (18)
Subtle and layered. Really exciting already because of the density. Tense but the fruit extract means you could actually drink it now.Inc. VAT£461.34 -
Decanter (98)
The clean, fresh aromas of just-picked citrus fruits belie the enormous power of lime juice and rich lemon pith that immediately fills the front palate on this latest vintage. There’s poise in addition to the power though, with multiple layers of rounded citrus and mineral flavours enjoying a luxurious textural roll through the mid-palate. Perfect integration of fresh citric acid carries the pure fruit qualities through extraordinary length to a crisp, lip-smacking finish.Inc. VAT£700.26 -
Decanter (98)
The clean, fresh aromas of just-picked citrus fruits belie the enormous power of lime juice and rich lemon pith that immediately fills the front palate on this latest vintage. There’s poise in addition to the power though, with multiple layers of rounded citrus and mineral flavours enjoying a luxurious textural roll through the mid-palate. Perfect integration of fresh citric acid carries the pure fruit qualities through extraordinary length to a crisp, lip-smacking finish.Inc. VAT£100.75 -
(1x75cl) 2021James Suckling (98)
An exceptional vintage for this wine, with such intense aromas of lime and sweet flowers, as well as hints of white nectarine and wet stone in the background. The palate has density and sleekly refined shape that drives so long. Lime juice throughout, and some almost pithy density builds into the finish, supported by driving acidity. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best from 2026 and a number of years after that. Screw cap.Inc. VAT£87.55 -
James Suckling (98)
An exceptional vintage for this wine, with such intense aromas of lime and sweet flowers, as well as hints of white nectarine and wet stone in the background. The palate has density and sleekly refined shape that drives so long. Lime juice throughout, and some almost pithy density builds into the finish, supported by driving acidity. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best from 2026 and a number of years after that. Screw cap.Inc. VAT£261.32 -
Wine Advocate (97)
The 2023 Polish Hill Riesling is utterly superb. It has the flesh and body that only the Clare can deliver; it is shaped by coiled acidity, and it ripples through the finish with unfettered fruit power. It's a glorious thing, this wine. It's looking precise, focused and floral through the lens of the 2023 season. 12.9% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.Inc. VAT£267.32 -
(6x75cl) 2024Halliday Wine Companion (97)
This needs no introduction; safe to say, this is one of the most delicious young releases of this wine. Immediate appeal in abundant jasmine floral lift, green apple fruitiness, soft lime elements, ginger cake, blackcurrant touches and a wellspring of saline minerality. There's a juiciness, though strict ribbons of pulverised pumice and granitic mineral character find chew and pucker here, too. In all that, the intensity is somewhat dialled down while drinkability is through the roof. No matter, the character shifts each year in degree; it's a stellar wine, full of inimitable character and a finesse that Grosset does so well.Inc. VAT£278.00 -
(6x75cl) 2024The Real Review (95)
Spicy, yeasty, grapefruit-pith, fresh and reserved aromas, bright and nascent, the palate soft and grapy, rounded and easygoing but somewhat short on drive. This is a baby and will be so much more interesting in a year or two, minimum. Plenty of potential.Inc. VAT£201.32 -
Halliday Wine Companion (96)
There's a lot happening here, all of it good. 80% is sourced from the Eden Valley, 20% the Barossa Valley, co-fermented on skins for 14 days, matured in French oak (10% new), the barrel size ranging from 225l to 2250l. There's a poultice of red and black fruits and ribbons of fine, ripe tannins. You can't deny a wine like this.Inc. VAT£190.78 -
Vinous (94)
Finally, the 2015 Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon, aged for 18 months in 20% new oak, has a knockout bouquet that does not hold back with its irresistible, pure black cherries, menthol, cassis and just a very slight touch of boot polish, all beautifully defined. The medium-bodied palate offers white pepper and bay-leaf-tinged red fruit, lithe tannins and a fine bead of acidity. Compared to the nose, it feels quite understated, but it delivers an engaging pepperiness toward the finish. This is only just starting to open.Inc. VAT£193.73 -
Halliday Wine Companion (97)
Some of the vines were planted by Cyril Henschke in the ‘60s. Matured in French hogsheads (35% new) for 18 months. Deep but brightly coloured, this is a no holds barred, full-bodied Eden Valley cabernet sauvignon that will live for decades, blessed by a screwcap. Blackcurrant fruit, touches of cedary oak, black olive, bay leaf and earthy tannins are all on parade.Inc. VAT£186.53 -
Wine Advocate (97)
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2006 Hill of Grace has some oak poking through the red and blue fruit aromas, with underlying toast, marmite and sage hints. Medium to full-bodied, it is a very tight knit and youthful wine with crisp acid, medium to firm, finely grained tannins and a long finish. Drink it 2014 to 2030+.Inc. VAT£2,807.99 -
Jancis Robinson (20)
Deep shaded dark ruby. Wonderfully intense and complex nose. This wine just wraps itself around you! (And I haven't even tasted it yet.) Intense cocktail of prunes and something floral. Really rich. Luscious palate of gorgeously ripe fruit, just the right level of refreshing acidity with mineral top notes. Extremely rewarding with many layers. Very long indeed.Inc. VAT£1,736.39 -
(3x75cl) 2009
Wine Spectator (98)
This sings like a chorus that never runs out of breath. Layers of currant and dark plum fruit harmonize with black walnut, licorice, smoke and coffee notes, weaving through the long and immensely expressive finish. Has depth and great presence. Shiraz.Inc. VAT£1,707.59 -
Halliday Wine Companion (99)
The colour shows no sign of age, the bouquet and palate reminiscent of a Beethoven symphony, throbbing with power, its black fruits in a web of fine, ripe tannins, building inexorably to the last movement, constantly revisiting and rephrasing all that has gone before.Inc. VAT£1,586.39 -
James Suckling (99)
Amazing aromas of wet aged beef, spices, crushed elderberries, peppercorns and bay leaf. Evolves in the glass all the time. Dynamic wine. Full body and polished, fully integrated tannin to the fruit. Finishes very fresh and vivid. Gorgeous to drink now, but will age wonderfully.Inc. VAT£2,211.59 -
Falstaff (100)
Deep dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, faint brightening on the rim. Notes of dried herbs, suede and sage mixed with blackberry confit, candied violet and a hint of dark pesto. Powerful, juicy, pronounced fruit component, fleshy without being opulent, silky, sustainable tannins, has enormous length, mineral, fine savoury nuances of anise, a hint of nougat, black forest berry fruit on the finish, despite its youth already seductive.Inc. VAT£1,685.99 -
James Suckling (100)
This has a very complex nose, offering so many facets of spices and fragrance with florals and orange peel, as well as crushed stones, ripe black cherries, blackberries and dark cherries, earth, chocolate and more. The intensity and power here is very tightly held and it has a build of such precise tannins, which carry very intense and assertively ripe blackberries, dark cherries, ripe plums and blueberries. So much on offer here. This has a very bold, intense feel. Exceptional vintage. One of their finest. Try from 2028. Screw cap.Inc. VAT£654.40 -
James Suckling (100)
This has a very complex nose, offering so many facets of spices and fragrance with florals and orange peel, as well as crushed stones, ripe black cherries, blackberries and dark cherries, earth, chocolate and more. The intensity and power here is very tightly held and it has a build of such precise tannins, which carry very intense and assertively ripe blackberries, dark cherries, ripe plums and blueberries. So much on offer here. This has a very bold, intense feel. Exceptional vintage. One of their finest. Try from 2028. Screw cap.Inc. VAT£1,735.19 -
Halliday Wine Companion (99)
Australia's finest single-vineyard site? I think so. With its core of gnarled shiraz vines planted circa 1860 and its picture-perfect location alongside the Gnadenberg church, it is a much adored and discussed vineyard which has been producing stellar wines since the first single-vineyard Hill of Grace was released in 1958. Today, those original vines are bolstered with its 'young' 100+ and 35+yo kinfolk and aged in 83/17% French/American oak hogsheads (29% new) for 18 months. Grace by name, grace by nature; it's a perfectly framed, elegant snapshot of pristine fruit, site and season. Precisely ripened berry fruits are underscored with notes of Chinese five-spice, sage, jasmine, licorice, mocha, blackberry pastille, charcuterie, wild flowers and cherry clafoutis. Pitch-perfect and elegant on the palate, the tannin-acid architecture tuned and sympatico with the pristine ancestor-vine fruit and a very long, silken finish that resonates with style and place. My goodness it's lovely.Inc. VAT£1,508.39 -
Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (100)
Inky plum colour, the deepest of the Henschke single vineyard lineup for this iconic wine. Hang out with the aromatics before even heading in for a sip, because they are beautiful, with a hit of star anise, fennel and white pepper. On the palate, you get rosebud, peony, blackberry, redcurrant and slate, all revving up and lifting off. This just tingles with fine tannins and keeps you fully engaged - if you think Australia can't do cool-climate-style lusciously finessed wine, prepare to be blown away. 100% Shiraz from ungrafted pre-Phylloxera material brought from Europe in the mid 1800s. Organic and biodynamic farming. 20% new oak, largely French with a touch of American. Winemaker Stephen Henschke.Inc. VAT£1,651.19 -
Jancis Robinson (19.5)
Richly shaded, lustrous garnet. Rich, camphor nose with many layers. Real sweetness, with saltiness, on palate entry and waves of subsequent impact on the palate that has one of the longest finishes one might encounter. This remarkably small crop, thanks to hail and extreme heat in summer, shows no sign of dried fruit. There is quite enough juice and interest right through the tasting experience. Amazingly, you could enjoy drinking this now, even though the Henschkes suggest a life of 30 years from 2019. If I had a sore throat and a fairy godmother, this is what she would administer.Inc. VAT£2,107.19 -
James Suckling (97)
Such a luxuriant, elegant and complex young wine, this is the younger-vine material from Hill of Grace Vineyard (27-year-old vines in 2015). Multidimensional with brown spices, such as cloves and allspice, dried sage, orange peel, red berries, camphor wood and roses. A succulent palate with elegance and focus, offering blue plums and a very fine core of tannin to support such intense, vibrant fruit. Light, espresso-washed chocolate flavors lie across the fine, long and polished tannins that shape the fresh, balanced finish. A great wine that shows the DNA of the Hill of Grace terroir in a humbler mode. Beautiful now, but this will age for more than two decades. Glass-stopper closure.Inc. VAT£1,171.19 -
Halliday Wine Companion (98)
The vines were 26yo in '16, too young for inclusion in Hill of Grace, notwithstanding its undoubted quality, matured for 14 months in French hogsheads (30% new). There's not a single hair out of place in a perfectly framed, medium-bodied shiraz. Bred in the purple.Inc. VAT£1,228.79 -
James Suckling (98)
So much forest-flower character to this on the nose, together with bark, mushroom, tile, and blackberries. Dried plums, too. Full-bodied, yet so tight and composed, with a compact palate. Fresh five spice. Pepper and clove at the finish. Fantastic. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. Glass stopper.Inc. VAT£940.79 -
Wine Advocate (98)
The 2018 Hill of Roses Shiraz is sourced from a block within the Hill of Grace vineyard that was planted in 1989 with the intention of being a nursery bloc. The planting there is known as the Post Office Block. While the vines are, at this stage, too young to be considered for inclusion in the Hill of Grace, the wine is considered special and warranting its own bottling. Personally, I feel the young vines lend an energy and vigor to the wine, and I like the red fruited clarity that it shows each year. It matured in a combination of new (25%) and seasoned (75%) French oak hogsheads for 18 months prior to release. The nose and the palate are totally aligned: red licorice, raspberries, crushed rocks, red velvet, sage, squid ink, aniseed/anise, quartz and brine. There's the telltale black tea and minerality of the Eden on show, too. This is a sensational wine. This is texturally svelte and seamless (the nod to red velvet above is a textural observation). I love it. If ever I was going to fall for this wine, it would be here, in this clear-spoken, gracefully enunciated 2018 vintage.Inc. VAT£1,192.79 -
(12x75cl) 2023Halliday Wine Companion (97)
Pale straw in the glass with flashes of green. Aromas of pure, freshly squeezed lime juice, lime zest, crushed quartz, Christmas lily, makrut lime, white flowers, marzipan and Bickford's lime cordial. A laser-like focus on the palate entry, limey fruit riding with great velocity on rails of minerally acidity. Such a precise and pristine wine with a real sense of tension and release, like a great piece of classical music. This certainly seems to me to be a very strong vintage for this wine, one which I look forward to revisiting over time as it slowly evolves. Excellent.Inc. VAT£392.81 -
(12x75cl) 2004Inc. VAT£1,223.38
-
Wine Advocate (93+)
The 2012 Polish Hill Riesling has an expressive nose replete with very ripe and seductive, warm apples and green mango aromas intermingled with frangipani, soursop and honeydew. Opulent in the mouth, it is youthfully tight though, like the nose, it already has an expressive character and is finishing long. Though approachable now, it should drink best from 2015 to 2026+.In Bond£162.00 -
(1x75cl) 2017
James Suckling (98)
This is a ravishing Riesling of the highest order, X-factor multiplied. Throw up any part (flesh, juice, skin, pith) of lime or lemons of any kind, add ethereal acidity and marvel at the elegance and length of the palate. Jeffrey Grosset is the undisputed king of the Clare Valley.In Bond£80.00 -
Jancis Robinson (18)
Subtle and layered. Really exciting already because of the density. Tense but the fruit extract means you could actually drink it now.In Bond£350.00 -
Decanter (98)
The clean, fresh aromas of just-picked citrus fruits belie the enormous power of lime juice and rich lemon pith that immediately fills the front palate on this latest vintage. There’s poise in addition to the power though, with multiple layers of rounded citrus and mineral flavours enjoying a luxurious textural roll through the mid-palate. Perfect integration of fresh citric acid carries the pure fruit qualities through extraordinary length to a crisp, lip-smacking finish.In Bond£548.00 -
Decanter (98)
The clean, fresh aromas of just-picked citrus fruits belie the enormous power of lime juice and rich lemon pith that immediately fills the front palate on this latest vintage. There’s poise in addition to the power though, with multiple layers of rounded citrus and mineral flavours enjoying a luxurious textural roll through the mid-palate. Perfect integration of fresh citric acid carries the pure fruit qualities through extraordinary length to a crisp, lip-smacking finish.In Bond£81.00 -
(1x75cl) 2021
James Suckling (98)
An exceptional vintage for this wine, with such intense aromas of lime and sweet flowers, as well as hints of white nectarine and wet stone in the background. The palate has density and sleekly refined shape that drives so long. Lime juice throughout, and some almost pithy density builds into the finish, supported by driving acidity. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best from 2026 and a number of years after that. Screw cap.In Bond£70.00 -
James Suckling (98)
An exceptional vintage for this wine, with such intense aromas of lime and sweet flowers, as well as hints of white nectarine and wet stone in the background. The palate has density and sleekly refined shape that drives so long. Lime juice throughout, and some almost pithy density builds into the finish, supported by driving acidity. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best from 2026 and a number of years after that. Screw cap.In Bond£200.00 -
Wine Advocate (97)
The 2023 Polish Hill Riesling is utterly superb. It has the flesh and body that only the Clare can deliver; it is shaped by coiled acidity, and it ripples through the finish with unfettered fruit power. It's a glorious thing, this wine. It's looking precise, focused and floral through the lens of the 2023 season. 12.9% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.In Bond£205.00 -
(6x75cl) 2024
Halliday Wine Companion (97)
This needs no introduction; safe to say, this is one of the most delicious young releases of this wine. Immediate appeal in abundant jasmine floral lift, green apple fruitiness, soft lime elements, ginger cake, blackcurrant touches and a wellspring of saline minerality. There's a juiciness, though strict ribbons of pulverised pumice and granitic mineral character find chew and pucker here, too. In all that, the intensity is somewhat dialled down while drinkability is through the roof. No matter, the character shifts each year in degree; it's a stellar wine, full of inimitable character and a finesse that Grosset does so well.In Bond£215.00 -
(6x75cl) 2024
The Real Review (95)
Spicy, yeasty, grapefruit-pith, fresh and reserved aromas, bright and nascent, the palate soft and grapy, rounded and easygoing but somewhat short on drive. This is a baby and will be so much more interesting in a year or two, minimum. Plenty of potential.In Bond£150.00 -
Halliday Wine Companion (96)
There's a lot happening here, all of it good. 80% is sourced from the Eden Valley, 20% the Barossa Valley, co-fermented on skins for 14 days, matured in French oak (10% new), the barrel size ranging from 225l to 2250l. There's a poultice of red and black fruits and ribbons of fine, ripe tannins. You can't deny a wine like this.In Bond£139.00 -
Vinous (94)
Finally, the 2015 Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon, aged for 18 months in 20% new oak, has a knockout bouquet that does not hold back with its irresistible, pure black cherries, menthol, cassis and just a very slight touch of boot polish, all beautifully defined. The medium-bodied palate offers white pepper and bay-leaf-tinged red fruit, lithe tannins and a fine bead of acidity. Compared to the nose, it feels quite understated, but it delivers an engaging pepperiness toward the finish. This is only just starting to open.In Bond£158.00 -
Halliday Wine Companion (97)
Some of the vines were planted by Cyril Henschke in the ‘60s. Matured in French hogsheads (35% new) for 18 months. Deep but brightly coloured, this is a no holds barred, full-bodied Eden Valley cabernet sauvignon that will live for decades, blessed by a screwcap. Blackcurrant fruit, touches of cedary oak, black olive, bay leaf and earthy tannins are all on parade.In Bond£152.00 -
Wine Advocate (97)
Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2006 Hill of Grace has some oak poking through the red and blue fruit aromas, with underlying toast, marmite and sage hints. Medium to full-bodied, it is a very tight knit and youthful wine with crisp acid, medium to firm, finely grained tannins and a long finish. Drink it 2014 to 2030+.In Bond£2,330.00 -
Jancis Robinson (20)
Deep shaded dark ruby. Wonderfully intense and complex nose. This wine just wraps itself around you! (And I haven't even tasted it yet.) Intense cocktail of prunes and something floral. Really rich. Luscious palate of gorgeously ripe fruit, just the right level of refreshing acidity with mineral top notes. Extremely rewarding with many layers. Very long indeed.In Bond£1,437.00 -
(3x75cl) 2009
Wine Spectator (98)
This sings like a chorus that never runs out of breath. Layers of currant and dark plum fruit harmonize with black walnut, licorice, smoke and coffee notes, weaving through the long and immensely expressive finish. Has depth and great presence. Shiraz.In Bond£1,413.00 -
Halliday Wine Companion (99)
The colour shows no sign of age, the bouquet and palate reminiscent of a Beethoven symphony, throbbing with power, its black fruits in a web of fine, ripe tannins, building inexorably to the last movement, constantly revisiting and rephrasing all that has gone before.In Bond£1,312.00 -
James Suckling (99)
Amazing aromas of wet aged beef, spices, crushed elderberries, peppercorns and bay leaf. Evolves in the glass all the time. Dynamic wine. Full body and polished, fully integrated tannin to the fruit. Finishes very fresh and vivid. Gorgeous to drink now, but will age wonderfully.In Bond£1,833.00 -
Falstaff (100)
Deep dark ruby, opaque core, purple reflections, faint brightening on the rim. Notes of dried herbs, suede and sage mixed with blackberry confit, candied violet and a hint of dark pesto. Powerful, juicy, pronounced fruit component, fleshy without being opulent, silky, sustainable tannins, has enormous length, mineral, fine savoury nuances of anise, a hint of nougat, black forest berry fruit on the finish, despite its youth already seductive.In Bond£1,395.00 -
James Suckling (100)
This has a very complex nose, offering so many facets of spices and fragrance with florals and orange peel, as well as crushed stones, ripe black cherries, blackberries and dark cherries, earth, chocolate and more. The intensity and power here is very tightly held and it has a build of such precise tannins, which carry very intense and assertively ripe blackberries, dark cherries, ripe plums and blueberries. So much on offer here. This has a very bold, intense feel. Exceptional vintage. One of their finest. Try from 2028. Screw cap.In Bond£542.00 -
James Suckling (100)
This has a very complex nose, offering so many facets of spices and fragrance with florals and orange peel, as well as crushed stones, ripe black cherries, blackberries and dark cherries, earth, chocolate and more. The intensity and power here is very tightly held and it has a build of such precise tannins, which carry very intense and assertively ripe blackberries, dark cherries, ripe plums and blueberries. So much on offer here. This has a very bold, intense feel. Exceptional vintage. One of their finest. Try from 2028. Screw cap.In Bond£1,436.00 -
Halliday Wine Companion (99)
Australia's finest single-vineyard site? I think so. With its core of gnarled shiraz vines planted circa 1860 and its picture-perfect location alongside the Gnadenberg church, it is a much adored and discussed vineyard which has been producing stellar wines since the first single-vineyard Hill of Grace was released in 1958. Today, those original vines are bolstered with its 'young' 100+ and 35+yo kinfolk and aged in 83/17% French/American oak hogsheads (29% new) for 18 months. Grace by name, grace by nature; it's a perfectly framed, elegant snapshot of pristine fruit, site and season. Precisely ripened berry fruits are underscored with notes of Chinese five-spice, sage, jasmine, licorice, mocha, blackberry pastille, charcuterie, wild flowers and cherry clafoutis. Pitch-perfect and elegant on the palate, the tannin-acid architecture tuned and sympatico with the pristine ancestor-vine fruit and a very long, silken finish that resonates with style and place. My goodness it's lovely.In Bond£1,247.00 -
Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (100)
Inky plum colour, the deepest of the Henschke single vineyard lineup for this iconic wine. Hang out with the aromatics before even heading in for a sip, because they are beautiful, with a hit of star anise, fennel and white pepper. On the palate, you get rosebud, peony, blackberry, redcurrant and slate, all revving up and lifting off. This just tingles with fine tannins and keeps you fully engaged - if you think Australia can't do cool-climate-style lusciously finessed wine, prepare to be blown away. 100% Shiraz from ungrafted pre-Phylloxera material brought from Europe in the mid 1800s. Organic and biodynamic farming. 20% new oak, largely French with a touch of American. Winemaker Stephen Henschke.In Bond£1,366.00 -
Jancis Robinson (19.5)
Richly shaded, lustrous garnet. Rich, camphor nose with many layers. Real sweetness, with saltiness, on palate entry and waves of subsequent impact on the palate that has one of the longest finishes one might encounter. This remarkably small crop, thanks to hail and extreme heat in summer, shows no sign of dried fruit. There is quite enough juice and interest right through the tasting experience. Amazingly, you could enjoy drinking this now, even though the Henschkes suggest a life of 30 years from 2019. If I had a sore throat and a fairy godmother, this is what she would administer.In Bond£1,746.00 -
James Suckling (97)
Such a luxuriant, elegant and complex young wine, this is the younger-vine material from Hill of Grace Vineyard (27-year-old vines in 2015). Multidimensional with brown spices, such as cloves and allspice, dried sage, orange peel, red berries, camphor wood and roses. A succulent palate with elegance and focus, offering blue plums and a very fine core of tannin to support such intense, vibrant fruit. Light, espresso-washed chocolate flavors lie across the fine, long and polished tannins that shape the fresh, balanced finish. A great wine that shows the DNA of the Hill of Grace terroir in a humbler mode. Beautiful now, but this will age for more than two decades. Glass-stopper closure.In Bond£966.00 -
Halliday Wine Companion (98)
The vines were 26yo in '16, too young for inclusion in Hill of Grace, notwithstanding its undoubted quality, matured for 14 months in French hogsheads (30% new). There's not a single hair out of place in a perfectly framed, medium-bodied shiraz. Bred in the purple.In Bond£1,014.00 -
James Suckling (98)
So much forest-flower character to this on the nose, together with bark, mushroom, tile, and blackberries. Dried plums, too. Full-bodied, yet so tight and composed, with a compact palate. Fresh five spice. Pepper and clove at the finish. Fantastic. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold. Glass stopper.In Bond£774.00 -
Wine Advocate (98)
The 2018 Hill of Roses Shiraz is sourced from a block within the Hill of Grace vineyard that was planted in 1989 with the intention of being a nursery bloc. The planting there is known as the Post Office Block. While the vines are, at this stage, too young to be considered for inclusion in the Hill of Grace, the wine is considered special and warranting its own bottling. Personally, I feel the young vines lend an energy and vigor to the wine, and I like the red fruited clarity that it shows each year. It matured in a combination of new (25%) and seasoned (75%) French oak hogsheads for 18 months prior to release. The nose and the palate are totally aligned: red licorice, raspberries, crushed rocks, red velvet, sage, squid ink, aniseed/anise, quartz and brine. There's the telltale black tea and minerality of the Eden on show, too. This is a sensational wine. This is texturally svelte and seamless (the nod to red velvet above is a textural observation). I love it. If ever I was going to fall for this wine, it would be here, in this clear-spoken, gracefully enunciated 2018 vintage.In Bond£984.00 -
(12x75cl) 2023
Halliday Wine Companion (97)
Pale straw in the glass with flashes of green. Aromas of pure, freshly squeezed lime juice, lime zest, crushed quartz, Christmas lily, makrut lime, white flowers, marzipan and Bickford's lime cordial. A laser-like focus on the palate entry, limey fruit riding with great velocity on rails of minerally acidity. Such a precise and pristine wine with a real sense of tension and release, like a great piece of classical music. This certainly seems to me to be a very strong vintage for this wine, one which I look forward to revisiting over time as it slowly evolves. Excellent.In Bond£286.00 -
(12x75cl) 2004In Bond£981.00
