2025 Ross Hill Wines ‘Pinnacle Series’ Pinot Gris

Posted on July 18, 2026 by Tony Peters

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” I saw this quote recently, though it can’t be directly attributed to anyone in particular. Even so, it felt like the perfect fit for this Pinot Gris. It’s simple in its character, in its varietal make‑up, and in its easy, ‘hello, here I am’ approachability. And strangely enough, each of those things adds to its sophistication as well.

Pinot Gris doesn’t need to be bold to be expressive. Its charm lies in texture, purity and gentle fruit weight. With Chris Jessop’s lighter‑touch winemaking and the natural definition of Orange’s cool‑climate fruit, that understated and unobtrusive sophistication steps forward beautifully in the glass. If you think Pinot Gris is nothing special, this one will make you rethink that.

Ross Hill Wines Website

Region: Orange Region, NSW     Price: $35     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Ross Hill Wines and Define Wine

It’s varietally aromatic, with floral notes, pear and a touch of citrus that jumps out of the glass. Take a sip and you’ll see it’s unashamedly Gris. Creamy and textural in a way that feels really satisfying. There’s plenty of fruit weight too thanks to pear, pear flesh, a bit of apple and subtle spice, all sitting comfortably on the texture. The acidity shows up on the finish, freshening everything up and keeping it nicely balanced. A clean and persistent finish hangs around longer than you’d expect. It’s definitely Gris, in the best way. Flavour, weight, texture, all working together nicely

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2025 Ross Hill Wines ‘Pinnacle Series’ Chardonnay

Posted on July 16, 2026 by Tony Peters

Ross Hill is a welcomed new territory for me, but the story behind these wines is worth a moment before diving in. Winemaker Chris Jessop joined the team two years ago, bringing experience from Mudgee, the Barossa, the Limestone Coast, Germany and his native New Zealand. His approach is all about gentle handling, wild ferments, lighter oak and letting Orange’s cool‑climate fruit speak clearly. It also marks Ross Hill’s tenth year as a certified carbon‑neutral winery, a philosophy that runs through both the vineyard and the cellar. The Pinnacle Series is one part of the resultant approach. Modern, thoughtful, and delightfully likeable wines that put fruit purity and texture front and centre.

Chardonnay is a bit of a calling card for cool‑climate regions, and Orange is no exception. High elevation, long ripening and natural acidity give the variety a clarity and precision that suits the more restrained, fruit‑first approach Chris Jessop is aiming for. Ross Hill ‘Pinnacle Series’ Chardonnay is a good place to start. A good example of the variety that shows the site, the minimal intervention and the winemaker’s deft touch in the finished wine.

Ross Hill Wines Website

Region: Orange Region, NSW     Price: $40     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Ross Hill Wines and Define Wine

It opens with lovely citrus and soft stone‑fruit aromatics, the kind that gives a sense of brightness and varietal expression. The palate offers up peach and melon characters with a ‘fleshy-fruit’ feel too, while some acidity adds freshness and balance. There’s a gentle creaminess, subtle oak influence and enough texture giving the wine a nice mouth-feel and a touch of weight on the palate. It finishes clean, cool and refreshing, inviting you to go back for another sip. A classy, modern cool‑climate Chardonnay and a strong introduction for me to the Pinnacle Series.

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2025 Running With Bulls ‘Not Quite Red’

Posted on July 10, 2026 by Tony Peters

Russian playwright, Anton Chekhov said, “People don’t notice whether it’s winter or summer when they’re happy,” and there’s something about the 2025 Running With Bulls ‘Not Quite Red’ that captures that spirit. It’s the kind of wine that slips comfortably into any moment. Whether it’s chilled on a warm afternoon or poured casually on a cool evening, it brings the same relaxed, happy energy either way.

Living in Queensland, where the seasons blur more than they shift, that idea rings especially true. Down south they talk about “winter reds,” but up here a wine like this feels just as at home beside a summer barbecue as it does on a mild July night. It’s a reminder that some wines aren’t tied to weather at all, just to the mood, the company, and the simple pleasure of pouring a glass.

Running With Bulls Store

Region: Barossa Valley, South Australia     Price: $21    Source: Retail Purchase

It opens with bright red‑fruit aromas that set an easy‑going tone from the start. The palate is generously fruity and juicy, carrying a relaxed ‘fun‑factor’ while still having enough oomph to remind you it’s a red at heart. The clear bottle almost gives you permission to throw it in the fridge for twenty minutes and forget about it until friends arrive. Nothing complicated, nothing trying too hard, just a light, bright Barossa Grenache‑dominant blend that drinks like a summer companion but could just as easily be a casual winter sipper.

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2024 Yalumba Tri-Centenary ‘Ancestor Vine’ Grenache

Posted on June 13, 2026 by Tony Peters

Let me take you back 137 years, to 1889 Australia. It was a significant year for two very different reasons. First, Sir Henry Parkes delivered his famous Tenterfield Oration. The spark that set Australia on the path from six separate colonies to a single nation.

The second, and arguably just as important for wine lovers and more specifically Grenache lovers, was that someone in the Barossa decided to plant a small plot of Grenache in an ideal patch of sandy loam. That decision has been paying dividends ever since. The fact those vines survived the Federal Government’s vine‑pull scheme almost a century later is remarkable in itself. That they’re still producing fruit of this quality tells me they deserve their own place in the annals of Australian wine history…if they are not already there.

Yalumba Wine Shop

Region: Barossa Valley, South Australia     Price: $74    Source: Samples thanks kindly to Yalumba

This is quite a wine. Everything from the colour to the aromas to the flavours to the finish. Two words. Mighty impressive. It’s a lovely colour, it’s brightly perfumed, texturally inviting and abundantly flavourful. It’s red-fruit fresh, think strawberries and red cherries, along with a little spice influence and a hint of a red liquorice note in there too. The tannins sit pretty with the fruit as it finishes beautifully long, moreish and enchantingly seductive. It’s all class. Simple as that. It very much invites you to enjoy it in its youth (and don’t be afraid to do so) even though it will quite easily sit quietly for a few years.

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2023 Yalumba ‘The Virgilius’ Viognier

Posted on June 7, 2026 by Tony Peters

Recently my wife and I attended a dinner hosted by Yalumba at a very nice restaurant. It was held to mark the 2026 Rare & Fine and Museum Release of their wines. It was a terrific night of food but more so, tremendous wines.

“We don’t remember days, we remember moments.” Cesare Pavese wrote that, and it couldn’t have been more fitting for this dinner, or for the first wine poured. That wine was this one. The pinnacle of Viognier in this country.

I remember tasting it, with my expectations already high, and turning to my wife with something along the lines of, “What a great start to the night.” A small moment, but one that stayed with me. Mind you, the whole night was memorable.

Another incomparable expression of Viognier, and another reminder of why Yalumba continue to hold the mantle as Australia’s champions of the variety.

Yalumba Wine Shop

Region: Eden Valley, South Australia     Price: $57    Source: Samples thanks kindly to Yalumba

Aromatically, this is immediate and unmistakably Virgilius and Viognier. Apricots and a floral lift that are effortlessly inviting. The palate follows with that delightful trademark texture. Silky, layered and subtly powerful in a way that feels innocently deliberate. Stone fruits sit at the core, ripe but never heavy, carried by a delicate line of citrus characters. A subtle spice thread adds an interesting dimension without ever distracting from the fruit. The oak is beautifully judged, offering a nice layer rather than flavour. It finishes incredibly long with flavours that taper rather than fade (I can’t describe it any better than that). An exceptional Viognier. Seamless, balanced, and a reminder of why this wine leads the way in Australia when it comes to this variety.

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2022 Slow Wine Co. Pinot Noir

Posted on May 30, 2026 by Tony Peters

“Confidence isn’t optimism or pessimism; it’s the expectation of a positive outcome.” Rosabeth Moss Kanter (an American sociologist) wrote this and it is a line that came to mind as I tasted this Pinot Noir from Slow Wine Co. Every experience I’ve had with their wines has earned an easy confidence. No hype, no assumption, just the sense that something good is likely waiting under the screwcap. That expectation doesn’t come from marketing or medals. It comes from the simple pattern of honest, well‑made wines of theirs I have tried over time. I approached this wine with that same trust, hoping for the familiar balance of freshness, restraint and charm. And once again, the wine met me exactly where I knew it would.

Slow Wine Co Website

Region: Orange Region, NSW     Price: $36    Source: Wine Swap (Thanks Jen)

I don’t care what anyone says. Pinot Noir is so pretty in the glass, and this one shows it beautifully. Translucent dark‑cherry hues ease through as you lift it to the light. The nose is bright and fresh with red cherry, a little strawberry and a hint of spice. The palate is generous and distinctly varietal with dark cherry flavours leading the way. A red‑fruit freshness brings everything into balance. There’s a savoury note, a touch of oak, and enough acidity for short‑term cellaring but don’t feel you need to. Sitting just shy of medium‑bodied, it carries itself with elegance and poise. A genuinely good wine. Delightful, easy to drink, and very easy to like.

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2025 Y Series Chardonnay

Posted on May 21, 2026 by Tony Peters

It is so easy to judge things, anything and everything, on price. In all honesty, that’s fair when it comes to so many things. The saying, “you get what you pay for” is fair and just in a lot of cases. However, sometimes it pays (no pun intended) to not be so reluctant, so critical, so judgemental. The Y Series wines are the perfect case in point, and in this case, the Chardonnay expresses that point in better than uncertain terms…if that is possible. It’s Chardonnay all the way, it tells you so from start to the finish, and there are no beg-your-pardons. You get exactly what you thought you would but with a ‘here is more than you expected’ thrown in.

Smiths Wine Store Y Series Wines

Region: South Australia    Price: $15 Source: Sample thanks kindly to Hill- Smith Family Estates

Fresh tropical notes lead the way on the nose, mingling with some floral notes and just a subtle flinty note too. The palate is clean and creamy, carrying flavours of melon and apple puree. There’s a gentle savoury edge, slight cashew nut, and delicate spice all of which adds interest without weighing the wine down. The flow of this wine is neat, the acidity refreshing, keeping things lively and inviting. Once again, the consistency of the Y Series shines through. A very respectable Chardonnay that easily provides plenty for the price.

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2025 Y Series Riesling

Posted on May 14, 2026 by Tony Peters

I extend my apologies to all the Riesling producers in Australia whose wines I’ve enjoyed over the years. What I’m about to say takes nothing away from the quality you produce. Okay, so it sounds like a disclaimer, and in many ways, it is, because this wine is such a consistent performer. If I walk into a bottle shop and can’t make up my mind, this Riesling is my fall‑back, my go‑to, my Toyota Hi‑Lux of wines. In a word, reliable. I’ve bought, opened, poured and drunk more bottles of this than I can count. I’ve served it to friends, relatives, Riesling fanatics and deniers alike, and it always comes through. I don’t hide the fact that it’s a favourite, and there’s always a bottle in the drinks fridge. This is yet another release that nails it!

Smiths Wine Store Y Series Wines

Region: South Australia    Price: $15 Source: Sample thanks kindly to Hill- Smith Family Estates

You could serve this up to anyone blind they would immediately know it is Riesling. So varietal! A little floral but lemons and limes are front and centre. On the palate it’s those citrus flavours of limes and lemons that are the expected main players, a nice surprising touch of minerality and some lovely lively acidity that carry this through to reasonably good, long finish. This is a ripper drink for the money.

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2025 Téssera Wines Foxtrot ‘Centurion Old Vines’ Grenache

Posted on May 9, 2026 by Tony Peters

Alfred Lord Tennyson, a rather esteemed English poet, once wrote, “Words, like nature, half reveal and half conceal the soul within.” I doubt very much that Tennyson was talking about wine reviews, but he could have been. When someone pens their thoughts about a wine, they really only reveal the two-dimensional aspect of it. To really experience the ‘soul’ within requires the reader to taste, and subsequently drink it. I think this Grenache is that type of wine. My tasting notes give an insight into the genuine flavour characteristics that tickle the senses of the reader vicariously. However, experiencing the wine itself will reveal the soul of this old vine Grenache to you, the consumer, in a tangible way. It is well worth it, believe me.

Téssera Wines Website

Region: McLaren Vale    Price: $55     Source: Online purchase

To get things started, the lovely perfumed nose with bright red fruits lead the way with cherry and redcurrant giving it a fresh start with a slight savoury note and a hint of white pepper. The palate sits perfectly in that medium‑bodied zone, offering both brightness and some old‑vine depth at the same time. Oak plays a subtle supporting role, adding a touch of dry tannins without intruding on the lovely fruit on display. This may sound a bit odd (but that’s what I do sometimes) but there’s almost like a ‘feng shui’ with the fruit and spice working in harmony. The fruit concentration never tips into heaviness with this well‑balanced, thoughtfully made Grenache that shows just what centenarian vines have to offer in such a wine.

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2023 Yalumba ‘The Signature’ Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz

Posted on May 1, 2026 by Tony Peters

There’s a particular skill in writing someone’s story in the space on the back label of a bottle of wine. A bottle‑sized biography that somehow captures decades of work within a family‑owned winery that has been part of the Australian wine landscape for 175 years. That task fell to Peter Sawrey, the custodian of The Signature’s tradition, who interviewed others and wrote their character into a few honest and succinct lines. When it came to the 2023 vintage, Yalumba asked something different of him. To turn that same craft inward, to write about his own contribution with the same humility and grace he’d always afforded others.

I have no doubt Yalumba have always appreciated Peter’s work, but this year they chose to express it in the most meaningful way they could. By placing his name on the bottle he has helped define for more than three decades. Each vintage of The Signature honours someone whose character has left a lasting imprint on the Hill‑Smith family. For this vintage, the storyteller becomes the Signatory, a gesture that acknowledges not only his years of service but the voice he gave to others. It feels like a full‑circle moment, offered with genuine respect.

Yalumba Wine Shop

Region: Barossa Valley, South Australia     Price: $74    Source: Samples thanks kindly to Yalumba

The 2023 Signature feels like a turning of the page at Yalumba, a vintage shaped by calm, measured precision. Cabernet and Shiraz move together with quiet confidence rather than vying for attention. Black fruits and dark cherry rise from the glass on the first pour, carrying an intensity that speaks to its youth. The palate is voluptuous, slick and fulsome, yet carried by a refined elegance that keeps everything in balance. Black and blue fruits, a little red cherry, liquorice and herbs move in harmony, taking in the oak as the tannins glide across the incredibly long, composed and balanced finish. It’s a gorgeous wine. Generous and already showing the poise of something built to last. A fitting tribute to Peter Sawrey, a steady hand now written into the story he helped shape.

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