2023 Angullong ‘Fossil Hill’ Chardonnay

Posted on March 20, 2026 by Tony Peters

Some time ago, I lived in a home in Hobart with magnificent views. The wide River Derwent stretched out in front of me, leading up to the city and the shadow of Mount Wellington/Kunanyi. At any time of day or year, the river colour and form shifted with the sky and the weather. Colours changing, wind stirring the surface, and always some kind of activity be it a yacht race, a cruise ship easing into port, or someone out in their little pleasure craft enjoying the moment.

At the end of a working day, whether from my job or a few hours in the garden, it was easy to pour a glass of wine, step out onto the deck, and simply watch the river. Chardonnay often played a big part in that ritual. Bright, refreshing and tasty, it was the kind of wine that completed the day. This one from Angullong would have suited that moment perfectly. Here’s why.

Angulong Website

Region: Orange Region, NSW     Price: $30     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Angullong Wines and Define Wine

Mainly citrus fruits on the nose with just a hint of oak. The very appealing palate has abundant flavour but maintains its freshness. A melon-like texture and a macadamia-like nuttiness and creaminess are beautifully complemented by a good balance of acidity, with a little spice and oak influence adding nice layers as it finishes with great length. I have three words for this wine. Precision, restraint & great!

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2025 Shanahans Wines ‘The Barking Dog’ Grenache Shiraz Mataro

Posted on March 19, 2026 by Tony Peters

When it comes to Grenache, Shiraz & Mataro blends they can come in all shapes, sizes and proportions. I’ve never asked a winemaker how they arrive at their final mix, and I’m not about to speculate, but the thought of shapes and proportions immediately brought triangles to mind. More specifically, the Scalene and the Equilateral. This wine manages to reflect both.

The Scalene part is obvious. Grenache at 57%, Shiraz at 33% and Mataro at 10%. Uneven sides, no arguments there. But when you taste it, the wine changes shape. That’s where the Equilateral triangle comes in. Flavour, elegance and finesse sit in equal measure, each supporting the other without a single side dominating. Speaking of ‘taste,’ here are my thoughts on the wine.

Shanahans Wines Website

Region: Barossa Valley, SA     Price: $25 (Absolute Bargain!) Source: Retail purchase

This wine’s common denominator is Flavour with a capital ‘F’. As full‑on as it is, it’s been handled with real thought and balance by winemaker John Harris. Each variety contributes in a meaningful way, bringing its best attributes to a blend that’s so well loved here in Australia. Vibrant, inviting aromas of fresh berries with just a hint of herbs drift from the glass. The palate is delightfully fruit‑forward, showing dark cherry, plum, blackberry and dried herbs. Tannins are soft and lithe, adding to the abundant fruit before a finish of impressive length and persistence. A balanced, flavourful, well‑shaped GSM blend.

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2025 Miss Zilm Clare Valley Riesling

Posted on March 17, 2026 by Tony Peters

How good do we have it in Australia when it comes to Riesling! That’s more of a statement than a question. Across all styles and regions, the quality is consistently high, and don’t get me started on the price. Some regions are better known for the variety than others, of course, and Clare Valley is most definitely up there with the best. If you’re a Riesling drinker like me, here’s one to drink, share, and even tuck away in the cellar.

Right from the start, I’m going to say, this is a ‘show-off’ wine. It shows off the variety, it shows off the region, and it shows off the talent of the winemaker, and this resonates through every facet of the wine.

Miss Zilm Website

Region: Auburn, Clare Valley, S.A.     Price: $32    Source: Swap (Thanks Keeda)

The aromas of delicate floral notes and abundant limes that are so pleasing to the olfactory senses. The palate is fresh, vibrant, and mouth-wateringly juicy thanks to lime and lemon flavours leading the way with a green apple tang, some lovely zippy acidity as it finishes nice and dry with lovely persistence. A bright, expressive Clare Valley Riesling, the 2025 Miss Zilm is built on freshness, flavour and focus.

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2024 Ekin Wine Co Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir

Posted on March 14, 2026 by Tony Peters

Laufey is, from what I’ve read, a remarkably talented Icelandic‑Chinese singer, songwriter and multi‑instrumentalist…and only 26 years old! I don’t know much more about her, except for a quote of hers that I feel is the perfect prelude to this wine. “I hope I can always hold on to a sense of youth.” For me, this wine feels like it shares that sentiment. A Pinot Noir made for the moment, with a lively charm that reminds you why young Pinot can be so irresistible and deliciously drinkable. A wine that shows its youth and wears it proudly, inviting you to enjoy its vibrancy and approachability, unburdened by the need for time to be at its best.

Ekin Wine Co Website

Region: Adelaide Hills, S.A.     Price: $25 (Bargain!)    Source: Samples thanks kindly to Ekin Wine Co

Cherry characters lead the aromatic sphere straight away. Bright and inviting, with a gentle savoury thread hinting at what’s to come. The palate is delightfully flavourful for a lighter‑framed Pinot, cherries edging toward the darker side while red fruits bring freshness and youthfulness (as you would expect from a 2024 vintage Pinot). It’s pure, lively and distinctly varietal. Soft acidity carries the fruit with ease, and the tannins are fine and unobtrusive. It finishes vibrant and clean, the fruit lingering in a way that has you returning for another sip. A genuine Adelaide Hills Pinot that punches above its weight.

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2025 Vickery Watervale Riesling

Posted on March 13, 2026 by Tony Peters

How often do you genuinely get to use words like respect, reputation, pedigree, consistency, and quality to describe one thing? Not often, and not because those words are rare, but because they deserve to be used with care, and only when they’re truly earned.

The name Vickery is one of those rare cases. It’s woven into the fabric of Australian Riesling, and deservedly so. The late John Vickery was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for, among other achievements, “the development of innovative methods for Riesling production,” a contribution that reshaped the variety’s trajectory in this country. With more than 50 trophies and over 400 gold medals to his name, it’s fair to say that Riesling was both his craft and his legacy.

Vickery Wines Website

Region: Watervale, Clare Valley, S.A.     Price: $24    Source: Wine Swap (Thanks Keeda)

Aromatically, lemons and limes lead the way supported by green apple and a gentle floral note. The palate follows through with generous varietal flavour, leaning more toward lime than lemon this time. It’s youthful and vibrant, carrying that bright, mouth‑watering juiciness Watervale does so well. There’s a touch of texture in the mid‑palate, adding interest while the acidity is lively but balanced, giving the wine shape and drive. Everything feels clean, pure and neatly composed, finishing with really good length. A classic, no‑nonsense expression of Watervale Riesling. Honest, refreshing, and very well made.

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2024 Ekin Wine Co Adelaide Hills Chardonnay

Posted on March 11, 2026 by Tony Peters

I can undeniably admit that I love a good Chardy (abbreviating it does not diminish its importance in the wine world). It takes up a good part of the wine rack space in our home wine room and it owns a good percentage of the shelving in our second fridge…and rightly so. This variety has been a consistent for a number of years regardless of the different winemaking approaches it has experienced. This version, for me and my wife, sits in the ‘perfect for any situation’ zone of Australian Chardonnays. Among the many Chardonnays that pass through our home, this one quite simply gets everything right. Another Ekin Wine Co wine that feels honest, reliable and genuinely enjoyable.

Ekin Wine Co Website

Region: Adelaide Hills, S.A.     Price: $28 (Bargain!)    Source: Samples thanks kindly to Ekin Wine Co

Gently aromatic with stone fruit at the forefront, supported by soft melon, a little citrus and a slight flinty note. The medium bodied palate is bright, fresh, and flavourful, driven by crisp apple and rockmelon with the stone fruits playing more of a supportive role but in a very positive way. There’s just enough texture through the mid‑palate to add interest without slowing the wine down, and the finish has good length, is clean, lightly creamy, and confidently varietal. A pure, balanced Chardonnay that’s beautifully drinkable and a lovely expression of the style. A winner for me!

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2024 Yalumba Vat 11 Grenache

Posted on March 7, 2026 by Tony Peters

I’ve been jumping on the Grenache bandwagon for a while now. I was a fan some time ago thanks to the many and varied iterations coming out of the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. What struck me back then was how winemakers in those regions seemed ready to offer an alternative to the big, bold Shiraz styles they were known for, using a variety that had long been grown mainly for fortified wines. It’s fair to say things have worked out pretty well for all concerned, especially the consumer. Here is a prime example.

Yalumba Wine Shop

Region: Barossa Valley, South Australia     Price: $40    Source: Retail Purchase

Right from the first swirl, this wine shows why Yalumba continues to set the pace for modern, approachable, Barossa Grenache. The aromas are bright, inviting and youthful, thanks to fresh raspberries, cherries and subtle herbal notes. The lovely medium-bodied palate follows the same line with juicy red‑fruits leading the way supported by a good touch of acidity that keeps everything feeling fresh and energetic. The tannins are fine and sit nicely in the abundant fruit flavours, giving the wine a really good palate feel. There’s a gentle savouriness on the mid‑palate that adds interest, and the finish is long, bright and persistent. Four words: Generosity, Finesse, Trophy Winner!

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2024 Ekin Wine Co Adelaide Hills Rosé

Posted on March 6, 2026 by Tony Peters

We’re now into Autumn but, here in sunny Brisbane, Summer seems to want to remain the focus while reluctant to hand over the reins, not that I’m complaining. I love this time of year. The landscape shifts in colour depending on the rain, sometimes lush, sometimes sun-burnt, always changing. And while Rosé was once pigeon‑holed as a summertime wine, that idea feels outdated now. Its freshness and versatility make it a year‑round presence on wine lists and has earned its place at the dining table. This one from Ekin Wine Co sits firmly in the ‘over‑delivers for the price’ category, and my notes explain why.

Ekin Wine Co Website

Region: Adelaide Hills, S.A.     Price: $25    Source: Sample thanks kindly to Ekin Wine Co

Right from the first swirl there’s plenty to like. Abundant aromas of raspberries, strawberries and a touch of red cherry provide an alluring introduction that feels true to the style. The palate follows suit. Crisp, dry and refreshing, carried by red apple acidity and those same red‑berry flavours. There’s a gentle creaminess to the texture that adds a delicate weight to the wine without taking away any of the freshness as it finishes with a juiciness that seems to justify a second taste, if not another and another. A straightforward, well‑made rosé that leans on freshness and drinkability.

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2023 Miss Zilm Fiano

Posted on March 5, 2026 by Tony Peters

Fiano is a white Italian variety that grows mainly in the Campania area of southern Italy and on the island of Sicily (that triangular clump of land sitting in the Mediterranean Sea near the toe of the boot). I can’t remember where I read it, but apparently Fiano is fast becoming a popular wine here in Australia not only because it has lovely flavours but also due to its ideal companionship with food. I can most definitely understand why. For fear of repeating myself, I am a fan of the variety and here is yet another example of why I continue to be so.

The current release is the 2025 vintage. If it is anything like this three year old version of the wine, I can only imagine just how fresh, vibrant and food friendly that wine must be. Please, do yourself a favour and get some!

Miss Zilm Website

Region: Auburn, Clare Valley, S.A.     Price: $32    Source: Swap (Thanks Keeda)

Bright and expressive from the first pour, with stone fruits, pear and a hint of citrus giving the nose both freshness and an inviting charm. On the palate it is medium‑bodied and textural, carrying those stone fruits along for the ride while a lemony character adds a nice zip and verve. There’s a lovely interplay of brightness and palate grip, the acidity clean and doing its job nicely (I couldn’t put it another way) without ever feeling sharp. The finish is dry yet vibrant, showing this to be a well‑made Fiano that’s as enjoyable as it is food‑friendly.

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2025 Ekin Wine Co Sauvignon Blanc & Pinot Gris

Posted on February 28, 2026 by Tony Peters

“The sky is filled with stars, invisible by day,” said American poet and educator Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It’s true, the stars don’t disappear when the sun rises. They simply shine for someone else, somewhere else in another part of the world.

Ekin Wine Co is shining with a hidden brilliance, beauty, and character, carrying the same energy and worthiness as any of the brighter lights in the night sky, and they are no different to the invisible stars when the sun is up in your part of the world. However, taste them and you’ll see the light of authenticity they carry in every bottle.

I am lucky enough to have been sent some of the Ekin Wine Co wines to try and I have decided to review the following two very popular yet underestimated varieties first and, I have to say, both are worthy of appreciation and attention.

Ekin Wine Co Website

Region: Adelaide Hills, S.A.     Price: $25 each    Source: Samples thanks kindly to Ekin Wine Co

2025 Sauvignon Blanc

Aromas of passionfruit and fresh snow‑pea leap from the glass, joined by a gentle tropical‑fruit lift that feels a bit like a bright fruit salad. Off to a really good start. The palate follows through with the same lively energy. Fresh, vibrant, and full of flavour, carried by bright yet soft acidity that complements the fruit rather than cutting through it. It’s clean, refreshing, and wonderfully easy to enjoy, with a varietal purity that speaks for itself.

2025 Pinot Gris

Delightfully aromatic thanks to fresh pears leading the way with gentle floral notes and soft tropical hints in the background. The palate is dry, bright, and refreshing, carrying those pear and subtle citrus notes with a touch of texture through the mid‑palate, just enough to add interest without weighing anything down, and the finish is crisp, vibrant, and wonderfully uncomplicated in the best possible way. A genuinely refreshing Pinot Gris that’s all about likeability and pleasurable drinkability. A lovely example of the variety!

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