2024 First Ridge Wines Montepulciano

Posted on November 13, 2026 by Tony Peters

I don’t know what happens to me when I get to try an Italian variety that’s really good. I seem to immerse myself in these reviews a little too much… maybe. When I tasted this wine, I went to speak English, but there was a touch of Italian amongst it and, to be honest, it didn’t sound great. I just wanted to be part of it.

No matter where Australian Montepulciano is grown, made or bottled, the quality never ceases to amaze me. And First Ridge, up in Mudgee in the middle of New South Wales, have produced a lovely example of the variety, one that seems to bring a bit of charm with it. It’s a style I never tire of, and this is another reason why. I tip my beret to the First Ridge crew. Bravo!

Live simply. Laugh often. Wine a lot.

First Ridge Website

Region: Mudgee, NSW     Price: $45    Source: Sample thanks kindly to First Ridge and Define Wine

Fresh berry and cherry aromas rise from the glass with just a hint of spice. The palate delivers generous dark plum and black fruit flavours, with a bright burst of red cherry freshness that keeps everything really engaging. Hints of dried herbs, well-judged oak and smooth tannins add to the lovely length and finish. Youthful, expressive and so so drinkable, this is a Montepulciano that perfectly combines generosity with freshness. The word ‘Montepulciano’ rolls off the tongue, but this wine rolls over it, then back again and again and again.

Posted in Other Reds | Leave a comment

2022 Domaine du Beauregard ‘Les Grandes Plantes’ (Côtes du Couchois Pinot Noir)

Posted on November 12, 2026 by Tony Peters

I’ve never been to the Côtes du Couchois, but wines like this make the idea very tempting. Domaine du Beauregard sits between the Hautes Côtes and the Morvan, in hills shaped by clays and limestone that give Pinot Noir generosity and a touch of rustic charm. From living vicariously through photos and what I’ve read, it looks like the kind of place I’d happily wander one day.

Les Grandes Plantes is one of siblings Stéphanie and Jérôme Depernon’s key parcels, planted on those multicoloured clays that seem to bring depth and genuineness to the fruit. Their approach to winemaking is gentle and considered . Destemmed fruit, soft extraction and older barrels so the vineyard shows up in the bottle. It’s a style that favours purity, texture and honest regional expression. Even from afar, wines like this feel honest, grounded and shaped by careful hands.

Here’s how the 2022 Les Grandes Plantes shows that Couchois character in the glass.

Live simply. Laugh often. Wine a lot.

Region: Bourgogne, France     Price: N/K     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Vins De Bourgogne Wines and Hopscotch Season Groupe 

Ripe red fruits lead on the nose thanks to cherry, plum and a touch of blackberry with a little spice showing through. The palate is quite generous, carrying dark cherry, plum and a hint of blackcurrant, with a faint sour note adding interest. Tannins are smooth and easy, giving the wine a gentle flow through the mid‑palate where a plum character really settles in giving it a lovely textural feel across the palate. Oak is nicely restrained staying in the background, letting the fruit do most of the talking. There’s good length, a touch of earthiness too, and an overall elegant feel. A generous, honest Pinot Noir that reflects its place well.

Posted in Pinot Noir | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

2026 Raidis Estate ‘Cheeky Goat’ Pinot Gris

Posted on November 11, 2026 by Tony Peters

I’ve met plenty of serious wines with serious names that would even scare a ‘stiff upper lip’. Every now and then it’s nice to meet one that brings a smile before the glass is even raised. Raidis Estate’s Cheeky Goat does that right from the start just by reading the label. A nod to the mischievous characters roaming their patch of Coonawarra.

Let’s face it, there’s always one goat that won’t behave, the one that tests its owner in its own cheeky way and this wine carries a little of that spirit in the best possible way. Playful on the label? Yes. Calm in the glass? Yes. A reminder that not every wine needs to take itself too seriously. It may be Cheeky by name, but it is charming by nature, and a Pinot Gris that proves personality can be bottled and poured into your glass.

Live Simply. Laugh Often. Wine a Lot.

Raidis Estate Website

Region: Coonawarra, S.A.     Price: $28     Source: Generous Gift

It opens with great aromatics, the kind you expect from good Pinot Gris with ripe pear leading the way. The palate follows through on that promise, carrying the same ripe pear character alongside a lovely texture and mouthfeel from the skin contact and subtle barrel work. There’s a gentle richness, but it never tips into heaviness, the wine staying balanced and fresh. A little spice threads through the mid‑palate, adding interest without any distraction. It finishes dry, fresh, and with good length. The kind of Gris that makes you pause for a moment, appreciate its quality, before going back for another taste.

Posted in Other Whites | Leave a comment

2023 Anthologist ‘The Unexpected Turn’ Saperavi Shiraz

Posted on November 7, 2026 by Tony Peters

I went to an event recently and tried a lot of wine, many a maker I met was happy to give me their time.

My enthusiasm was obvious so they were kindly up for a chatter, about red, white or sparkling wine, it didn’t really matter.

I discovered a new producer there so put it on my list, a little Clare Valley beauty by the name of Anthologist.

I only tried their red wines for reasons I don’t know, I could’ve tried the whites too, they were there also, clearly on show.

I had a good chat with owners, Linzi and Grant, in conversation, ‘passion’ was in every word they’d chant.

I enjoyed their wines, this the first of three you’ll hear, for me the quality is obvious for which I’ll raise a Cheer!

Live Simply. Laugh Often. Wine A Lot.

Anthologist Wines Website

Region: Clare Valley, S.A.     Price: $35     Source: Swap (Thanks Grant & Linzi)

If only you could see the colour of this wine. It’s dark and dense, and, besides that, delightfully appealing. The terrific aromas are all dark fruits with a little earthy note in there too. Even though it is medium bodied, there is an abundance of black fruits, dark plums, a hint of herbs with a super smooth finish where those generous fruit flavours just seem to keep on giving. It’s an ‘Unexpected Turn’ in the best way. A wine that surprises with its freshness and how much it gives. Delicious! Loved it!

Posted in Other Reds, Red Blends, Shiraz | Leave a comment

2022 Téssera Wines ‘Chaste’ Shiraz

Posted on November 5, 2026 by Tony Peters

Now, I’m not a young man but I still decided to google ‘Chaste’ to find out the meaning. Don’t get me wrong, I had my thoughts but, I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t getting anything wrong.

However, prior to that, I noticed on the back of the bottle was this definition: Chaste – adjective. To reserve oneself for one’s first experience. Because everyone remembers their first.

I have to say (with a bit of chuckle), even some of the other meanings via Google weren’t quite as tame as the one on the back of the bottle. Nonetheless, I can clearly remember my first experience with the Chaste Shiraz nearly ten years ago and the circumstances around it. Okay so, it was the 2016 vintage and it was under a different name at the time, but it was a damn good wine.

Having tried this wine, nothing has changed. My advice is, if you are yet to try this wine, or any of the other Téssera wines, burst that Chaste bubble and do so. You will remember your first regardless of which one you try.

Téssera Wines Website

Region: McLaren Vale, S.A.    Price: $38     Source: Generous Gift

How good is the colour of this wine in the glass?! A lovely, shiny, deep purple that is just so attractive. The nose opens with an intense rush of dark fruits and a touch of spice. The palate is generous and fruit‑driven, loaded with blackberry, blackcurrant and dark cherry. Sitting above medium‑bodied, it carries a sense of richness rather than weight as a creamy vanilla note complements the abundant fruit profile. The tannins are smooth and almost juicy, giving the wine a lovely mouth‑watering feel. The finish is lush and impressive as the spiciness and black fruits linger just beautifully.

Posted in Shiraz | Leave a comment

2023 Domaine de la Rochette ‘Montagne de Cra’ (Mâcon‑Milly‑Lamartine Chardonnay)

Posted on November 4, 2026 by Tony Peters

I’ve never been to Milly‑Lamartine, but I’d happily pack a bag tomorrow if someone waved a plane ticket at me. For now, I’m living vicariously through photos, maps and bottles like this, the kind that make it easy to picture those postcard‑perfect corners of the Mâconnais where limestone hills and old vines get on with the job of making fresh, bright Chardonnay.

Domaine de la Rochette sits in the middle of that landscape, working with a light touch: gentle pressing, wild ferments and time on lees so the vineyard can do the talking. Montagne de Cra is a site I’ve only ever seen on a map, but even from afar its character comes through. This part of Burgundy is where richness meets restraint, where Chardonnay shows generosity yet stays clean and fresh. Through this 2023 release, I feel like I’m tasting a little slice of the place without needing to find my passport.

Live Simply. Laugh often. Wine a lot.

Region: Bourgogne, France     Price: N/K     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Vins De Bourgogne Wines and Hopscotch Season Groupe 

Freshness leads the way here, with bright citrus and a clean, floral aromatics giving an inviting lift on the nose. There’s a gentle pear and stone fruit character too. The palate is lively, driven by lemon and crisp apple, yet it carries a soft creaminess that adds welcome texture. A faint mineral note threads through the mid‑palate and as it opens up further, hints of almond and cashew chime in adding complexity. The finish is dry, bright and persistent, carried by a lovely citrus line that balances everything out beautifully. A well‑made, refreshing Mâcon Chardonnay that possesses purity, texture and mineral charm in a way that’s genuinely pleasing to the palate.

Posted in Chardonnay | Leave a comment

2024 Beresford Estate Classic Cabernet Sauvignon

Posted on October 24, 2026 by Tony Peters

Happiness, as Jim Rohn puts it, isn’t something you postpone for the future, it’s something you design for the present. Wine can be much the same. Yes, cellar those bottles that will bring pleasure down the track, but don’t forget the excitement and anticipation of opening one that’s already giving everything you need right now. Some wines reward patience, absolutely, but plenty offer their best moments in the present, and there’s something wonderfully simple about enjoying them while they’re drinking so well right now.

Beresford’s Classic range seems to walk the line between immediate enjoyment and gentle age-ability perfectly, and the 2024 Classic Cabernet Sauvignon fits squarely into that philosophy. It’s a wine built with approachability in mind and in a style that doesn’t demand cellaring to show its character. Beneath that charm sits the subtle yet familiar Beresford structure that hints there is still more to come. It’s a Cabernet designed for the present, but one that won’t mind being tucked away for moments of happiness in the future.

Live simply. Laugh often. Wine a lot.

Region: McLaren Vale, S.A.     Price: $35     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Beresford Estate

The nose brings together leafy, twiggy and herbal notes with a good dose of blackcurrant fruit and a gentle cedar‑like oak character. It’s complex and nicely balanced, with nothing pushing for attention. The palate is medium‑bodied and clean, with black fruits leading the way and a subtle earthy note. Fine tannins give support without interrupting the wine’s easy flow, and the length is really good; relaxed, cruisy and elegant.

An approachable, varietal Cabernet that’s showing delightful, sophisticated characters now while also hinting at a little more to come. A genuinely enjoyable wine, and one I liked more with every sip.

Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

2021 Huntington Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

Posted on October 15, 2026 by Tony Peters

Have you ever driven the Great Ocean Road? I’ve been lucky to have done it, albeit only once, but it left an indelible mark. It’s a stretch of coastline that distracts you, in the best possible way, with rainforests, beaches, clifftops, views of Bass Strait and the Southern Ocean, and you can’t drive past the Twelve Apostles (even if there are only seven of them now 😊). You stop more than you plan to, take longer than you expect, and you never tire of any of it. Even now, whenever I see it on television, I get nostalgic for that drive.

Huntington Estate wines give me a similar feeling. Long story short, thanks to some old friends, I first tasted their wines in the late 1980s and loved them straight away. Seeing previous owner and winemaker, Bob Roberts, on Wine Lovers Guide to Australia in the late ’90s reignited my interest. Fast forward to 2017 and I was re‑introduced to the wines, and that sealed the deal for me. Now, when their wines arrive at my door, I’m genuinely excited, and when I open wines like this Cabernet Sauvignon, I’m taken straight back to that first taste nearly forty years ago.

Here’s how the 2021 release carries that sense of return, familiarity and pleasure.

Live simply. Laugh often. Wine a lot.

Huntington Estate Website

Region: Mudgee, NSW     Price: $35     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Huntington Estate

It needed some coaxing but the nose slowly opens to black fruits, a touch of oak and a gentle herbal lift. The palate still carries a good juiciness, with black fruits leading and a bright red‑fruit hit adding freshness even at five years of age. There’s a little earthiness showing through while a creamy vanilla note softens things nicely. A herbal thread runs through the fruit adding interest and keeping things savoury while the fine, slightly drying tannins give it some structure. The finish is long and still wonderfully fruitful showing how well this wine has settled into itself. Drinking beautifully now, but there’s no rush. It still has more to give.

Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

2017 Beresford Estate Limited Release Shiraz

Posted on October 9, 2026 by Tony Peters

I had mixed feelings when I opened this wine. Delight, because I got to taste it, and sadness for the many wine drinkers who probably won’t. I say this because, when it comes to a producer having aged wines for sale on their website, there can’t be many bottles available. This small honour isn’t lost on me and, to be given the opportunity to try it and write about it, means a lot.

There’s also a sense of respect that comes with opening a wine that’s been looked after this long and a curiosity about how a wine like this carries itself after a few years. Someone made the call to hold it back, someone believed it would get better with time, and someone trusted that it would be appreciated when that time came. It certainly made me aware that this isn’t an everyday pour. You could say you’re almost tasting something with a bit of history behind it. This brought a different perspective to the wine when I tasted it.

Live simply. Laugh often. Wine a lot.

Region: McLaren Vale, S.A.     Price: $70     Source: Sample thanks kindly to Beresford Estate

Great colour still. The nose shows some aged notes now. Dark berries, ‘dusty’ blackberries and a little earthiness sitting alongside the remaining fruit.

The palate is still nicely fruitful, carrying lovely dark fruits, blackberries and plums with a delicate herbal lift and a touch of leather adding depth. It’s silky smooth and delightfully medium‑bodied with integrated oak ably supporting the fruit. The tannins are slightly grainy, fitting comfortably with the wine’s settled nature, and the length remains good.

The finish lingers with a savoury edge that adds an extra layer. A mature Shiraz that shows how gracefully this Limited Release has developed.

Posted in Shiraz | Leave a comment

2021 Huntington Estate Special Reserve Shiraz

Posted on October 8, 2026 by Tony Peters

Surely everyone has heard of the term ‘couch potato.’ For the few who haven’t, it simply refers to someone who sits around doing, in a nutshell, very little. This might sound odd, but I can’t help wondering if this wine has been doing something similar at Huntington Estate, lingering somewhere in a corner of the warehouse, convinced of its own goodness and happy to stay tucked away a little longer. I’ve no idea how many warehouses Huntington Estate has, nor how many corners there are to hide in, but if that’s what has happened here, kudos to the winemaking team…and the forklift operator.

If it has been hiding away for a while, that has most certainly been to its benefit. A wine this good doesn’t mind taking its time. There’s a settled feeling to it, almost as though the extra time has helped everything fall neatly into place. This could, or should I say will, continue to be their best selling red wine.

Live simply. Laugh often. Wine a lot.

Huntington Estate Website

Region: Mudgee, NSW     Price: Not yet released   Source: Sample thanks kindly to Huntington Estate

The nose opens with dark berries and something that reminded me of coconut rough (which made my wife chuckle when she picked it up too), a little earthiness as well, but it takes nothing away from the fruit. The palate is full and smooth, carrying blackberries, plums and a richness that feels very much in tune with the vintage. Oak is supportive rather than showy, adding a touch of vanilla, while the tannins form a beautifully built frame for the depth of fruit and gives the wine really good length. It’s a well‑made, impressive Shiraz for sure. Drink it now or cellar comfortably for as long as you want to, really.

(Sorry about the photo 2019. It’s the only one I could use for now)

Posted in Shiraz | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment