Words from a Wine Glass

2018 Huntington Estate ‘Block 3’ Cabernet Sauvignon

Posted on February 20, 2025 by Tony Peters

I was listening to a radio station recently and the person being interviewed was a cetologist. You know, someone who studies whales. She was speaking about the sounds whales make and how it was their way of communicating. I have to admit the sounds seemed incomprehensible but, somehow, they have worked out what the sounds mean and they can be projected to great distances. Nature is bloody amazing, isn’t it?!

Why am I mentioning this you ask? When I tasted this wine, I made noises that I reckon would attract a pod of excited whales. However, when it came to my body language and facial expressions, anyone and everyone would see the sheer delight I was experiencing tasting this wine. This is, without doubt, a great, Tim Stevens expression of Huntington Estate and Mudgee Cabernet Sauvignon.

Region: Mudgee, NSW Price: $80 (worth every cent!) Source: Samples thanks kindly to Huntington Estate

A deep, dense and vibrantly youthful colour in the glass really kicked things off for me. A great introduction of what lies ahead. Delightfully youthful on the nose thanks to an array of primary dark fruits indicate that, even aromatically, this wine is destined for great things. Rich, bold and generous flavours on the palate and so, so silky smooth. Blackberries, dark cherries, licorice, and a nice sprinkle of spice to top things off on the flavour front. The oak and tannins sit neatly in the background, almost out of sight actually, thanks to the fruit intensity and it has a lovely long finish. Gee this is good!

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2023 Yalumba Y Series Lighter Shiraz

Posted on February 12, 2025 by Tony Peters

Shiraz. Arguably the most consumed red wine in Australia. There are so many iterations of the variety on the market from any number of regions and countries. It makes perfect sense to offer up a Shiraz that is ‘consumer friendly.’ I have been lucky (or unlucky in some instances) enough to have had the opportunity to try some that have zero alcohol or are low alcohol. Just my opinion but, this is a very ‘hit and miss’ category.

When a reputable wine company, who have been around for 175 years, decide to throw a ‘Lighter Shiraz’ into the market, you know it’s going to be, at the very least, good. When you think that the ‘zero’ or ‘low’ alcohol market is expanding at a rate of knots, there needs to be careful consideration as to what you put in the glass of today’s wine consumer. The Hill-Smith Family do not do anything on a whim, hence you would not be seeing this wine in your bottle-O if it were not up to scratch.

Y Series Wines Website

Region: South Australia Price: $16 Source: Sample thanks kindly to Hill- Smith Family Estates

This looks bright and youthful in the glass and quite translucently appealing to the eye. I really liked the vibrant aromas it gave off with a good swirl of the glass. Lovely red fruits showed the way with a little pepper and herb characters coming through too. The flavours that came through on the palate were a pleasant surprise indeed considering the 8% alcohol. Strawberries, red cherries, plums and just a hint of spice all played their part as it finishes soft, smooth, and pretty damn moreish. Nicely done I say!

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Huntington Estate 2023 Chardonnay and 2022 Semillon Special Reserve Releases

Posted on February 6, 2025 by Tony Peters

I have been a Chardonnay fan for many years, tasted and drank quite a few in that time and the Huntington Estate Special Reserve Chardonnay’s reputation made this wine a no brainer, winner, for me…and it was!

However, originating from the island state of Tasmania, Semillon was not a variety that was recommended to me, talked about or among many wine lists that I can remember. Now, I am not saying it wasn’t on bottle-shop shelves or on restaurant wine lists but it was not a go-to like Chardonnay was, and probably still isn’t…sadly. It’s a shame really because Semillons, like this one from Huntington Estate, would go a long way to changing attitudes about this particular variety no matter where it’s produced.

I won’t go into the details of who Walter Scott was, however, I will provide a quote of his that I think sits very well with Huntington Estate winemaker, Tim Stevens. “Excellence is not a skill, it’s an attitude.” Now, just to clarify this, I am not saying Tim is not skilful in what he does. He most certainly is! What I’m saying is, it is easy to tell, when tasting these two wines that Tim has an extraordinary and excellent attitude to his winemaking. Taste both of these wines and you too will know what I mean.

Region: Mudgee, NSW Price: $45 & $35 respectively Source: Samples thanks kindly to Huntington Estate

2023 Special Reserve Chardonnay

This Chardonnay is so pretty as it sits in the glass. Almost like liquid gold (check out the photo on Instagram) which is probably a good way to describe it actually. Quite intense and delightful aromatics where stone-fruits run the show, think peaches and pears, while delicate citrus notes have a say. The palate is similarly intense thanks to abundant varietal characters. Peach, nectarine, melon, lemon tart and little limey notes come into play. It has a lovely smooth buttery/creamy textural like mouth-feel that adds to its appeal. I really enjoyed this Chardonnay and I wasn’t alone.

2022 Special Reserve Semillon

The pale lemon like colour didn’t surprise me considering it is a young Semillon. The aromas, however, were a different story. Vibrant, youthful, zesty lemons and limes were at the forefront for sure. It had similar characteristics on the palate where it was really smooth but with depth of flavour and elegance with a pretty good finish. If you are an aged Semillon fan, this also has great structure that will see it cellar easily for as long as your patience can hold out.

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Yalumba ‘Y Series’ Sparkling Releases

Posted on January 30, 2025 by Tony Peters

The Hill-Smith Family started the Y series range of wines way back in 2002. Now I don’t know which wines were part of the inaugural release but it now numbers anything up to 15 wines, always great wines and always great value. I do like their motto, “there’s always been—and always will be—a Y for every occasion.” There are now three sparkling wines that sit perfectly as part of that range too.

Okay, so Christmas and New Year celebrations have come and gone but there are plenty of other occasions to celebrate with family and friends and, I reckon we should be celebrating something every day.

Also, things are pretty tight when it comes to people having spare cash for some of the simple pleasures in life…like a nice sparkling wine. These sparkling releases sit very nicely at $16 a bottle (and it is not uncommon to see the Y Series wines discounted) so well priced to celebrate the end of the working week, to enjoy while reading a book or, just simply ‘Y’ not. There’s now a Y Sparkling for every occasion.

Y Series Wines Website

Region: South Australia Price: $16 each Source: Sample thanks kindly to Hill- Smith Family Estates

Prosecco

One of two new additions to the Y Series range, this bargain priced Prosecco hits the spot very nicely indeed. The lovely fine bubbles form a cover to the wine but still allow slight floral and citrus aromas to escape from the glass. It’s light and refreshing on the palate while still providing a good amount of flavour thanks to green apple characteristics shining through along with some lemon notes. Here is your ideal, mid-afternoon, party starter.

Lighter Cuvée

This may be light on alcohol (only 7%) and light on calories (50 per 100ml serve) but it is not light on anything else. I have to admit to being pleasantly surprised with this Lighter Cuvée both aromatically and flavour wise. What the aromas offered up, was what I tasted plenty of on the palate. Citrus characters don’t hold back along with a slight pear note too. There is a delicate textural feel across the palate that takes nothing away from the lovely, attractive, ‘fizz factor’ of this sparkling.

Cuvée

The second of the new sparklings in the ‘Y’ range, this Cuvée has citrus and bready aromas and had no trouble making their way through the fine bead of bubbles that formed when it was poured. It has a good amount of those aromatic characteristics on the palate too giving it that refreshingly sparkling mouthfeel you would expect. As much as I enjoyed this sparkling too, you may be surprised to read that I don’t think it has the same level of flavour (marginally) as the Lighter Cuvée. Regardless of that, I think it is going to develop its own fan base.

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2024 Huntington Estate Rosé Releases

Posted on January 26, 2025 by Tony Peters

I was listening to a podcast recently and heard a fellow mention how humans automatically think that because it’s raining or cold they feel sad or unhappy. Conversely to that, if it’s sunny, people feel happy or bright and cheery. It does not have to be like that. It’s like saying that if it’s cold and wintery you should drink big bold red wine, and if it bright sunny and warm you should drink cool white wines…or Rosés.

I found a quote from Anthony J D’Angelo that went, “Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.” I think this is what you can do simply by taking a bottle of either of these Rosés to your next luncheon, barbeque, or dinner invitation. No matter what the weather, take your own sunshine!

Let’s face it, since the renaissance of Rosés, their versatility has shone through and they are no longer just seen as the quintessential ‘summer on the patio’ or ‘drink beside the pool’ wine. Rosés like these from Huntington Estate are food friendly, weather friendly, people friendly and friend friendly wines.

Region: Mudgee, NSW Price: $25 & $28 respectively Source: Samples thanks kindly to Huntington Estate

2024 “Rosie” Semi-Dry Grenache Rosé

This is the ‘fun’ wine of the two if you like. It has relaxation, conviviality and enjoyment neatly placed under the screwcap. The light spritz livens up the delicate strawberry flavours and fills the mouth with a refreshing crispness at the finish. It certainly has the moreish factor that will add to its popularity.

2024 Estate Pinot Noir Dry Rosé

The aromas of red fruits and berries along with a slight floral note set the scene for this gem of a Rosé. The abundant red fruits and berries show up on the delightfully fresh and textural palate too. All of this combined with a hint of dried herbs, slight minerality and some lovely acidity provide a smooth, flavourful and nice dry finish to this Rosé. Without doubt, great value drinking!

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2023 Huntington Estate Special Reserve Grenache

Posted on January 18, 2025 by Tony Peters

After tasting this wine and making notes and comments about it, I wondered to myself, where do I start? In the end, it was easy. By saying at the start what I would normally leave to the end. That is, this is a lovely, lovely wine.

It comes as no surprise that it was been awarded a gold medal at the Mudgee Wine Show plus (and how good is this?!) top gold and the Best Grenache Trophy at the Sydney Royal Wine Show. This is no mean feat considering there were wines entered in that Show from the more coveted Grenache growing regions such as the Barossa Valley and Mclaren Vale. Take a bow Tim Stevens!

Region: Mudgee, NSW Price: $54 Source: Sample thanks kindly to Huntington Estate

Things started well when I poured it into the glass. The aromas rose from the glass giving me an immediate indication of what to expect. There was an inviting freshness and brightness from the abundant ripe red fruits that made me smile. I was liking this already.

The palate, however, impressed me even more. Blue and black fruits, and dark cherry and plummy notes provide the great flavour profile of this Grenache. These were complemented nicely by slight peppery and herb characters that all come together forming a smooth, delightful mouthfeel that I found to be quite moreish. The tannins did present (as expected with these wines) but were nice and fine and were easily carried along by the generous fruit flavours this wine has. Loved it!

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2024 Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling

Posted on December 28, 2024 by Tony Peters

I recently had a conversation with a non-wine drinker…as such. She was part of a group of other less-than-enthusiastic wine drinkers, who were taken on a guided tour of a winery where everything was done ‘on site.’ She admitted it was a struggle to stay focused with all the technical ‘stuff’ the tour guide spoke of but she was captivated by the descriptors of the Riesling. In her words, “it sounded like a wine that would tickle my taste buds.” At the conclusion of the tour, a tasting was conducted and (no surprise to me) the two Rieslings on tasting were the crowd favourites even though the tour guide mentioned Riesling was “out of fashion” and “not a popular variety these days.” Great to see Riesling kick those thoughts to the kerb.

This particular Riesling has always been a favourite of mine. So much so, it has its own place in my wine ‘cellar’ sitting above all the other Rieslings I have in my collection. Different vintages and releases sitting quietly, waiting for their time to show how fashionable and popular it still is!

Pewsey Vale Website

Region: Eden Valley, SA Price: $27 (Bargain at this price but can be found at sub $20 making it a super bargain) Source: Retail purchase

A delightfully, invitingly aromatic wine where intense lime and citrus characters show the way coupled with slight floral and dried herbal notes adding to the complex nose this Riesling possesses. The palate is what I expected and more. It delivers on all manner of varietal characteristics I have come to know about this wine. It is intense, rich, fresh, and vivacious. Lovely lemon and lime notes shine through along with a nice green apple crunch and a minerally feel as the mouth-watering acidity carries it through to a long and moreishly refreshing finish.

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2024 Parish Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

Posted on November 30, 2024 by Tony Peters

As previously mentioned, I am not one to steer toward the Sauvignon Blanc section of bottle shop shelves or fridges. To be frank, I much prefer other varietals in the white wine sphere. Having said that, I have been lucky enough to have tasted, and drank, a few examples that have, dare I say, been pretty good. Yep, you read right.

“Beware of missing chances: otherwise it may be altogether too late some day” said the (very) late Hungarian composer, Franz Liszt. This quote made me think that, if I had not tried these Sauvignon Blancs, there would have been many a missed chance and, some day possibly, it will be altogether too late to experience what they had to offer. I did not hesitate to grab the chance to try this new Tassie release from Parish Vineyard.

Region: Forcett, Tasmania Price: $35 Source: Sample thanks kindly to Hill- Smith Family Estates

While the aromas speak of it being varietal, there were additions of tropical fruits providing an intriguing nuance. The palate is fresh and flavourful as those tropical fruits come waltzing on in, there’s a herbal touch to it too, as it finishes dry-ish with a nice dose of crisp, refreshing, lemon like acidity. I enjoyed this wine and I think it is a very good first release under this label.

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2024 Parish Vineyards Pinot Gris

Posted on November 24, 2024 by Tony Peters

I was listening to a podcast recently in which a prominent member of the wine industry here in Australia said something that I found quite profound. It was along the lines of; he wasn’t in the wine industry, he was in the fashion industry. I couldn’t help but think to myself, he is probably right.

Pinot Gris (and Pinot Grigio) is very much on trend at the moment and there is plenty out there to explore. My opinion only but, it can be very hit and miss when it comes to many in bottle shop fridges. I also think it is brave to throw a new release out into the world of Pinot Gris. However, confidence, trust and reputation play a big part in that bravery too.

This Pinot Gris is case in point. It comes from a highly reputable family in the Australian wine landscape. They have confidence in the vineyards (planted in arguably the best cool climate location for the variety), trust in the fruit from those vineyards and trust in their winemakers. This all adds up to a Pinot Gris that will not disappoint. And this one definitely does not.

Region: Evandale, Tasmania Price: $35 Source: Sample thanks kindly to Hill- Smith Family Estates

I realise this sounds generic but the aromas of this wine tell you it is going to be a very good wine. Honestly. It’s a little floral but then the pear characters come on through, inviting you to experience its flavours…and of course, you do. The palate is impressive with some complexity too. It carries that pear character through to the flavour profile where it is joined by some melon fruit notes, some lovely lime-like acidity and just a hint of spice to complete this delightfully fresh Pinot Gris. It’s going to be a summer go-to for many a Pinot Gris/Grigio drinker, I have no doubt.

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2024 Parish Vineyards Riesling

Posted on November 15, 2024 by Tony Peters

I can’t remember where I read this quote but it went like this; “Beauty is whatever gives joy” (thanks to Edna St.Vincent Millay, an early to mid-1900’s American lyrical poet and playwright). For me, Riesling fits neatly into this quote and, when it comes to this particular Riesling, it is bottled beauty. I realise this may seem a bit fanciful, but if you knew the pleasure, or joy if you like, that I got from knowing I was going to try this wine, and then actually tasting this wine, you will know what I mean.

Region: Sorell, Tasmania Price: $35 Source: Sample thanks kindly to Hill- Smith Family Estates

The aromas are ever so inviting. Fresh and lively, limes show the way and provide the foundation of what your palate is going to experience, however, there is a nice complementary, almost floral note coming through too. Youthfulness, precise and abundant citrus fruit flavours, mouth-wateringly acidic and a lovely palate feel that lingers long, just about sums it up really. This has been built on a solid foundation of lovely fruit and terrific Tasmanian natural acidity with a structure to last a very long time. Simply delicious. It is a beauty of a Riesling!