inflight guide to wine - Qantas This Qantas Inflight Guide to Wine is complimentary to Qantas...

qantas First and business wines

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qantas inflight guide to

wine First edition

gourmet traveller wine

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Editor’s lEttEr

partnering up for events such as

our annual Winemaker of the

Year awards and wine tastings

held in Qantas lounges. So when

Qantas took the initiative to pro-

vide its customers with more

information about the wines

served in its First and Business

cabins we were delighted to step

onboard and lend a hand.

In the following pages, we

introduce you to the panel of

experts who have selected the fine

Australian wines you will enjoy

during your Qantas flight, explain

how and why the wines were chosen, and take you to the

Australian vineyards and regions from where they came.

Wine expert and member of the Gourmet Traveller WINE

tasting panel Peter Bourne provides tasting notes for 145

of the magnificent wines that make up just part of the

award-winning Qantas cellar. The selection is carefully

tailored to enhance the menu served on each leg of your

journey, and Qantas cabin crew will indicate which

drops are available during your flight.

If you are impressed by what you try, and I suspect

you will be, I urge you to keep this guide for future refer-

ence when enjoying the diverse and unique wines that

Australia has to offer.

Qantas and Gourmet Traveller WINE have worked together for nearly a decade

to promote Australian wine, in the past

judy sarris Editor, Gourmet Traveller WINE.

Editorial Director Andy Harris Editor Judy Sarris Art Director Sabine Schmitz Deputy Editor/Copy Editor Emma Ventura

Tasting Notes Peter Bourne Features Nick Ryan Subeditor Holly O’Neill Editorial Assistant Louise Butta

Cover Photography Ben Dearnley Digital Production Specialist Sam Leong Advertising Production Renata Stankevicius Production Controller Hilary Johnson

AcP mAgAziNES LtD Chief Executive Officer ian Law Group Publisher Specialist Titles Phil Scott

This Qantas Inflight Guide to Wine is complimentary to Qantas customers and was developed by Qantas Inflight Services. Published by Qantas Airways Ltd, ABN 16 009 661 901 and by ACP Magazines Ltd ABN 18 053 273 546. 54-58 Park St, Sydney, NSW 2000. ©2007 All rights reserved. Printed by Lilyfield Printing Pty Ltd, 47-53 Bellona Ave, Regents Park, NSW 2143, phone (02) 8718 8344, www.lilyfieldprinting.com.au. Articles express the opinions of authors and not necessarily those of Qantas or ACP Magazines Ltd.

5

THE LEGACY OF LEN EvANS 6THE HEIGHT OF TASTE 7MEET THE PANEL 8QUEST FOR THE BEST 10RED, WHITE AND TRUE BLUE 12WINE NEWS 14TASTING NOTES 17WINE INDEx 48CONTACTS 50C

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No individual did more to transform the Australian wine

industry from rustic pursuit to global powerhouse than the

late Len Evans AO, OBE. Evans’ passion for wine was enormous,

and he devoted himself to spreading the word with evangelical

zeal. He wrote Australia’s first regular wine column in The Bulletin

news magazine and, in 1965, became the founding director of the

Australian Wine Bureau, established to promote the industry both

at home and abroad.

Evans set up The Rothbury Estate in the Hunter Valley in 1969

and was influential in the success of Brian Croser’s Petaluma win-

ery. Well-known as a gourmand, Evans also established a Sydney

restaurant, the legendary Bulletin Place, which saw the demise of

more great bottles during the heady days of the 1970s and early ’80s

than any other. As a strong advocate of the Australian wine show

system, he was instrumental in securing for wine the same benefits

that other fields get from agricultural shows.

Evans worked tirelessly with Qantas for more than 40 years,

strongly believing the national carrier should showcase the best

Australian wines. As chairman of the wine selection panel, he tasted

extensively, debated forcefully and cajoled successfully with his fel-

low panel members to ensure that Qantas could confidently serve

wines which were typically Australian and recognisably world class.

Despite his passing last year, Evans’ influence is still felt at Qantas.

He personally selected the current members of the Wine Panel (see

page 8) to continue his work, and it’s fitting that in the year he died,

Qantas was named as having the best First and Business wine lists at

the prestigious Cellars in the Sky awards in London (page 11).

It’s nice to think that somewhere, somehow, Len Evans is sitting

back, with a full glass, saying, “I told you so”. v

Australian wine’s greatest champion helped shape the way Qantas serves wine.

The Legacy of Len Evans

australian icon

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leading from aboveevans believed the national carrier should serve the best wines.


The Height of Taste

Airline food has undergone something of a revolution in recent

years, keeping pace with increasingly sophisticated consumer

palates and expectations. Qantas has been at the forefront of this

change, working closely with Australian chef and restaurateur Neil

Perry to deliver a restaurant-style experience in the air.

Rockpool, Perry’s iconic Sydney restaurant and a significant site

in the development of contemporary Australian cuisine, has long been

a favourite with Australian winemakers, some even bottling wines

exclusively for the restaurant. Perry is pleased with the new flexibility

in the airline’s Wine Program: “One of the great things about being

able to buy smaller parcels of wine now is the chance it gives us to

showcase the huge regional diversity of Australian wine,” he says.

“We’re flying food that reflects the multicultural nature of Aus-

tralian cuisine. We’ve got dishes with Indian flavours, or Thai or

Moroccan. And now we’ve got a wide range of wines to work with

them. Really aromatic whites work well with a lot of these dishes,

as do some of the really fruit-driven pinot noir wines.”

Perry’s favourite food and wine match succeeds on several levels:

“I love the tokays and muscats we serve with cheese. Not only do

they work as a great food and wine match but we’re exposing Qantas

customers to a fantastic and totally unique Australian wine style.”

The quality of the menus and wine lists is reflected by revamped

glassware and new Marc Newson-designed crockery and cutlery in

Business and First. Food and wine this good deserves nothing less. v

Chef Neil Perry offers Qantas customers food and wine matches made in the heavens.

7

Food & Wine service

choosing the right stuffThink of the ideal place to enjoy an exceptional wine, and a pressurised aircraft cabin may not be your first choice. The Qantas Wine Panel (see page 8) must consider the unique nature of drinking in the air. Altitude and low humidity tend to accentuate tannins and alcohol, making usually outstanding wines appear unbalanced inflight. If a wine is too young it can seem hard, so semi-mature wines are sought. Aromatics seem more pronounced in the air, so varieties such as pinot noir and riesling work well, as do lighter styles like rosé.

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gourmet traveller wine8

The dedication to excellence that drives the Qantas Wine Program

is best illustrated by the calibre of people that sit on its Wine

Panel. Vanya Cullen, Steve Pannell and Tom Carson are three of

Australia’s most widely acclaimed winemakers as well as being highly

respected wine show judges.

Meeting four times a year, the Wine Panel rigorously assesses

thousands of wines under strict wine show conditions to finally

select the outstanding examples that make up the core of the Qantas

Wine Program (the selection of wines served onboard).

VANYA CULLENVanya Cullen’s rise to prominence

as a winemaker runs parallel

with that of the West Australian

region that she calls home. The

daughter of Margaret River pio-

neers Kevin and Diana Cullen,

she and her siblings were often

called into service during the

establishment of the family’s

Wilyabrup vineyard in the early

1970s. Having finally taken over

winemaking duties from her

trailblazing mother, Vanya has

continued to build Cullen into

one of the great names in Australian wine. She is responsible

for what is arguably Australia’s best cabernet merlot, a sublime

chardonnay, and a semillon sauvignon blanc that introduces some

barrel-ferment complexity to the distinctive regional style.

Cullen is also one of Australia’s top wine show judges and a

leading expert on biodynamic viticulture, and was the 2000 Qantas/

Gourmet Traveller WINE Winemaker of the Year. She brings great

skill to the Qantas Wine Panel and has a clear idea of its purpose:

If you enjoy the wines that Qantas serves inflight, you can thank three Australians

and their highly experienced palates.

Meet the Panel

wine selection

gourmet traveller wine 9

“We need to be looking for

wines that are drinking well

now and will show well on the

plane as well as being bench-

mark examples of their style.”

STEPHEN PANNELLLike Vanya Cullen, Stephen

Pannell’s parents were instru-

mental in the establishment

of the Margaret River region,

establishing the legendary Moss

Wood vineyard in 1969. The

family is still involved in the industry, with Pannell’s father and

brother producing great wines under the Picardy label in Pember-

ton, Western Australia, but Steve himself ventured further afield to

make his winemaking mark.

After gaining an oenology degree from the University of

Adelaide, Pannell worked vintages across the world before becom-

ing group red winemaker for the large BRL Hardy group. These

days, he’s focused on producing richly generous McLaren Vale reds

under his eponymous label, judging extensively and working with

the Qantas Wine Panel.

“The wine service on Qantas is a great advertisement for the

Australian wine industry, so we take what we do pretty seriously,”

he says. “Because Qantas is an icon, people are going to look for

iconic wines they know and respect onboard, and we want to

give them that. But at the same time we also look for new and

exciting styles that are emerg-

ing and keep Qantas customers

in front of the pack.”

TOM CARSONTom Carson’s career in wine

began among the vines during a

bleak Yarra Valley winter, and it

didn’t take him long to realise

that his future lay in the relative

warmth of the winery. With an

oenology degree under his belt,

Carson returned to the Yarra,

working first at Coldstream

Hills with Australian wine

legend James Halliday, before

taking the reins and rejuvenating Victoria’s historic Yering Station

winery in 1996. As a former dux of the Len Evans Tutorial, estab-

lished by the late panel chairman to nurture the new breed of wine

show judges, Carson is well placed to comment on the approach

taken in the wine selection process: “It’s a little different to wine

show judging because we’re not just trying to award some arbitrary

measure of quality. We’re looking for wines that have that ‘wow’

factor and immediate drinkability on the ground and in the air.” vph

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Arguably Australia’s most visible ambassador internationally,

Qantas has long been in a unique position to spread the good

word on the world-class quality of Australian wine. When Len

Evans first began consulting to Qantas more than 40 years ago, the

mention of Australian wine overseas would be met with ignorance

or downright derision. The Monty Python team could elicit cheap

laughs with a sketch describing a tipple called “Perth Pink” as “not

a wine for drinking … a wine for laying down and avoiding”.

Since then, the Australian wine industry has boomed and the

world has discovered the exceptional variety and quality that its

many wine regions can produce. As the industry has evolved, so too

has the way Qantas seeks to represent Australian wine to its custom-

ers. “Our wine program is now made up of a rich tapestry of wines

and is more closely aligned with the offering of Australia’s finest

wine lists,” says Qantas Wine Program manager Peter Nixon.

Offering a wide selection of styles, grape varieties and regions,

the Qantas Wine Program features approximately 400 wines a

year. It has been uniquely designed so that generally no two flights

will carry exactly the same selection of wines.

In order to offer customers the very best drops available,

Qantas selects wine for inflight service using a formal submission

process in addition to a more informal and ongoing assessment of

the Australian wine scene. The formal submission process is used to

form the core list for the Qantas Wine Program.

Together with Peter Nixon, the Wine Panel (see page 8) reviews

its list of approved wineries annually, based on a number of crite-

ria. Recognition and reputation both in the wine industry and the

Tastings, testing, trends – choosing which Australian wines to serve on a Qantas flight

requires intensive research.

Quest for the Best


broader market are important considerations. The panel also

looks to producers who have a proven ability to deliver definitive

examples of classic regional wine styles.

The process begins with select wineries being invited to submit

wines for assessment at the Qantas Wine Panel’s quarterly meetings.

The panel members then evaluate and score these wines according

to the established show system – the wines being grouped by variety

and their identities masked. Each wine faces scrutiny from a unique

dual perspective: not only do the panel members rank among

Australia’s most respected winemakers, they’re also judges on the

notoriously tough Australian wine show circuit. This means that

as well as having the ability to easily pinpoint a wine’s technical

strengths and weaknesses, they also have the experience to quickly

benchmark it against its peers.

Combining these elements with an understanding of how wine

tastes at 30,000 feet, the panel whittles down the thousands of sub-

missions to the 400 or so wines that make up the program’s annual

core list. Logistics previously restricted airline wine buyers to pur-

chasing large bulk lots, but Qantas now has informal processes in

place to buy small parcels from boutique producers. The result is

that the inflight wine list changes more frequently, and passengers

can enjoy the kinds of high-demand, limited-availability wine that

one might find in the best restaurants.

Sourcing and securing these vinous treasures is Nixon’s job – in

many ways, he acts like the sommelier in a top-class restaurant.

Nixon is involved heavily in the wine industry, reading widely,

attending regular tastings, meeting with winemakers and actively

monitoring the prevailing trends in Australian wine. It’s Nixon who

ensures that the Qantas Wine Program offers a balance of benchmark

wines and emerging superstars.

Whether it’s an iconic Barossa shiraz or a single-vineyard pinot

noir from the Mornington Peninsula, Qantas is continuing to work

towards providing customers with the best of Australian wine. v

wine selection

International Acclaim In 2005, Qantas became the first airline to be awarded both Best First Class and Business Class Wine Lists at the Cellars in the Sky competition – a prestigious international event run in conjunction with the International Wine Challenge in London. Qantas also took out prizes that year for Most Innovative First Class Wine List and Best First Class Red – the stellar 2001 Balnaves The Tally Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, which was made (fittingly) by the 2005 Qantas/Gourmet Traveller WINE Winemaker of the Year, Pete Bissell. In 2006, Qantas won again, this time for Best Business Class Sparkling (the 2001 Charles Heidsieck Mis en Cave, see page 16) and Most Original First Class Wine List.

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Australia is a vast island continent, and for many years writers

with a lack of understanding have referred to it as a wide,

brown land. Wide it may be, and in parts barren and brown, but

anyone with a taste for wine knows that in many regions red

and white are the colours that count. Each of the country’s major

wine regions delivers a distinctive, well-defined take on the world’s

great grape varieties. In all, there are 56 registered wine regions

(Geographical Indications), with more waiting in the wings. South AuStrAliASilesian migrants planted their vines in the Barossa Valley, north

of Adelaide, more than 150 years ago. Since then, South Australia

has been the heart of the country’s wine industry. The region’s

shiraz is justly famous, whether as a single varietal or blended

with grenache or mourvèdre to create supple and silky Rhône-

style reds. Higher in the Barossa Ranges, the cooler Eden Valley

produces exceptional riesling and shiraz.

A further hour north from the Barossa is the Clare Valley, where

winemaking was introduced by Jesuit priests in the 1850s. Clare

rieslings are considered the benchmark for the uniquely Australian,

dry, citrus-scented style, while several venerable old vineyards dotted

throughout the valley produce exceptional, long-lived shiraz.

The suburban sprawl of Adelaide is contained on its southern

and eastern fringes by grape-growing areas of great note. Nestled in

the Mount Lofty Ranges that rise to 600 metres, the Adelaide Hills

is rapidly emerging as the home of Australia’s best sauvignon blanc,

and starting to fulfil its promise as a producer of outstanding pinot

noir and chardonnay while putting a radical spin on shiraz.

To the south of the city lies McLaren Vale, where lush vineyards

meet the sea and rich, opulent reds rule the roost. Shiraz and

grenache have long been staples, but Spanish and Italian varieties

also show promise. Coonawarra, meanwhile, is nestled in the state’s

south-eastern corner and is famous for two things: its russet col-

oured terra rossa soil that runs in a narrow strip through the region

and its stylishly structured cabernet sauvignon.

Australia’s range of wine styles is as broad as the country itself.

Red, White and True Blue

australian regions


New South wAleSLocated 150km north of Sydney, the Hunter Valley is another historic

heartland of Australian wine. Its long-lived semillon is arguably Aus-

tralia’s most unique white wine style, while its earthy shiraz is an

intriguing counterpoint to bolder examples from elsewhere.

VictoriAIt may be one of the smallest states in size, but Victoria has huge

vinous diversity. In the Yarra Valley, Macedon Ranges and Morn-

ington Peninsula chardonnay and pinot noir reign, while slightly

warmer inland areas like Heathcote, Beechworth and Great Western

produce exceptional shiraz. And no discussion of Australian wine is

complete without mentioning the muscats and tokays of Rutherglen.

weSterN AuStrAliAWest Australian wine has risen to prominence over the past 30 years,

thanks to statuesque cabernet sauvignon from Margaret River. Some

of the world’s most remote vineyards, tucked away in the state’s

south-eastern corner in regions like Great Southern and Pemberton,

are turning out exotically spiced shiraz and pristine riesling.

riSiNg StArSAustralia’s island state, Tasmania, is increasingly recognised as the

source of the country’s best sparkling wines, and even in sun-drenched

Queensland suitable sites have been identified. In both states, hard

work in the winery is going into creating great wines of the future. v

Terroir ausTralisin under a decade, australia’s wineries have more than doubled to number over 2200, with wine made in every state and territory.

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RESPONSIBLE DRINKINGJasper Hill winemaker Ron Laughton succinctly sums up the

interest in more sustainable winemaking methods: “We make our

living from the soil, and we must strive to keep our soil living.”

Biodynamism is agriculture in tune with the natural rhythms of the

environment. Qantas Panel member and West Australian winemaker

Vanya Cullen has been a pioneer of biodynamic viticulture, as have

producers such as Jasper Hill, Castagna, and Carlei in Victoria.

Carbon-neutral wine production is achieved by offsetting

carbon emissions by planting trees. Cullen was the first winery

in Australia to do this, with the Barossa’s Elderton Wines recently

following suit – proving great wine can be red, white and green.

on the grapevine

wine newsWhether it’s a classic Australian style, a taste of the future, or even a pink or “green” wine,

there’s lots to enjoy on a Qantas flight.

PINK FITFor some years, Australian wine writers

have been extolling the virtues of rosé

wines as the ideal libation for the

country’s warm months. Now, it seems,

the message has at last got through:

it’s time for rosé to really take off.

The very virtues that make rosé

so good on the ground – vibrancy,

freshness, aromatic lift – are even more

valuable in the air. Altitude can be a

hard marker when it comes to wine,

flattening flavour and dulling aromas.

But well-made rosé takes to the sky

easily, its lively personality able to

cope with cabin pressure.

Outstanding examples from some of Australia’s finest

exponents – including Yering Station, Turkey Flat, Charles Melton

and Juniper Crossing – have proven hugely successful. Look out

for them inflight and allow your tastebuds to be tickled pink.

14 gourmet traveller wine

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EXPANDING TASTESWhile varieties such as chardonnay and shiraz show no signs

of falling from the top of the popularity perch, there’s a growing

curiosity in Australia for the less well-known offerings from the

vine. Travellers with Qantas can now take their tastebuds on new

journeys with great Australian examples of classic Italian varieties,

including the Castagna La Chiave (sangiovese) and the Centennial

Vineyards Rondinella Corvina. For a sensual Spanish variety

imbued with an Australian sense of style, look out for the

Pondalowie MT Unwooded Tempranillo.

REGIONAL CLASSICSThe ability to produce

benchmark examples

of classic varietal and

regional synergy is

what has made

Australia’s Hunter

Valley (semillon),

Coonawarra

(cabernet) and Clare

Valley (riesling), to

name a few, so special. Purists should look out for

signature styles like McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant

Lovedale Semillon, Taylors St Andrews Riesling and

the winner of Best First Class Red at the 2005 Cellars

in the Sky awards, 2001 Balnaves The Tally Reserve

Cabernet Sauvignon, made by Pete Bissell (above).

spreAding the joy that glass of wine you’re enjoying is just one of billions to

have left Australian shores in the past year. Australia’s wine exports for the 12 months

to the end of january 2007 reached a record 768 million litres. Australia’s biggest export markets in value terms are the UK

(A$943 million), Us (A$927 million), Canada (A$242 million), new Zealand

(A$93 million) and germany (A$71 million), with significant growth coming

from China (exports leaping from 3 million to 24 million litres).

WINES TO WIN Wine Ark is giving away two

dozen bottles of wine from

the pages of this guide

every month from May

to September 2007. Go to

www.wine-ark.com.au/qantas

for details. Wine Ark: your

passport to Australia’s best

wines. you must be over 18

years of age to enter.

on the grapevine

request a good drop and toast Gourmet Traveller WINE as it celebrates its 10th birthday. regarded as Australia’s leading wine publication, it

was named Best drink Magazine at the biannual World Food Media Awards in 2003 and 2005. For further information or to subscribe, go to www.magshop.com.au.

16 gourmet traveller wine

HEIDSIECK’S MIS IS A QANTAS HIT

Charles Heidsieck is one of the finest

houses in Champagne, and its 2001

Mis en Cave is an exemplary wine. So

it’s not surprising that by choosing to

serve a Champagne of such complexity

and balance to its customers, Qantas

picked up the gong for Best Business

Class Sparkling of the Year at the

2006 Cellars in the Sky awards recently

held in London (see page 11).

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Top AusTrAliAn Wines from The QAnTAs cellAr

The following pages showcase some of the best and most exciting examples of Australian

wine. use these notes as a reference to the wines served on your flight.

WinetastingNotes

The noTes

Peter Bourne

Wine writer and educator peter

Bourne, who has written these

tasting notes, is widely acknowl-

edged as an independent and

credible commentator. A regular

contributor to Gourmet Traveller

WINE magazine, he has years

of experience as a national and

international wine show judge.

nsW = new south Wales

Qld = Queensland

sA = south Australia

Tas = Tasmania

Vic = Victoria

WA = Western Australia

key

For a quick reference to wines served in Qantas First and Business,

see “Index to Wines Served Onboard”, page 48.

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TasTings


WHITE WINES

Clonakilla Viognier – Canberra District, NSWMany Australian viogniers are too over-the-top and unbalanced. But this savoury dry white has all the varietal descriptors – honeysuckle, musk, apricot. Alcohol is restrained by a seam of mineral acidity within a framework of classy French oak.

Coldstream Hills Chardonnay – Yarra Valley, VicThis has to be one of the most reliable chardonnays in the country. Aromas of nectarine, honeydew melon and guava are intertwined with nougat, grilled nuts and crème caramel. The rich yet refined palate has a peaches and cream complexity and a fine tail of zesty acidity.

Crawford River Reserve Riesling – Henty, VicMany riesling aficionados claim the Thomsons of Crawford River make Australia’s best. Their 2005 Reserve especially supports such an assertion, with its clean, precise bouquet of wet slate, citrus and lemon sorbet. The palate is tight with lime and mineral characters and awesome acidity.

Crawford River Riesling – Henty, VicArguably Australia’s most distinctive riesling. The bouquet is a complex amalgam of mineral, almost earthy, characters with subtle lemon zest and pink grapefruit. The mouth fills with the same flavours, restrained by a wiry filament of mineral acidity. Has cellaring potential.

Cullen Sauvignon Blanc Semillon – Margaret River, WASourced from the Cullen biodynamic vineyards, the sauvignon component of this wine undergoes partial barrel fermentation to subdue its herbal notes and add additional depth. Its vitality and freshness will see it build in flavour and complexity.

TasTings


Curly Flat Chardonnay – Macedon Ranges, VicPhillip Moraghan is one of the most exciting new winemakers, dedicated to making high-quality wines in the European mould. This has flavours of pink grapefruit, nectarine and custard apple overlaid with nougat, toast and preserved lemon. The palate is rich and complex.

Diamond Valley Chardonnay – Yarra Valley, VicThis chardonnay shimmers in the glass with an enticing bouquet of white nectarine, ripe fig and nougat. The palate is equally vibrant: sweet, juicy flavours sit parallel with the nose, while the fine acid finish dances lightly on the tongue. Delicious stuff.

Fire Gully Chardonnay – Margaret River, WAFire Gully is made by chardonnay wunderkind Mike Peterkin, best known for his prestigious Pierro brand. This wine has peach and honeydew melon fruit, a rich and mouth-filling palate with lots of tropical fruit and a mix of butterscotch and grilled almonds.

Gembrook Hill Sauvignon Blanc – Yarra Valley, VicPartial barrel fermentation and extended yeast lees contact adds layers of depth and complexity, moving the style towards a wine more akin to a Sancerre. Mineral almost to earthiness, its nucleus of lemony acidity keeps it fresh and bright as it develops in the bottle.

Giaconda Aeolia Roussanne – Beechworth, VicRoussanne is a minor player in its Rhône Valley homeland and equally obscure here. But in the hands of Rick Kinzbrunner it becomes a rich, multi-layered, savoury dry white. Exotic spices, pear, honeydew melon and fresh herbs intermingle with nougat and hazelnut.


Giaconda Chardonnay – Beechworth, VicRick Kinzbrunner uses the whole Burgundian handbook to produce this multi-layered, ultra-complex gem with rich, almost tropical fruit characters – guava, rockmelon and fig. It’s biscuity, buttery and shows grilled almonds. Best decanted for at least an hour before service.

Giant Steps Vineyard Sexton Bernard Clones 95 + 96 Chardonnay – Yarra Valley, VicPhil Sexton’s stellar chardonnay is made from a complex selection of chardonnay clones from Burgundy. Multi-layered, it shows lots of fig, melon and peach flavours enhanced with buttery malolactic characters and a background of smart oak.

Grosset Piccadilly Adelaide Hills Chardonnay – SAAdelaide Hills chardonnay shows all the intensity and refinement that makes the grape one of the world’s greatest varieties. This has intense aromas of ripe fig, pink grapefruit and honeydew melon plus almond meal and nougat. Harmony and balance are the keys.

Grosset Polish Hill Clare Valley Riesling – SAJeffrey Grosset is Australia’s riesling king. The fruit is sourced from the mineral soils of the Polish Hill River area. Sweet citrus fruit aromas interplay with subtle spices, while the ripe apricot and lemon sorbet flavours dance a duet with the fresh mineral acidity.

Grosset Rockwood Vineyard Riesling – Clare Valley, SAThis riesling is made exclusively for Qantas Business passengers. It has all the hallmarks of a great Grosset, with aromas of fresh lime, apricot and ripe pear lifted by a floral perfume. Lemon-fresh and bright, it has a steely edge of acidity that carries the wine to a long finish.

TasTings


Grosset Semillon Sauvignon Blanc – Clare Valley/Adelaide Hills, SAThis is a deliciously crisp and crunchy, savoury dry white. Semillon provides the backbone, with exotic fruit flavours of guava, nectarine and lychee coming from the sauvignon. It has a slaty, mineral edge to the finish.

Hardys Eileen Hardy Chardonnay – South-eastern AustraliaThe fruit sourcing for Hardys’ top chardonnay is multi-regional: Tasmania, Tumbarumba and the Yarra Valley. It’s a potpourri of grapefruit, melon and nectarine, with hints of nuts and malt extract and a rich yet restrained palate.

Heggies Reserve Riesling – Eden Valley, SAThe Heggies vineyard sits at 550m, one of the highest in the Eden Valley, with the fruit for this reserve release drawn from the first riesling vines planted in 1975. It’s a classic Eden Valley riesling, with abundant fresh floral aromas joined by hints of dry toast and lime marmalade.

Henschke Julius Riesling – Eden Valley, SAJulius is the Henschkes’ top riesling from their Eden Valley home base. Aromas of freshly squeezed lemon juice and peach interplay with a wet pebble minerality and a hint of bath talc. The flavours are delicate and refined, with a taut thread of acidity giving depth and length.

Henschke Peggy’s Hill Riesling – Eden Valley, SAPrue and Stephen Henschke are among Australia’s most innovative winemakers, as their newly introduced Peggy’s Hill Riesling demonstrates. Its fresh, floral aromas reek of apricot nectar and fresh lime, tinged with fresh spring blossom. Sweet and juicy fruit flavours.


Howard Park Riesling – Great Southern, WAAlthough the newer Howard Park winery is in the Margaret River, its heart remains in the cooler Great Southern region. Orange blossom, lemon zest and sweet lime aromas abound, interplaying with a wet stone minerality and built around a core of tingling acidity.

Hewitson Riesling – Eden Valley, SAWinemaker Dean Hewitson sources his fruit from the upper reaches of the Eden Valley. It shows the typical wet slate, bath talc and rose petal aromas of the region, with a tightly coiled palate opening to reveal citrus-fresh flavours hung together by a thread of lemony acidity.

Houghton Museum Release Chardonnay – Frankland River, WAThis superb wine’s rich bouquet of warm butter, preserved lemon and roasted almonds leads to a powerful palate with a sweet compote of poached stone-fruit flavours. A flash of dazzling acidity keeps the finish fresh and bright.

Houghton Museum Release Riesling – Frankland River, WAThis cool Great Southern region produces rieslings that challenge the domination of the Clare and Eden valleys. The intense bouquet of lime cordial, apple and ripe apricot is spiced with a hint of orange blossom. The palate flavours are concentrated, deep and long.

Howard Park Chardonnay – Great Southern, WAStyle and finesse abound in this tight, refined and somewhat restrained wine. White peach, grapefruit and limy aromas intertwine with nutty and biscuity characters. The flavours follow through to a savoury palate and mouth-watering minerality.

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Jacob’s Creek Steingarten Riesling – Barossa, SASteingarten is German for “stone garden”, and the original Orlando Steingarten vineyard is just that – a rocky outcrop with almost no top soil. The vines struggle to produce a few highly concentrated berries with explosive fruit flavours and a distinctive wet slate character.

Knappstein Ackland Vineyard Watervale Riesling – Clare Valley, SAThis is a shy, subtle drop that needs time to show its best. At the moment, it’s all lemon blossom, nectarine, lemon zest and lots of mineral characters – damp slate and wet stones with a whiff of bath talc. A tight acidity encases the wine.

Kooyong Single Vineyard Selection Faultline Chardonnay – Mornington Peninsula, VicMade by the ever-thoughtful Sandro Mosele, this has no harsh edges, just a harmonious blend of peach and ripe melon, walnut and nougat, preserved lime and almond biscotti, all wrapped together by a thread of fine, mineral acidity.

Lark Hill Chardonnay – Canberra District, NSWThis biodynamic vineyard is one of the Canberra region’s best. The wine is terrific, with lots of bright fruit flavours of grapefruit, white nectarine and ripe fig enhanced by a touch of wild-ferment funk and nicely bound together with a thread of fresh granny smith apple acidity.

Lillydale Estate Chardonnay – Yarra Valley, VicThis wine emerged from the shadows to blitz the competition at the 2006 National Wine Show in Canberra. A ripe peach and honeydew melon bouquet with a touch of butterscotch and oatmeal character leads to a similarly flavoured palate, the finish controlled by lemon-fresh acid.


Lost Valley Winery Cortese – Upper Goulburn, VicCortese is an obscure white variety from Piedmont in Italy, and Lost Valley is the first vineyard to grow it in Australia. It’s understated and austere on the nose, with crunchy pear and lanolin aromas, but tastes surprisingly rich and honey-like, with an almost viscous texture.

Madfish Riesling – Great Southern, WAMadfish is Howard Park’s junior label, but this multi-award-winning riesling often gives its more illustrious sibling a good nudge. It has aromas of freshly squeezed lime juice and ripe apricots with a hint of preserved lemon spice. Mouth-watering acidity.

Main Ridge Estate Chardonnay – Mornington Peninsula, VicNat and Rosalie White are Mornington Peninsula pioneers, having planted their vineyard in 1975. The fruit flavours shine in this chardonnay – concentrated honeydew melon, purple fig and white peach flavours intermingle with toasty characters.

McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Hunter Valley Semillon – NSWDry straw, wild honey and lime marmalade intermingle in this iconic semillon, creating an uber-complex bouquet. The flavours are equally rich and multi-layered, held in check by a lemon essence-like acidity.

McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant Single Vineyard Lovedale Hunter Valley Semillon – NSWThis single-vineyard semillon vies with its arch rival, Tyrrell’s Vat 1, for the title of Australia’s greatest semillon. It’s a refined wine with lots of herbal notes and the classic characters of honey-on-toast and lime marmalade. Startlingly fresh.

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Meerea Park Individual Vineyard Alexander Munro Semillon – Hunter Valley, NSWThis wine shows all the hallmarks of a great Hunter semillon – warm toast, lime marmalade and a hint of lanolin, beeswax and preserved lemon. The richness is cut by a thrust of lemon sherbet acidity that will see it build in the bottle.

Mesh Riesling – Eden Valley, SAMesh is a joint venture between Jeffrey Grosset and the Hill Smith family, the fruit coming from old vineyards in the upper reaches of the Eden Valley. Lemon blossom, pink grapefruit and wet slate aromas give way to a tight, linear palate which follows to a lingering, fresh grapefruit finish.

Nepenthe Ithaca Chardonnay – Adelaide Hills, SAThis tangy chardonnay attests to winemaker Peter Leske’s success, with its fruit flavours of poached peach, grapefruit and ripe melon and a background of grilled almonds and lemon curd complexity. Clean, bright acidity lifts the wine to stellar status.

Oakridge Chardonnay – Yarra Valley, VicDavid Bicknell is doing an amazing job at Oakridge. This wine has a bold bouquet of peach and fig, enhanced by whiffs of lemon butter and marzipan. The flavours are equally enticing, with a core of sweet fruit and a depth that carries through to a citrus-fresh conclusion.

Penfolds Reserve Bin Riesling – Eden Valley, SAOliver Crawford is the talented young winemaker responsible for Penfolds white wines. The fruit for this exquisite riesling exhibits aromas of wet slate, bath talc and citrus blossom with a concentrated, mouth-filling texture that leads to a vibrant, lemon-fresh finale.


Pikes The Merle Reserve Riesling – Clare Valley, SANeil and Andrew Pike separated the best blocks at their Polish Hill River vineyards to make a reserve wine dedicated to their late mother, Merle. It’s still emerging, with a mineral, lemon-pith fragrance now showing whiffs of ripe pear and warm almonds. The palate is taut and fine.

Pewsey Vale Museum Reserve The Contours Riesling – Eden Valley, SAIn the 1950s, the century-old Pewsey Vale vineyard was replanted, with the rows following the contours of the steep block – hence the name. This is a semi-mature wine, already showing some complex dry toast and marmalade characters.

Picardy Chardonnay – Pemberton, WAThe Pannell family founded Moss Wood, and their latest enterprise shows passion for Burgundy. The vineyard planted with new Dijon clones provides a platform of intense fruit flavours to which sympathetic winemaking adds character, leading to a wondrous grapefruit acidity.

Pierro Chardonnay – Margaret River, WAMike Peterkin’s tiny plots of chardonnay offer individual characters that he fuses through barrel ferment, yeast lees contact and malolactic fermentation. Peach, rockmelon and cumquat mix with complex flavours. It’s a triumph of terroir and thoughtful winemaking.

Pierro LTC Semillon Sauvignon Blanc – Margaret River, WAThe LTC is the antithesis of the blend made by Peterkin’s near neighbour (and relative) Vanya Cullen. Dominated by semillon, it’s fresh, juicy, clean and bright, with guava, fresh lime and gooseberry flavours and a crunchy green apple acidity. A scrumptious dry white.

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Port Phillip Estate Chardonnay – Mornington Peninsula, VicIn the Mornington, each twist and turn in the road offers a distinct site and aspect. One such special place is the Port Phillip Estate Vineyard at Red Hill. In this chardonnay, pink grapefruit, preserved lemon and ripe apricot combine with lemony oak and biscuity yeast lees characters.

Redbank Sunday Morning Pinot Gris – King Valley, VicThis aptly named pinot gris is made with pristine fruit from an ultra-cool vineyard located 800m above sea level. Inviting aromas of nashi pear and wild honey lead to a fresh, crisp palate given complexity by the viscous, creamy texture that is the hallmark of the variety.

Shaw and Smith M3 Vineyard Chardonnay – Adelaide Hills, SAMade by cousins Martin Shaw and Michael Hill Smith from the vineyard they own with Hill Smith’s brother, Matthew – hence M3. It’s the epitome of classy chardonnay with a mosaic of flavours: grapefruit, melon, nougat, preserved lemon, almond and a hint of marzipan.

Shaw and Smith Sauvignon Blanc – Adelaide Hills, SAThis is a brilliant combination of pristine Adelaide Hills fruit and the winemaking skills of Martin Shaw. Boisterous aromas of gooseberry and passionfruit with a whiff of new-mown hay lead to a juicy, tropical fruit-flavoured palate and a zing of teeth-tingling adicity.

Taylors St Andrews Bottle Aged Riesling – Clare Valley, SASt Andrews is Taylors’ flagship label, and its pre-aged riesling is indeed a flag-bearer, with its shimmering green-gold colour and developed lime cordial and orange marmalade bouquet. The palate is opulent and generous yet remains controlled by a decisive cut of citrus-fresh acidity.


Toolangi Reserve Chardonnay – Yarra Valley, VicYarra Valley was the leading region for the cool-climate varieties of chardonnay a decade ago but of late has been overshadowed. This wine could revive its fortunes, with its exotic aromas of toffee, peach, ripe fig and lemon wrapped around a fine spine of bracing acidity.

Ten Minutes by Tractor McCutcheon Vineyard Chardonnay – Mornington Peninsula, VicFruit from the coolest part of the Mornington Peninsula results in a wine of intense peach and melon flavours supported by complex winemaking artifices. Nougat, almond meal and preserved lemon.

Ten Minutes by Tractor Wallis Vineyard Chardonnay – Mornington Peninsula, VicAlthough it’s only a few minutes from the McCutcheon Vineyard and identical techniques were used in the making of this wine, it’s surprisingly different – leaner and tighter, with grapefruit and nectarine flavours driven by a lemon-bright acidity.

Tim Adams Pinot Gris – Clare Valley, SAPinot gris generally prefers cooler climes, but if this offering from Tim Adams is any indication, we’ll see more from the Clare soon. The generous bouquet of pear and ripe apricot leads to an equally lush palate, its lemon-sherbet sweetness balanced by mineral acidity.

Toolangi Estate Chardonnay – Yarra Valley, VicToolangi is a new label going places. This wine is from a low-yielding vineyard and made by Yering Station’s magician Tom Carson. Ripe stone-fruit and rockmelon fruit flavours abound with almond meal, warmed nuts and lemon curd characters. Refined and harmonious.

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Tyrrell’s Wines Vat 1 Hunter Semillon – Hunter Valley, NSWVat 1 must be the most consistent wine in the country. The lemon essence, almond biscuit and lime cordial bouquet lead to a complex and interesting palate, at once fresh and vibrant, rich and complex. The shimmering acidity dances on the tongue, flowing to a lingering finale.

Voyager Estate Sauvignon Blanc Semillon – Margaret River, WAThis fantastic winery has emerged as one of the new stars of the Margaret River region. The mouth-watering aromas of freshly cut grass and passionfruit are mirrored by the brightly flavoured, lush and juicy palate. The finish is crisp and clean.

Wellington Sauvignon Blanc – TasWinemaker Andrew Hood insists on letting the fruit do the talking. This sauvignon blanc provides the perfect illustration of that philosophy, with its lifted aromas of freshly mown grass, gooseberry and a touch of passionfruit. It’s lean, tight and bright without being mean or skinny in any way.

Yalumba The Virgilius Eden Valley Viognier – SAYalumba has championed viognier for almost 20 years, with The Virgilius at the apex of its portfolio. Winemaker Louisa Rose’s experience with the variety shows – apricot nectar, wild honey and exotic musky perfumes abound on a background of spicy oak. Rich but well defined.

Yalumba Viognier – Eden Valley, SAThe uber-complex Virgilius may be at the pinnacle of Yalumba’s range, but this fresh and vital version sits just a notch below. Its right on the button, with apricot nectar and wild honey aromas and an intense yet restrained palate. It sets a benchmark that’s rarely topped.


Zarephath Riesling – Porongurup, WAZarephath means refinement, and this very refined riesling has been acknowledged by the judges at the 2006 Qantas Wine Show of Western Australia. Intense lime aromas are overlaid with a touch of spicy apple freshness, the palate alive with lemon sherbet and pink grapefruit.

Dominique Portet Fontaine Rosé – Yarra Valley, VicDominique Portet has lived in Australia for more than 30 years, but his approach to winemaking remains firmly French. This pale rose-gold wine has sweet raspberry and cherry aromas with an underlying savoury character. The palate is subtle with a long, abnormally dry finish.

Spinifex Rosé – Barossa Valley, SARosé is the flavour of the moment, but sadly too many are soft and squishy. Spinifex offers a different interpretation with this pale salmon-pink beauty. The aromas are more savoury than sweet, with rose petal, violet and musk stick overlaid with ripe red berry fruit.

Charles Melton Rose of Virginia – Barossa Valley, SACharlie Melton only makes red wines, with the exception of this voluptuous beauty. Deep magenta in colour, its aromas are of abundant red fruit – ripe raspberry, strawberry compote and redcurrant jelly and a touch of licorice allsorts.

Turkey Flat Vineyards Rosé – Barossa Valley, SAThis dazzling rosé enraptures the senses with its bold bouquet of raspberry jelly and fresh cranberry juice and mere whiff of wild violets. The palate is generously flavoured with loads of red berry fruit, the rampant sweetness restrained by a lemon zest finish.

ROSÉ WINES

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Yering Station ED Pinot Noir Rosé – Yarra Valley, VicThe fairy-floss-pink colour gives an indication of the subtlety of this wine, as indeed the discreet red berry fruit aromas confirm. It’s all about finesse and style, with wild raspberry and ripe strawberry flavours and a bone-dry finish – as the ED (extra dry) descriptor implies.

RED WINES

Balgownie Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – Bendigo, VicFrom one of Australia’s oldest boutique vineyards, this has huge concentration and a delicious savoury character. Cassis and blackberry fruit mingle with an earthy minerality. Fine tannins give structure and a tight finish.

Balnaves The Tally Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – Coonawarra, SAThe stature of this winery continues to grow. The Tally is Doug Balnaves’ top wine. It’s a potent and powerful wine with lots of cassis, mulberry and blueberry fruit flavours supported by high-class oak.

Bannockburn Pinot Noir – Geelong, VicThis pioneering pinot deserves every one of its innumerable accolades. It’s savoury rather than fruity, and its complex, multi-layered fruit flavours are underscored by abundant mineral characters. Dense and intense with a solid framework, it’s a pinot built for the long-haul.

Barossa Valley Estate Ebenezer Cabernet Sauvignon – Barossa Valley, SABarossa Valley Estate began life as a cooperative, with some members at Ebenezer, a tiny hamlet at the northern end of the valley. This is lush, dense and concentrated with lots of blackcurrant, blueberry and mulberry characters.


Bremerton Old Adam Shiraz – Langhorne Creek, SAAromas of marinated prunes, spiced cherries and licorice allsorts combine with nuances of sweet vanilla oak to create a super-rich, inviting bouquet. The wine has a mouth-filling intensity, its potent fruit flavours agreeably balanced by the solid tannin framework.

Bress Shiraz – Heathcote, VicThe Bress Gold Label is made from 100 per cent Heathcote fruit, its dense dark plum and prune flavours overlaid with licorice, an earthy minerality and wild game. The dark fruit flavours are closed and concentrated, with sinewy tannins that add to the depth, length and savoury richness.

Castagna Genesis Syrah – Beechworth, VicJulian Castagna seeks quality at all costs, employing biodynamic principles to pursue his goal. This wine is quite European in its flavours: savoury rather than sweet, yet crammed with intense berry fruit flavours against a background of damp earth and black truffles.

Castagna La Chiave – Beechworth, VicMade according to biodynamic principles, Castagna wines show purity and precision. This sangiovese has an intense savoury bouquet of fresh tobacco, cherry and warm earth. Beef-stock, spiced walnuts and damson plum merge with earthy tannins and sweetly toasted oak.

Centennial Vineyards Reserve Rondinella Corvina – Southern Highlands, NSWIn Italy, the rondinella and corvina varieties form the core of the easy-drinking Valpolicella. This is more medium-bodied, with intense, savoury flavours of bitter cherry, ripe raspberry and redcurrant fruit.

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Chapel Hill The Vicar – McLaren Vale, SAChapel Hill’s top red follows a religious theme yet is anything but a communion wine. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and merlot, it’s the epitome of a great McLaren Vale red with loads of sweet, ripe, dark berry fruit overlaid with a slick of vanilla oak.

Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz – NSWAustralia’s shiraz viognier king, Tim Kirk, made this classy shiraz. Sweet spices and pure red berry fruit flavours dominate the nose with a hint of licorice allsorts. The palate is ultra-clean and fine with a marvellous amalgam of acid and tannins.

Coriole Vineyards Lloyd Reserve Shiraz – McLaren Vale, SANamed in honour of Coriole’s founder, Hugh Lloyd, this has an incredible structure, weight and depth. It lets the fruit shine without being shrouded by unnecessary oak or excessive tannins. Concentrated, with blackberry, licorice and beef-stock flavours and a long finish.

Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot – Margaret River, WANamed in honour of pioneering winemaker Di Cullen, this wine is super-concentrated yet in no way brazen, with dark berry flavours enhanced by hints of sweet spice and dried herbs. Intense rather than dense, it has a long, ethereal finish.

d’Arenberg The Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier – McLaren Vale, SAThis fashionable northern Rhône blend shows the region’s typical dark plum and blackberry shiraz fruit flavours – redefined and refined by the dash of spicy viognier. The palate is sumptuous and polished, with a sweet lift of oak.


De Bortoli Estate Grown Pinot Noir – Yarra Valley, VicThe stature of De Bortoli’s Yarra Valley operation is soaring due to the efforts of winemaker Steve Webber. This pinot shows the intense red berry fruit flavours that epitomise Yarra pinot, overlaid with the funky characters you’d expect in the real thing from Burgundy.

Eldredge Blue Chip Shiraz – Clare Valley, SAThe wines of the Eldredge family are among the Clare’s hidden gems. The complex bouquet has earthy, ironstone characters reminiscent of the area. This dense, savoury core is enriched by dark plum, licorice and cherry flavours and lifted by a solid lashing of sweet, spicy oak.

Farr Rising Pinot Noir – Mornington Peninsula, VicYoung Nick Farr lives in his father’s shadow, although he’s two heads taller than Gary. Still, Nick’s wines express his own palate, as shown by this succulent pinot. Bright fruit abounds – raspberry, redcurrant and blood plum – with a filament of sweetly spiced oak.

Geoff Merrill Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – Coonawarra/McLaren Vale, SAGeoff Merrill’s image has been boosted by his latest success: the 2006 Jimmy Watson Award. This red is a lovely amalgam of black olive and blackcurrant, mint and tomato bush complexity. Despite its 14 per cent alcohol, the palate is quite restrained.

Geoff Merrill Henley Shiraz – McLaren Vale, SAGeoff Merrill’s wines have not been this serious in the past, but he has thrown down the gauntlet with the Henley, pitting it against some of the best shiraz in the world. It measures up well, its depth and opulence controlled by a judicious use of oak leading to a seamless finish.

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Grant Burge Meshach Shiraz – Barossa Valley, SAThis monumental shiraz sets out to emulate Grange and does a pretty good job: dense, dark berry fruit, dark chocolate and licorice against a background of charry oak. It’s held back from excess by a strong framework of tannins, which contain any hint of overindulgence.

Henschke Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc Merlot – Eden Valley, SAThe top cabernet in the Henschke portfolio. Cassis and mulberry flavours intermingle with tomato leaf and mint to form a fine, long, savoury palate. The finely honed tannin structure gives depth and length to this ultra-classy cabernet.

Heathcote Estate Shiraz – Heathcote, VicHeathcote Estate is a rising star. This wine has a dense core of dark berry fruit, licorice and earthy minerality. It’s bound together by the judicious use of top French oak to create a shining example of the intense yet fine shiraz upon which Heathcote’s reputation is founded.

Grosset Gaia – Clare Valley, SAJeffrey Grosset blends cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc to craft his top Bordeaux-style red. It’s known simply as Gaia, after the Greek goddess of earth. Bursting with dark berry fruit flavours, it’s intense yet in no way heavy, with a length and depth that will see it build complexity.

Grant Burge The Holy Trinity Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre – Barossa Valley, SAThis classic southern Rhône blend has grenache providing juicy, sweet raspberry and ripe plum flavours. The shiraz component adds backbone and structure, while the dash of mourvèdre gives an inky concentration and earthy complexity.


Hillcrest Premium Pinot Noir – Yarra Valley, VicThe vineyard has been revitalised following organic principles with the aid of winemaker Phillip Jones of Bass Phillip fame. This fragrant pinot has a luxurious bouquet of cherry, forest floor, earth and hints of spicy oak. It’s smooth, refined and elegant, with a touch of funk.

Houghton Shiraz – Frankland River, WAThis seamless shiraz is made at Western Australia’s oldest winery. Cinnamon and clove blend with aromas of ripe raspberry and damson and a background of dusky oak. Intense and concentrated, tightly controlled and surprisingly refined with velvety tannins.

Houghton Gladstones Cabernet Sauvignon – Margaret River, WAPioneering wine researcher John Gladstones recommended cabernet sauvignon as the leading grape in the Margaret River in the late 1960s. Sweet raspberry notes lead to deeply flavoured underlying fruit, supported by fine, textural tannins that build weight and richness.

Howard Park Leston Cabernet Sauvignon – Margaret River, WAThe Leston vineyards surround Howard Park’s new Margaret River winery, producing cabernet fruit that is richer and juicer than that of its Scotsdale sibling (below). Intense blackcurrant, mulberry and blueberry flavours are lifted by an overlay of spicy oak.

Howard Park Scotsdale Cabernet Sauvignon – Great Southern, WACabernet fruit for the Scotsdale Road winery is sourced from throughout the Great Southern and carefully crafted to create the more discreet of the two Howard Park cabernets. Blackberry, gorse and dried-herb aromas, plus a waft of spicy oak.

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John Duval Wines Plexus Shiraz Grenache Mourvèdre – Barossa Valley, SAWhen John Duval left Penfolds, the winemaking world held its collective breath. Now he is back. This is the classic “iron fist in a velvet glove” of soft, silky tannins: lean and muscular yet with a rich, gentle heart.

Kalleske Greenock Shiraz – Barossa Valley, SATroy Kalleske is a sixth-generation grape grower, sourcing the fruit for this single-vineyard shiraz from the family’s Greenock vineyards, where vines date from 1875. It’s a lavish wine with aromas of blackberry, bitter chocolate, plum cake and licorice bound with sweet spices.

Katnook Estate Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon – Coonawarra, SAKatnook’s prestige cabernet is a powerhouse. Intense blackcurrant and damson flavoured fruit is aged in new French oak for more than 40 months. The result is opulent yet seamless with dusty mulberry bush, roasted coffee beans and plum cake.

Kooyong Massale Pinot Noir – Mornington Peninsula, Vic“Massale” is the mass selection of pinot noir clones traditionally planted in Burgundy – the home of pinot noir. While this pinot is proudly Australian, the thread of savoury complexity is quite Burgundian, with sweet, beguiling fruit and friendly characters.

Kooyong Single Vineyard Selection Ferrous Pinot Noir – Mornington Peninsula, VicThe Ferrous Block is planted in deep, red ironstone soil, giving the wine great depth and concentration. Winemaker Sandro Mosele overlays this dense fruit with spicy oak to create an exceptional wine with dark berries and a fine tannin structure.


Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon – Coonawarra, SASydney Hamilton founded Leconfield in 1974 when he was 76, hoping to make a great Bordeaux-like cabernet sauvignon. His vision is preserved today by his nephew, Richard. The Leconfield style is all about elegance and restraint, with classic fine-fruited flavours of mint and cassis.

Leeuwin Estate Prelude Vineyards Cabernet Merlot – Margaret River, WAThe white wines of Leeuwin Estate are held in such esteem that its reds are often overlooked. One sip of this – savoury, minty with echoes of Bordeaux – will resolve that. The bouquet of herbs, cassis and sawdust leads to an equally appealing palate.

Main Ridge Estate Half Acre Pinot Noir – Mornington Peninsula, VicNat White’s pinots reflect his personality: thoughtful and introspective. This one is well structured and intensely flavoured with bags of bitter cherry and dark plum and an underlying dense, savoury character.

Majella Cabernet Sauvignon – Coonawarra, SAGrowers since the 1960s, the Lynn family only began making wines under the Majella label in the early 1990s. The Majella style is more full bodied and full flavoured than most Coonawarra cabernets, with oodles of mulberry and blueberry flavours plus succulent oak.

McWilliam’s Barwang Shiraz – Hilltops, NSWAt the centre of the Hilltops region is Young, famed for its fabulous cherries which thrive in similar climatic conditions to premium vineyards. Aptly, the Barwang Shiraz has an intense savoury, black cherry and licorice bouquet with a touch of mocha and warm brick.

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McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant Single Vineyard Rosehill Shiraz – Hunter Valley, NSWHunter legend Maurice O’Shea established the Rosehill Vineyard more than 50 years ago, but this is a bolder wine than those of his era. It has a rich, earthy bouquet and complex flavours – plum, licorice, spiced oak and smoky beef stock.

Murdock Cabernet Sauvignon – Coonawarra, SATo taste Murdock’s merlot (below) and then the cabernet sauvignon is like tasting cheese and chalk – the cabernet is much more structured and angular. Time has softened the wine, allowing the blackcurrant and mulberry fruit flavours to merge with the dense, earthy tannins.

Murdock Merlot – Coonawarra, SACoonawarra is the perfect spot for this early-ripening merlot, and Dave Murdock is one of the region’s best viticulturalists. Soft dark plum and blueberry fruit flavours meld smoothly with the fine, integrated tannin structure and sweetly spiced oak to give a deliciously seamless red.

Nepenthe Charleston Pinot Noir – Adelaide Hills, SANepenthe produces wines of outstanding quality and value with a style that is expressive of the fruit rather than the winemaker’s ego. Dark fruit flavours abound: plum, black cherry and a sweet lift of spicy oak with a full and firm palate in keeping with the regional style.

Paringa Estate Estate Pinot Noir – Mornington Peninsula, VicHighly spiced, lush and plush, this pinot has all the hallmarks of Lindsay McCall’s signature style. The bouquet is of dark berry fruit, sweet spices and a whiff of plum cake. It’s equally opulent on the palate, with distinctive winemaking influences adding complexity.


Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon – SAPenfolds sources the finest fruit from its South Australian vineyards for this iconic cabernet sauvignon. A year spent in new American oak endows the wine with sweet vanilla flavours and a mocha richness. The result is a dense, lush red wine with oodles of dark berry fruit flavours.

Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz – SAPerhaps the most undervalued red in the Penfolds portfolio, Bin 28 is the epitome of a classic shiraz. The bouquet is bold with lots of dark berry fruit and dense, chewy tannins. The palate shows similar characters to the nose, with a touch of licorice and warm earth.

Penfolds St Henri Shiraz – Barossa Valley, SASt Henri is another underrated shiraz from Penfolds. Rich but not dense, flavoursome but not fat, this gentle shiraz is about genuine fruit flavour that stands proudly unsupported by any overt oak. Finesse and style are its hallmarks – and it has oodles of each.

Pikes Shiraz – Clare Valley, SANeil Pike is a much overlooked Clare winemaker who is both a traditionalist and innovator. His shiraz is a traditional Clare style with a generous heart of dark berry fruit and an earthy, mineral richness. The wine’s power is harnessed in some nice chewy tannins.

Pizzini Coronamento Nebbiolo – King Valley, VicNebbiolo is a finicky variety – even on its home turf in Piedmont. But Fred Pizzini has tamed it with his Coronamento, meaning “to achieve one’s dreams”. Warm earth, dark plum, black truffle and rose petal on the nose; an intense, sinewy, multi-layered, well-balanced palate.

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Pondalowie Vineyards MT Tempranillo – Bendigo, VicTempranillo is the major red grape of Spain and Portugal, perhaps most famous as the backbone variety of Rioja. It’s a newcomer to Australia, but this fresh, unwooded version is excellent. The aromas are of dark cherry, raspberry and tobacco with an earthy, complex background.

Rolf Binder Christa Rolf Shiraz Grenache – Barossa Valley, SAChrista and Rolf Binder are the two winemaking children of Rolf senior, who founded the Veritas winery (now Rolf Binder) in the mid 1950s. This is an easy-drinking red with ample amounts of soft, juicy raspberry, dark cherry and plum and a gentle kick of grainy tannins.

St Hallett Faith Shiraz – Barossa, SADescriptors of licorice, tar and leather could sound negative if they weren’t wrapped around a generous core of rich dark berry fruit flavours, as is the case with this shiraz. These seemingly disparate flavours are meshed together by a sweet seasoning of vanilla oak.

Seppelt St Peters Great Western Vineyards Shiraz – Grampians, VicOld vineyards provide the fruit for this masterful shiraz. The ripe flavours of plum and blackberry are reined in by an overlay of warm earth and licorice. While the palate is of medium weight, its depth and power carry it to a long conclusion.

Setanta Black Sanglain Cabernet Sauvignon – Adelaide Hills, SAThe name Setanta comes from Irish folklore, its three creators proudly of Irish descent. This elegant, refined, cool-climate cabernet has a lifted bouquet of mint, cassis and cedary oak. Intense flavours are carried by a backbone of finely grained tannins.


Shaw and Smith Shiraz – Adelaide Hills, SAMartin Shaw’s shiraz has masses of style and finesse. Sweet spices – nutmeg, clove and allspice – mix with raspberry and dark cherry. The mid-weight palate is intensely flavoured, luxurious and tightly bound by an ethereal thread of acidity and a fine patina of tannins.

Stella Bella Shiraz – Margaret River, WAThis is a medium-weight shiraz with fruit flavours that are of wild raspberry, plum and cherry with a hint of dusty Moroccan spice. The palate is lean and sinewy, though in no way mean, offering a lift of sweet vanilla oak on the finish.

Stonier Reserve Pinot Noir – Mornington Peninsula, VicThe Stonier wines have entered a new age in the hands of Geraldine McFaul. This is made from the oldest vines, crop-thinned to give ripe, juicy and highly flavoured fruit – dark cherry, strawberry and rhubarb – with a dash of exotic spices from the high-quality oak.

Tahbilk Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon – Nagambie Lakes, VicTahbilk is home to some of the country’s original cabernet sauvignon vines. This concentrated red is all about fruit weight and richness. Blackberry and bitter chocolate flavours with a distinct whiff of damp earth help move the style from sweet to savoury.

Tarrawarra Estate Pinot Noir – Yarra Valley, VicTarrawarra is one of the Yarra’s finest wineries, and this pinot has the richness and intensity that can only come from top-notch fruit. Dark berry fruit flavours abound with a distinct earthy/chocolatey character and gentle overlay of dusty oak complexity. A serious pinot.

TasTings


Taylors St Andrews Shiraz – Clare Valley, SASt Andrews is owned by the Taylor family and the name used for their prestige wines. Dark chocolate, blackberry pastille and damson aromas lead the way to a dense, concentrated palate bursting with rich, dark berry fruit flavours, sweet spices and a touch of licorice.

Toolangi Pinot Noir – Yarra Valley, VicFruit drawn from low-yielding vineyards has been carefully crafted by Yering Station’s winemaking maestro, Tom Carson, into this finely structured gem. It offers raspberry and ripe strawberry fruit flavours with a gentle touch of toasty oak and hints of truffle-like complexity.

Torbreck Cuvee Juveniles – Barossa Valley, SADave Powell originally made this Rhône-style blend for the Parisian wine bar Juveniles. A blend of grenache, mataro (aka mourvèdre) and shiraz, it sees no oak and is bottled young and fresh. Sweet red berry fruits dominate the nose with a background of exotic spices.

Torbreck The Steading – Barossa Valley, SAThis is a Châteauneuf-du-Pape lookalike: 60 per cent grenache leads the way with equal parts of shiraz and mataro. Eighteen months in older oak has married the fruit into a sweet, juicy, high-toned amalgam. It’s seductively easy to drink yet powerful, with 14.5 per cent alcohol.

Torbreck The Struie Shiraz – Barossa Valley, SAFruit from an old shiraz vineyard in the Eden Valley adds depth to the unbridled potency of the Barossa component to create this bold but stylish red. Sweet prune and pickled plum aromas overlay intense briary, smoky characters with hints of nutmeg, clove and Christmas pud.


Tower Estate Hunter Valley Shiraz – NSWThis power-packed shiraz comes from Tower’s home base, Len Evans’ beloved Hunter Valley. It has bold flavours and great concentration, with dark plum, blackberry and fresh aniseed flavours overlaid with a slick of sweet vanilla oak and dense, earthy tannins.

Turkey Flat Vineyards Shiraz – Barossa Valley, SABrash and bold, this classic Barossa Valley shiraz is sourced from old vines that produce microscopic yields of highly concentrated fruit. Intense flavours of ripe plum and blackberry are enhanced with a licorice and mocha character, while the potent palate has soft tannins.

Voyager Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot – Margaret River, WAVoyager Estate reds offer leafy, Bordeaux-like characteristics. Aromas of cassis, spearmint and fresh mulberry leaves dominate the nose, following through to a tight, savoury palate enriched by judicious use of top-class French oak.

Wirra Wirra Vineyards RSW Shiraz – McLaren Vale, SARobert Strangways Wigley established Wirra Wirra in 1894 and his initials have been used to designate the winery’s top shiraz. Bold shiraz flavours of plum, blackberry pastille, bitter chocolate and five-spice are enriched by a gentle lick of sweet oak.

Wirra Wirra Vineyards Woodhenge Shiraz – McLaren Vale, SAWoodhenge is the monumental fence that greets visitors to the Wirra winery. But its namesake shiraz is in no way overbuilt. The bouquet of wild blackberry melds with plum cake, licorice, and a whiff of apricot nectar from the dash of viognier.

TasTings


Wolf Blass Grey Label Shiraz – SAWolf Blass made his reputation as a masterful blender. His legacy lives on with this sumptuous shiraz built on the dense dark chocolate and rich, dark berry flavours of the Barossa, the earthy minerality of the Clare and the sheer grunt of top-quality McLaren Vale fruit.

Woodlands Ivy Kathleen Cabernet Sauvignon – Margaret River, WAAfter ceasing production in the 1990s, the Watson family have re-entered the Australian market. A smidge of malbec adds to the character of this dense, tightly knit cabernet sauvignon with abundant flavours of cassis and mint.

Wood Park Zinfandel – King Valley, VicZinfandel is famous in California and almost unknown to the rest of the world. (It has a minor presence as primitivo in Puglia, Italy.) This has abundant flavours of blackberry and juicy plum with a generous lashing of sweet plum cake, nutmeg and licorice allsorts.

Yalumba Shiraz Viognier – Barossa, VicThe folks at Yalumba were among the first to champion the exotic white grape viognier. This is an unashamedly cheeky Aussie red, streets away from the French style, with its super-rich plum cake and dark cherry flavours “spiced” by an apricot-like lift of viognier.

Yalumba The Signature – Barossa, SAThe original Signature red from Yalumba was a special Galway Vintage inspired by Robert Menzies – an avid Yalumba fan. Sir Bob would approve of this cabernet sauvignon-shiraz blend. It’s a wondrous amalgam of dark berries and a lick of toasty oak.


Yering Station Reserve Shiraz Viognier – Yarra Valley, VicTom Carson’s Côte Rôtie lookalike gets close to the real thing, though it’s still proudly Aussie, with oodles of sweet dark berry fruit lifted by the viognier’s violet-like perfume. Fruit richness is held back from excess by the tight thread of acid interwoven with succulent tannins.

Yering Station Shiraz Viognier – Yarra Valley, VicThe popularity of this traditional Rhône Valley blend of shiraz with a dash of viognier increases unabated. This example is a sumptuous combination of ripe cherry and raspberry aromas with a dash of sweet apricot nectar from the viognier. The palate is equally plush.

De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon – Riverina, NSWAustralia’s benchmark dessert wine – a position it’s proudly held since its maiden vintage in 1982. Recent vintages show a renewed focus, with opulent apricot and tropical-fruit flavours reined in by a zing of tight and bright lemon-fresh acidity.

Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Liqueur Muscat – Rutherglen, VicDense, treacle-like consistency. An intricate mosaic of brandied prune, spiced plums, crème caramel and dusty spice cupboard greet the nose, with similar multi-layered richness evident on the palate.

Seppelt DP63 Grand Muscat – Rutherglen, VicThis is the colour of worn leather and has sumptuous aromas of old cedar cupboards, toffee, rum and raisin, licorice allsorts and crème caramel. The flavours are explosive – syrupy yet with a spine of soft acidity that tightens the wine as it flows to a seemingly endless finale.

SWEET WINE

fORTIfIED WINES


QANTAS FIRST

Balnaves The Tally Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra .............................. 32Bannockburn Pinot Noir, Geelong .......................................................................... 32Bress Shiraz, Heathcote ........................................................................................... 33Castagna Genesis Syrah, Beechworth ...................................................................... 33Castagna La Chiave, Beechworth ............................................................................ 33Centennial Vineyards Reserve Rondinella Corvina, Southern Highlands ............. 33Charles Melton Rose of Virginia, Barossa Valley .................................................... 31Clonakilla Viognier, Canberra District ................................................................... 19Coriole Vineyards Lloyd Reserve Shiraz, McLaren Vale .......................................... 34Crawford River Reserve Riesling, Henty .................................................................. 19Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Margaret River ................... 34Cullen Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, Margaret River ................................................ 19Curly Flat Chardonnay, Macedon Ranges .............................................................. 20De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Riverina ................................................. 47Dominique Portet Fontaine Rosé, Yarra Valley ....................................................... 31Farr Rising Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula ....................................................... 35Gembrook Hill Sauvignon Blanc, Yarra Valley ....................................................... 20Geoff Merrill Henley Shiraz, McLaren Vale ............................................................ 35Giaconda Aeolia Roussanne, Beechworth ............................................................... 20Giaconda Chardonnay, Beechworth ........................................................................ 21Grant Burge Meshach Shiraz, Barossa Valley ......................................................... 36Grosset Gaia, Clare Valley ....................................................................................... 36Grosset Piccadilly Adelaide Hills Chardonnay ........................................................ 21Grosset Polish Hill Clare Valley Riesling ................................................................. 21Grosset Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, Clare Valley/Adelaide Hills ............................ 22Hardys Eileen Hardy Chardonnay, South-eastern Australia .................................. 22Heggies Reserve Riesling, Eden Valley ..................................................................... 22Henschke Cyril Henschke Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc Merlot, Eden Valley ... 36Henschke Julius Riesling, Eden Valley ..................................................................... 22Hillcrest Premium Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley ............................................................ 37Houghton Gladstones Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River .................................. 37Houghton Museum Release Chardonnay, Frankland River .................................... 23Howard Park Chardonnay, Great Southern ............................................................ 23Howard Park Riesling, Great Southern ................................................................... 23Jacob’s Creek Steingarten Riesling, Barossa ............................................................. 24John Duval Wines Plexus Shiraz Grenache Mourvèdre, Barossa Valley ................. 38Kalleske Greenock Shiraz, Barossa Valley ................................................................ 38Katnook Estate Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra .................................. 38Knappstein Ackland Vineyard Watervale Riesling, Clare Valley ............................. 24Kooyong Single Vineyard Selection Faultline Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula 24Kooyong Single Vineyard Selection Ferrous Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula .... 38Lost Valley Winery Cortese, Upper Goulburn ......................................................... 25Main Ridge Estate Half Acre Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula ........................... 39Main Ridge Estate Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula ........................................ 25McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant Single Vineyard Lovedale Hunter Valley Semillon .. 25Meerea Park Individual Vineyard Alexander Munro Semillon, Hunter Valley ...... 26Mesh Riesling, Eden Valley ...................................................................................... 26Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Liqueur Muscat, Rutherglen .......................... 47Paringa Estate Estate Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula ....................................... 40Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon, South Australia ......................................... 41Penfolds St Henri Shiraz, Barossa Valley ................................................................ 41Pewsey Vale Museum Reserve The Contours Riesling, Eden Valley ........................ 27Picardy Chardonnay, Pemberton ............................................................................ 27Pierro Chardonnay, Margaret River ....................................................................... 27Pierro LTC Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, Margaret River ......................................... 27Pikes The Merle Reserve Riesling, Clare Valley ....................................................... 27Pizzini Coronamento Nebbiolo, King Valley ........................................................... 41Pondalowie Vineyards MT Tempranillo, Bendigo .................................................. 42Port Phillip Estate Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula ......................................... 28Seppelt St Peters Great Western Vineyards Shiraz, Grampians ............................... 42Setanta Black Sanglain Cabernet Sauvignon, Adelaide Hills ................................. 42Shaw and Smith M3 Vineyard Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills ................................... 28Shaw and Smith Shiraz, Adelaide Hills .................................................................. 43Spinifex Rosé, Barossa Valley .................................................................................. 31Stonier Reserve Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula ................................................ 43Tahbilk Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Nagambie Lakes ......................................... 43Tarrawarra Estate Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley ............................................................ 43Ten Minutes by Tractor McCutcheon Vineyard Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula .. 29Ten Minutes by Tractor Wallis Vineyard Chardonnay, Mornington Peninsula ...... 29Tim Adams Pinot Gris, Clare Valley ....................................................................... 29Toolangi Reserve Chardonnay, Yarra Valley ........................................................... 29Torbreck The Steading, Barossa Valley .................................................................... 44Torbreck The Struie Shiraz, Barossa Valley ............................................................. 44Tower Estate Hunter Valley Shiraz .......................................................................... 45Tyrrell’s Wines Vat 1 Hunter Semillon, Hunter Valley ............................................ 30

index to wines served onboard


Wellington Sauvignon Blanc, Tasmania ................................................................. 30Wirra Wirra Vineyards RSW Shiraz, McLaren Vale ............................................... 45Woodlands Ivy Kathleen Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River ............................. 46Wood Park Zinfandel, King Valley .......................................................................... 46Yalumba The Signature, Barossa ............................................................................ 46Yalumba The Virgilius Eden Valley Viognier .......................................................... 30Yering Station Reserve Shiraz Viognier, Yarra Valley .............................................. 47Zarephath Riesling, Porongurup ............................................................................. 31

QANTAS BUSINESS

Balgownie Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Bendigo .................................................... 32Barossa Valley Estate Ebenezer Cabernet Sauvignon, Barossa Valley ..................... 32Bremerton Old Adam Shiraz, Langhorne Creek ..................................................... 33Chapel Hill The Vicar, McLaren Vale ..................................................................... 34Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz ....................................................................................... 34Coldstream Hills Chardonnay, Yarra Valley ........................................................... 19Crawford River Riesling, Henty ............................................................................... 19d’Arenberg The Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier, McLaren Vale ......................... 34De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Riverina ................................................. 47De Bortoli Estate Grown Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley .................................................. 35Diamond Valley Chardonnay, Yarra Valley ............................................................ 20Eldredge Blue Chip Shiraz, Clare Valley ................................................................. 35Fire Gully Chardonnay, Margaret River ................................................................. 20Geoff Merrill Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra/McLaren Vale ............... 35Giant Steps Vineyard Sexton Bernard Clones 95 + 96 Chardonnay, Yarra Valley ...21Grant Burge The Holy Trinity Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre, Barossa Valley .......... 36Grosset Rockwood Vineyard Riesling, Clare Valley ................................................. 21Heathcote Estate Shiraz, Heathcote ......................................................................... 36Henschke Peggy’s Hill Riesling, Eden Valley ........................................................... 22Hewitson Riesling, Eden Valley ............................................................................... 23Houghton Museum Release Riesling, Frankland River ........................................... 23Houghton Shiraz, Frankland River ......................................................................... 37Howard Park Leston Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River ................................... 37Howard Park Scotsdale Cabernet Sauvignon, Great Southern ............................... 37Kooyong Massale Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula ............................................. 38Lark Hill Chardonnay, Canberra District ............................................................... 24Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra ......................................................... 39Leeuwin Estate Prelude Vineyards Cabernet Merlot, Margaret River .................... 39Lillydale Estate Chardonnay, Yarra Valley .............................................................. 24Madfish Riesling, Great Southern ........................................................................... 25Majella Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra ............................................................ 39McWilliam’s Barwang Shiraz, Hilltops ................................................................... 39McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant Elizabeth Hunter Valley Semillon ............................ 25McWilliam’s Mount Pleasant Single Vineyard Rosehill Shiraz, Hunter Valley ....... 40Murdock Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra .......................................................... 40Murdock Merlot, Coonawarra ................................................................................ 40Nepenthe Charleston Pinot Noir, Adelaide Hills ..................................................... 40Nepenthe Ithaca Chardonnay, Adelaide Hills ......................................................... 26Oakridge Chardonnay, Yarra Valley ....................................................................... 26Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz, South Australia ................................................... 41Penfolds Reserve Bin Riesling, Eden Valley ............................................................. 26Pikes Shiraz, Clare Valley ........................................................................................ 41Redbank Sunday Morning Pinot Gris, King Valley ................................................. 28Rolf Binder Christa Rolf Shiraz Grenache, Barossa Valley ...................................... 42St Hallett Faith Shiraz, Barossa .............................................................................. 42Seppelt DP63 Grand Muscat, Rutherglen ............................................................... 47Shaw and Smith Sauvignon Blanc, Adelaide Hills .................................................. 28Stella Bella Shiraz, Margaret River ......................................................................... 43Taylors St Andrews Bottle Aged Riesling, Clare Valley ............................................ 28Taylors St Andrews Shiraz, Clare Valley .................................................................. 44Toolangi Estate Chardonnay, Yarra Valley .............................................................. 29Toolangi Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley ........................................................................... 44Torbreck Cuvee Juveniles, Barossa Valley ................................................................ 44Turkey Flat Vineyards Rosé, Barossa Valley ............................................................ 31Turkey Flat Vineyards Shiraz, Barossa Valley ......................................................... 45Voyager Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Margaret River ................................. 45Voyager Estate Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, Margaret River .................................... 30Wirra Wirra Vineyards Woodhenge Shiraz, McLaren Vale ..................................... 45Wolf Blass Grey Label Shiraz, South Australia ........................................................ 46Yalumba Shiraz Viognier, Barossa .......................................................................... 46Yalumba Viognier, Eden Valley ............................................................................... 30Yering Station ED Pinot Noir Rosé, Yarra Valley .................................................... 32Yering Station Shiraz Viognier, Yarra Valley ........................................................... 47


contacts

BALGOWNIE ESTATE (03) 5449 6222, www.balgownieestate.com.auBALNAVES (08) 8737 2946, www.balnaves.com.auBANNOCKBURN (03) 5281 1363, www.bannockburnvineyards.comBAROSSA VALLEY ESTATE (08) 8562 3599, www.bve.com.auBARWANG (02) 6382 3594, www.mcwilliams.com.auBREMERTON (08) 8537 3093, www.bremerton.com.auBRESS (03) 5474 2262, www.bress.com.auCASTAGNA (03) 5728 2888, www.castagna.com.auCENTENNIAL VINEYARDS (02) 4861 8700, www.centennial.net.auCHAPEL HILL (08) 8323 8429, www.chapelhillwine.com.auCHARLES MELTON (08) 8563 3606, www.charlesmeltonwines.com.auCLONAKILLA (02) 6227 5877, www.clonakilla.com.auCOLDSTREAM HILLS (03) 5964 9410, www.coldstreamhills.com.auCORIOLE VINEYARDS (08) 8323 8305, www.coriole.comCRAWFORD RIVER (03) 5578 2267, www.crawfordriverwines.comCULLEN (08) 9755 5277, www.cullenwines.com.auCURLY FLAT (03) 5429 1956, www.curlyflat.comD’ARENBERG (08) 8323 8206, www.darenberg.com.auDE BORTOLI (03) 5965 2271, www.debortoli.com.auDIAMOND VALLEY (03) 9722 0840, www.diamondvalley.com.auDOMINIQUE PORTET (03) 5962 5760, www.dominiqueportet.comELDREDGE (08) 8842 3086, [email protected] FARR RISING (03) 5281 1733, www.byfarr.com.auFIRE GULLY (08) 9755 6220, www.pierro.com.auGEMBROOK HILL (03) 5968 1622, www.gembrookhill.com.auGEOFF MERRILL (08) 8381 6877, www.geoffmerrillwines.comGIACONDA (03) 9583 1202, www.giaconda.com.auGIANT STEPS VINEYARD (03) 5962 6111, www.giant-steps.com.auGRANT BURGE (02) 6585 9523, www.grantburgewines.com.auGROSSET (08) 8849 2175, www.grosset.com.auHARDYS (08) 9755 5604, www.hardywines.com.auHEATHCOTE ESTATE (03) 9667 6644, www.heathcoteestate.comHEGGIES (08) 8561 3200, www.negociants.comHENSCHKE (08) 8564 8223, www.henschke.com.auHEWITSON (08) 8443 6466, www.hewitson.com.auHILLCREST (03) 5964 6689, www.hillcrestvineyard.com.auHOUGHTON (08) 8392 2222, www.hardywines.com.auHOWARD PARK (08) 9756 5200, www.howardparkwines.com.auJACOB’S CREEK (08) 8521 3000, www.jacobscreek.comJOHN DUVAL (08) 8563 2591, www.johnduvalwines.comKALLESKE 0409 339 599, www.kalleske.comKATNOOK ESTATE (02) 9908 0532, www.winesource.com.auKNAPPSTEIN (08) 8842 2600, www.knappsteinwines.com.auKOOYONG (03) 5989 7355, www.kooyong.comLARK HILL (02) 6238 1393, www.larkhillwine.com.auLECONFIELD (08) 8323 8830, www.leconfieldwines.comLEEUWIN ESTATE (08) 9759 0000, www.leeuwinestate.com.auLILLYDALE ESTATE www.lillydaleestate.com.au

LOST VALLEY WINERY (03) 9592 3531, www.lostvalleywinery.comMADFISH (08) 8561 3200, www.madfishwines.com.auMAIN RIDGE ESTATE (03) 5989 2686, www.mre.com.auMAJELLA (08) 8736 3055, www.majellawines.com.auMCWILLIAM’S (02) 9722 1200, www.mcwilliams.com.auMEEREA PARK (02) 9427 5222, www.meereapark.com.auMESH (08) 8112 4200, www.meshwine.comMORRIS OF RUTHERGLEN (02) 8874 8222, www.morriswines.comMURDOCK (08) 8737 3700, www.murdockwines.comNEPENTHE (08) 8388 4439, www.nepenthe.com.auOAKRIDGE (03) 9739 1920, www.oakridgeestate.com.auPARINGA ESTATE (03) 5989 2669, www.paringaestate.com.auPENFOLDS (08) 8568 9389, www.penfolds.comPEWSEY VALE (08) 8561 3200, www.pewseyvale.comPICARDY (08) 9776 0036, www.picardy.com.auPIERRO (08) 9755 6220, www.pierro.com.auPIKES (08) 8843 4370, www.pikeswines.com.auPIZZINI (03) 5729 8278, www.pizzini.com.auPONDALOWIE VINEYARDS (03) 5437 3332, www.pondalowie.com.auPORT PHILLIP ESTATE (03) 5989 2708, www.portphillip.netREDBANK (08) 8561 3200, www.redbankwines.comROLF BINDER (08) 8562 3300, www.veritaswinery.comSEPPELT (03) 5361 2239/(08) 8568 6217, www.seppelt.com.auSETANTA (08) 8380 5516, www.setantawines.com.auSHAW AND SMITH (08) 8398 0500, www.shawandsmith.com SPINIFEX (08) 8562 1914, www.spinifexwines.com.auSTELLA BELLA (08) 9757 6377, www.stellabella.com.auST HALLETT (08) 8563 7000, www.sthallett.com.auSTONIER (03) 5989 8300, www.stoniers.com.auTAHBILK (03) 5794 2555, www.tahbilk.comTARRAWARRA ESTATE (03) 5962 3311, www.tarrawarra.com.auTAYLORS (02) 8585 3555, www.taylors.com.auTEN MINUTES BY TRACTOR (03) 5989 6455, www.tenminutesbytractor.com.auTIM ADAMS (08) 8842 2429, www.timadamswines.com.auTOOLANGI (03) 9822 9488, www.toolangi.comTORBRECK (08) 8562 4155, www.torbreck.comTOWER ESTATE (02) 4998 7989, www.towerestate.comTURKEY FLAT VINEYARDS (08) 8563 2851, www.turkeyflat.com.auTYRRELL’S WINES (02) 4993 7000, www.tyrrells.com.auVOYAGER ESTATE (08) 9757 6354, www.voyagerestate.com.auWELLINGTON (03) 6248 5844, www.hoodwines.com.auWIRRA WIRRA VINEYARDS (08) 8323 8141, www.wirra.com.auWOLF BLASS (08) 8568 7311, www.wolfblass.com.auWOODLANDS (08) 9755 6226, www.woodlandswines.comWOOD PARK (03) 5727 3778, www.woodparkwines.com.auYALUMBA (08) 8561 3200, www.yalumba.comYERING STATION (03) 9730 0100, www.yering.comZAREPATH (08) 9853 1152, www.zarepathwines.com

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inflight guide to wine - Qantas This Qantas Inflight Guide to Wine is complimentary to Qantas...

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