Winepilot - Australia's Leading Wine Authority

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Winepilot

A silvery nose of delicate citrus notes crushed white blossom and chalky minerality kick off a delightful expression of Chardonnay...

Handpicked Collection Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay 2022

Explore behind the scenes.

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Winepilot

A little riper on the nose, but not fleshy. Lifted some fruit – apricot blossom, just cut peach and fuzz....

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Stories

Decades

November 14, 2025

Shanteh Wale

Since college days at Roseworthy Ag College, best mates Brad Rogers and Steve Flamsteed goaded each other on. This is the room, the start of it all — a story made of late nights, bold ideas, and unexpected friendships. Here are the young men, released into the wide open world,...

Calabria Family Wines: 80 years in the making

November 13, 2025

It was the end of the 1920s when Francesco Calabria decided to leave his homeland in Southern Italy in search...

House of Arras: Defying Time and Expectations

October 27, 2025

A Burgundy expert once told me that white Burgundy wouldn’t age gracefully past ten years. The hot take there was...

Vasse Felix Tom Cullity Vertical

September 24, 2025

Jeni Port

The Vasse Felix Tom Cullity project was impressive from day 1 with aspirations to make one of Margaret River’s greatest...

Craggy Range: Attention to Detail into the Future

September 5, 2025

At the end of the last (sigh again) Family of Twelve Tutorial in 2019, I was generously hosted by the...

Of Narcissists and a Great Pinot

August 26, 2025

Way before I made my way to New Zealand in 2019, precisely 10 years before that (more or less), I...

Barossa Guide 2025

August 18, 2025

Winepilot

This eJournal explores the history and terroir of the Barossa combined with over 300 reviews of new releases by Andrew...

Australian new releases

New local gems.

Every week there are hundreds of new Australian wines hitting shelves and winelists around the world. Here is our regular update on what’s new from the biggest brands right down to the smallest boutique winemakers.

Monty’s Leap Single Vineyard River Hawk Shiraz 2022

Red Wine - Shiraz

Been a fan of the River Hawk Shiraz for some time, and this one is right in the groove. Typically, mid- to medium-bodied, as expected from this cooler climate, with loads of plummy blackberry fruit, a lift of spice, and...

Monty’s Leap Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2023

Red Wine - Cabernet - Cabernet Sauvignon

The most complete, balanced, and poised example of a cool climate Great Southern Cabernet. Brilliant garnet colour, nose displays cedary...

Monty’s Leap Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Red Wine - Cabernet - Cabernet Sauvignon

A pretty good vintage for Cabernet in the Great Southern, with plenty of warmth, but not excessive, providing ripe, generous...

Monty’s Leap Appleshed Red 2024

A Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot. Terrific intensity of dark fruits on the nose with plummy...

Monty’s Leap The Mulberry Block Chardonnay 2022

The Chardonnays from this Albany-based producer have consistency and produce wines of generous richness from 100% barrel fermentation, with about...

Monty’s Leap Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2025

After the heat of 2024, this was a very kind vintage producing fruit of generosity and balance, with bright natural...

Monty’s Leap Great Southern Sparkling NV

This is a very tidy little sparkling wine from this Albany-based producer. The aroma shows a degree of intensity with...

Monty’s Leap Pinot Noir 2023

Charming and gentle. Cranberry, maraschino cherry and strawberry purée. The palate glides — graceful and flowing — with fine, integrated...

Monty’s Leap Rosé 2024

Confected and giddy. Watermelon, strawberry candy and pomegranate seeds. The palate is easy, glossy and bursting with energy — simple,...

Hollick Bond Road Chardonnay 2024

A most impressive Chardonnay from the Coonawarra region, fermentation was in French oak followed by a further six to eight...

Hollick Premium Coonawarra Pinot Noir 2024

New stuff from across the ditch

For those who enjoy a little blind tasting fun with their wine loving friends, a Pinot Noir from Coonawarra might...

New Zealand new releases

Kiwi winemakers are now crafting some of the greatest wines on the planet. Our team in Australia and New Zealand hunt down the best new releases from right around the country to share with you.

Black Grape Society Grandmaster Pinot Noir 2024

The vintage conditions were all over the place yet the end result for the Grandmaster was still terrific. A concentrated colour of purple-tinged ruby announces the wine, with charming aromas of black cherry, sour cherry, strawberry, earth and tea leaves....

Black Grape Society Master Pinot Noir 2024

Hailing from Central Otago, it has everything you’d want and expect from a New Zealand Pinot. There are lovely florals...

Abe Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2025

If it’s been a while between drinks for venturing into Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc – as it has been for me...

Red Hut Central Otago Pinot Noir 2024

A new name on the New Zealand wine scene with some impressive wine credentials, Red Hut, is the brainchild of...

Red Hut Gisborne Albariño 2025

Albariño - White Wine

Hails from New Zealand’s Gisborne region well-known for Chardonnay but now home to a small bunch of alternative varieties such...

Red Hut Hawkes Bay Roy’s Hill Chardonnay 2024

A ripe, full throttle Chardonnay from New Zealand’s North Island with aromas of honeysuckle, Asian pear, white peach, honey, nougat,...

Crowded House Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2023

Marlborough in the South Island of New Zealand, has undoubtedly become Ground Zero for Savvy lovers. These guys have been...

Amelia Park Braidwood Shiraz 2022

Red Wine - Shiraz

From a single vineyard in the Frankland River region in Western Australia, the fruit was pressed into a mix of...

Craggy Range Te Muna Road Pinot Noir 2024

Dark cherry conserve and hazelnut lead, a swirl unlocking cassia and nutmeg. Forest notes follow – pine mushroom, forest floor,...

Craggy Range Te Muna Road Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Lemongrass and gooseberry lead, joined by blackcurrant bud, passionfruit, and tonic water. With air, wet stone minerality. Clean and bright,...

Craggy Range Martinborough Te Muna Sauvignon Blanc 2024

The latest from the rest of the world

A Savvy from the Martinborough region in New Zealand, rather than the more familiar Marlborough, yet it still offers the...

International new releases

Looking for a change? Then let us guide you through the world of wine with our International new releases. We’ve got reviews and stories on everything from bargain supermarket picks right through to international icons.

Rameau d’Or Rosé Provence 2024

Rosé from the Côtes de Provence is exactly the wine that so many of us think of when we think lazy, sunny days in cafes by the Mediterranean. This one comes from 30-year-old vines from the Coeur du Var, which...

Astrale Chianti Riserva 2021

A wine with time on its mind. The term, Riserva, indicates extended time in oak (two years, by law) and,...

Domaine Galuval Le Coq Volant Côtes du Rhône 2022

Le Coq Volant – The Flying Rooster – takes off on a runway of Syrah (aka Shiraz) and Grenache. Aromas...

Castel Firmian Teroldego Rotaliano Superiore 2022

From the cool alpine mountains of Italy’s Trentino region comes a warm-blooded and welcoming young red. Brings some savoury punch...

Jean Loron Pouilly-Fuissé 2022

A composed and restrained Chardonnay from the heart of Burgundy’s Mâconnais sub-region. It is a wine with a solid, stone...

Alleanze Prosecco Brut DOC 2024

Fermentation for this fresh and zippy Prosecco was with natural yeasts over four weeks. The team leave a little residual...

Dom des Feraud Prestige Rosé Côtes de Provence 2024

An intriguing blend of Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Syrah and a dollop of Rolle (perhaps better known to us as...

Anna Spinato Valdobbiadene Superior Prosecco 2023

A wild ferment was followed by a month on lees before a further four weeks in tanks for the second...

Faustino Rivero Ulecia Rioja Organic Tempranillo 2024

Red Wine - Tempranillo

Organic Tempranillo from its home territory in Spain, this is fresh and young and bursting with flavour. Purple/maroon in colour,...

Faustino Rivero Reserva Requena 2019

Medium-bodied Tempranillo and Bobal blend from Spain. Lovely herb-spicy aromatics merging with bright red fruits. Medium-bodied palate delivers with an...

Duc de Montegerald Costières de Nîmes Rouge 2024