Features Archives - Winepilot.com

Meet our favourite winemakers, brewers, distilleries, wineries and regions, and listen to their stories.

Voyager Estate Girt by Sea Chardonnay 2019

This is bang on the money for what you want in an under $30 Margaret River Chardonnay with its vibrant and complex fruit well integrated

John Walker & Sons Bicentenary Blend 28 Years Old

It has been 200 years since John Walker first opened his store in Kilmarnock near Glasgow. No doubt the bicentenary edition of John Walker has

Zonte’s Footstep Love Symbol Grenache 2019

Mike DeGaris – Wine Show Chairman “Quite a flesh driven style with good whole bunch and stalk notes. Modern, tasty and full flavoured – quite

Henschke Johann’s Garden Grenache Mataro Shiraz 2017

Mike DeGaris – Wine Show Chairman ” A fresh and juicy fruit style, complexed by unobtrusive oak handling with moreish flavor. The most structural style

Serafino Wines Family Vineyards GSM 2019

Mike Degaris – Wine Show Chairman “More in the raspberry fruit spectrum with ‘gamey’ savouriness. Again a savoury palate with prominent oak and fruit tannins

Bondar Rayner Vineyard Grenache 2019

Mike DeGaris – Wine Show Chairman “More a savoury style with loads of sweet fruit. Quite warm with prominent tannins and a flavorsome finish.” Melissa

Hentley Farm The Stray Mongrel Grenache Shiraz Zinfandel 2019

Mike DeGaris – Wine Show Chairman “A bright, cherry spice fruit driven style with good oak nuttiness. Juicy with sweet fruit on the palate, full-flavoured

Marchand & Burch Chambolle-Musigny 2018

From the famous village of Chambolle-Musigny in the Cote de Nuits this is such a gorgeously delicate and stylish expression of pinot noir. Silky smooth

Voyager Estate Chardonnay 2018

Another standout chardonnay from Voyager. Has a creamy texture, probably stemming from the partial malolactic fermentation. But the fresh crisp natural acidity provides definition through

Wolf Blass Platinum Label Medlands Vineyard Shiraz 2016

Fruit for this wine comes from the Medlands vineyard in the Barossa. It has typical deep fruit concentration with firmish tannins and a layer of

Yangarra Estate Vineyard Old Vine Grenache 2019

For fans of grenache, Yangarra’s Old Vine release is generally a wine to stock up on every year. Made from vines planted in 1946, it

Thomas Wines Kiss Hunter Valley Shiraz 2019

The flagship red for Thommo from a great Hunter vintage. 30% New French oak for the 16 months maturation. Brightly edged, ermine purple in hue.

Hentley Farm von Kasper Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Named for the mysterious Otto von Kasper who planted the vineyard in the early 1990’s, the von Kasper Cabernet is packaged, like The Beast, in

Wolf Blass The Master Cabernet Shiraz 2018

The Master is a limited edition tribute to the founder of Wolf Blass, Wolfgang himself, to celebrate his 80th birthday. It does not appear every year

Limefinger ‘The Learnings’ Riesling 2020

Neil Pike made a name for himself at the eponymous winery in the Clare Valley, most notably for his scintillating Rieslings. After early retirement, it

Cat Out Of The Bag Pinot Noir 2019

Bright as a button, so attractive in its full red sheen. It brings together the twin Pinot pillars of ripe red cherries and red berry

Susuro Wines Mornington Peninsula Friulano 2019

We are going off the beaten track here into the world of skin contact and low intervention wines. The first clue is this white wine

Campos de Luz Garnacha 2019

Located not far from Rioja is the little wine region of Cariñena, which is home to generous and rustic Spanish reds. This wine starts vibrant

Champagne Montaudon Brut NV

Established in 1891, Champagne Montaudon is at the bargain end of Champagne, and offers particularly good value for money. It is a pinot dominant style

Pyramid Valley – 2020 Red Wine Releases

Pyramid Valley North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2018 96 Points – $50Drink 2023 – 2030 Grower sourced from a blend of four vineyards from the Waipara

Smith & Sheth Cru Wines

Smith & Sheth ‘Cru’ Wairau Sauvignon Blanc 2019 89 Points – $30Drink 2020 – 2021 No mistaking this. A fine though absolutely typical Marlborough Savvy.