Riversdale Estate NV Brut Reserve

While the producer is one of the few in Australia to make an ocean-aged sparkling, here we return to the core of its sparkling portfolio with a house style blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier left on lees for up to 36 months. That time was well spent imparting a rich spectrum of complex, nutty and savoury influences, zesty fruit and yeasty baked goods. Light blush-bronze hues. Quince, pear, peach and citrus aromas come embroidered in almond, buttered toast, yeasty notes. Juicy across the middle palate, there is a lovely layering of flavour and texture with the addition of savoury marzipan. Acidity maintains an impressive freshness before closing on a suitably – and appropriate – nutty finish. 

Jeni Port

Wine critic at Winepilot

Jeni Port is one of Australia’s top wine communicators. Based in Melbourne, Jeni created the first wine column in the (then) Sun News-Pictorial before moving over to The Age and becoming that paper’s longest-serving wine writer. Over the years she has written for most Australian wine magazines and these days calls WinePilot home. She is also a Tasting Panel member on the Halliday Wine Companion. She was named Wine Communicator of the Year and Legend of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in 2014 and in 2018 Legend of the Vine. She is a founding board member of Australian Women In Wine and is the co-deputy chair of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and China’s Wine List of the Year Awards.

Wine writer and critic