Wines by Johannes Zillinger Velue Zweigelt 2021

With a darker ruby colour striking a great visual, the nose invites you to stewed red fruits and blackcurrant juice. Add ripe raspberries and roasted rhubarb, there is a splash of lime that lifts all the berry aromas. The palate reflects these notes with sour cherries, making this more savoury than anticipated from the nose. It evolves nicely and almost tastes similar to a lighter Grenache with savouriness in a very drinkable package with persistence of flavour and offering great value! This will suit well on a warmer winter night or a cooler summer day, with enough body and hints of minerality from vines planted on loess and quartz rich sand. A méli-mélo of grenache and gamay effectively, with fruit and a mineral component, some structure and deliciously layered.

Liinaa Berry

Liinaa Berry is a Melbourne-based wine critic and consultant with over a decade of experience as a sommelier and wine buyer across Australia and around the world where she has built award-winning wine programs and championed independent producers with conviction. Now focused on reviewing and writing, Liinaa brings a floor-trained palate and commercial insight to her assessments. She is also the Melbourne Ambassador for Star Wine List and serves on the committee of Sommeliers Australia. An advocate for site-driven wines and thoughtful farming, Liinaa is particularly drawn to producers who articulate a clear sense of place. Her tasting philosophy centres on structure, balance and context — always asking not just how a wine tastes, but why it matters.