Wine – 209

 

Bewitching blend

Briar Ridge 2012 Trio

For those days when you want a wine that is cool, clean and refreshing, try this; a blend of sauvignon blanc, semillon and chardonnay from the Hunter Valley and Orange regions. Unwooded and weighing in at a modest 12% alcohol, this is not a wine that encourages contemplation. It is simply a very enjoyable drink that demands very little of the drinker. It’s a light, earlier drinking style in which all the elements have gelled brilliantly.

$18.

 

 

 

 

Tassie temptation

Stoney Rise 2012 Pinot Noir

Joe Holyman is one of the great characters of the wine industry – and his wines are always also full of character. If you want to know what all the fuss is about when it comes to Tasmanian pinot noir, open a bottle of this. It is a cracking new release from Holyman’s Stoney Rise vineyard overlooking the Tamar Valley and offers a beautifully balanced melange of bright cherry, delicatessen and earthy notes along with well-integrated French oak. Lovely stuff.

$29.

 

 

 

Crisp and fresh

David Hook 2012 Pinot Grigio

David Hook is one of the unsung heroes of the Hunter Valley. His wines are always well made and reasonably priced – and this is an absolute cracker in the fresh, crisp, unoaked northern Italian pinot grigio style. Floral aromatics lead on to a fruity, refreshing palate (think rock melon and mandarines) that is extremely food friendly with a refreshing acid finish. I’d chill this and pair it with a spicy prawn dish.

$18.