Wine with Winsor – 242

.

Super Semillon

McGuigan Bin 9000 2013 Hunter Valley Semillon

There is nowhere in Australia that makes Semillon like the Hunter Valley and this is a prime example of the value-for-money you can find from a grape variety that is strangely out of vogue right now.

This is a fresh, crisp and zingy wine, bursting with citrus fruit freshness.

Here you’ll find lime juice notes on the palate and a zippy acid backbone that makes it perfect for late afternoon quaffing or as a partner to seafood dishes and oysters. $13.

.

.

Spanish accent

Tscharke 2012 Only Son Tempranillo

Damien Tscharke is one of the most talented young winemakers in the Barossa Valley.

The 2012 vintage was an absolute cracker and Tempranillo is a Spanish grape variety that is proving well suited to Australia’s warmer wine regions.

Combine those three elements and you have a delicious red with a difference; it’s savoury and smooth.

There is also a very good Graciano, made from another Spanish red grape, in the same range. $25.

.

.

Market leader

Shaw + Smith 2014 Sauvignon Blanc

Established by cousins Martin Shaw and Michael Hill-Smith back in 1989, this has long been the ‘go-to’ premium Sauvignon Blanc in Australia.

With the 25-year-old high-altitude vines hitting their peak, this once again sets the standard.

You’ll find tropical fruit notes, hints of grassiness and grapefruit along with toned, terrific acid notes and chalky minerality on the finish.

A worthy 25th anniversary release that’s as refreshing as ever. $25.