Victorian Wines

Is a Port still a Port? Not according to those in Portugal where the original fortified style comes from. This has meant a re-branding in the last couple of years for Port producers in Australia. Stanton and Killen continue to make fantastic fortifieds in the Victorian high country of Rutherglen. This rich interpretation shows blackberries and cherries with plums and hints of plum and pepper. It has a depth of tannins and a round structure that would make it perfect with a plate of cheese.

There are few single vineyard Sangiovese’s in Australia but this is the highest echelon of the Pizzini offerings; a super premium red made in the Italian way. This is complex stuff with dried herbs, cherries, some plum and spice. It’s a big mouthful of savoury intensity that keeps revealing layer upon layer of flavour. It’ s laden with dark cherry and plum and other dark fruits and integrated oak but it’s the chalky tannins that hold it all together ensuring structure and length. This is in the long haul and will cellar comfortably for the next decade, if you do open it make sure it gets plenty of air.

We don't give many 5 star ratings here at Cracka but this one was 5 stars from the first sniff. It is bloody gorgeous bubbly, better than Champagnes at four times the price. If the lady likes Rose then this is a no-brainer!

Wine families always tend to make wines that honour previous family members. So it is with the Purbrick family of Tahbilk. Current winemaker Alister honours his father who started making this wine back in 1948. Only using the best fruit possible, this wine is the benchmark style for Tahbilk that can cellar for two decades without being disturbed. This would do a mature cheese platter jusice with its dark, brooding fruit and aromas of fruitcake. Rich and concentrated, it has a noble structure with a firm tannin background.

According to Tahbilk the best wines are made in the vineyard as much as they are in the winery. Who are we to argue with that sentiment, considering this Shiraz has been made since 1948, utilizing only the best fruit available. The wine comes to you with six years of bottle age, but could happy dwell in your cellar for another five years before it’s harmonious enough to drink. This is decadent drinking to be shared with someone special and gives off aromas of blackberry and licorice. It’s full-bodied and well structured showing immense length.

One word to sum this up – elegance. Only the very best estate grown fruit goes into the Reserve to produce the quintessential Australian blend of Shiraz and Cabernet. Handpicked fruit is gently basket pressed then put into specially selected oak barrels to produce a wine of immense balance and finesse. This will blow you away on first sniff with varietal notes of blackcurrant and a regional hint of mint as well as integrated oak characters that lend a cigar box complexity. The fruit power is immense and the tannins wonderfully structured, making this a sure bet to cellar for a decade or more.

The Blue Pyrenees is a classic example of what is cool in cool climates. The Pyrenees has a talent for turning out spicy reds that are medium bodied but full of flavour. This winery also has a history of being one of the first in the district. It’s been awarded a swag of gold, five to be exact and comes with some bottle age on it, showing lots of lifted red berries and French oak. The palate is all plums, menthol with earthy notes before well-structured tannins help fill out the long finish.

Il Barone sounds like he could be a character from the Godfather movies, with a thick Italian accent and dark brooding looks. Well that’s what’s been achieved with this mix of Cabernet, Shiraz, Sangiovese and Nebbiolo. It’s a lively mix of red cherries, eucalypt, chocolate, leather all underpinned by some herbal tones. The palate is as much about the fruit as it is the fine-grained tannins that coat the mouth. It’s nicely balanced with good intensity but would taste even better when paired with a steak.

The mystery starts here - sourced from a particularly famous winery in the Grampians region of Western Victoria, this medium to full bodied Shiraz is known for it's spiciness and for it's minerally richness. As usual with a mystery wine such as this one we can't tell you what it is but we can say that James Halliday gave it 93 points and it scored a gold medal along the way too. Serious Shiraz from a top winery and right in the zone. 5 star Shiraz no doubt.

This seminal wine from Paringa is only made when vintage conditions deem it possible, which means only the very best fruit makes the grade. This has Mornington cool climate characters oozing out of every pore, with a trademark cracked pepper characters as well as plum and vital spice. The palate is elegance personified with soft tannins providing structure and excellent length. The wine will soften further with careful cellaring ad would pair well with roasted meats, game and even mild meat curries.

The gold rush may have been the thing that brought the crowds flocking to Bendigo, but now the crowds come flocking for the wines that are a historic part Victoria’s rich tapestry of vineyards. Acclaimed winemaker Sergio Carlei makes these impressive wines and they are further improved with food. Real Cabernet character here with black fruits and earth, it’s complexed on the palate with structured tannins and ripe fruit.

Blue Pyrenees was established by the French in 1963; no wonder the bubbly is so damn good. Reminds me a hell of a lot of good Champagne with all its bubbly goodness. This is made for a serious celebration.

Gary Farr is one of those thoughtful winemakers who is able to translate his vision through his very accomplished wines. He has spent over 18 vintages in France and spent much time in the Rhone where he has come to understand the blending of Shiraz and Viognier to startling effect. Here he has blended 4% of the white grape to lend aromatic lift and soften the overall structure. This is cool climate to the max with pepper and earth aromas before an intense fruit palate with textured tannins. Watch Cracka's Video Review

Arguably the country’s most impressive dessert style wine, the De Bortoli Noble One should really be renamed the trophy magnet such is it’s prolific pulling power amongst wine judges. This decadent late picked style is the ultimate way to end a meal with some cheese preferably. It’s imbued with vivid aromas of marmalade, honey, vanilla and citrus rind that teases the olfactory senses into submission. One taste is a sensual feast of rich, layered magnificence, as citrus and stone fruit reveal themselves across a glossy, textured mouthfeel. It’s balanced by superb acids, before a finish of impeccable persistence.

If you don't think Sauvignon Blanc is much of a wine, then you haven't tried this. A full on, dead-set cracker that has more fruit complexity than you can poke a stick at. Brilliant!

There’s a fair chance that if you label your Shiraz Syrah then it’s made in the European style and that’s exactly what the De Bortoli’s do. It’s a classic example of drawing on the French influence but making a wine that’s Australian at heart. This is serious stuff and a savoury style that demands food. It’s intensely aromatic with a core of spicy plum and earthy notes before a structured palate of supple tannins. It finishes long with a spicy persistence and would suit a dish of roast lamb.

The wines of Ocean Eight are already admired for their regional charm, especially the Chardonnay and Pinot, which goes to show that these Burgundian varieties respond well to the climate and soil. Winemaker Mike Aylward has used all the winemaking skill he picked up in France to turn out a single site Pinot that is incredibly detailed. It’s lifted in floral and violet aromas along with some cinnamon spice. The palate is perfectly poised with forest floor and supple tannins with just the slightest influence of oak.

Paringa equals Pinot perfection and maintains its place as one of the most highly awarded wineries in Australia. In fact this wine, which is their reserve offering has already amassed three trophies and will send your palate into a heady spin with its power and beauty. Sure it’s not cheap but the best vinous experiences seldom are. The best barrels of the vintage are blended to create a wine of complex plum and cherry underpinned by charry oak. Rich and ripe with fine grained tannins this wine is a sensual treat of Pinot persistence.

If you were going to put a bet on at the races, it’s highly doubtful that you’d choose the name Prancing Horse, however if you were looking for a focussed, modern Chardonnay from the Mornington Peninsula made by an award winning winemaker, we’d say this is a sure bet. This exhibits a fascinating mineral edge, showing a mixture of quartz and citrus. It’s long and lean with a concentrated palate that’s textured and intense before natural acids provide a clean finish.

Before the Rochford winery was based in the Yarra they had significant vineyard holdings in the Macedon Ranges, the perfect cool environment for Chardonnay grapes. We think Chardy is cool even when it’s from a warm climate so we were smitten by our first sip of this. Peachy, citrus fruit with nutty oak on the nose before a full flavoured palate with a creamy persistence. Barrel fermentation and extended maturation have created a wine of fine texture that would be an admirable match to roast chicken.