Dandelion Cantine Vitevis Solaris Bird in Hand Barristers Block Irvine Dowie Doole Wine List

Punchy nectarine and peach on the palate here with a beautiful line of lemony acidity. The texture has a foot in both camps, being creamy but not fat. Length is good and the flavour is persistent, hanging around long after you have swallowed. Lovely, modern Chardy. Learn More

A-grade Coonawarra Cab fruit. 30% brand new French Oak for 18 months. A beautiful blue and red fruits meet tomato leaf nose. Blackcurrants, mint, chocolate, tobacco and plentiful, slightly grainy tannins. Rare to med-rare steak, or roast lamb. Happy. Sated. Learn More

Powerful, inky black McLaren Vale fruit was basket pressed into a mix of older French and American oak where it spent 18 months. Saturated with ripe black fruits, cacao, cherries, milk and dark chocolate, and spice. Finished with a reassuring crown of cedar and fine tannins. Learn More

There's a power and density here not normally found at $30 a bottle. Fruit was treated gently, being basket pressed into a mix of older French and American oak. Beautiful florals, along with blue fruit and pepper before the black fruit reveal, alongside cedar and fine tannins. As Ned Goodwin offered: 'This is exceptional value for money.' Learn More

A tiny patch of 111 year old Eden Valley Vines produces miniscule bunches of velvety Shiraz which are fermented wild with a high percentage of whole bunches. Lots of new oak here, lots of dark cherry, spice, plum, chocolate, black pepper and licorice. Good already with the promise of becoming exceptional. Learn More

Tangy, tight and mineral Adelaide Hills Sauv. We found citrus, straw, tropical notes, green apple, and even a hint of pineapple. We all liked this one on the tasting panel, even the Sauv-Blanc-aphobes! Learn More

A tiny patch of 111 year old Eden Valley Vines produces this magical Riesling elixir. Explosive perfume and lime on the nose lead to a palate packed with intense fresh lime juice, brown lime and overall exceptional clarity and intensity of fruit. Learn More

A wonderful, textural, stonefruit driven and buttery, full bodied Chardonnay. Just the best fruit is taken from Dowies elevated, sandy soiled Blewitt Springs Vineyards. After a gentle press without the use of rollers, a mix of whole berries and juice is inoculated with yeast, and once that is rolling is transferred to older French oak. Ferment finishes and the lees stirring begins, building layers of texture and creaminess which is bolstered by malolactic fermentation. This is fully worked Chardonnay in all its glory. Learn More

Since 1996, Chris Thomas has maintained a shiraz solera which form part of this lip smacking sparkling. The solera contains some of the best shiraz Chris has made over the last 20+ years and is used sparingly and exclusively to add the finishing touches to his sparkling shiraz each year and adds depth of flavour and complexity. This is sparkling shiraz as we love it- opulent, slightly sweet, with richness, complexity, oak and plenty of fine tannins. That structure combined with flavours of blackberry, cherry. dark chocolate and spice making this a perfect accompaniment to protein, like roast chook, bacon and eggs, etc. It's bloody good. Learn More

Only tiny quantities are made of this wine, which is the product of the finest of Dowie Doole's A-grade Cabernet fruit from each vintage. '21 being an incredible vintage has elevated this even further. The previous vintage picked up 96 points from Kim Brebach who said, "Decades ago, I had the privilege of tasting a group of Barolos and Barbarescos made by Giovanni Gaia. These wines had layers of deep flavour, ranging from smoked meats and old leather to licorice, gravel dust and tar. The Dowie Doole Architect reminded me of those wines because it had some of those characters, even if the expression was more restrained. Give it time, and I think you’ll be richly rewarded. If the price seems steep, keep in mind that a Barbaresco from Gaia will set you back $600." The '21 is better again than the exceptional 2019 vintage, and represents a barrel selection chosen from only A-grade parcels from the old, dry-grown Blewitt Springs vineyard. There's black fruits, licorice, richness, density and layers. A stunning wine that will live for a very long time Learn More

Only tiny quantities are made of the Dowie Doole Architect wines, which are the product of the finest of Dowie Doole's A-grade fruit from each vintage ('21 being an incredible vintage has elevated this even further). The '21 is exceptional, and represents a barrel selection chosen from only A-grade parcels from the old, dry-grown Blewitt Springs vineyard. There's brightness with density of blue and black fruits, cedary oak, gravelly tannins and exceptional length. Learn More

Made From: Old Vine Eden Valley Merlot

Aromas and Flavours: Rich and plush, plummy and oh so complex

Drink if you like: You want to discover just how profound Merlot can be

Drink With: Something meaty

Awards: 93 James Halliday, 93 Huon Hooke

Aussie Merlot doesn’t get more complex or highly awarded than Irvine’s Grand Merlot, twice recipient of the best Merlot in the world award. Recent releases are even better structured and livelier than the oldies, and we are confident the 2019 will improve for 10 years plus. There's plenty of rich plumminess, fig, herbs along with blueberry, dark chocolate and five spice. Excellent acidity and plenty of fine French oak here too. Decant for several hours before drinking.

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