Champagne, Clare Valley
Clare valley
Vines were first planted in the Clare Valley by John Horrocks in 1840 and expanded until around 1903. A resurgence of interest in the 1980s saw a similar expansion of wineries and large investments. Located north west of the Barossa Valley at a slightly higher altitude, the Clare Valley’s typography consists of a series of broken valleys, hills and gullies. The best sites are orientated west, at higher altitude, and the soils have significant limestone components. The most important sub districts of the southern Clare Valley are the two distinct sub-regions of Water Vale and Polish Hill River. The areas of Leasingham, Watervale and Auburn with soils of predominantly rich red clay and loam over limestone. Polish Hill River on the other hand is slightly cooler, thus ripening up to five weeks later.
While the majority of vines planted are red with Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz leading the way, paradoxically, Clare is perhaps best known for Riesling; the most planted white variety. Clare Shiraz is full bodied, dense and powerful, with notes of ripe fruits and characteristically powerful tannins, outstanding producers are Wendouree, Gaelic Cemetery and the Jim Barry Armagh. Clare Cabernet is similarly powerful, with firm but ripe tannins. Outstanding producers are Knappstein, Leasingham, Taylors and Wendouree.
Riesling is the most internationally recognised variety of the Clare Valley and is dry, with distinct floral and citrus (lemon and lime zest) characters and good acidity which develop into complex toasty characters with extended bottle age. The two districts of Polish Hill River and Watervale differ in their expressions of Riesling, with Watervale Riesling slightly softer and more floral than the intense, concentrated Polish Hill River wines. The Clare Valley is the heart of Australian Riesling production and the wines are unique among the Rieslings of the world and extraordinarily long lived and incredible value. Outstanding producers include Grosset, Mount Horrocks, O’Leary Walker and Pikes, though this is by no means and exhaustive list. Clare Riesling producers were at the forefront of the screwcap revolution when a number of them decided to bottle their 1999 Rieslings under screwcap.
Sources:
James Halliday's Wine Atlas of Australia, James Halliday
The Oxford Companion to Wine, (ed) Jancis Robinson
Champagne
The chalky soils of Champagne combined with its frigid growing environment create wines that are electric and salivating. But it’s the creation of bubbles that makes these wines stand out.
The bubbles are formed during a secondary fermentation in bottle, known as Méthode Traditionelle. The longer they age, the more nougat and brioche flavours develop and the finer the bead (bubble) becomes.
In terms of who invented Champagne, the English make a strong case as they worked out the formula for purposely making the fizz happen and their stronger coal-fired glass bottles - resulting from the Industrial Revolution - could hold the pressure. Whereas the French were still bottling in wood-fired glass which wasn’t strong enough and they hadn’t cracked the technique of creating bubbles on purpose.
Grapes
White: Chardonnay
Red: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier
Styles
Nowhere in the world can emulate the fineness and electric detail of these wines. Non-vintage Champagnes should be enjoyed earlier in their lives, while vintage wines have more structure and can age beautifully. House styles differ too. Blanc des Blancs (100% Chardonnay) offer a more elegant and fragile expression while Blanc des Noirs (100% Pinot and or Meunier) are darker fruited with more obvious structure and power.
Favourite Producers
Pierre Peters, Louis Roederer, Vilmart, Andre Clouet, Taittinger, Larmandier, Egly-Ouriet, Jacques Selosse
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Gaelic Cemetery Vineyard Celtic Farm Riesling 2024More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2024RieslingAustralia377$21.00 As low as $18.90 -
Clos Clare Riesling 2022 375mlParticularly good intensity to be found in the 2022 Clare Valley Rieslings.
Lime, pink grapefruit, bath salts, a little spice, thyme and generally good waft of perfume. It’s intense, with a grapefruit pith and gin and tonic flavour, lime/lemon sorbet, a stony chalky feel, clean acidity, excellent length, with a pleasing quinine and lime zest tang to close. Classic Watervale. A terrific vintage for this wine. GARY WALSH, The Wine Front
Intensity and concentration seem to be the calling cards of 2022 Clare Valley riesling, and here's a case in point. Huge energy and velocity, this is tightly wound and racy with a filigree of lime, green apple, grapefruit, ginger, talc and green herbs oscillating between the bouquet and palate. Texture is gently chalky and mouth-watering, extending exceptionally long while keeping all that structure and architecture of fruit, herbal detail and minerality in a very compact frame. Above all, it's an incredibly refreshing and lively thing to drink. Yes, thanks. MIKE BENNIE, Halliday Wine Companion2021RieslingAustralia377$22.00 As low as $19.80 -
Unico Zelo Jade & Jasper Fiano 2023More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2021FianoAustralia377$28.00 As low as $25.20 -
Naked Run BWC Shiraz 2019More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2019GrenacheAustralia377$28.00 As low as $25.20 -
Naked Run The First Clare Valley Riesling 2022More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2022RieslingAustralia377$28.00 As low as $25.20 -
KT Watervale "5452" Riesling 2023What a delight from hello. It's a frisky, fruit-driven style, lots of character, lots of pleasure. More bandwidth than typical 'regional style riesling' with a thickset juiciness, some chalky pucker, depth to tropical fruits, citrus, green herbs. Nice course of briny minerality too. It turns the volume up a little on Clare riesling, and owns it in that way. It's delicious and full of character, is the message. Thank you. MIKE BENNIE, Halliday Wine Companion2023RieslingAustralia377$29.00 As low as $26.10 -
Rieslingfreak No. 5 Clare Valley Off-Dry Riesling 2024More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2023RieslingAustralia377$30.00 As low as $27.00 -
Kilikanoon Skilly Valley Pinot Gris 2023More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2023Pinot GrisAustralia377$30.00 As low as $27.00 -
Rieslingfreak No. 3 Clare Valley Dry Riesling 2024From the family White Hutt vineyard. Immediate white florals unfurl from the glass. Jasmine and flannel flower. Green Alphonso mango skin, orange blossom and pink lady apple. It’s tightly coiled with a touch of spritz that relaxes and opens to white stone fruit and lemon peel. Acidity, although upright as expected, is surprisingly unified in the wine. The fleshiness of white peach is gathering momentum. This feels like it’s been getting to know itself in the bottle for longer than it has. Ready for drinking but of course another 10-15 years of jubilant life ahead of it yet. Drink with peach and arugula salad with crumbled ghost cheese. (97) SHANTEH WALE, Wine Pilot2024RieslingAustralia377$30.00 As low as $27.00 -
Jim Barry Single Vineyard The Farm Cabernet Malbec 2021SHOW RESULTS SO FAR
" 2024 National Wine Show, Gold Medal
" 2023 Royal Queensland Wine Awards Trophy The Alan Cook MBE Trophy Best Cabernet Sauvignon Blend of show, Gold Medal
" 2023 Sydney Royal Wine Show Trophy The Jones, Steains and Waller Perpetual Trophy for Best Cabernet Dominant Blend, Gold Medal
" 2023 Clare Wine Show Trophy Best Vintage Section Other Dry Red, Gold Medal
" 2023 Clare Wine Show Trophy Carl Sobels Trophy Best Vintage Section Dry Red, Gold Medal
" 2023 Clare Wine Show Trophy Best Single Vineyard Wine, Gold Medal
" 2023 Clare Wine Show Trophy Jim Barry Trophy Best Wine of Show, Gold Medal
" 2023 Perth Royal Wine Show Gold Medal
This has stunning cassis and blackberry fruit with delicate notes of spice and smoke. Excellent concentration and focus on the palate, the abundant fine tannins effortlessly carrying the very long, plush finish that already makes this irresistible! JAMES SUCKLING
The 2021 The Farm Single Vineyard Cabernet Malbec is a singularly impressive wine: it is juicy and vibrant, but it is also layered with spice, rose petals, leaf/bramble and black tea nuance. The wine is detailed, incredibly so for the price (approximately $35AUD), and is possessed of the Clare Valley regional leafiness that so defines the Cabernets (and, to a certain extent, the Malbecs) from here. It's really good. ERIN LARKIN, Wine Advocate
2021Cabernet Sauvignon, MalbecAustralia377$35.00 As low as $31.50 -
Koerner Pigato Vermentino 2023More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2023VermentinoAustralia377$37.00 As low as $33.30 -
Jim Barry Single Vineyard The Farm Cabernet 2022More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2022Cabernet SauvignonAustralia377$38.00 As low as $36.00 -
Mount Horrocks Cordon Cut 2024 375mllA highly risky and complex process, the making of this wine is very much about seat-of-pants decision making and this is where the experience of 30 vintages certainly helps!” says Stephanie.
The high-risk part comes after the canes that feed the fruit are cut – causing that fruit to concentrate – effectively using the vine as a drying rack for the fruit. Much depends on the weather conditions that follow – sunny and dry conditions work wonders; wet, cold or windy conditions all bring challenges. Stephanie uses intuition to decide the day to harvest.
This is a unique, delicious, concentrated wine that delivers all the hallmarks of riesling – citrus, florals and spice; beautifully expressed through an intense yet perfectly balanced palate and a pristine, clean finish.
2024RieslingAustralia377$47.00 As low as $42.30 -
Pikes The Merle Riesling 2024
The Merle never fails to sit among the very best releases of Clare Riesling, year after year, no matter what price bracket you quote. For me, this is one of our iconic Rieslings. The colour for this latest release is a near transparent lemon. The wine is elegant and refined, fresh and focused and offers drive, impeccable balance and endless length. A line of sea breeze acidity runs the length, the intensity never drops for a moment, and that freshness is still evident throughout. Fabulous stuff, this latest release is a worthy addition to the lineage. Enjoy over the next twenty years. Drink 2024-2044. (97) KEN GARGET, WinePilot.comI'd be happy to lie on my back and have someone drip feed this Pikes The Merle Riesling into my mouth for the rest of my days. What an impeccable wine this is. Pure, focused, detailed and delicate all at the same time, class oozes from every pore...(97) QWineReviews.com
Presence on the palate, bordering on weight, with fruit intensity presented as a wide, compelling sheet of flavour. Lime, bath salts and slate, with florals and spices – and citrus rind – for afters. Here we are again on the shore where elegance and power meet. There’s a whisper of reduction in play and an impression that this wine has been made to be cellared. And yet, right now, it’s immensely more-ish. It’s another belter from Pikes. (95) MIKE BENNIE, www.winefront.com
The 2024 The Merle Riesling is powerful and tightly controlled, with a long spool of flavor—lemongrass, white pepper, cheesecloth, bay leaf and scratched lime—that draws out over the finish. I like this wine in its youth, and I like it as an older wine as well. It's very smart and eloquently of place. 11.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2025-2044 (96) ERIN LARKIN, The Wine Advocate
2024RieslingAustralia377 -
Hesket Chardonnay 2019More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2019RieslingAustralia377$51.00 -
Koerner Cot 2020More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2020GrenacheAustralia377$53.00 As low as $47.70 -
Koerner Clare Classico 2020A blend of vineyards in Clare Valley blending cabernet sauvignon, malbec, sangiovese and grenache. Clever. Their own ‘classico’. The new label reversed the colours on this one, more black on black with white font, and it looks sexy as.
Gorgeous wine. Supple, succulent, lush with dark fruit character, new leather, tobacco, mint and sage leaf characters with a fine, graphite minerally character through it all. It feels warm-hearted and kind of generous but keeps to the medium weight brief. It rolls with flavour, energy and tension of refined tannins through a long, mouth-watering finish. It feels pedigree from hello and keeps you engaged. Really beautiful. MIKE BENNIE, www.winefront.com
2020BlendAustralia377$55.00 As low as $49.50 -
Koerner Clare Classico Red Wine 2021More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2021BlendAustralia377$55.00 As low as $49.50 -
Jim Barry Lavender Off-Dry Riesling 2010More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2015RieslingAustralia377$55.00 As low as $49.50 -
Mount Horrocks Cabernet Sauvignon 2022From biodynamically (certified) grown vines. This switches things up for the general character of Clare Valley cabernet wines, lighter, brighter, frisky almost, lots of greenery and peppery spice, almost minty elements in dark chocolate, cassis, boysenberry characters to taste. There's a crispness to the wine, bright and lively, the herbaceous notes leading the way but not totally defining the wine. Fine, light tannins hold court. The perfume matches the flavours, a big fog of freshness, herbal detail and almost a sense of 'purple' if synesthesia is your thing. All up, a wine of vigour and good energy, though you'll be wanting cabernet on the more vibrant side overall. MIKE BENNIE, Halliday Wine Companion2022Cabernet BlendsAustralia377$60.00 As low as $54.00 -
Crowther Collective 'Marx' Cabernet Franc Malbec 2021More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
2021Cabernet Franc, MalbecAustralia377$65.00 As low as $58.50 -
Andre Clouet Grande Reserve NV 375mlANDRE CLOUET (9/10)
Bouzy and Ambonnay are the epicentre of pinot noir in Champagne, and the Clouet family is the priviledged custodian of eight hectares of estate vines in the best middle slopes of both villages. These are rich and concentrated expressions of pinot noir, wines of deep complexity, multi faceted interest and engaging character, yet with remarkable restraint and sense of control. Recent tastings confirm my impression that this small and relatively unknown grower ranks high among Champagne's finest practitioners of pinot noir - and expresses one of the best value of all.
100% Bouzy and Ambonnay pinot noir. 6g/L dosage
Release after release, year after year, I have always marvelled at the lemon blossom freshness that Clouet manages to capture in pinot noir from two of Champagne's most powerful terroirs. Here it is again, in a captivating interplay of fleshy mirabelle plums, white peaches, crunchy golden delicious apples, and even a hint of pepper. Wild honey and mixed spice join the maelstrom along the way, gliding obediently into a well defined finish of soft minerality and integrated dosage. TYSON STELZER, The Champagne Guide 2014-2015
(100% Pinot Noir)The NV Brut Grande Reserve offers up layers of mineral-infused red fruits on a silky, mid-weight frame, with gorgeous length and a refined, subtle mousse. This impeccable, elegant wine shows terrific overall balance as well as complexity. I loved it. Andre Clouet is based in Bouzy, a village where Pinot Noir speaks with great eloquence, as is evident in these superb, pedigreed Champagnes. ANTONIO GALLONI, Robert ParkerNVChampagneFrance376$66.00 As low as $59.40 -
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Bollinger Special Cuvee NV 375ml
More product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
NVChampagneFrance376$73.00 As low as $65.70 -
Apollonis Authentic Meunier Blanc de Noir Brut NVBased in the Marne Valley, this producer has a predominance of Pinot Meunier in many of its Champagnes. Winemaker Marie Petit Loriot plays the tanks music as the wine ferments. This fruity wine is vibrant, densely textured and at the dry end of Brut. WINE ENTHUSIASTNVChampagneFrance376$85.00 As low as $76.50 -
Grosset Polish Hill Riesling 2024AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 1st
Exceptional concentration of fruit flavour here. This is straight and direct but wow it has a charge to it. Lime, chalk, white flower and wet slate flavours storm through the palate in emphatic fashion. There’s an extra note to the finish that I can’t quite place but I’ll call it brine splashed on potpourri splashed on rocks. The longer I sit and taste this wine the more I think that this is a Grosset riesling for the ages. CAMPBELL MATTINSON, The Wine Front2024RieslingAustralia377$85.00 As low as $76.50 -
Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut NVMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
ChampagneFrance376$86.00 As low as $77.40 -
Brimoncourt Regence NVA lightly toasty and flavorful Champagne with notes of praline, candied walnut, lemon peel and grilled orange. Fine bubbles. Pretty balance of toasty nut and zesty citrus. Dry feel. JAMES SUCKLINGNVChampagneFrance376$87.00 As low as $78.30 -
Brocard Pierre Champagne 'Tradition' NVBrocard Pierre's entry-level and only blended-grape expression of Champagne, Cuvée Tradition Brut, spends three years on the lees in bottle before release, which in our opinion, makes it one of the best quality-for-value wine of Champagne.
The Tradition is made of Pinot Noir (80%), Chardonnay (10%) and Pinot Blanc (10%) grapes from vineyards planted on clay-calcareous soil near Celles-sur-Ource. 2018 vintage reserve wine makes up the dominant base, while 30% comes from different réserve vintages. The juice was fermented in oak (15%) and stainless steel (85%) at controlled temperature. The wine then spent 4 months in stainless steel, and it was aged on lees for 2.5 years. It has 6g/l of dosage.
A flattering nose dominated by the Pinot Noir. Good harmony in the mouth, strength associated with freshness but not heavy accompanied by a slightly mentholated finish. Ripe citrus. Unctuous mousse. Chalky, mineral and saline and mouth coating. Generous autolitic notes.
NVChampagneFrance376$89.00 As low as $80.10 -
Thierry Fournier Blanc de Blanc NVJulien explains that the Marne Valley vines sit in clay limestone soils, often giving richer Chardonnay notes than fruit from the Cote de Blancs. That said this is still very, very precise and fine with a rich mid palate for sure but then a precise, linear finish. To describe the flavour profile as ‘Chablis with bubbles’ would be perhaps to over-simplify things but this certainly makes for a sleek yet flavourful NV. Importer CellarHandNVChampagneFrance376$90.00 As low as $81.00 -
Vilmart Ratafia de Champagne 500mlSTAFF PICKS 2024 - KAYLEEN REYNOLDS
Easily the best Ratafia I have ever tasted. Yes, the sample size is not large but it comes as no surprise knowing Vilmart's track record of making fine wines. Ratafia de Champenois AKA Champagne's vin de liqueur.
100% chardonnay from premier cru sites in village Rilly-la-Montagne of Montagne de Reims. Fermentation is stopped before completion by adding young grape spirit resulting in a sweet, full-flavoured wine that is delicate and oh so elegant. A must have for the festive season alongside Nan's pavlova or a stinky wash rind cheese. (serve chilled)
Candied apricots, lemon curd and cashew nut, instantly we know we are onto a great thing here! On tasting, we see wild honey on buttered toast with orange peel and white nectarine, all laced around stoney minerality. The impeccable balance of flavour intensity, residual sugar and grape spirit is remarkable. Persistent length is matched with refreshment. Finesse through and through. KAYLEEN REYNOLDS, pws
The 2013 Ratafia (Chardonnay) is laced with hints of dried fruit, almond, dried flowers and chamomile. It offers gorgeous complexity, along with notable energy and freshness. It is a very fine, elegant Ratafia. ANTONIO GALLONI
NVchardonnayFrance376$90.00 As low as $81.00 -
Veuve Fourny Grand Terroirs 1er Cru Brut NVA blend of 80% chardonnay (grand cru) and 20% pinot noir (premier cru) mostly from Vertus. Small oak and 40% reserve wines included. 3 consecutive vintages make up the blend. Brut style with 6 grams dosage.NVChampagneFrance376$91.00 As low as $81.90 -
Maison Gamet Champagne 'Rive Gauche" NVA blend of fruit from several Mardeuil terroirs. 33% Pinot Meunier, 33% Pinot Noir and 33% Chardonnay. It’s vinified entirely in stainless steel. The wine spends 35 to 40 months on lees before disgorgement.NVChampagneFrance376$92.00 As low as $82.80 -
Apollonis Theodorine Rose NVTheodorine is names after the vinegrowers daughter. It's a blend of Meunier, Chardonnay, pinot noir and red wine from pinot noir.NVChampagneFrance376$92.00 As low as $82.80 -
Ayala Brut Majeur NVThe NV Brut Majeur shows lovely balance in an approachable, up-front style well-suited to near-term drinking. Clean, mineral notes add a sense of proportion on the fresh, vibrant finish. The blend is 45% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier, 80% of which is from the 2004 vintage, while the rest of the wine is composed of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay reserve wines.ANTONIO GALLONI, Wine Advocate, 2010NVChampagneFrance376$92.00 As low as $82.80 -
Delamotte Brut NVBright straw. Vibrant aromas of lemon pith, pear skin and honeysuckle, with a chalky topnote. Dry, sharply focused lemon and lime flavors become deeper with air and pick up brioche and ginger nuances. Firm, chewy and dry, finishing with very good clarity and stony persistence. JOSH RAYNOLDS
Pillowy and charming, the latest rendition of Delamotte's NV Brut offers up attractive aromas of orchard fruit, fresh bread and citrus oil. Medium to full-bodied, seamless and elegant, with a pretty pinpoint mousse and lively balancing acids, it's drinking well out of the gates but will also develop gracefully for a few years in the cellar. WILLIAM KELLEY, Wine Advocate 2021
The Delamotte NV Brut blends approximately 55% Chardonnay with 35% Pinot Noir and 10% Pinot Meunier. It is clear, round and spicy on the predominantly fruity and vinous nose with its delicate chalk and hazelnut flavors. On the palate this is a lithe, finessed, fresh and elegant Brut with good structure and a pure, salty-mineral and cleansing finish. The mousse is highly delicate, the whole performance almost filigreed yet well structured. This is a delicious Brut STEPHAN REINHARDT
A cleverly orchestrated reductive edge to the nose, this has a layer of toasted cashew ahead of citrus, peach, spice, fine cherry and raspberry fruits. The palate's nicely crafted to deliver an even and smooth impression. Red fruit flavors run long and smooth, with some fresh bread dough notes too; nicely yeasty to close. JAMES SUCKLING
NVChampagneFrance376$93.00 As low as $83.70 -
Veuve Fourny Blanc de Blancs 1er Cru NV60% 2008, 40% 2007 and 2008; majority from ‘Le Mont-Ferré in Vertus; aged one year in barrels and 2.5 years in bottle; 6g/L dosage; DIAM closure.Veuve Fourny encapsulates its philosophy of purity and precision right from the very first cuvée of the estate, the most challenging feat of all for any champagne house. Crunchy granny smith apples, refined white peach and taut lemon fruit cascade into a very long finish of salty minerality and ultra-fine bead. Beautifully crafted, pure and beach-fresh. TYSON STELZER, The Champagne GuidePlenty of forest berry pips and granny smith apple fruit in this: deep and complex-smelling but also full of sea-spray vitality. Lipsmacking, complex and pippy fruited in the mouth, with corella pear crispness and a long dry finish. Mouth-sucking and moreish to close. 9/10 - how much I like it. TIM WHITE, Australian Financial Review(mostly chardonnay, with a bit of pinot noir): Light, bright gold. Nervy, precise scents of lively citrus zest, green apple and honeysuckle. Vibrant and deep, with very good clarity to its mineral-accented lemon, orange and orchard fruit flavors. Picks up a deeper fig quality and closes on a sappy, vaguely saline note. The vivacity of this Champagne would make it a great companion to sushi or simple shellfish dishes. JOSH RAYNOLDS, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 2011NVChampagneFrance376$95.00 As low as $85.50 -
The Jade Lily - LuxeWhat could be better than a glass of bubbles and a great book. This pack pairs our favoirte Pinot Noir based Chamange Andre Clouet Grand Reserve NV with the best-selling new release from Kirsty Manning - The Jade Lily, an evocative tale set in Shanghai during World War Two. Kirsty is Alex's wife and the writing is full of food, travel and things we love at Prince Wine Store. Full retail value is $105 a perfect little gift solution.
The Jade Lily - by Kirsty Manning
This is a rich, sensual, and evocative novel, fragrant with the smell of crushed herbs and flowers, and haunted by the high cost that women must sometimes pay to find both love and their vocation.' Kate Forsyth'...compelling, passionate and admirable.' Australian Women's Weekly
In 2016, fleeing London with a broken heart, Alexandra returns to Australia to be with her grandparents, Romy and Wilhelm, when her grandfather is dying. With only weeks left together, her grandparents begin to reveal the family mysteries they have kept secret for more than half a century.
In 1939, two young girls meet in Shanghai, the 'Paris of the East': beautiful local Li and Viennese refugee Romy form a fierce friendship. But the deepening shadows of World War Two fall over the women as Li and Romy slip between the city's glamorous French Concession and the desperate Shanghai Ghetto. Eventually, they are forced separate ways as Romy doubts Li's loyalties.
After Wilhelm dies, Alexandra flies to Shanghai, determined to trace her grandparents' past. As she peels back the layers of their hidden lives, she begins to question everything she knows about her family - and herself.
A gorgeously told tale of female friendship, the price of love, and the power of hardship and courage to shape us all.
NV$95.00 Regular Price $105.00 -
Limonio Limoncello 35% 700mlMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
France376$95.00 As low as $85.50 -
Cuillier 'Originel' Brut NV55% Meunier, 35% Chardonnay & 10% Pinot Noir. 7.8g/L dosage. 24-42 months lees age.NVChampagneFrance376$95.00 As low as $85.50 -
Collet Art Deco Brut NVMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
NVChampagneFrance376$96.00 As low as $86.40 -
Collet Extra Brut NVMore product information will be added here soon! In the meantime, if you do have any questions at all about this product or others in our store, you can contact us by phone or email. Our friendly and experienced team are always happy to assist - we love drinking, selling, talking about and being in and around wine!
NVChampagneFrance376$97.00 As low as $87.30 -
Margaine Le Brut Cuvee Traditionnelle NVPale yellow. Highly perfumed aromas of tangerine, pear, white flowers and ginger. Silky and focused on the palate, offering vibrant orchard and citrus fruit flavors that gain flesh and weight with air. Shows a seamless texture and finishes long, with clinging pear and honeysuckle qualities. JOSH RAYNOLDSNVChampagneFrance376$98.00 As low as $88.20 -
Deutz Brut Classic NVThe NV Brut Classic is a pretty, entry-level wine. Warm, generous fruit comes together beautifully in this rich, expansive, mid-weight Champagne. The bouquet, texture and purity of the finish are all first-rate. The Brut Classic is equal parts Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Like all Deutz Champagnes, it undergoes full malolactic fermentation.ANTONIO GALLONI, Wine Advocate , 2010NVChampagneFrance376$98.00 As low as $88.20 -
Pol Roger Brut Reserve NVA complex, reliable Champagne that would show well in all occasions thanks to its freshness and class. Drawing on all three grapes (chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier), this has a complex grilled-nut and autolysis character overlayed across red berries and citrus fruits. Definitely a lot of reserve wine character here. The palate delivers lemons, grapefruit, peaches and mangoes in a refreshingly pure, fleshy style. The bright acidity, handy balance and tannins smoothly frame the finish JAMES SUCKLING
One of the great signatures of the region, its calligraphy flowing with elegance, panache and balance, the last reflected in the equal proportions of the three great varieties of Champagne. A flamboyant straw gold lustre, and an immediately seductive nose, encyclopaedic in its indulgence. Nougat, praline, white pepper, spice and nectarine were first to the page for this taster, but there is much more behind that, the sugar discrete yet edifying, the long yeast ageing responsible for a happy and altogether luminous marriage of power and finesse. Consistently excellent. SIMON FIELD MW, Decanter
the wine wafts from the glass with an alluring bouquet of green apple, brioche, pastry cream and buttered toast. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, impressively layered and complete, with a crisp but fleshy core of fruit, a youthfully frothy mousse and bright acids, concluding with a delicately chalky finish. This is one of the very finest—as well as among the most consistent—non-vintage brut bottlings from any of the Grandes Marques, and comes very warmly recommended. While it will be drinkable on release, it will reward some bottle age too. WILLIAM KELEY
Equal parts Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier. It pours a bright silver straw hue and is fresh on opening, with a floral perfume of white flowers, fresh pear, and fresh almond. Medium-bodied, it’s attractive and approachable, with juicy peach fruit that fills the palate, although it stays refined, with a pinpoint mousse and a clean finish. It is a lovely entry to the range to enjoy now or over the next 6-8 years, and I love this as an aperitif style. JEB DUNNUCK
NVChampagneFrance376Special Price $98.00 Regular Price $110.00 -
Apollonis Palmyre Brut Nature NVA blend of pinot meunier and chardonnay with zero dosage.NVChampagneFrance376$99.00 As low as $89.10 -
Andre Clouet Silver Brut Nature NVJean-Francois Clouet's zero-dosage ideal is realised with magnificent clarity here. Such is the concentration and richness of his pinot noir that it has absolutely no need for any sweetness. The bouquet is delightfully fresh, lifted, pure and expressive, with lemon zest, yellow mirabelle plums and red apple fruits. The palate follows impeccably, showcasing the concentration of Bouzy with exceptional purity and focus. Its barrel work blends impeccably contributing nuances of nougat, brioche and honey. Succulent yellow summer fruits pull seamlessly into a crunchy finish of red apple and lemon zest, concluding long and refined, with refreshingly taut acidity and soft, chalky minerality. Classic Bouzy of the finest order. TYSON STELZER, The Champagne Guide
Light yellow-gold. A highly aromatic nose displays lemon zest, fig, pear and ginger, with a bright mineral overtone. Tangy and precise, offering a complex blend of lime, white flowers, quinine and dusty minerals. Juicy, tightly focused Champagne, with nervy acidity adding cut to a long, sappy finish. This wine reminded me a lot of an old-school Chablis. JOSH RAYNOLDS
The NV Brut Nature Silver is naturally a very focused, driven wine given the no-dosage style. This shows wonderful nuance and depth all the way through to the long finish, with bright aromas and flavors but less of the toastiness than some of the house's other wines. The mousse and finish are both utterly impeccable in their elegance. ANTONIO GALLONINVChampagneFrance376$99.00 As low as $89.10 -
Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label NVTasted blind. Came 11th out of 12 in the tasting. Pale straw gold. Light, complex nose. Good savour. Some smokiness. Really neat and tight. Lots of potential. Some appley acidity and really clean on the end. Very complex on the end. Full of vitality. One of the most youthful wines in this dozen. Delicate bead. JANCIS ROBINSON jancisrobinson.com September 2015ChampagneFrance376$99.00 As low as $89.10