JM 1ST APPROACH

I don’t know what they’re doing at Kirrihill – but they’re not making a $20 wine. - OK, so it needs some time. The acid needs to settle, the tannin needs to relax, it all just needs to knit together some more. But the purity of fruit – blackcurrant, dust, brambly blackberries – and the firm seriousness of the finish mark it clearly as something other than a mere quaffer. A touch of chocolatey oak completes the picture. Good bones here. Rated : 92+ Points Winefront.com.au

Hints of licorice, dark chocolate, earth, jasmin, five spice and subtle, seasoned oak nuances. Plenty of drive across the palate with a lovely line of bright, energetic acidity that seems to wrap around the ripe, chalky fine-grained tannins and the wine drives through to a finish that is poised perfectly.

Green pear, citrus, apricot kernel and a few dried herbs, but perhaps ‘cooly fruity’ is a good way to describe it. It’s clean and refreshing with excellent fruit purity and a little bit of ‘mineral’, perhaps there’s a touch of sweetness to round out  and balance, but feels pretty much dry and pulls that way with its gently herbal and sparkling finish. Well, maybe not ultra-complex, but so good to drink. 91 points Winefront.com.au

Bright, clear purple-crimson; the lower alcohol pays dividends with the more elegant and intense profile of the fruit flavours and the persistent high quality tannins of the kind you find in Bordeaux in a good vintage. Especially impressive for ancient mariners such as myself. 94 points James Halliday

Its a greatly compelling proposition. ..... a stint in the cellar wil only do it good. I don't know how they keep the price so low, I really don't. Wine Companion

Good intensity here. Really fresh and perfumed. Inviting. Textural. Almost chewy. Rose petals and green apples. Stonefruity power to the mid palate. Chalky finish. Has that ‘desperate for shellfish’ quality. Tending towards brineyness. Perfumed aftertaste. Very good – drinking and buying. 90 points WInefront.com.au

.... It is a blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc (the proportions vary from year to year) with quite exceptional colour, and is absolutely full to the gills with juicy cassis blackcurrant fruit, fine, ripe tannins and quality French oak in abundance. It's way better than the 2009 and, indeed, one of the best 'The Blends' to date. 95 poins James Halliday

A bright brick red colour with crimson highlights. The palate is complex and alluring, combining dark berry fruit and blueberries with underbrush and hints of chocolate and toasted coffee. The palate is rich and fruit driven with Barbera’s vibrant berry flavours matched by the savoury tobacco leaf and fine tannins of Nebbiolo.

A 'mini' Barolo, for this price? Unbelievable ... yet true. Stock up, I have! Gavin Trott

...The southern Rhone may not be my bag, but again I’d be jumping into this. Violets, peanuts, dark cherries, kirsch. Controlled. Tight. Needs some bottle age or a decent decant. Takes the more popular opposition in its class to task. Flavour and interest at a terrific price. Rated : 91 Points Winefront

Tagged as the “baby brother” to their flagship Vat 47 chardonnay, the Moon Mountain has soft white peach and melon aromas with some nutty nuances shining through. With a creamy mouthfeel, ripe peach, nectarine and subtle biscuit flavours, this refined chardonnay is all about the fruit, with some added flavour from a mixture of new and seasoned French oak.