The most significant part of the year in Australian winemaking is long over. Harvest, or the “crush” as it is known, can for some areas start as early as January and for others end as late as June with the picking of late harvest grapes used for dessert wines. The main action happens between February and April, which goes from the end of their summer and into mid-autumn.

With so many reds and some whites still in barrel it’s hard to tell exactly how good a year 2012 will turn out for Australia. The noises coming from the winemakers we partner have been very positive. The wine critic and wine writer who would be considered the independent authority on Australian wine also noted praise and optimism, specifically for South Australia, below.

“I cannot remember a vintage having received such hyperbolic praise right across the board, covering all regions and all varieties, as there is for 2012. Words that came up repeatedly were ‘fantastic’, ‘outstanding’, ‘sensational’, ‘best in my lifetime’, ‘perfect in every way’, ‘density of colour’, and ‘development of flavour at moderate alcohol levels’, and one winemaker, who couldn’t wait to give it a numeric rating for next year, gave it 11/10. The only sour note is the low yields, seldom less than 20% below average, and for some half of the average.”

James Halliday (www.winecompanion.com.au)

Quite an improvement by the sounds of it on the generally mediocre 2011 vintage, at least for Barossa Valley anyway. Halliday also noted good subsoil moisture and good canopy health in Langhorne Creek, with crop levels below average for Shiraz and Tempranillo, but higher for Malbec. Overall, the red wines were every bit as good as the best years over the past two decades. As for McLaren Vale, yields were 30% to 50% less than normal but with the quality of the grapes more than compensating.

Shiraz is the real standout, displaying amazing fruit intensity; Cabernet and Merlot are also extremely concentrated with exceptional colour and varietal expression, Grenache following suit with peppery/spicy red berry fruits.

At the end of June, ‘Wine Australia’ released their vintage report for 2012. Below is what they had to say for the key regions in South Australia. It would seem overall that yields are down but quality is excellent. Only time will tell how successful a year it has been, as it is ultimately the consumers, like you and me, who decide.

Barossa Valley

Cool conditions and below average yields (Shiraz down by 25% and Cabernet Sauvignon by as much as 40%) led to great varietal expression in whites and reds – with reds exuding brilliant colour. Overall, the quality of reds was exceptional. Harvest was up to a month early, with most whites picked by late February and early red varieties starting to come off in early February.

Eden Valley

As in the Barossa, picking began up to a month early. Milder summer conditions and cool nights helped develop great flavours and good sugar to acid ratios, particularly in Riesling. Riesling, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon were outstanding in 2012, with flavour development and acids progressing smoothly.

McLaren Vale

The 2012 vintage was one of the most condensed seen in McLaren Vale, with crushing completed by the end of March compared with the middle of April in 2011. Some wineries finished pressing out their wine before Easter. The yield was 15‐30% down across almost all sites. Wine quality is very promising, with the reds having excellent colour and flavour.

Langhorne Creek

Yield was down 10%‐40% across various varieties but the quality is fantastic. All reports have extolled the outstanding colour and flavour development of the fruit across all varieties and the wonderful retained natural acidity in white grapes. Words such as superb, fantastic, sensational and exceptional have been bandied about.

Source: Wine Australia & James Halliday’s Wine Companion. Pictured above, harvest and barrel tasting at Langmeil.

The two latest additions to the Some Young Punks range involve sisters Trixie and Tessa Love fighting monsters and ninja’s down in Trouble Town, and an all wise naked young lady on roller skates. And just when you thought the Punks couldn’t get any more weird or random. Still, whatever you think of their artwork on the bottle, it’s their craft and ingenuity on the inside that counts. Pictured below, their garage-style winery at sunset.

Double Love Trouble (T’N'T)

Trouble always sticks to sisters Trixie and Tessa Love – but this time, it’s Double Love Trouble! This wine was awarded 90 points at the International Wine Competition, showing that making class wine is where the brilliance of the Punks really lies. The Tempranillo (50%) comes from Adelaide Hills and the Shiraz (50%) from Clare Valley. Fourteen months in French oak barriques has brought extra layers of flavour and a smooth finish with a hint of spice from the Shiraz.

Naked on Roller Skates (The Pulp Series)

An unscrupulous rake – an all-wise young lady – an unexpected love affair. The Punks hand selected this original artwork from ‘low brow’ literature of the 20′s through 50′s for The Pulp Series. You neither have to like hillsides or nudity to enjoy this wine. The Shiraz & Mataro (Mourvèdre) are sourced from high quality vineyards in McLaren Vale. It’s a versatile little number, with expressive notes of musk and violets, and the palate is dense with black fruits and juniper spice.

Check out the full range from Some Young Punks here.

Here’s a little insight from the Lindner brothers into what to expect for the 2010 vintage at Langmeil. Currently we only have two wines from the 2010 vintage, two Eden Valley whites, but in the video (about 2 minutes in) Paul has a sneaky taste of the 2008 Freedom Shiraz which was still in barrel when this was shot back in May of last year. In case you’re not already aware, it comes solely from what is believed to be the world’s oldest surviving Shiraz vineyard in the world. There’s a bottle up for grabs in this months contest.

The Freedom scored particularly well in James Halliday’s 2012 Australian Wine Companion, I’m just glad we managed to get some of it as there’s never too much to go around. The lads also taste the 2010 Eden Valley Cabernet, maybe one we’ll acquire when they release it (and if they want to give it to us). Paul believes that, on a whole, 2010 was the best vintage since 2005 with some wines expected to be the best in the last ten years, so we look forward to those. In the meantime, we’re going to enjoy the last five years of Paul’s hard work

Tasmania is fairly high up my list of must see places before I die. Lying 150 miles south of the Australian continent, it is the sixth state of Australia. With less than half a million inhabitants for such a large island, it is absurdly remote in places. Around half of its population live in and around the capital, Hobart, so there’s plenty of beautiful, unspoiled land to explore, as well as some of the world’s best terroir to the benefit of wine drinkers.

As a wine producing state, there wasn’t much activity worth noting before the 1980s. Jean Miguet, a Frenchman working with the Hydro Electric Commission, planted a number of plots in Northern Tasmania in the late 50s which showed promise. Fast forward to the mid-1980s and Pipers Brook, Tamar Valley and the East Coast had all a number of established wineries. In Southern Tasmania, vineyards were popping up in the Derwant Valley, the Huon Valley, Coal River and on the east coast in Cranbrook.

The great thing about Tasmania is the diversity on offer. The soil make-up is varied and there are so many different micro-climates. We talk about Australian wines as having identity in terms of regionality within each of its winemaking territories, but Tasmania has so many local variations within its own land mass, so it’s very difficult for professionals to pin-point exactly where a particular wine is from.

The best producers find the varieties that suit their terroir best, thus playing to the strengths of the land, but overall the consensus is that Riesling, Pinot Noir and the sparkling wines of Tasmania are world class. In fact, in my own experience, the best sparkling wine I have ever tried outside of Champagne was Andrew Pirie’s Sparkling NV. Absolutely to die for.

The varieties (source: Wine Australia)

Wherever it is grown, Chardonnay responds to the varying influence of the vineyard site and the winemaker’s philosophy and technique. Because of the cool nature of the climate, conditions at each vintage are mirrored in the finished wine. Chardonnay in Tasmania is usually much more fine and delicate than most other Australian counterparts. It is unified by a capacity to develop in the bottle and an unsurprising European edge to the tangy citrus and apple fruit flavours.

A variety which flourishes in climates paralleling those of the Mosel, the Rheingau and Pheinpfalz regions of Germany, the Riesling grape, there and here, produces subtle but distinctly differing styles. The common bond for Tasmania with Rieslings from these European regions is the relatively high level of natural acidity which underwrites their longevity and becomes even more obvious when the wines are compared with those from mainland Australia.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot suit only the warmer sites and warmer vintages such as those of 1998 and 2000. However, two swallows barely make a summer and so these varieties must be planted with the greatest of caution in Tasmania.

Pinot Noir is a variety that in both theory and practice is perfectly suited to Tasmanian conditions and which regularly produces soft, luscious and strongly perfumed wines. As with Riesling, there are various regional nuances to be found, but the winemakers’ fingerprints are much more evident and important with Pinot, so choosing makers may be as simple and easy as picking districts.

Sparkling wines are of great and growing importance, which is hardly surprising considering the French Champagne comparisons. Several brands have gained both national and international acclaim as production volume increases, and the styles continue to be refined.

20% off Australia until the end of August, including Pirie Wines of Tasmania.

For the seventh consecutive year, Langmeil Winery has retained its Five Red Star rating from James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion, placing it in the top 5% of premium Australian winemakers.

James Halliday is considered the authority on Australian wine, so if you’re going to listen to the critics, you could do a lot worse than take a suggestion or too from him when it comes to the wine from down under. He, like US critic Robert Parker, uses a 100 point scoring system.

The highest score Halliday gave ANY wine in 2010 was 96 points. This included the likes of the Jim Barry Armagh, Glaetzer’s Amon-Ra and Penfolds Grange. This year, Langmeil’s Freedom Shiraz 2008 received an almighty 97 points, and their Orphan Bank Shiraz 2008 a brilliant 96 points. It wasn’t only at the high-end that Langmeil excelled. We were delighted, although not altogether surprised, that the Three Gardens SMG 2009 landed 90 points. A very solid score for a wine at that price level.

Langmeil’s highlights from the 2012 results

Langmeil Freedom Shiraz 2008 (97 points)

“Fractionally more developed colour than Orphan Bank; likewise picked before the heat and with exceptional depth, richness and intensity to its multifaceted and layered aromas and flavours; open-fermented, basket-pressed and matured for two years in two-thirds new French barriques. Excellent tannins. Both wines have wonderful drive and length.”

Langmeil Orphan Bank Shiraz 2008 (96 points)

“Strong crimson-purple; a top quality shiraz, picked before the heatwave and made using the same techniques as Freedom, and has similar intensity, focus and length; here only one-third new French barriques, but the oak is a positive contributor.”

Langmeil Jackaman’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (94 points)

“A wine that honours its 60+-year-old vines, with hand pruning, hand picking, small bunch open fermenting, basket pressing and fermentation in French oak (50% new). The vintage posed a supreme challenge for cabernet but the wine passed the test with its redcurrant fruit and fine tannin support.”

Langmeil Valley Floor Shiraz 2008 (91 points)

“Opaque purple-red; a luscious rich and ripe (but not overripe) medium- to full-bodied Barossa shiraz, the plum, blackberry and prune flavours augmented by well integrated mocha/vanilla oak.”

Langmeil Three Gardens SMG 2009 (90 points)

“Relatively light colour, with good hue; a thoroughly amiable wine, the blend of Shiraz / Mourvedre / Grenache coming together well on the light to medium-bodied palate, with its spicy, juicy and soft tannins. Good balance.”

Highlights from Woodstock and Bleasdale Wineries

Bleasdale Powder Monkey Shiraz 2008 (95 points)

“Oak dominates the bouquet at first, but there is an underlying power of black fruits and graphite lurking beneath; the palate is incredibly solid and the concentration and complexity of the fruit undoubed;”

Bleasdale Generations Shiraz 2008 (93 points)

“Quite a dark personality is presented in this wine, with blackberry, tar, bitter chocolate and a touch of mint; the palate reveals a strong presence of dark fruits, and the oak and sweet fruit marry harmoniously on the mid-palate, with the savoury edge prominent on the finish. Diam.”

Bleasdale ‘T&M’ Tempranillo Malbec 2008 (90 points)

“A 60/40 blend, with cherry and plum tracking the two varieties allied with nuances of spice and chocolate, the tannins fine, the length good.”

Bleasdale Broad-Side Red Blend 2009 (89 points)

**Tasting notes yet to be released**

Woodstock ‘The Stocks’ Shiraz 2007 (96 points)

“This is a selection of the best barrels of shiraz from the century-old vines near the winery; the colour is good, the wine with a great array of spice, dark chocolate, black cherry and blackberry fruit; while only medium-bodied, it has outstanding length bolstered by fine, savoury tannins. 96 points.”

Woodstock Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 (90 points)

“Relatively early picking has paid dividends, injecting cassis/red fruit notes into the wine, the bouquet fragrant, the palate medium-bodied, tannins just within bounds.”

Woodstock Shiraz – Cabernet 2008 (90 points)

“While exuberant, has better balance and control than the 2006 Shiraz, the black fruits nicely tightened by tannins on the finish, dark chocolate in the background. Will develop well.”

Pictured, Langmeil directors Richard Lindner, Carl Lindner and Chris Bitter. 20% off all Australian wines under €25 until the end of August.

“Australia’s unique gift to the world”. That’s what Jancis Robinson MW said of Hunter Valley Semillon. There’s a good chance that if you’ve been to Sydney as a tourist, you have also been to Hunter Valley to taste some of their fine produce. I was there in 2008. It’s actually even easier to get to from Newcastle, just north of Sydney. Another great place to visit if you’re in Sydney is the Blue Mountains, just an hour or so out of town on the train.

As a tourist destination there’s probably not a better equipped wine region in the world. From the brilliant accommodation, to the top class restaurants and golf courses, Hunter Valley has something for everyone. For many producers, particular the smaller ones, tourism is actually making them more money than the wine sales outside of the cellar door.

Wine has been produced successfully in the Lower Hunter Valley since the 1860s, although despite some truly amazing wines, particularly from Shiraz and Semillon, and the long term success of producers big and small – Wyndham Estate, Rosemount Estate, Keith Tulloch, Tyrrell’s et al – the Hunter is not in fact the easiest place to grow grapes. A lot of the land is unsuitable for growing, consisting of hard, acidic clay. Winter droughts are common and the rain often arrives just when it’s least wanted.

The varieties (source: Wine Australia)

A world benchmark wine, Hunter Valley Semillon is the stellar white variety in the region. Semillon is at its delicate best when picked early to make a wine of ten to 11.5% alcohol and almost invariably has ripe flavours at low sugar concentrations. This is the style of wine that best responds to bottle age, during which it develops outstanding lemon curd and toasty complexity and becomes barely recognisable from its demure beginning. Most companies release their Semillons when only a few months old when they are crisp and lively with a light body and fresh, lemony and grassy fruit. A few keep some wines for bottle-maturation and release after five years or more when they have deepened in colour, become rounder and softer in the mouth and developed the most brilliantly complex flavours of vanilla and buttered toast.

Chardonnay started its Australia-wide popularity when the late Murray Tyrrell produced the 1971 Vat 47 Pinot Chardonnay. Today, virtually every winery in the region produces a Chardonnay with three different styles produced. The first is the traditional style with a rich peachy flavour, new oak & a full body; the second is an earlier picked tighter style, lighter in body & a little higher in acidity; the third is an unoaked or lightly oaked chardonnay that has been fermented in stainless steel.

Verdelho ripens early in the harvest, so there’s usually little difficulty in getting very ripe flavours and a full body. Verdelho is made using the same methods as Semillon, with the exception that it’s usually picked somewhat riper. It goes into bottle early and is usually at its best in the year or two after it’s made, when it shows ripe, tropical flavours. Its easily appreciated flavours make it a popular variety for cellar-door sales.

Shiraz is undoubtedly the Hunter Valley’s outstanding red grape. The typical young Hunter Valley Shiraz is a medium bodied wine showing red and dark berries, spices and plenty of soft tannin. It is quite deceptive, as the best can age for a considerable time, more than their constitution often suggests. With bottle-age, it becomes much more complex, with earthy, leathery overtones and a beautiful perfume. It also acquires a silkiness and grace, becoming a smooth, wonderfully complex and richly flavoured wine.

The Hunter Valley has successfully produced Cabernet Sauvignon for many years and of recent has introduced several Mediterranean varieties such as Tempranillo, Sangiovese & Pinot Gris.

Pictured: Legendary Hunter winemaker Keith Tulloch.

20% off Australia until the end of August, including Keith Tulloch’s Hunter Valley Shiraz-Viognier.

This month we’re only giving away one bottle for our August contest… but it’s a good un.

Planted way back in 1843 by blacksmith Christian Auricht, one of the first German settlers in the Barossa Valley, Langmeil‘s Freedom vineyard today contains the oldest surviving Shiraz vines in the world.

Just last week James Halliday awarded the 2008 vintage of Langmeil’s The Freedom 1843 Shiraz 97 points, one of the highest scores ever awarded by the esteemed critic and world authority on Australian wine.

Fancy a taste of 168 years of history? We’ve one bottle to give away in this month’s contest.

To win, you must be subscribed to the Curious Wines newsletter. We’ll be including a not-too-difficult question and instructions on how to enter in our August newsletter going out soon.

Just missed it? Sign-up here and you’ll automatically get it sent to you.

While Englishman John Reynall was laying the foundations for viticulture in 1830s McLaren Vale, it would really be the 1880s before the grape became more important than the original staple, wheat. Reynell would employ a young labourer called Thomas Hardy, who later acquired Tintara in 1876. As viticulture in the region gathered pace, two giants of McLaren Vale and the Australian wine industry were born – Château Reynella and Hardys.

Despite these two pioneers, McLaren Vale became known as the spiritual home of the small winery in Australia. In the early 1900s, by which time Thomas Hardy was the largest, around 20 small wineries produced predominantly red table wine and fortifieds. The main export was a dark coloured, high alcohol, tannic dry red wine with supposed medicinal properties, much of which went to England. By the early 1970s McLaren Vale had more small wineries than any other region in Australia.

Today’s major challenge is irrigation, as the underground watertable is very much depleted. There has been talk of diverting some water from the Murray River, although cost is proving to be the prohibiting factor. Summer rainfall is low so irrigation is essential. Site selection and the marriage of site to variety are all important; Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay all do very well in the right location. Riesling tends to be subtle and delicate in youth but ages well. Pinot Noir is used mainly for sparkling wine. Many producers are now experimenting with new and re-emerging varieties including Viognier, Sangiovese, Zinfandel and Verdelho.

If you’re ever lucky enough to visit Adelaide, McLaren Vale is well worth a visit. It is one of the most accessible and best geared wine regions for visitors and is well known for its great value eateries. This includes the legendary Coterie at Woodstock (pictured, with Scott Collett & Ben Glaetzer). The best time to go is during the winter to avoid the crowds. As well as great scenery, the ocean is never far away.

The varieties (source: Wine Australia)

Since its introduction a little over 15 years ago, Chardonnay has, not surprisingly, established a stranglehold on white grape plantings in the region. The style varies according to site, winemaker input and vintage conditions and ranges from elegant, citrus-tinged wines through to richer, fleshier, peachy and buttery versions. Virtually every producer has a Chardonnay in its locker.

The cooler sites in McLaren Vale are well suited to Sauvignon Blanc. While vintage variation does play a role, in most years the wines have excellent varietal character tending to gooseberry and tropical fruit rather than more weedy, grassy flavours without becoming coarse or heavy. Semillon is often incorporated to very good effect as a blend component.

The wines from made from Cabernet Sauvignon are full bodied and rich, often with a touch of dark chocolate intermixed with black currant but they avoid overripe, jam-like characteristics. The tannins are plentiful but soft, and the wines have the structure for long aging. The significant amounts Cabernet Sauvignon produced in the region are blended with less rich wines from other parts of South Australia to provide body and structure in large volume commercial blends.

Just as in the Barossa Valley, the Grenache variety has enjoyed a spirited renaissance during the last decade. The older plantings produce incredibly richly flavoured wines, high in alcohol and with an almost juicy sweetness.

For much of the 20th century — as in so many of the premium wine growing districts of Australia — Shiraz was the backbone of the industry. It produces a densely coloured, richly flavoured wine that quickly develops a velvety texture and carries high alcohol levels with ease.

20% off Australia until the end of August, including Woodstock of McLaren Vale.

You could almost look at Eden Valley as being an extension of the Barossa. They are right next door to each other, but the higher altitude gives Eden a significantly cooler climate. Many Barossan producers grow their cooler climate varieties here. It covers an area as large as Barossa Valley, although it is not as densely planted.

The first to plant vines in Eden was Joseph Gilbert. He grew Riesling, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. His first vintage was in 1852 and his Riesling of 1854 was famous at the time for its brilliance. The reputation of the region has been helped by the Henschke family and Yalumba. In 1952 Cyril Henschke decided to bottle and label Mount Edelstone Shiraz, a wine which helped put Eden Valley on the map. In a move that started in the 1960s and ran into the 1970s, Yalumba were brave enough to source their all-important Riesling from Eden instead of the warmer floor of Barossa Valley.

Due to the altitude, the final stages of ripening and harvesting take place in much cooler conditions. The higher vineyard sites (up to around 500m) are generally much better suited to white than red wine production (at around 400m). Wind is a major factor, too, in restricting both growth and yield on the exposed hillsides. Water availability is a limiting factor in the expansion of vineyards, but then this isn’t the only Australian region limited by a lack of water. Dams are the main source.

The varieties (source: Wine Australia)

Chardonnay is a relative newcomer with the first commercial vineyards in South Australia being established at Mountadam in 1973. The variety has proved to be highly successful and rich complex wines are being produced; their flavours ranging through a classic array of melon, fig and cashew.

In common with the Clare Valley, the Eden Valley also has its Riesling tradition. The most important white grape (and wine) of the region is Riesling, initially developing fragrant yet strong lime juice aromas with great intensity of flavour on the palate. As the wines age, marmalade and toasty nuances appear on nose and palate. Good Eden Valley Riesling will take ten years or more to reach its peak.

Site climate is of key importance. The Cabernet Sauvignon produced from vineyards around the Eden Valley village is of the highest quality, with perfectly ripened cassis-accented fruit flavours. These contrast to wine from higher, cooler sites that have more elegant undertones of green leaf and dark berry characters.

Shiraz ranks as the most important red grape and often the most highly regarded wine of the region. Contrary to expectations, the wines rarely show the spicy and peppery characters of cool climate Shiraz from other parts of southern Australia, notably Victoria. Rather, they tend to more luscious plum and blackberry fruit characters, sometimes with touches of liquorice and more gamey, forest characters. Structurally, the wines are very smooth, with ripe tannins that are integrated and well balanced, guaranteeing a long life.

Pictured: A very cool Tysohn Bitter of Langmeil, on set in Eden Valley.

20% off Australia until the end of August, including Langmeil’s Eden Valley Riesling.

Langmeil’s Orphan Bank Shiraz is a wine with an amazing story behind it. Planted circa 1860, these Shiraz vines were to be torn up to make way for housing back in 2006. Fortunately, Langmeil caught wind of what was going to happen and offered to remove the vines free of charge. What may have seemed like a great deal for the developer turned out to be a masterstroke for Langmeil. They now had their hands on some of the world’s oldest Shiraz vines – the next step was digging them up and finding them a new home.

These orphans share a common ancestry with the Freedom vineyard, which Langmeil believe to be home of the world’s oldest surviving Shiraz vines, planted in 1843. The Freedom vines and the orphan vines had originally been planted in the same allotment: section 36, Hundred of Moorooroo.

When Christian Auricht died in 1860 the ‘family’ of Shiraz vineyard was split up. Now, with the assistance of Langmeil’s team of adoptive parents, the winery has been able to reunite the flock and bring them home. After a painstaking operation, each vine was dug up and replanted one by one, with a 95% success rate.

In August 2006 and again in June 2007 the vines were moved to a fertile patch of land on the banks of North Para River, now known as the Orphan Bank. This new site is adjacent to the Freedom vineyard. In the above video, James Lindner shows just how well the orphans have adapted to their new home. And oh boy, what a wine.

There is 20% off all Australian wines under €25, including Langmeil, until the end of August.