Pipers Tasmania 2025 Syrah

This is the impressive latest addition to the Pipers Tasmania range - a collection from Luke Whittle and the Pipers Brook team that offers affordable cool-climate wines. This is made from fruit grown on Tasmania’s slightly warmer East Coast and offers a mix of bright fruit, hints of pepper and spice and a nicely balanced palate. It's immediately accessible and very food friendly. It was launched in Tasmania but is now being distributed nationally by Pure Wine Co. $35. https://www.kreglingerwineestates.com/product/Pipers-Tas-2025-Syrah

Kate Hill Wines 2025 Sauvignon Blanc

There is a delightfully chilled, youthful vibe about this new release from Kate Hill in the Huon Valley. It is a bright, blue-eyed child of a wine, blessed with citrus and tropical fruit notes ahead of light herbaceousness in a style that pays homage to the classic sauvignons of the Loire Valley. Made from southern Tasmanian grower fruit, it spent some time in older oak building mouthfeel and is perfect for late summer enjoyment, perhaps with a quiche and green salad, or maybe sushi/sashimi. I declare some bias here: I have been known to pop up at Kate's cellar door - but I wouldn't do that if I didn't enjoy her wines. Love the colour-coded labels, too. $34. https://www.katehillwines.com.au/

Holm Oak 2025 Riesling

Tasmania gets a lot of attention for its stellar sparkling wines, as well as world-class chardonnays and pinots noir. What is often overlooked is that riesling can also thrive in the cool climes, much as it does in the Canberra region. This is a stellar cool-climate offering from a family-owned and -operated vineyard in the Tamar Valley in the north of the state. It is impressively floral with tangy citrus characters playing the lead role. There is plenty of lively acid on hand and this finishes dry with lots of length. We paired it with a hearty Toad in the Hole with braised leek, but it would also work well with seafood and poultry dishes. Very well priced at $32. www.holmoakvineyards.com.au.      

Penfolds 2024 Bin 311 Chardonnay

 

This one of the affordable stars of the new-release Penfolds Collection 2025, which hit the stores this week. It is a tribute to the quality of cool-climate chardonnay grapes from Tasmania that they play a key role in this outstanding multi-regional chardonnay blend, along with fruit from the Adelaide Hills and Tumbarumba in NSW. This is a confident chardonnay with a some strut and swagger about it. It is a poised, composed wine with lovely balance between citrus/white peach flavours, minerality and astutely judged new and seasoned oak, which provides backbone without detracting from the fruit. There is purity and precision in abundance. A very good year; a very fine wine. 95/1000 from me. $55. www.penfolds.com.