The question comes often and the answer is always the same. Them : “ So how the hell does a shambolic bloke like you end up as a wine writer?” Me: “ I worked for Ian Cook.”

There may be other factors that lead this lost soul to a life soaked in wine but none of them are quite as influential as the defining years spent in that little sliver of Heeley St.

So why is Five Way Cellars so special? It’s not exactly at the cutting edge of retail.The place looks the same as it did twenty years ago and that old carpet has had more wine spilled on it than most people drink in a lifetime. The only thing plainer looking than the shop itself is the group photo of the blokes who have worked there.But it’s not how bottles look on the shelf that makes a great wine store. It’s how those bottles came to be there in the first place. That’s what makes Five Ways so special.

All those hours spent in that cramped kitchen out the back of the shop, swirling and sniffing those squat stemmed Riedels that Cookie loved and I don’t think are made anymore, arguing and agonising over whether a wine was good enough for you lot or not. That chaotic kitchen was the world’s smallest wine school and its lessons still shape me today.

Summer 2015/16 2nd EditionBiodynamic Wines Organic Wines

Five Way Cellars 4 Heeley St PaddingtonPh: 93604242 F: 93609803www.fivewaycellars.com.auinfo@fivewaycellars.com.au 9am-9pm Monday-Saturday11am-7pm Sunday

The place looks the same as it did

twenty years ago and that old carpet

has had more wine spilled on it than

most people drink in a lifetime.

Australia’s biggest liquor chain is running tv commercials these days making a virtue of the fact their staff are up at sparrow’s checking newspaper ads to make sure they can use their clout to undercut their competitors. A price cut that’s pretty swiftly passed back to the winemaker to wear.

But how many of those staff can stand behind every bottle on the shelf because they’ve also tasted and argued about the twenty other wines it beat to be on that shelf? We could. And that’s what being a great wine merchant is all about.

It’s been 15 years since I reconciled the till, wondered why it didn’t balance, turned out the lights and locked the door in Heeley St for the last time. I still miss the place.

I miss the first hour of a Sunday shift, sitting on a milk crate in front of the shop, nursing a hangover with a coffee and bacon sandwich and hoping nobody came in. I miss the back lane chats with Margaret Olley as she shuffled down to whatever limo was waiting to whisk her off to lunch. I miss Diver the Driver, Padlocks Dent and the TV vet’s brother we used to call ‘Sick.’ I miss the Saturday afternoon tastings and the Friday night beers. I miss the cheeky ciggies out the back with Bea.

I even miss Cookie doing his block and yelling at me to stop mooching around like I was at ‘some bloody Lou Reed party.’ (For years I’ve wondered what he actually meant by that. Was I acting like a heroin addict, a bi-sexual rock god or just a grumpy old New Yorker?)

My years at Five Way Cellars have given me a love for Barolo that borders on the indecent, a cellar full of Crawford River Riesling and Craiglee shiraz, and an unshakeable belief that a life in wine is a beautiful thing.

I haven’t always made good decisions in my life but walking into Five Way Cellars twenty years ago and asking for a job was one of them.

Nick Ryan is a Wine Writer, Wine Judge, Wine Educator, Bon Vivant and Raconteur. He’s a regular contributor to Men’s Style Australia and Gourmet Traveller Wine and has judged in many Australian and international wine shows.

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The Five Way Cellars Oracley o u r f i n e w i n e r e t a i l e r e s t a b l i s h e d 1 9 8 7

The summer of Riesling Gin & Cricket pages 2-3

Best work done in the kitchenBy FWC alumni Nick RyanOn the Cover

Where’s Dave? Powell & Son page 10

32

...its sheer intensity and extreme length are in the realm of the gods. “

Crawford RiverRiesling 2014Henty South West VictoriaSingle Bottle: $48.00 Dozen Bottle Price $42.00

If you have the opportunity to taste this and the Young Vines it is essential you taste the Young Vines first, and rhapsodise about it before moving onto this wine, because its sheer intensity and extreme length are in the realm of the gods and their ambrosia and nectar. This is a dry Riesling equivalent of Tokaji Essencia. Rating 97 To 2039. James Halliday, Wine Companion 2016.

Young Vines Riesling 2014Henty South West VictoriaSingle Bottle: $29.00 Dozen Bottle Price $26.00

Bright, pale quartz-green; citrus blossom fills the bouquet with just a flash of apple blossom for good measure; the palate is simply a joy to taste, as these 15-years-young vines are doing what most 50yo vines in other Riesling regions cannot. The length and balance are perfect Rating 96 To 2034. James Halliday, Wine Companion 2016.

Trimbach Riesling 2013Alsace FranceSingle Bottle: $33.00 Dozen Bottle Price $29.00

The 2013s have an extraordinary good quality. The 2013 Riesling shows a clear and subtle bouquet, is pure, dry, fresh, elegant and nicely mineral on the well structured palate and provided with a good length and a nice limestone character. Drink: 2015-2020. Stephen Reinhardt, eRobertParker.com October 2015.

The Annual Laurent Perrier Cricket Cup Each January Ian Cook bellows into a (Riesling-bottle-shaped) horn to assemble FWC alumni from far and wide for the Laurent Perrier Cup: Sydney’s – and perhaps the world’s – greatest vinous/cricket event.

Stick around FWC for a while and you will get the wine bug. Unfortunately we have firmly established that there is no link between wine knowledge and cricketing ability, with Stuart McGill being the exception to the rule. Opening sledger Simon Cant left us years ago to become the ambassador for Penfolds in Asia. He has since been introducing the wine cognoscenti of Shanghai to street cricket. Nick Ryan and Mike Bennie are two of Australia’s great wine writers. If only their stroke play was as silky as their prose. Dean Hewitson can be relied upon to perform no matter what the conditions, much like his famed old garden Mourvèdre vineyard. Joe Holyman played state cricket in his younger days, but as the years go to by his wines get better and better and his cricketing contributions decline. (Sorry Joe).

A Len Evans’ wine ‘options’ game with all and sundry involved is one of the LPC’S great traditions. To this end the FWC team spends a disproportionate amount of time wine tasting over cricket training throughout the year. But much like cricket, the wine options game is a great leveller - Ian Cook even once professed his love for a Sauvignon Blanc (albeit a Dagueneau); and the tee-totalling umpire has been known to win.

Riesling Single Dozen

Rocky Gully 2015Ad Hoc Wallflower 2015Jim Barry Watervale 2015 – RecommendedDavid Franz 2015 – Eden ValleyO’Leary Walker Polish Hill 2015 Leeuwin Art Series 2014 Pikes 2015 – 95 Points, Outstanding ValueHenschke Peggy’s 2015Nick O’Leary 2015 – Canberra DistrictCrawford River Young Vines 2014Stargazer Riesling 2015Trimbach (Alsace) 2013Clonakilla 2015 – 4 TrophiesKT Melva 2015Grosset Springvale 2015 Henschke Julius Eden Valley 2014/15 Keller Trocken (Rheinhessen) 2014Crawford River Riesling 2014 – 97 PointsJim Barry Florita 2012 – 95 PointsPikes ‘Merle’ 2015 - 97 PointsGrosset Polish Hill 2015 Keller Von De Fels (Rheinhessen) 2014Weinbach Cuvee Theo (Alsace) 2014Crawford River Reserve 2004

$15.00$17.50$17.00$17.00$22.00$22.00$22.00$23.00$24.00$26.00$30.00$29.00$30.00$33.00$36.00$39.00$41.00$42.00$50.00$45.00$48.00$56.00$75.00$90.00

$17.00$19.50$19.00$19.00$25.00$24.00$25.00$26.00$28.00$29.00$34.00$33.00$33.00$37.00$40.00$44.00$46.00$48.00$55.00$50.00$55.00$63.00$85.00$99.00

The Summer of Riesling continues, with a bit of cricket and a gin in between.

KellerTrocken Riesling 2014Rheinhessen GermanySingle Bottle: $46.00 Dozen Bottle Price $41.00

Keller is simply the greatest ‘dry’ Riesling producer in the world and this, his entry level wine, is superb. In 2014 Keller picked late and made outstanding wines. This is super fresh and pure with a level of intensity and verve above and beyond anything Australian. Kaffir lime, super dry and steely with persistent minerality and stunning length. Please also ask for the availability of other Keller wines including the brilliant GG ‘grand crus’ (extremely limited). Ian Cook, FWC.

Von Der Fels Riesling 2014Rheinhessen GermanySingle Bottle: $63.00 Dozen Bottle Price $56.00

The best find on planet Riesling this decade, Keller continues to raise the bar for the variety. The 2014 Von der Fels is right in the slot, bristling with gunflint, spiced apple & ginger all laid over an intense & very pure palate. Long, cool & loaded, if you want to know where Riesling is at, look no further. This is the business. FWC.

PikesTraditionale Riesling 2015 Clare Valley Single Bottle: $27.00 Dozen Bottle Price $24.00

A baby loaded with potential. The colour is pale and its reserved, appealingly floral bouquet has a youthful, yeasty note. The juicy flavour has sweetness backed by vibrant acidity. A few months in the cellar will settle it, then drink for ten years. 93 points. Huon Hooke.

At the recent “Riesling Downunder” Tasting in Melbourne, all the best producers from the Clare Valley were there. At the top of the tree, the best wines were from Grosset, KT, Jim Barry Florita & Pikes The Merle. All of these start at $35 and go up. Under $30 the most outstanding wine was the Pikes Traditionale. Ian Cook, FWC.

James Halliday Wine Companion 2016,talking about Crawford River Riesling 2014

Our defeat in the 2008 Cup was attributed to the introduction of gin and tonics (blame Ches Cook and Todd Slater!). However after three wins on the trot our confidence is high and our gin stocks overflowing, so it might be time for the G&Ts to make a reappearance. Just a draw will see us retain the cup for the fourth year in a row. At the end of the day wine and cricket should be all about pleasure. Wish us luck! Rob McLean, FWC.

54

Moorooduc EstateMcIntyre “The Duck”Chardonnay 2013Mornington Peninsula Victoria Single Bottle: $65.00 Dozen Bottle Price $59.00

Strap your hands to the engines, a wild ride is in store. Peach, hazelnut, matchsticks, bran, flint and roasted assorted stone fruits. It’s not the flavours themselves, it’s the combination, the run, the way the flavours ache on and on long after you’ve swallowed. Screwcap. 13.5% alc. Rating 96 To 2023. James Halliday, Wine Companion 2016.

I tasted all the Moorooduc new releases at a special lunch at the Bentley Bar in late October. WOW – these guys are in a purple patch. A little more funk, lots of almond meal, texture from lees and whole bunch, savoury notes and so much depth and action behind the scenes – complex sandalwood notes add lasting memory to the finish. An outstanding wine – right up at the top. Ian Cook, FWC.

Journey Wines Chardonnay 2013Yarra Valley Victoria Single Bottle: $33.00 Dozen Bottle Price $29.00

A very nicely balanced wine in a medium-bodied context. Ripeness of fruit appears to be spot-on and can be attributed to astute vineyard management and perfect accuracy with picking dates. Lots of freshness here with strong natural acidity, small amounts of oak (only 25% new) and no use of malolactic fermentation meaning that the wine is quite lively and bright with zingy youthfulness. Green apple and white peach dominate the palate whilst there is some nutty savouriness towards the back which is particularly attractive and rounds the wine out very well. Ches Cook, FWC.

BloodwoodSchubert Chardonnay 2013Orange New South WalesSingle Bottle: $38.00 Dozen Bottle Price $34.00

Compelling Chardonnay. Chalk, lactose, lemon curd and stone fruit, with a velvety flex to the finish. Spicy/creamy oak keeps the silk flowing. Rating: 95. Drink: now to 2020. James Halliday, Wine Companion 2016.

A shy nose leads to a palate showing everything from white stone fruits, melon and green citrus to cashew nut and pistachio with a very pleasant creaminess to the texture of the wine, nicely assisted by charred vanilla oak. There is great supporting acid which assists in keeping the body of the wine tight and linear as well as very lively and clean. In keeping with all of the 2013 wines from Bloodwood, this is one of their best Schubert’s in years. FWC.

HolymanChardonnay 2014Tamar Valley TasmaniaSingle Bottle: $54.00 Dozen Bottle Price $48.00

We were extremely impressed by Joe’s latest release when we tried it only two weeks ago; so much so that we decided on the spot that we had to feature the wine here in our Christmas catalogue for 2015. Sitting somewhere in the middle between big and rich and light and crisp, the wine is a seamless mix of dry nuttiness (think cashew and almond) and ripe stone fruits; nectarine, peach plus a bit of melon. Subtle hints of vanilla extract poke through, gained from the oak influence whilst clean acid tightens the wine right up giving it drive and precision. The balance is perfect and we are sure our customers will love it. This is drinking so well now that there is no real need to hold on to it for a while, however if you do, it will continue to develop and evolve over the mid-term (5-8 years). FWC.

KooyongFaultline Chardonnay 2013MorningtonPeninsula VictoriaSingle Bottle: $65.00 Dozen Bottle Price $58.00

The flint and the funk. The peach and the pear. The chalk and the citrus. The style and the substance. Mouth-wateringly beautiful. 94 points. Campbell Mattinson, Winefront, 13th July 2015.

Fluid but complex. Smoky and flinty as it flushes pear, apple, chalk and white peach flavour through the palate. Style, substance and length. Elegant face of Mornington chardonnay. 95 points. James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2016.

TolpuddleChardonnay 2013Coal River Valley TasmaniaSingle Bottle: $68.00 Dozen Bottle Price $60.00

This label is certain to grace some of the greatest Aus Pinots and Chardonnays in the years ahead, the vineyard (planted in ’88) a Tasmanian jewel. The most remarkable part of this wine is its combination of finesse, length and intensity of varietal fruit flavor, in turn based on the laser etching of Tasmanian acidity. Screwcap. 12.5% alc. Rating 97 To 2025. James Halliday, 2016 Wine Companion.

This is one awesome chardonnay – the second release from one of the great established vineyards in Tasmania. The fruit has previously been sold to go into Penfolds Yattarna, Eileen Hardy and top Chandon sparkling. Really bright perfumed citrus, stone-fruit & honey - super fine and elegant yet with great depth, balance and precision. Carrying beautiful flavor all the way with a lean and long line of acid. In this way it’s like a great Grand Cru Chablis or Puligny Montrachet. A secret to the mouth feel is that it develops flavor at low beaume, and thus is light on its feet. Ian Cook, FWC.

Sorrenberg Chardonnay 2014Beechworth VictoriaSingle Bottle: $65.00 Dozen Bottle Price $59.00

The tiny 2.5 hectare Sorrenberg vineyard – planted on granite soils in the elevated hills of Beechworth – consistently produces one of Australia’s best Chardonnays. The 2014 is a stellar rendition & a superb follow up to the 2013.

Attractive from the outset with white stone fruits, cashew & Brazil nuts, meal, creamed honey & crème fraiche. The palate is a mix of the above adding structure, poise & layer after layer of fruit. The power and richness of the fruit is carried by an undertow of mineral like acidity that takes the wine into a complex, long finish. With the 2014 Barry & Jan Morey reaffirm the position in the very top echelon of Australian Chardonnay. Drink now to 2022. Don’t miss it. FWC.

ChardonnaySuch progress has been made that I am now looking for serious alternatives to fine white burgundy in the cooler reaches of Australia.Jancis Robinson MW speaking of Australian Chardonnay.

Chardonnay Single Dozen

Burns & Fuller 2014 – Adelaide HillsPrinthie Mountain Range 2014 –OrangeWickham Rd Gippsland 2015Scarborough 2013Moorooduc Devil Bend Creek 2013Vasse Felix Filius 2014Journey Wines 2013Poole’s Rock 2011Bloodwood 2013 – 95 points HallidayBloodwood ‘Schubert’ 2013 – 95 PointsStargazer 2014 – Huon ValleyFarr Rising 2014Curly Flat 2013 – 96 PointsHolyman Chardonnay 2014 – OutstandingKooyong Faultline 2013 – 95 pointsSorrenberg 2014 – Sensational!Moorooduc ‘The Duck’ 2013 – 96 PointsTolpuddle 2013 – Coal River TASTen Minutes By Tractor Wallis 2013Pierro 2013 – 95 PointsLeeuwin Estate Art Series 2012 – 97 pointsMt Mary 2012 – 96 points HallidayLake’s Folly Hill Block 2013Cullen Kevin John 2012 – 98 Points Halliday

$11.00$17.00$18.00$22.00$24.00$24.00$29.00$29.00$28.00$34.00$39.00$40.00$48.00$48.00$58.00$59.00$59.00$60.00$69.00$79.00$85.00$90.00$90.00$95.00

$14.00$19.00$20.00$25.00$27.00$27.00$33.00$33.00$31.00$38.00$43.00$45.00$52.00$54.00$65.00$65.00$65.00$68.00$75.00$88.00$95.00$100.00$110.00$110.00

7

Raspberry, subtle f loral perfume, light dusting of pepper and spice with some leaf litter far in the background. Light to medium bodied, bell clear acidity, fine powdery tannin gives it shape, and the finish is very clean, long and red fruited. Has great deal of charm, and delicacy. Will become a kick-yourself-I-should-have-bought-more-wine in a handful of years. Campbell Mattinson, Winefront.

Best Value Producer Wickhams Road

Just released. Sourced from a dry grown vineyard near Healesville. Predominantly older barrels with 15% new oak. Spicy and floral – red and black cherry fruit with some forest floor, rhubarb and brown spices adding complexity. Excellent depth and length at this price. Surprisingly complex and persistent. Once again, the best value Pinot in the shop. Ian Cook, FWC.

Wickhams Road Chardonnay 2015Gippsland VictoriaSingle Bottle: $20.00 Dozen Bottle Price $18.00

From fruit grown at Nar Nar Goon in Gippsland in the cool, dry 2015 vintage. Fruit is whole bunch pressed into old oak, where it rests on lees for 6 months. Shows white peach, a little meal and flaked almond, with fruit weight and depth rarely encountered at this price. Dry and savoury yet with lingering fruit sweetness and citrus lift. One to buy by the dozen. This wine over delivers big time – it’s the best value for money chardonnay on the market. FWC.

Wickhams Road Pinot Noir 2015Yarra Valley VictoriaSingle Bottle: $20.00 Dozen Bottle Price $18.00

Should you buy these 2015 Wickhams Road Pinots, don’t rush into drinking them. Leave them alone for a while. Well, maybe try one, but give it some air first. Their price belies their quality and cellaring credentials, but comes as a result of their early release. Or something like that. Such a young and barely formed wine, though you can see its potential.

Pick of the SemillonTyrrell’s HVD Semillon 2010Hunter Valley New South Wales Single Bottle: $35.00 Dozen Bottle Price $30.00

The HVD vineyard was planted in 1908. Despite a touch of spritz, this has started down its development path with the first hint of honey joining the lively, tangy, lemon/lemongrass flavours, the acidity crisp and reassuring. Screwcap. 11% alc. Rating 95 To 2030. James Halliday, Wine Companion 2016.

Pick of the Sauv BlancCrawford River Cielo Sauvignon Blanc 2012Henty South West VictoriaSingle Bottle: $33.00 Dozen Bottle Price $30.00

Certainly not your typical sauvignon blanc, which is why we like it so much here at Five Way Cellars. Excellent fruit purity & loaded with minerality. Chalky with white stone fruit, hints of vanilla and almond. Pretty delicious – works very well as a wine on arrival or with lots of vegetable dishes. FWC.

KooyongBeurrot Pinot Gris 2014Mornington Peninsula VictoriaSingle Bottle: $33.00 Dozen Bottle Price $30.00

It has body. It has flavour. It feel good in the mouth. And it slings through the finish. What’s not to like? Lime, spice, barley and pear. Whispers of lactose, chalk, woodsmoke and brine. I could go on. It’s terrific drinking. 94 points. Campbell Mattinson, Winefront.

SpinifexLola 2014Barossa Valley South AustraliaSingle Bottle: $25.00 Dozen Bottle Price $23.00

34% Vermentino, 33% Semillon, 15% Ugni Blanc, 12% Muscat Blanc, 6% Viognier. Acknowledging the potential of the Barossa’s under appreciated old vine, dry grown white parcels, Pete Schell works with a gamut of vineyards from 65 to 110 years old. The grapes are macerated on skins for 4 to 10 hours before pressing to stainless steel and old oak. The result is a food wine that is more about structure and texture than big fruit flavour. Perfect with fresh food over summer, It is quite European in style - meaning more savoury and minerally, whilst having slightly less fruit weight. Recommended. Ian Cook, FWC.

Semillon

Sauvignon Blanc & Blends

Single

Single

Single

Single

Dozen

Dozen

Dozen

Dozen

Peter Lehmann Semillon 2012McLeish 2015 - RecommendedThomas Braemore 2015 – OutstandingTyrrell’s Belford 2009Tyrrell’s HVD 2010 – Pure drinking pleasureTyrrell’s ‘Johnnos’ 2012 – One for the cellarAndrew Thomas Braemore Reserve 2008Tyrrell’s Vat 1 2010

FWC Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc 2014McHenry Hohnen Sem Sauv Blanc 2012 - SpecialParnasse Sauv Blanc 2014 – Languedoc, FranceHewitson Lulu 2015 – Adelaide HillsShaw & Smith 2015 Leeuwin Art Series 2014Crawford River ‘Cielo’ Sauvignon Blanc 2012Grosset Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2015 Cullen ‘Cullen Vineyard’ 2013 Reverdy Sancerre 2013 – Loire

$10.00$18.00 $29.00$28.00$30.00$49.00$50.00$65.00

$11.50 $20.00$33.00$32.00$35.00$55.00$55.00$70.00

$11.00$14.00$13.90$22.00$30.00$34.00$33.00$36.00$39.00$46.00

$09.50$12.00$12.50$20.00$27.00$30.00$30.00$32.00$33.00$41.00

NZ Whites

Other Whites

Skip Jack Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2014Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc 2015Ata Rangi Sauvignon Blanc 2014Amisfield Pinot Gris 2014Felton Road Dry Riesling 2015 Felton Road Block 1 Riesling 2015 Felton Road Block 2 Chardonnay 2014 Ata Rangi Craighall Chardonnay 2013

David Hook Pinot Grigio 2015Pizzini Pinot Grigio 2015Bollini Pinot Grigio 2014 – ItalyLusco Zios Albarino 2014 – SpainSpinifex Lola - 2014Hoddles Creek Pinot Blanc 2015Brokenwood Pinot Gris 2015Mount Majura Pinot Gris 2014Clonakilla Viognier Nouveau 2015Kooyong Beurrot Pinot Gris 2014 – Australia’s BestToppers Mountain Gewurztraminer 2013Trimbach Reserve Pino Gris 2012 – AlsaceBy Farr Viognier 2009

$15.95$27.00$28.00$30.00$35.00$45.00$62.00$62.00

$17.00$19.00$21.00$22.00$23.00$23.00$24.00$25.00$25.00$30.00$31.00$35.00$56.00

$18.95$30.00$32.00$33.00$40.00$50.00$68.00$68.00

$19.00$22.00$23.00$25.00$25.00$26.00$27.00$28.00$28.00$33.00$34.00$40.00$63.00

“

98

Underground 2013Pike & Joyce 2014 – Adelaide HillsYering Station ‘Little Yering’ 2013 – 92 pointsWickham’s Rd Yarra Valley 2015Seville Estate ‘The Barber’ 2014Moorooduc Devil Bend Creek 2013Glaetzer Dixon Nouveau 2015Stoney Rise 2014 – OutstandingJourney Wines 2014Kooyong Massale 2013Moorilla ‘Praxis’ 2014 - TASBream Creek 2011Moorooduc Estate 2013 - OutstandingTen Minutes By Tractor 10X 2014Farr Rising Geelong 2014Ten Minutes By Tractor Estate 2013Mac Forbes Coldstream 2014Holyman 2014Curly Flat 2012 – 95 PointsMoorooduc Robinson 2013Bindi Dixon 2014Moorooduc ‘The Duc’ 2013Benjamin Leroux Bourgogne 2013 – BurgundyWilliam Downie Yarra 2014Hurley Garamond 2013Tolpuddle 2014 – Coal River TASKooyong ‘Ferrous’ 2013By Farr Farrside 2013By Farr Sangreal 2013Bass Phillip Estate 2013 Ata Rangi 2013 – Martinborough NZBy Farr Tout Pres 2013 *MagnificentMount Mary 2012 – 97 Points Halliday

$15.00$16.00$17.00$18.00$21.00$24.00$25.00$26.00$29.00$30.00$27.00$31.00$34.00$34.00$44.00$45.00$48.00$48.00$52.00$52.00$56.00$59.00$60.00$67.00$68.00$70.00$72.00$70.00$70.00$74.00$79.00$100.00$112.00

$17.00$18.00$18.50$20.00$24.00$27.00$28.00$29.00$33.00$33.00$30.00$35.00$38.00$38.00$49.00$50.00$53.00$54.00$58.00$60.00$62.00$65.00$70.00$75.00$75.00$78.00$79.00$80.00$80.00$82.00$89.00$110.00$125.00

Pinot Noir Single Dozen

Journey WinesPinot Noir 2014, Yarra Valley VictoriaSingle Bottle: $33.00 Dozen Bottle Price $29.00

Succulent and sappy with hints of fruit sweetness poking through in all the right places. Cherry, raspberry and deeper undercurrents of plum are the main primary fruit flavours that are most obvious here, yet underneath these there is a very pleasant damp soil character that adds interest and a more savoury undertone. As is the case in the Chardonnay, strong supporting acid adds liveliness and youthfulness to the palate with a definite creaminess to the texture of the wine. A new addition to our very strong Pinot Noir stocks and a wine that we believe represents extremely good value drinking at the $30 price-point. Ches Cook, FWC.

By Farr‘Sangreal’ Pinot Noir 2013Geelong VictoriaSingle Bottle: $80.00 Dozen Bottle Price $70.00

Quite different stylistically from Farrside with Nick Farr putting this down to the differences in soil type; Sangreal coming from a vineyard planted on red soils. Everything about this wine is slightly darker and deeper when compared to Farrside. The nose is still quite lifted with red fruits and rose petal dominating the aromas however on the palate there is added depth with the strawberry and raspberry of Farrside being replaced here with black cherry, plum and roasted red meats. The spice profile is complex and runs throughout the length of the wine exhibiting cardamom, galangal and sage. All this supported by a familiar line of acid lending brightness and structure. This is so good now and will continue to seduce and impress over at least the next ten years. FWC.

Ata RangiPinot Noir 2013Martinborough New ZealandSingle Bottle: $89.00 Dozen Bottle Price $79.00

2013’s season has been described as the best in three decades, and the vines of Ata Rangi’s signature wine, now up to 35 years old themselves, have responded magnificently. Long, warm days and correspondingly cool nights cemented the fineness of tannins, and added brightness and tension to the acidity. Enticing floral aromas of star anise, crushed red rose, violets and succulent raspberry meld with savoury notes of sandalwood and orris root. Tension and vibrancy on the entry, with a compelling mid palate of fine layered tannins flowing through to a seamless, mineral quality on the finish. www.jamesuckling.com.

BindiDixon Pinot Noir 2014, Gisborne VictoriaSingle Bottle: $62.00 Dozen Bottle Price $56.00

In 1853 Henry Reed Dixon came to Gisborne, a town his family would have a continuing connection with to this day. From paymaster of the railway, to real estate, to farming and now winemaking. Our (his) family has had a significant presence in the growing community. This wine is estate grown at Bindi and is made up of fruit grown in various blocks of varying ages and soil profiles.

Here there is a raucous mix of raspberry, cherry, red plum, spice with a perfumed uplift. It is a gorgeously pure, defined nose. The palate is fresh and silky with a classical peacock’s tail build and flow of tannin, acid and texture. There is a lovely mineral, savoury firmness and drive through the beautiful fruit weight and makes this a very complete wine. It certainly will age well for a decade and more. Michael Dhillon, Winemaker.

Moorooduc EstateMcIntyre Pinot Noir 2013Mornington Peninsula Victoria Single Bottle: $65.00 Dozen Bottle Price $59.00

Polish, class, length of flavor, X-factor. Cherries and darker berries/plums, infusions of assorted spice, fennel and chicory and orange peel. Tannin purrs from the mid-palate onwards. Exquisite. Screwcap. 14% alc. Rating 97 To 2024. James Halliday Wine Companion 2016

This is a very special wine. To quote Kate McIntyre “The best pinot we have ever made” Fuller, richer and riper than it’s peers with awesome depth and weight; yet it does not lose the fine elegance and suppleness of a great pinot. Beautiful fresh acidity is part of the secret here. In comparison to the new norm, this wine is 100% destemmed, and certainly does not need any stems. It has perfect structure. Lots of dark cherry with intriguing florals, sappy spices and layered brown spices really carry the aroma into a very complex palate. I cannot recommend it too highly. Ian Cook FWC

KooyongFerrous Pinot Noir 2013Mornington Peninsula VictoriaSingle Bottle: $79.00 Dozen Bottle Price $72.00

There’s some raunch to this wine. It’s firm, powerful, bold and ablaze with spice, undergrowth and fruit. It fills the mouth, the nose, the aftertaste. Long ropes of tannin, filled with botanicals, helps leave a lasting impression. So too steely, sea-weedy characters. Warm, muscular pinot noir. Of excellent quality. 95 points. Campbell Mattinson, Winefront, 12th July 2015.

Promises a big story from the outset, all showy oak and velvety fruit, but once the opening number has died down a web of finer details is revealed, and there the mesmerising begins. This needs a little time but it has tight sleeves and all the right cards tucked therein. Plums, cherries, steel, spice, polished cedar wood and subtle foresty elements. It’s long, fine and more simply, fantastic to spend time with. Would be a welcome guest at dinner anytime. 96 points. James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion 2016.

In the kitchen, Ian, Todd and Michael Dhillon, Winemaker at Bindi.

Soup of the dayPinot Noir

1110

Where’s Dave?

Shiraz

It played out like a like a lost season of the ‘80s TV soap, Dallas. Barossa born and bred David Powell spent a stint as a lumberjack in Scotland in his youth before returning to his vine-roots to become a cellar hand at Rockford Winery and eventually forging the mighty Torbreck wine business, named after his lumberjack days, from scratch. Then he lost it all in August 2013 when his business partner, American billionaire Peter Kight, “ousted” Powell to take control of the brand. A full on he-said-she-said public battle ensued and, let’s just say, the accusations were salacious enough to make even J.R. Ewing blush. But what has happened to David Powell?

Powell has risen from the ashes with his son Callum & “it’s back to the basics for us”. We’re working with small parcels and a focus on Barossa - but not just Barossa Valley - with an emphasis on Eden Valley.” Now there’s a surprise! Powell focusing on the generally cooler climate, more restrained expressions of Eden Valley? But it works, with all that power for which Powell has perhaps been best known now being expressed as bright, polished intensity. 2014 was the first vintage for Powell & Son. David Powell is back. Lisa Perotti-Brown, eRobertParker.com, October 30 2015.

Powell & SonRiesling 2015Eden Valley South AustraliaSingle Bottle: $33.00 Dozen Bottle Price $29.00

Enhanced aromatic lift with yellow and white florals bringing a youthfulness to the citrus-driven palate. This is more towards ‘classic’ Eden Valley Riesling with plenty of acid, pithy texture and a dry, chalky finish. The freshness of the wine is particularly appealing and with it comes a crunchiness to the acid which we love. Makes you wonder why Dave never made a Riesling at Torbreck!

Shiraz 2014Barossa Valley South AustraliaSingle Bottle: $33.00 Dozen Bottle Price $29.00

Deep purple crimson in colour with a nose leading you towards black pepper and blood plum. The palate is deep yet shines with freshness with lifted red fruits and foresty notes of briar and undergrowth all present. There is a purity to the rich fruit which is almost Rhone-like in its chewiness and dustiness. This fruit of raspberry and more so blackberry is encased by smoky, well-balanced oak which successfully rounds out the wine, finishing savoury, grainy and long.

Barossa & Eden Valley’s Shiraz 2014Barossa and Eden Valley’s South AustraliaSingle Bottle: $57.00 Dozen Bottle Price $52.00

The top red at our recent Powell Dinner at the 4 In Hand. Definitely in the style of Torbreck The Struie, only even better! The fruit is dark and very serious, showing blackberry, succulent plum and tapenade. The palate is rich and deep with the fruit perfectly ripe and rounded. There is a definite meaty character too; somewhere between raw red meats and dried jamon/charcuterie meats. However as well as this, there is a huge amount of aromatic lift and brightness/freshness to the wine. Herbal notes of thyme and sage are very present whilst a strong acid backbone brings a clarity to the fruit and a purity to the mid-palate. This is what balances out the richness of the fruit so well and what we are left with in the glass is wine in perfect harmony, looking extremely attractive now and promising to only get better over the coming years. Recommended.

ClonakillaShiraz Viognier 2014Canberra DistrictSingle Bottle: $99.00 Dozen Bottle Price $89.00

The indefatigable Tim Kirk, with an inexhaustible thirst for knowledge, is the winemaker and manager of this family winery founded by his father, scientist Dr John Kirk. It is not at all surprising that the quality of the wines is excellent, especially the Shiraz Viognier, which has paved the way for numerous others to follow, but remains the icon. The bright hue and perfumed bouquet run true to type for this modern classic, setting the bar for the co-fermented blend several years ago. It has a set of flavours that are unique, and can fool even expert tasters in blind tastings; its cross-thatched flavours (not textures) need careful navigation. Rating 96 To 2034. James Halliday, Wine Companion

Hilltops Shiraz 2014Canberra DistrictSingle Bottle: $32.00 Dozen Bottle Price $29.00

One of the best value for money reds on the market. I highly recommend this wine for drinking and cellaring. 2014 is one of the best vintages ever. Ian Cook, FWC.

Deep crimson-purple; unlike the colour, the moderate alcohol gives no clue about the wine which is full to the brim with saturnine black fruits, the tannins part of the wine’s DNA; says Tim Kirk on the back label ‘Ten years in a cool cellar would do it no harm at all’; my only question is what about 20 years? Rating 95 To 2034. James Halliday, Wine Companion 2016

Johnny Q 2012The Sum 2012Mt Langi Billi Billi 2012 – BargainThe Barry Bros Shiraz Cabernet 2013 – ValueBattle of Bosworth Preservative Free 2015 O’Leary Walker 2013Charles Melton Father In Law 2013Hewitson Ned and Henry’s 2014 Torbreck Woodcutters 2014Clonakilla Hilltops 2014 – OutstandingBloodwood 2010/11Mt Langi Cliff Edge 2013Nick O’Leary – Canberra District 2014Powell & Son – Barossa 2014Tyrrell’s Stevens 2013Bindi Pyrette 2013Leeuwin Art Series 2012Hewitson The Mad Hatter 2013Hewitson The Mother Vine 2013Yalumba Paradox 2010Hildegard 2012 (Heathcote)Powell & Son – Barossa/Eden 2014Henschke Keyneton Estate Shiraz Blend 2012 Craiglee 2012Tyrrell’s Vat 9 2011Jasper Hill Georgia’s Paddock 2014 - great vintage Coriole Lloyd 2010Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier 2014 – 97 PointsGiaconda Warner Vineyard 2011 - OutstandingMt Langi Ghiran 2012Henschke Mount Edelstone 2012 98 Points Henschke Hill of Grace 2010 - 99 Points Penfolds Grange 2008 – 100 pointsPenfolds Grange 2010 – 100 points

$11.00$15.00$16.95$18.00$18.00$21.00$22.50$23.00$23.00$29.00$29.00$29.00$29.00$29.00$31.00$36.00$36.00$44.00$44.00$44.00$46.00$52.00$59.00$60.00$70.00$80.00$80.00$89.00$85.00$110.00$145.00$680.00$750.00$750.00

$12.50$17.00$18.95$20.00$21.00$24.00$25.00$26.00$25.00$32.00$32.00$32.00$33.00$33.00$36.00$40.00$40.00$49.00$49.00$49.00$50.00$57.00$65.00$68.00$78.00$90.00$90.00$99.00$95.00$120.00$165.00$780.00$850.00$850.00

Single DozenShiraz

Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre 2014Barossa Valley South AusSingle Bottle: $57.00 Dozen Bottle Price $52.00

Earth, leather and spice all shine through in this wine which is medium-full bodied and full of life and energy. The wine is quite soft – more so than all of the Shiraz’s – but still possesses the depth of flavour that seems to have become a Powell trademark. There is a fine spice profile running throughout the wine which is based predominantly on red fruits; red cherry, raspberry and plum. On top of this there is a very pleasant hint of vanilla bean which, it is assumed, is gained from the oak treatment. We particularly like the roast-meat characteristics which accompany the dried rosemary and thyme flavours very nicely. Great now and over the medium term.

Lochel Shiraz 2014Eden Valley South AustraliaSingle Bottle: $105.00 Dozen Bottle Price $95.00

Deep, brooding and intense. This wine is built upon rich, ripe fruit; predominantly black cherry, dark plum and mulberry sitting alongside char and black liquorice. The palate shows depth and plenty of fine spices mixed well with vanilla oak and a definite dusty/earthiness. This is undoubtedly one for the cellar – it really needs some time to soften out and soak up some of that oak. This will certainly happen though and after a while I am sure it will exhibit some soft, aged leather characters and enhanced mid-palate generosity. Look at this as a form of investment – it is sure to reward you handsomely over time. FWC.

Jasper Hill Georgia’s Paddock Shiraz 2014Heathcote VictoriaSingle Bottle: $90.00 Dozen Bottle Price $80.00

Established by Ron and Eva Laughton in Heathcote in 1975, and farmed biodynamically, many will know this to be one of the favourite producers held in high esteem by the team at Five Way Cellars. Beautiful deep crimson colour with trademark flavours of concentrated red fruits, and mixed spices with a voluptuous mouth-coating texture. A briary Heathcote texture defines the wine and it’s ancient soils. High natural acidity balances abundant tannins. A classic, with perfect balance that can be drunk from now over the next two decades, with complete confidence. A great vintage. In the past year I have greatly enjoyed last bottles from the late 80’s and the 90’s - every single bottle has been superb. Ian Cook, FWC.

12

Parnasse Cab Sauv 2013 – Languedoc, France Dunsborough Hills 2013Howling Wolves Cabernet 2013Pikes Dogwalk Cabernet Merlot 2013O’Leary Walker Cabernet Sauvignon 2013Rymill ‘ The Dark Horse’ 2013Tahbilk Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 – MuseumJim Barry ‘Veto’ 2013Vasse Felix 2012 – SuperbBloodwood Maurice 2009 – BeautifulMajella 2012 – 95 PointsMoorilla Muse Cabernets 2013 KT Churinga 2013Sorrenberg 2012 Crawford River Museum Cab Sauv 2006Yalumba Signature Cab Shiraz 2012Leeuwin Estate Art Series Cab Sauv 2010/11Lakes Folly Cabernets 2013Giaconda 2009/12Vasse Felix Heytsbury 2012Howard Park Abercrombie 2011Henschke Abbotts Prayer 2012Moss Wood Cabernet 2012 – Outstanding!Cullen Diana Madeline 2013 – 98 Points Henschke Cyril Henschke 2010Cloudburst 2011 (Margaret River)Penfolds Bin 707 2012 (Very Limited) 98 Points

$12.50$15.00$16.00$19.00$21.00$22.00$26.00$28.00$33.00$34.00$35.00$39.00$44.00$45.00$48.00$55.00$65.00$75.00$85.00$86.00$89.00$94.00$95.00$110.00$160.00$260.00$350.00

$13.90$17.00$18.00$22.00$24.00$26.00$29.50$32.00$38.00$38.00$40.00$44.00$49.00$50.00$54.00$59.00$75.00$90.00$95.00$95.00$99.00$105.00$115.00$125.00$180.00$290.00$395.00

Single DozenCabernet & Blends

Growing and making wine is an existential experience. You live, suspended, an anorexic bug inextricably caught in a huntsmen’s web; somewhere between rainfall and hailstorm; betwixt bad review and mad review, helpless and pathetically adrift on an industrial sea of troubles.Stephen Doyle, Winemaker at Bloodwood.Stephen Doyle, Winemaker at Bloodwood.

Bloodwood MauriceCabernet Sauvignon 2009Orange New South WalesSingle Bottle: $38.00 Dozen Bottle Price $34.00

Simply the best red wine that Bloodwood has ever made and a Cabernet Sauvignon to be compared with the best in Australia. First a little history; Bloodwood pioneered the Orange district, commencing in 1983 and planting their Cabernet plot in 1983. This wine (all eight barrels of it) has spent four years residing in French Oak hogsheads (some new) in Bloodwood’s refrigerated barrel room. Seven of those eight barrels are 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and the eighth barrel is the pressing wine of the Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec.

It’s beautifully aromatic with violets, black fruits, pencil shavings, chalk, tea leaf, bitter chocolate and savoury notes. Stephen Doyle tells me the pressings barrel really lifted the aroma of the wine. I certainly see the Cabernet Franc aromatics. The palate is perfectly ripe, powerful, elegant and poised. The black fruits are beautifully complemented with spicy, chalky notes, bitter chocolate, austere and long firm grained tannins. It goes on and on. Drink now and for the next 20 years. Very highly recommended and a steal at this price. FWC.

Head NouveauTouriga Montepulciano 2014Barossa Valley South AustraliaSingle Bottle: $20.00 Dozen Bottle Price $18.00

Alex Head nails it again, with a fresh take on the ‘Nouveau’ style, this time with an unusual blend of 60% Touriga, 40% Montepulciano. A riot of juicy blood plums, dark cherries, licorice all sorts & black jelly beans make for a delicious summer style red. There is a freshness & vitality here, underpinned by some mild spice notes & crunchy acidity, before a clean assertive finish. Delicious drinking. FWC

Ochota BarrelsFugazi Grenache 2015Mclaren Vale South AustraliaSingle Bottle: $42.00 Dozen Bottle Price $37.00

From old bush vines planted way back in 1947. Bright cherry-red in colour with spicy, briary nuances running through the wine. There are some melded dried herbal notes there too, and quite a bit of prettiness to both the aromas of the wine and the softness of the palate. Yet another Aussie Grenache redefining the grape variety and showing what it is truly capable of when in the hands of a truly capable and intelligent winemaker. FWC.

Bloodwood’s Existential WharfGrowing and making wine is an existential experience. You live, suspended, an anorexic bug inextricably caught in a huntsmen’s web; somewhere between rainfall and hailstorm; betwixt bad review and mad review, helpless and pathetically adrift on an industrial sea of troubles.

Unless, of course you are Bloodwood. We’re used to it. And to celebrate this happy acceptance of our providence we’ve given the bird to the Universe by investing all our worldly goods in the provenance of our existential wharf. Look closely at the picture and meditate. Is the logic of the landscape sound? You see irrigation water, fishing rods, a pump shed and a wharf. There may even be fish in the dam. So you have all the components and they seem to be in some sort of fast brain order. However, and here’s the Shakespearian rub; the only time the wharf is useful is when it is surrounded by water. And that is also the only time it is totally useless as a wharf. To be (a wharf) or not to be (a wharf)..Bloodwood..irrigation with imagination. Stephen Doyle, Winemaker.

SpinifexRose 2015 (52% Grenache 30% Cinsault 14% Mataro 4% Ugni blanc) Barossa Valley South AustraliaSingle Bottle: $26.00 Dozen Bottle Price $23.00

Year in, year out our favourite Australian rose by a country mile. The 2015 vintage is no different being pale in colour and subtle in its fruit character. There is quite a bit going on here with must stick, peach and soft spices running through the wine. Its very dry with very gentle hints of round, ripe red fruits. Another winner and sure to be a favourite over the coming months. FWC

Jules Mediterranee 2014 – FranceBloodwood ‘Big Men in Tights’ 2014Charles Melton Rose of Virginia 2015Spinifex 2015 - Top Aussie RoseSaint Andrieu 2013 – ProvencePret-A-Rose 2015 – BeechworthCillar D Silos Rosado 2014 – Ribera de DueroWhispering Angel 2014 – ProvenceChateau Pibarnon 2014 – Bandol

$15.00$21.00$22.50$23.00$24.00$25.00$26.00$38.00$59.00

$18.00$24.00$25.00$26.00$27.00$28.00$29.00$42.00$65.00

Rose Single Dozen

Other RedsElefante Tempranillo/Shiraz 2013 – SpanishPrinthie Merlot 2014Alamos Malbec 2014 – Mendoza, ArgentinaHead Noveau 2014 - Pick of other redsHewitson Miss Harry 2013Hewitson Baby Bush Mouvedre 2014Spinifex Papillon 2014Pizzini Sangiovese 2014Ruggabellus Fluus 2014Frederick Stevenson Dry Red 2015 - Cinsault blendBloodwood Cab Franc Malbec 2009Ochota Barrels Fugazi Grenache 2015Mt. Majura Tempranillo 2013Brash Higgins Nero d’Avola 2013Caillard Mataro 2013 – Beautiful DrinkingJasper Hill Nebbiolo 2014Giaconda Nebbiolo 2010

$13.00$17.00$18.00$18.00$19.00$22.00$26.00$28.00$28.00$28.00$30.00$37.00$40.00$41.00$48.00$65.00$85.00

$15.00$19.00$20.00$20.00$23.00$25.00$29.00$31.00$31.00$32.00$33.00$42.00$46.00$46.00$54.00$72.00$95.00

Single Dozen

1514

Benjamin Leroux Bourgogne Rouge 2013Burgundy FranceSingle Bottle: $70.00 Dozen Bottle Price $60.00

Stelvin. This wine first arrived back in July. I tasted it very early on and ordered as much as possible with the aim to hide some away for our Christmas brochure.

If you would like to drink pinot with the turkey or ham on Christmas Day, this beauty will be hard to beat. It is an absolute blinder and punches well above it’s ‘Bourgogne’ appellation. We say ‘Bourgogne’ as it actually does not include any Bourgogne AOC in the blend (the key to understanding the quality)! Rather, it is made up of Savigny Les Beaune, Santennay, Morey St Denis villages wines. Leroux declassifies these wines because otherwise he would have no Bourgogne rouge to sell. Fragrant & juicy red fruits abound here, with really good richness and balance. Light florals, earth and a really seductive palate. Very pure & textural, with a delicious weight / length ratio, before a sappy , smooth finish. There is a class & quality factor here not normally associated with this level. Don’t miss it. Ian Cook, FWC.

Elefante Tempranillo/Shiraz 2013 – SpainUmani Ronchi Montepulciano d’Abruzzo ‘14Monili Primitivo 2013Rive Droite Gauche Cotes du Rhone 2013Alamos Malbec 2014 – ArgentinaFiorini Chianti Superiore 2012Le Chat Noir Pinot Noir 2013Maretti Langhe Rosso 2013Guigal Cote du Rhone 2011Prunotto Barbera d’Alba 2012Saint Andrieu Rose 2013 – ProvenceCillar de Silos Joven 2014 Cottanera Barbazzale Etna Rosso 2013 Gabo Do Xil Mencia 2012 Poggerino Chianti Classico 2013 Sarrazin Bourgogne 2013COS Frappato – SicilyIsole e Olena Chianti 2012Girolamo Russo A Rind Etna RossoCOS Cerasuolo di Vittoria 2013 – SicilyBenjamin Leroux Bourgogne 2013

Elefante Blanco 2013 – La Mancha,SpainUmani Ronchi Verdicchio 2014 – MarcheLe Chat Sauvignon Blanc 2014Tariquet Ugni Blanc 2013Bollini Pinot Grigio 2014 – TrentinoSantadi Vermentino 2014 – SardiniaZios Lusco de Mino Albarino 2014Mont Redon Cotes Du Rhone Blanc 2011William Fevre Petit Chablis 2013Trimbach Riesling 2013 – AlsaceSalomon Wieden Gruner Veltliner 2013Pieropan Soave 2014 Maranones Picarana Albillo 2013 – MadridTrimbach Pinot Gris Reserve 2012Keller Trocken Riesling 2014Reverdy Sancerre 2013Defaix Chablis 2014J.J. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Auslese 2011

$13.00$14.00$16.00$17.00$18.00$19.00$19.00$20.00$21.00$22.50$24.00$29.00$26.00$29.00$35.00$39.00$40.00$41.00$40.00$48.00$60.00

$13.00$20.00$17.90$18.00$21.00$21.00$22.00$22.00$27.00$29.00$30.00$30.00$33.00$35.00$41.00$41.00$41.00$85.00

$15.00$16.00$18.00$19.00$20.00$21.00$22.00$22.00$24.00$25.00$27.00$29.00$29.00$32.00$40.00$44.00$45.00$46.00$48.00$53.00$70.00

$15.00$22.00$19.90$20.00$23.00$24.00$25.00$28.00$30.00$33.00$33.00$34.00$36.00$40.00$46.00$46.00$46.00$95.00

Single

Single

Dozen

Dozen

Red

WhitePick of the importsIf you would like to drink pinot with the turkey or ham on Christmas Day, this beauty will be hard to beat. It is an absolute blinder.

Ata Rangi Crimson Pinot Noir 2013Amisfield 2012Two Paddocks Pinot Noir 2014Charteris Winter Pinot Noir 2012Felton Road Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2014 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir 2013Felton Road Calvert Pinot Noir 2014 Pegasus Bay ‘Prima Donna’ 2012

$34.00$44.00$49.00$63.00$65.00$75.00$80.00$115.00

$38.00$48.00$55.00$70.00$75.00$85.00$90.00$135.00

NZ Reds Single Dozen

Bernard DefaixChablis 2014Chablis FranceSingle Bottle: $46.00 Dozen Bottle Price $41.00

I’ve noted this before, it bears repeating: The quality of the Defaix wines now puts the domaine among the top 10 in Chablis. Allen Meadows, burghound.com

Screwcap. Certified organic. There’s a level of clarity and detail in this 2014 vintage in Chablis that ranks it above the last three vintages. Defaix’s Chablis is an absolute cracker. The wine opens with great clarity and intensity of ripe citrus, saline minerality and creamy lees aromatics. The mouth-watering palate with it’s lemon zest and crunchy white stone fruit, is full of energy & racy, mineral freshness. A terrific Chablis for the summer months ahead. FWC.

FioriniChianti Superiore 2012Chianti ItalySingle Bottle: $21.00Dozen Bottle Price $19.00

Dusty, dry and very old-world in style - this wine really sings true to all things Tuscan. Pencil shavings and dried herbs dominate the aromatic profile whilst the palate is savoury and dark with hints of black cherry and dried soil. There is a softness to the mid-palate and just enough fruit sweetness to balance the secondary characteristics of herb and earth. Very elegant and silky smooth as all good sangiovese should be, this wine is a perfect mi-week drink and very hard to go past for the money. Buy by the dozen. FWC.

Ian Cook talking about Benjamin Leroux Bourgogne Rouge 2013.

Gin & Tonics Anyone? FWC would like to think we are on top of shifts and trends in wine consumption, but the gin explosion this year has taken us by surprise. The Callan Boys at Good Living reckon that ‘everyone with a copper pot and some quandongs is putting a gin on the market’, and it feels like we’ve tried them all.

After considerable research (G&Ts, Negronis, Martinis…) we have expanded the gin selection accordingly. Many distillers have popped up in famed wine regions, perhaps unsurprisingly given the ready market of thirsty winemakers. Melbourne Gin Company and Four Pillars are leading the way in the Yarra Valley, while Settlers in McLaren Vale use grape spirit only to craft gins with a point of difference.

Many of these producers are using native and foraged botanicals alongside traditional ingredients. Poor Toms in Marrickville employ native strawberry gum leaf, and we have seen bush tomato and finger lime increasingly utilised. The gin discovery of the year has been Poli, an Italian family distillery famed for their grappa. If faced with the horrifying task of mixing one last Negroni, this is the gin to use, alongside a splash of Campari & some Vergano Americano Vermouth. Rob McLean, FWC.

1716

Piper Heidseck NVMumm Cordon Rouge NVAndre Clouet Grande Reserve Brut NVBillecart-Salmon Brut NVVeuve Clicquot Brut NVRoederer Brut Premier NVPierre Peters Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru NVAndre Clouet Rose NVPol Roger Brut NVMoet Vintage 2006 *SpecialAgrapart Terroirs Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru NV Larmandier-Bernier Longitude NV Egly Ouriet Vignes de Vrigny NV Egly Ouriet Brut Tradition NV Ruinart Blanc de BlancsBillecart Salmon Rose NVPol Roger Vintage 2004 - RecommendedEgly Ouriet Extra Brut VP NV Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2004 - gift boxedEgly Ouriet Millesime 2005 Dom Perignon 2005 - SpecialRoederer Cristal 2006Krug 2000Jacquesson Avise Champ Cain 2004

$45.00$50.00$62.00$72.00$69.00$69.00$70.00$77.00$79.00$79.00$89.00$85.00$99.00$120.00$105.00$120.00$115.00$170.00$180.00$230.00$220.00$299.00$330.00$350.00

$54.00 $55.00$69.00$79.00$79.00$79.00$79.00$85.00$85.00$99.00$99.00$95.00$110.00$140.00$120.00$130.00$130.00$190.00$199.00$260.00$250.00$360.00$380.00$400.00

Single DozenChampagne

Andre ClouetGrand Reserve NV, Bouzy Grand CruSingle Bottle: $69.00 Dozen Bottle Price $62.00

These rare wines come from old vines right next to Bollinger’s ungrafted vines in Bouzy. A tremendously powerful Champagne with a gorgeous label. The mature reserve wines give weight and softness and round off the completely dry aftertaste. Bollinger like. Richard Juhlin, 4000 Champagnes.

100% Bouzy and Ambonnay pinot noir. 6g/L dosageRelease 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

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. FWC.

Egly-Ouriet Wines of riveting concentration & purity.Andrew Jefford, The New France

Egly-Ouriet is one of the great grower Champagnes. They use no chemical fertilisers, herbicides or pesticides, they work on very low yields, minimise the use of dosage (2-3 grams per litre) and follow a very natural winemaking regime. As such the wines are Pinot dominant, rich and powerful with deep colours, hedonistic aromas and explosive layered personalities in the mouth. FWC.

Grand Cru Brut Tradition NVAmbonnay ChampagneSingle Bottle: $140.00 Dozen Bottle Price $120.00

Egly- Ouriet is one of the great grower Champagnes. They use no chemical fertilisers, herbicides or pesticides, they work on very low yields, minimise the use of dosage (2-3 grams per litre) and follow a very natural winemaking regime. As such the wines are Pinot dominant, rich and powerful with deep colours, hedonistic aromas and explosive layered personalities in the mouth. FWC.

Pol RogerBrut Vintage 2004Epernay ChampagneWas: $145.00Single Bottle: $130.00 Dozen Bottle Price $115.00

Pol Roger owns 200 acres of vineyards and has cellars that extend over 4 miles on 2 levels and is one of only a few Grande Marque Champagne houses that remains family owned and operated. The cooler than the norm cellars “slows the second fermentation, encouraging a finer mousse or bubbles.” Pol Roger owns close to 50% of the vineyards used for their Champagne production and grapes are sourced exclusively from premier and grand cru vineyards that rate at an average of 95 points on the Échelle des Crus classification system.

For decades one of Australia’s darlings, and mine too. The usual Pol blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay, it spent eight years on tirage. Gleaming straw-green, it has remarkable drive, intensity and freshness to its white stone fruits, grilled cashews and spices, the aftertaste endless, the future in bottle almost as long. 97 Points. James Halliday’s Top 100 2015, Weekend Australian.

Larmandier-Bernier Longitude 1er Cru Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs NV Vertus ChampagneSingle Bottle: $95.00 Dozen Bottle Price $85.00

If you thought the champagnes of many large houses were dry, Larmandier – Bernier will change your thinking. These wines are very dry with little or no dosage (4 gms in this wine). The nose shows very fine minerals, citrus and a touch of salt spray. It’s a long clean, aperitif style, refreshing, chalky and minerally; yet with unexpected depth and Chablis like notes. FWC.

The accolades keep on coming – La Revue de Vin de France magazine in it’s November 2015 issue has just ranked Larmandier in the top four wine growers in Champagne.Purity of white peach and preserved lemon is impressive, with the complexity and depth of a lesser vintage base already building spicy notes of toast and fig. As always, it is the tremendous minerality of these terroirs that is most impressive, gliding long and seamless from start to finish. A complex and creamy blanc de blancs of great depth upholding lively acid tension on a very long finish. 95 points, Tyson Stelzer, The Champagne Guide 2014-2015

FWC Brut Cuvée NVYarra Burn NVLois Lane Blanc de Blanc NVRialto Prosecco Brut NVCroser NVLes Petites Vignettes Brut – BurgundyCanella Prosecco Vintage 2013Deviation Rd ‘Altair’ Rose BrutPichot Sparkling Vouvray Brut 2011Arras ‘Elite’ NVStefano Lubiano Brut NV Croser 2011Moorrilla Muse Extra Brut Rose 2009Arras Grand Vintage 2006 - AmazingBellavista ‘Alma’ NV – Franciacorta, ItalyMoorilla Cloth Label 2004

$9.50 $16.50$19.00$21.00$21.00$24.00$26.00$29.00$30.00$30.00$33.00$36.00$45.00$59.00$65.00$130.00

$11.00 $18.00$20.00$24.00$25.00$27.00$29.00$32.00$35.00$36.00$37.00$39.00$50.00$68.00$72.00$150.00

Sparkling Single Dozen

Stefano LubianaBrut NVTasmaniaSingle Bottle: $37.00 Dozen Bottle Price $33.00

Consistently a favourite here at Five Ways. The Tasmanians most definitely grow the best fruit to produce sparkling wine.Bright colour; lemon curd, hazelnut and a suggestion of brioche; the palate is fine and fresh, with a refreshing backbone of acidity; detail, freshness and length, working seamlessly together. FWC.

ChampagneTired of following the mob, then step into the world of family owned artisan producers.

Best Value under $20 by the dozen

ST AndrieuRose 2013 Cotes De Provence FranceSingle Bottle: $27.00 Dozen Bottle Price $24.00

It’s interesting to see many of France’s best vignerons being attracted to its south: Jean-Paul and Nancy Gignon of St Julien’s Chateau Talbot have transformed the winery and vineyards of Domaine St Andrieu in the Var. It’s directly north of Toulon in the foothills of the Alps, at an elevation of 380 metres. The rose, which bears the Cotes de Provence appellation, is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault that is clean, lively and pure with restrained savoury characters and a wonderful refreshing dry finish. Once again our favourite drinking Rose from Provence. FWC.

Mt Langi GhiranBilli Billi Shiraz 2012Grampians, VictoriaSingle Bottle: $18.95 Dozen Bottle Price $16.95Best Red In Store Under $20

The 2012 release of ‘Billi Billi’ shiraz is yet again highly impressive. The wine shows a strong concentration of plum and black cherry fruit on a medium-bodied palate with a softness to the tannin structure that makes the wine so approachable and drinkable. As well as this, classic ‘Langi’ warm spice 7 pepper notes are yet again present making this wine considerably more complex than most others at this sort of price. Yet again, highly recommended for everyday drinking. If you are looking for the best (or a Christmas gift) it’s hard to go by the top Mt Langi Ghiran Shiraz 2012 ($120/$110) FWC.

Johnny Q Shiraz 2012Parnasse Cabernet 2013 – Languedoc, FranceElefante Tempranillo Shiraz 2013Umani Ronchi Montepulciano 2014Dunsborough Hills Cabernet 2013Mike Press Shiraz 2013The Sum Shiraz 2012Underground Pinot Noir 2013Molini Primitivo 2013Jules French Country Cabernet 2014Mt. Langi Billi Billi Shiraz 2012Howling Wolves Cabernet Sauvignon 2013Yering Station ‘Little Yering’ Pinot Noir 2013Printhie Merlot 2013LAYA Garnacha Blend 2013 – SpainAlamos Malbec 2014 – Mendoza, ArgentinaBarry Brothers Shiraz Cabernet 2013FWC Yarra Nebbiolo 2011Wickham Rd Yarra Pinot 2015Bosworth Preservative Free Shiraz 2015 Fiorini Chianti Superiore 2012Le Chat Noir Pinot Noir 2014Hewitson Miss Harry 2013

FWC Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2014Peter Lehmann Semillon 2012 – Great ValueParnasse Sauvignon Blanc 2013 – LanguedocBurns & Fuller Adelaide Hills Chard 2014McHenry Hohnen Sem Sauv Blanc 2012Elefante Castilla Blanco 2013 (Spain)Rocky Gully Riesling 2015Skipjack Sauvignon Blanc 2014 (NZ)David Hook Pinot Grigio 2015Printhie Pinot Gris 2013David Franz Eden Edge Riesling 2015Jim Barry Watervale Riesling 2015Printhie Chardonnay 2014Ad Hoc Riesling 2015Le Chat Sauvignon Blanc 2013 – Loire, France McLeish Semillon 2015Wickham Rd Gippsland Chardonnay 2015Wilson Watervale Riesling 2015Pizzini Pinot Grigio 2015 – Top pinot grigioUmani Ronchi Verdicchio 2014Thomas Two of a Kind Semillon Savignon 2015

$11.00$12.50$13.00$14.00$15.00$15.00$15.00$15.00$16.00$16.95$16.95$16.00$17.00$17.00$19.00$18.00$18.00$18.00$18.00$18.00$19.00$19.00$19.00

$9.50$10.00$12.50$11.00$12.00$13.00$15.00$15.95$17.00$17.00$17.00$17.00$17.00$17.50$17.90$18.00$18.00$19.00$19.00$20.00$20.00

$12.50$13.90$15.00$16.00$17.00$17.00$17.00$17.00$18.00$18.95$18.95$18.00$18.50$19.00$22.00$20.00$20.00$20.00$20.00$21.00$21.00$22.00$23.00

$11.00$11.50$13.90$14.00$14.00$15.00$17.00$18.95$19.00$19.00$19.00$19.00$19.00$19.50$19.90$20.00$20.00$21.00$22.00$22.00$23.00

Single

Single

Dozen

Dozen

Red

White