2009 Berton The White Viognier

I first came across Bob Berton when he was working for Miranda in Griffith and the Barossa. He started up Berton Vineyards four years ago and bought the Southcorp winery at Yenda. They won my best new label award in Quaff 2010. The 2008 Berton 'The White' Viognier was rated Good in that edition of the guide. The 2009 is now out and gets the same rating from me. It's a sweeter style than the Trentham Estate and has attractive ripe fruity flavours, more juicy peach and apricot than the apple and pear of their previous vintage; finishing soft, round, crisp and gently sweet.

Rating: Bloody Good

Cost: $ 12

Winemaker: James Ceccato

Limited availability in ACT NSW and Victoria. www.bertonvineyards.com.au

Reviewed: 4 December 2009

2008 Banrock Station Semillon Chardonnay

Look, I'm not really a fan of semillon chardonnay - too many of them are bland and lack interest. As always happens when I make a sweeping pronouncement like that, I have to qualify it by saying 'But there are exceptions.' There's usually at least one Bloody Good sem chardonnay in each issue of Quaff and here's one that I've found from my tastings since the book came out. I'm rating it Good rather than Bloody Good although it was close to the higher rating. Still, at the price, it's bloody good value. From the Constellation vineyards in the Riverland, the 2008 Banrock Station Semillon Chardonnay is clean, fresh and lively, heaps of fruit with gently herbal flavours and a zesty edge, finishing with bright tangy acidity. A good quaffer.

Rating: Good

Cost: $ 9.50

Wide availability in all Australian states.

Reviewed: 27 November 2009

2008 Torbreck 'Woodcutters' Shiraz

This is the large volume shiraz from the Barossa winery, Torbreck. It's unbelieveably good for the price - and the sort of amazing value that Quaff seeks to put in the hands of wily consumers. I've been following the Woodcutters Shiraz since 2001 and enjoy it most years. However, this is the best that I can remember it. The 2008 Woodcutters Shiraz is soft and very easy to drink with attractive velvety texture, ripe raspberry, red cherry, and dark plum flavours, delicate fine grain tannins and a supple finish which lingers. There's depth, richness and concentration yet the approachability that will make it attractive summer drinking.

Rating: Bloody Good

Cost: $19.95

Winemaker: Dave Powell, Craig Isbel

Wide availability in all Australian states. www.torbreck.com

Reviewed: 20 November 2009

2009 Scarpantoni Sauvignon Blanc

As a wine writer, I love making bold statements. 'It's impossible to make decent sauvignon blanc or chardonnay in the McLaren Vale / Coonawarra should not grow white grapes / Margaret River shouldn't bother with pinot' - that sort of thing. I think that I'm spot on with the general tenor of my argument but I know that exceptions will crop up. That's one of the great things about making wine in Australia, winemakers can defy the expected. I would, however, love to see more ripping out of varieties that clearly don't suit a region.

The great thing about blind tasting is that you get surprises. Imagine my surprise when I tasted the latest Scarpantoni Sauvignon Blanc and thought it was sensational. I wouldn't allow sauvignon in McLaren Vale if I were in charge. I recovered well, deciding that Scarpantoni must be sourcing the wine from the Adelaide Hills - as bright producers like Wirra Wirra are. A phone call to Scarpantoni. No. It's all McLaren Vale fruit. The winemaker, David Fleming, said that it's sourced from 20 year old vines on the McLaren Flats, is picked early - between 11 and 11.5° beaume, fermented with aromatic enzymes and bottled early. David did say that it was only this good three years in ten.

I'm always happy to be proved wrong (well I don't mind too much) if it means that my readers are able to find bargains. To my delight, the Scarpantoni later picked up a trophy at the Perth Show for best sauvignon blanc. At this price it's great value.

I thought the 2009 Scarpantoni Sauvignon Blanc riotously aromatic with ripe sweet pea and tropical flavours - passionfruit, gooseberry, guava - is lively and tangy on the mid-palate finishing bright and zesty. It's great summer drinking.

Rating: Bloody Good

Cost: $ 17.95

Winemaker: David Fleming

Available in all Australian states. www.scarpantoniwines.com

Reviewed: 13 November 2009

2007 Wirra Wirra 'Scrubby Rise' Shiraz Cabernet Petit Verdot

The previous vintage of this was probably the best ever and, although 2007 was a difficult harvest in McLaren Vale, Sam Connew and Paul Smith have done a marvellous job with this wine. I must say that Wirra Wirra are just one of a number of McLaren Vale wineries that are firing at present. As an aside, I tasted the 2009 Wirra Wirra 'Hidden Champion' Sauvignon Blanc a week ago, and thought it was terrific. Back to the 'Scrubby Rise', it's a touch over $15 with its recommended price but I'm sure you could pick it up for less. It has the ripeness, richness and concentration that you'd expect of a McLaren Vale shiraz blend plus the lush, velvety texture. This is so soft and plush that it's almost syrupy and slips down a little dangerously. There's lively blackcurrant and dark plum flavours that persistent.

Rating: Bloody Good

Cost: $ 16.50

Winemaker: Sam Connew, Paul Smith

Wide availability in all Australian states. www.wirra.com.au

Reviewed: 2 October 2009