What we’re drinking this month, including cabernet franc, pinot blanc, shiraz and gin.
Champagne Charlot-Tanneux Expression Extra Brut, Mardeuil
Champagne Charlot-Tanneux Expression Extra Brut, Mardeuil
There’s a hint of yeasty freshly baked bread rolls at the heart of this pinot meunier-dominant Champagne and an almost sake-like quality – fragrant, delicate fruit, just a hint of lactic tang. Quite moreish. $80, eurocentricwine.com.au
2015 Gentle Folk Gnomes, Adelaide Hills, SA
2015 Gentle Folk Gnomes, Adelaide Hills, SA
A complex, dark, satisfying blend of petit verdot and merlot. Some of the wine was bottled with a tiny addition of SO2 preservative, some with none: the former is better after decanting; the latter is delicious as soon as you open. $35, gentlefolk.com.au
2014 Domaine Joncier L’O, Côtes du Rhône
2014 Domaine Joncier L’O, Côtes du Rhône
Another young red that benefits from exposure to air (in a decanter or drunk from big glasses): a bit growly when opened, some sloshing reveals a cornucopia of flavours, from red roses to spiced leather. $28, francaboutwine.com
2015 Airlie Bank Cabernet Franc, Yarra Valley, Vic
2015 Airlie Bank Cabernet Franc, Yarra Valley, Vic
Imagine placing a glossy black cherry, a few redcurrants and a small sage leaf on your tongue and then pressing gently up towards the roof of your mouth until the fruit skins burst open and the tangy juices soak into the herb. $22, puntroadwines.com.au
2011 Bonny Doon Le Cigare Blanc, California
2011 Bonny Doon Le Cigare Blanc, California
This unusual Californian blend of grenache blanc and roussanne has an exotic perfume of lilies and ripe yellow fruit and a creamy texture that left me enchanted after every sip. A white wine for hedonists. $65, amatovino.com.au
2015 Billy Button “The Demure” Pinot Blanc, Alpine Valleys, Vic
2015 Billy Button “The Demure” Pinot Blanc, Alpine Valleys, Vic
The new Billy Button label showcases lesser-known grape varieties. This is my pick of the 2015 vintage: a light, dry wine with powdery minerality, it reminds me of crisp Swiss whites to wash down a rich cheese fondue. $25, billybuttonwines.com.au
2015 KT Churinga Vineyard Riesling, Watervale, SA
2015 KT Churinga Vineyard Riesling, Watervale, SA
Kerri Thompson has been producing terrific single-vineyard rieslings from Watervale in Clare for a few years, but this is the best young Churinga I can remember tasting: a refreshing cascade of super-fragrant lemongrass and lime. $33, winesbykt.com
2013 Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz, Adelaide, SA
2013 Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz, Adelaide, SA
This is the wine I fell in love with at the launch of the latest posh Penfolds reds: with fabulous aromas of slow-simmered stock and wild herbs, and rich, brooding dark fruit that lounges around on your tongue, it’ll age gracefully for decades. $130, penfolds.com
2013 Villa Maria Private Bin Organic Merlot, Hawke’s Bay
2013 Villa Maria Private Bin Organic Merlot, Hawke’s Bay
Oh, if only all merlot and more certified organic wines at this price point were as utterly delicious as this one: intense, elegant purple fruit framed by fine, grippy tannin. Just gorgeous. One for the claret lovers. $17, finewinepartners.com.au
Archie Rose Signature Dry Gin, Sydney, NSW
Archie Rose Signature Dry Gin, Sydney, NSW
This lovely new gin, in its beautiful bespoke bottle, comes from an ambitious urban distillery and bar in Sydney’s Rosebery. Classical in style, with an aromatic emphasis on juniper and citrus botanicals, it makes a terrific G&T. $74, archierose.com.au
