Forget scores, my favourite way to classify a wine is how many glasses I could drink. Faulty junk? Tip it down the sink. An overly sweet, but fascinating, fortified? A glass is plenty. A spectacular bottle of aged Semillon at the peak of its powers? Pass the bottle, I want it all.
This lineup, then, is a selection of wines from May 2025 where I’d happily have a glass. They’re the drinkers, or indeed the contemplaters, that are worth a glass, although not quite at the ‘why is the bottle empty’ level.
Let’s dive in:
Anselmi Capitel Croce 2022
The Anselmi takes on Soave are always interesting, even if they can feel a long way from traditional expressions of the region. Capitel Croce is 100% Garganega matured in old oak. It’s taut, if somewhat sour, with oak making a surprisingly strong impact on this wine. Lemon barley sugar, melon, peach – it’s anything but a shy wine, driven by phenolics and texture. It’s not an all-day smasher either (which is what Soave is good at), as the tangy lemon and broader-brushed textures sort of but into each other. However, it is both interesting and long.
Best drinking: over the next few years. 17.5/20, 91/100. 12.5%, $ 70. Would I buy it? A glass.
Crittenden Cri de Coeur Savagnin Macvin #5
Macvin is a style we do not see here in Australia at all. You don’t really see it outside the Jura, for that matter, but hey. This is the Crittenden family’s take, and it’s Mornington Peninsula Savagnin that spends 4 years on lees, then sweetened with the same volume of current vintage and fortified to 17%. It smells like a traditional macvin with that waxy mothball flor note, then a caramel honey ice cream palate that is sweet and round. Compared to the other Crittenden Savagnin, this comes across as a bit of a blunt objective, with this honey nut porridge singular flavour range that gets a bit too much, a bit too quickly. It’s ambitious and definitely not a poor quality wine (hence the silver medal score), but I can’t see the drinkabillity beyond a single glass for contemplation.
Best drinking: nowish. 17/20, 90/100. 17%, $ 95. Would I buy it? A glass.
Dalwood Estate Tempranillo Touriga 2023
You don’t see much Tempranillo or much Touriga in the Hunter Valley, but the historic Dalwood Estate vineyard on the banks of the Hunter River, NE of the main Lower Hunter Valley vineyard, is a different beast. This red is more Hunter Valley than Temp or Touriga, though, with lots of earthen savouriness. It’s a bit stark, leathery, gritty, and tangy with the Touriga juiciness fighting a losing battle against the sandpaper tannins. It is long though, and the conviction otherwise is spot on – I just want a bit more generosity.
Best drinking: now to ten years. 17/20, 90/100. 13%, $ 45. Would I buy it? A glass.
Feudo Arancio Rosato 2023
Well-priced, varietal Sicilian wines. That’s the Feudo Arancio formula. I think this Rosato nails the brief too – it’s a juicy, upfront, and approachable wine, but with enough depth below the surface. Strawberry and pink grapefruit flavours, but with a slightly creamy, riper profile, complemented by red onion and raspberry notes. A simple, well-made modern rosé.
Best drinking: now. 17/20, 90/100. 12%, $ 20. Would I buy it? A glass.
Five Vineyard Estate Chardonnay 2023
I’ve been critical of the Five Vineyard range because the wines feel a bit underdone. But this Chardonnay has some style to it. Sawdust and lemon curd on this coiffed Chardonnay, it tastes riper than 12.8% but cleverly layered with a bit of orange and vanilla bean. I’d still like a bit more substance, but it’s drinkable.
Best drinking: nowish. 17/20, 90/100. 12.8%, $ 32. Would I buy it? A glass.
Five Vineyard Reserve Shiraz 2022
More ambition on this Reserve wine, even if it still lacks a bit of stuffing. Blackberry and plum here with glossy plum fruit. It’s a bit lean and spicy, with a purple plum fruit sheen though doesn’t quite pack in much behind it, besides some late, pithy tannins. Has style, though.
Best drinking: over the next five years. 17/20, 90/100. 14%, $ 65. Would I buy it? A glass.
Hungerford Hill Classic Semillon 2024
A riper, lemony style of Hunter Sem with scope for the future. Just the first whisper of toast, green apple and lemongrass. Crisp, a bit neutral, plenty crunchy and lemony, it’s not quite a heroic style but spot on for style and varietal character.
Best drinking: now, or wait four years. 17.5/20, 91/100. 11%, $ 28, Would I buy it? A glass.
Hungerford Hill Dalwood Vineyard Semillon 2018
From Block 7B on the Dalwood Vineyard, which is also part of the Hungerford Hill empire. This is in a transitional phase. Lanolin, lemon custard, tangy lemon acidity. It’s not strictly primary or developed, yet, so it’s a bit of a wait-and-see wine. Structure is pretty solid, though.
Best drinking: come back in two years. 17.5/20, 91/100+. 12%, $ 60. Would I buy it? A glass.
Jansz Tasmania Cuvée 2021
Sprightly, citrussy vintage Tassie sparkling. There is a hint of leesy complexity (3.5 years on lees FWIW), but it leans a bit too far into a grapefruit aperitif style that needs a bit more oomph. It could almost be a Blanc de Blancs with that delicacy, although there is Pinot in the blend here. After a month of a Champagne-heavy diet, this felt a little light, even if I can appreciate the craft.
Best drinking: now. 17/20, 90/100. 12.5%, $ 56. Would I buy it? A glass.
Jules Taylor Sauvignon Blanc 2024
Talk about screaming your name. This is an ultra-expressive and ripe style of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, with slightly sweaty passionfruit and asparagus top notes, followed by a punchy and sour grapefruit palate. Classic nose, although you could argue that the palate could do with some generosity after it. Still a rock-solid expression and a bargain, given it’s under $ 20 in retail land.
Best drinking: now. 17.5/20, 91/100. 13.5%, $ 25. Would I buy it? A glass.
Smith & Hooper Merlot 2022
Wrattonbully. Such a substantial wine for the dollars. Has a firm, minty and blackcurranty cedary mode that is quite a mouthful. The acid is a bit jutting, but the drying, mint-flecked length and the concentrated curranty varietal character is something great for $ 21. If it were just a little more generous, this would win trophies as it’s proudly Merlot-y and regional.
Best drinking: now or in two decades. 17.5/20, 91/100. 14%, $ 21. Would I buy it? A glass.
Soumah Single Vineyard Hexham Savarro 2024
Savarrro = Savaganin. Waxy, tart Yarra Valley white that has a bit of wooly skin contact weight but ends up a bit too tart and lemony to be truly satisfying. Has style and intention, though.
Best drinking: nowish, no hurry. 17.5/20, 91/100. 13.5%, $ 34. Would I buy it? A glass.
Steels Gate Melba Block Rosé 2024
Serious, coppery pink, barrel-fermented Yarra rosé with quite obvious creamy vanilla strawberry barrel character. Strawberries and cream generosity, all soft edges and a little forwardness. Such a grown-up rosé.
Best drinking: now. 17.7/20, 92/100. 11%, $ 35. Would I buy it? A glass.
Vespa Il Rosso Primitivo di Manduria 2022
Hello Primitivo! Figgy, thick, with a bit of treacle, coffee, black fruit and dried black spices. A bit heavy, but there’s a proper classical blackness to this. Hearty fare.
Best drinking: now and over the next five to eight years(ish). 17.5/20, 91/100. 14.5%, $ 70. Would I buy it? A glass.
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