By Jarrod Price on 9/18/2008 11:18 AM

Australia Turns Towards Elegance

Aided by a series of balanced vintages, winemakers are aiming for more refined reds

Australia's best red wines continue to evolve toward elegance, not only with the expressive, harmonious wines that earned my top ratings, but also with affordable and widely available bottlings.

This style is due, in part, to the ripe but not over-the-top 2004, 2005 and 2006 vintages, which produced the majority of the wines reviewed for this report. But it's not so much a matter of alcohol levels. Shiraz, which produces the country's top reds, gets big and ripe in South Australia; alcohol levels are seldom shy of 14.5 percent, and some ... Read More »

By Jarrod Price on 9/18/2008 10:34 AM

Vintages’ Newest Classics Collection Now On-Line!

The September Classics Collection is a veritable wine lover’s paradise. Of particular note are the dazzling white wines of Burgundy’s 2006 harvest, plus a selection of Grand Crus from the landmark 2005 vintage including several top names. Bordeaux is well represented by celebrated wines from vintages spanning more than a decade, many of which are hitting their plateau for optimum drinking. Hungary’s legendary Tokaji Asz from rvay and Kir?udvar are also not to be overlooked.Australian wine lovers can peruse an impressive selection from renowned producers such as Penfolds, Torbreck, and Clarendon Hills. Scotch aficionados have their choice of two formidable Singl ... Read More »