For 25 years, the AAVWS has been a forum for wines that fall outside the mainstream. AAVWS

I spent the last week in tropical northern Victoria, specifically in Mildura, where I had the good fortune to be invited as international guest judge to the 25th Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show (AAVWS). Serendipitously, fellow contributor to The Real Review, Melissa Moore was also there to judge the show.

The AAVWS originated from the Sangiovese Awards initiated by Stefano de Pieri and Bruce Chalmers, along with the late Dr Rod Bonfiglioli, in 1999. The following year, it was called the Australian Italian Wine Show and in 2001, it was renamed the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show. The Chalmers family, who run the most diverse vine nursery in Australia, are still heavily involved in the show and the movement, with both of Bruce’s daughters, Kim and Tennille Chalmers part of the organising team. In the earlier years, it used to include New Zealand wine, but that stopped a while ago and there hasn’t been anything to take up the torch for New Zealand since.

For 25 years, the AAVWS has been a forum for wines that fall outside the mainstream. It also incorporates social and educational events such as the post-show conference called Talk and Taste. This year’s edition included talks about Cava by Kate Laurie of Deviation Road, a viticulture panel led by Liz Riley of Vitibit and a panel on NoLo (no and low alcohol wines) led by chair of judges Leanne Altmann while showing technical wines from Pia Merrick (Australian Vintage), Nigel Sneyd MW and Aaron Milne (Edenvale).

Over the years, the show has helped spread awareness and acceptance of varieties which are now very much a mainstay of Australian wine, like pinot gris/grigio and glera/prosecco. Fiano is the latest success story, as was evident by the broad range of styles and high entry-numbers of the variety this year, many of which showed regional distinctions. The same is on the horizon for sangiovese, nero d’avola and montepulciano, all of which have developed distinctive Australian styles.

The 789 entries this year spanned 69 regions and 98 grape varieties, making the judging classes the most diverse I have ever seen in a wine show. This poses unique challenges for judges, particularly when it comes to benchmarking and the elucidation of quality. Leanne Altmann had made it clear that the European classics, though useful as signposts and for inspiration, should not restrict what is explored in Australia. The aim is not to make facsimiles of European wine but to grow and craft Australian wines using these varieties. This was more evident in some varieties than others, such as fiano and nero d’avola, both of which had developed their own personalities and flavour profiles.

The Rod Bonfiglioli Wine of Show 2025 went to Hahndorf Hill Gru Grüner Veltliner 2024, which also took Best White Wine and Best of the Rest. Best Red Wine Award and Best Italian Red went to Orbis Wines Nero d’Avola 2024. The Viticulturist Award went to Jeff Flint of Wangolina. The exciting Provenance class was of very high quality, with the award going to Crittenden’s Cri de Coeur Savagnin Sous Voile (they entered their 2020, 2013 and 2011).

Leanne Altmann awarded the Chief of Judges Wine to Watch award to the delicious Bloomfield Mencia 2024, and I gave my International Judge’s Wine to Watch award to Chalmers Mother Block Skin Contact 2025, a field blend from their nursery mother block. This year also saw the introduction of a new award to recognise Helen Healy for her amazing contributions as show manager, having supported the event since its inception. Helen started this year’s show as Mayor of Mildura and finished the show in a different role as Deputy Mayor (as an aside, it’s the first time I’ve ever been received at a wine show at the airport by a mayor!). The inaugural Helen Healy Award for Excellence went to Oliver’s Taranga Vineyards.

But that’s not all… to celebrate their 21st anniversary, the show commissioned wine writer Max Allen to write a book about the show and the movement which has grown around it, called Alternative Reality. The book, published in 2023, was recently awarded Best New Wine Book at the Australian Wine Communicator Awards 2025. Awards all round and a fitting way to celebrate the show’s first quarter century.

The Real Review’s annual champagne dinner on October 21 was an appropriate warm-up for International Champagne Day on October 24. As F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote in The Great Gatsby:

“Too much of anything is bad, but too much champagne is just right.”

Well, with small pours of nine wines, we didn’t overdo it.

The venue was The Charles Brasserie & Bar in central Sydney, where 55 guests enjoyed the sparkling service and splendid fare. We began with a brace of blancs de blancs with the first entrée, then a pair of high-level non-vintage wines with the second entrée, then a pair of older and fuller wines with main course, and finally a diverse trio of special wines with cheeses.

First course

Blue fin tuna with blood orange and pistachio

Wines

• Veuve Fourny & Fils Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Premier Cru NV
• Ayala Le Blanc de Blancs Vintage 2018

Blanc de blancs is a niche champagne, but increasingly popular. Probably less than 10% of champagne is marketed as blanc de blancs and most of them are pure chardonnay wines. But they are the crispest, raciest and most refreshing wines, especially suited to fish and seafoods served as entrées. And the raw tuna with its citrus dressing and crunchy pistachio garnish was sensational with these two wines, both of which were appetisingly dry, each liqueured to about 5 grams per litre and therefore Extra Brut.

The Fourny was crisp and lemony but also showing some toasty tertiary complexity, and great value at around $80; the Ayala pristine and vibrant with impeccable line and length. The Fourny is a Vertus premier cru, the Ayala a blend of grand and premier crus. Premier crus make up just 17% of champagne vineyards, grand crus 14%, so these were both special wines. An exciting start to the evening.

Second course

Scallop agnolotti with broad beans, preserved lemon and basil

Wines

• De Saint-Gall Le Tradition NV
• Pommery Brut Apanage 1874 NV

This was another wonderful dish, little bundles of pasta bursting with scallop meat and lifted by the citrus and herb in the sauce.

De Saint-Gall is a new brand to our tasting panel with a superb range of wines, this one marvellously fresh and vibrant with chardonnay-driven vitality and depth of honey, butter and pear flavours. A 64/36 chardonnay/pinot noir blend, it comes from a high-level co-operative whose growers only have grand and premier cru vineyards.

Pommery is more familiar brand but the Apanage range is a higher level of quality, age and price than the entry-level Brut Royal NV. It’s a complex blend of wines from 2018, 15 and 12, plus réserve perpetuelle. It’s named 1874 because that’s the year Madame Pommery created the Brut style of champagne. It has terrific depth of citrus blossom and iced pastry flavours and aromas.

Third course

Ocean trout with zucchini, n25 caviar and lobster cream

Wines

• Devaux Cuvée D Aged 5 Years Brut NV
• Jean-Noël Haton Extra Intense Grand Cru Brut NV

When I tasted this dish at the pre-dinner photo shoot it was stunningly good, but at dinner, my serving was over-salted. However, others didn’t have a problem with it.

The wines were both outstanding: the Devaux was a 60/40 pinot noir/chardonnay from pinot country, in the Aube region. As the name suggests it spent five years on lees, and 10% of it was fermented in oak, with 40% reserve wines giving the blend extra depth and complexity. A superb honey/nougat and pastry scented wine.

Haton is a small-ish, family owned business with 40 ha of vines. The wine is all grand cru from some of the most prized sites in the Montagne de Reims and Côte des Blancs, partly oak-fermented and given a minimum 6 years on lees. A really complex, nutty wine with lots of layers and serious concentration.

Fourth course

Australian and European cheeses

Wines

• Collet Brut Rosé NV
• Lallier Blanc de Noirs Brut NV
• Godin & Filles Blanc de Blancs Élevé en Fût 2018

Three contrasting styles to complete the evening: a rosé, a blanc de noirs (made entirely from pinot noir), and a blanc de blancs (entirely chardonnay, but barrel fermented, from a single-vintage and long-aged).

The cheeses—a creamy white-mould, a Comté and a cheddar—all went well with the wines, presenting many different combinations of flavours, all successful in my view.

The Collet Rosé, a blend of grand and premier crus with 20% reserve wines, was much admired in the room for its red-winey ‘pinosity’—a rich wine with vibrancy.

The Lallier, made by the highly experienced Dominique Demarville, is mostly from two famous pinot noir grand crus: Aÿ and Verzenay. 30% reserve wines and 10% made in oak, it’s a complex and sophisticated wine that can handle hearty dishes, such as white meats. Some blancs de noirs can be heavy but this wine is aerial!

The Godin wines are new to Australia, but also new as a brand, launched by three sisters in 2020. Five generations had sold their grapes to the local co-op but the Godin sisters took the next step. We were fortunate that the importer (Vino Cammino) secured half the tiny production of this wine for Australia. It’s 100% chardonnay from a chalky part of the Montagne de Reims (Mont de Berru), fermented and aged in oak for six months, given six years on lees and dosed at just 5 grams per litre. A superb wine and a real ‘spoil’ for the diners: rich buttery, roast hazelnut, toasty flavours of great detail. A fitting climax to a great evening.

The cool spring evening of Wednesday, 16th September brought together wine lovers, industry professionals, and curious enthusiasts to Cumulus Inc. in Melbourne’s Flinders Lane for an unforgettable evening of finely crafted wine and food which held some heartwarming surprises even for the organisers!

Co-hosted by the legendary Huon Hooke and myself (Stephen Wong), the dinner was deliberately positioned not as a rivalry but rather, a celebration of great Australian and New Zealand wine.

As guests settled into their seats, Huon rose to welcome everyone with his characteristic warmth and wisdom. He took a moment to share the story behind The Real Review. After the essential housekeeping, Huon drew attention to a special guest in the room. Lilian Carter, the talented winemaker behind E.J. McDougall Wines (whose work would feature later in the evening) was acknowledged with warm applause.

The evening began with a symphony in white: four distinct expressions, each telling its own story of place and vintage; Chateau Pato Semillon 2023 from the Hunter Valley; Catalina Sounds Sound of White Sauvignon Blanc 2023 from Marlborough; Naked Run Place in Time Sevenhill Riesling 2020 from the Clare Valley; and Framingham Limited Edition F-Series Old Vine Riesling 2021 also Marlborough.

Huon and I discussed each wine, reflecting on our contrasting perspectives; my love of technical details complementing Huon’s deft storytelling. Country loaf sourdough with cultured butter arrived alongside an artful parade of starters: tuna tartare with goats curd, green pea, and mint; Culatello de Parma balanced by guindilla peppers; and radicchio with creamy stracciatella, toasted hazelnuts, and blackcurrant leaf.

The second bracket belonged entirely to Chardonnay, that most expressive and divisive of varieties. Ocean Eight Vineyards Aylward Chardonnay 2022 from the Mornington Peninsula led the charge, followed by Corofin Folium Vineyard Chardonnay 2022 from the Southern Valleys of Marlborough, E.J. McDougall Wines Chardonnay 2024 from Margaret River, and finishing with Neudorf’s iconic wine, the Home Block Moutere Chardonnay 2023 from Nelson, New Zealand.

With winemaker Lilian Carter present in the room, we were treated to her personal insight on the E.J. McDougall 2024. Barramundi accompanied this flight, accompanied by grilled lettuce, fennel, and parsley sauce creating a delicate, herbaceous backdrop. Huon and I discussed winemaking philosophy (always relevant with chardonnay) and the specific trend towards vineyard recognition in both Australia and New Zealand for fine wine.

By the third bracket, the evening had developed an extra layer of energy. Felton Road Cornish Point Pinot Noir 2023 from Bannockburn, Central Otago kicked off the flight, followed by the classic elegance of Ata Rangi Pinot Noir 2021 from Martinborough. Then came the Paramoor Syrah 2023 from Heathcote and Smidge Wines ‘S’ Smitch Shiraz 2021 from the Barossa Valley, showcasing the diversity of Australian red winemaking.

Hearty portions of grass-fed sirloin arrived with mountain pepper sauce, roast potatoes enriched with confit garlic and capers, and mixed leaves dressed simply with sherry vinaigrette. I took this opportunity to lure Huon into revealing his favourite Shiraz regions out of Australia’s diverse range of over 40 distinct regional styles.

The final course offered a moment of pure indulgence: All Saints Estate Grand Muscadelle NV from Rutherglen, a gloriously sticky, amber-hued fortified wine that speaks of Australia’s deep winemaking heritage. It paired with a carefully curated cheese selection which promised to be the perfect full stop to an exceptional evening—but there was one more surprise in store.

Unbenownst to us Hakim Halim, co-owner of Ripe Cheese, which has become a beloved presence at the Queen Victoria Market, was present in the audience and is the vendor of the two delicious cheeses served. He treated guests to an impromptu deep-dive into artisan Australian cheese. His passion for cheese brought the evening to close with Puck-like frivolity and revelry; a fitting parallel to the evening’s celebration of wine, and a reminder that Australia’s artisan food culture extends far beyond the vineyard.

As guests lingered over the last drops and final morsels of cheese, we hope that we have helped create a lasting memory—one that would linger long after the last glass was emptied and the doors of Cumulus Inc. closed for the night. A memory of an evening when great wine, great food, great cheese, and great company came together in neighbourly communion.

Each year, we celebrate the new revision of The Real Review Wine Classification of Australia with a special dinner—this year’s took place on September 23.

An outstanding meal was served at Morena, a Latin American style restaurant in the heart of Sydney, in the GPO building, No 1 Martin Place. Chef Gianni Moretto, a Chilean native, added a Latin American touch to each of the dishes, all of which paired well with the wines served alongside. The country of origin (or at least influence) was revealed with each dish. All wines served had earned at least One Merit in The Real Review classification.

First course

• Snapper, Fremantle octopus ceviche, citrus tiger’s milk, sweet potato (Peru)
• Red Emperor crudo, cachaça–passion‑fruit dressing, Brazil nut salsa verde (Brazil)

Wines

• Peter Lehmann The Wigan Riesling 2018
• Oakridge 864 Single Block Release Drive Block Funder & Diamond Vineyard Chardonnay 2022
• Flametree S.R.S Wallcliffe Chardonnay 2023

The chardonnays (both 3-Merit wines) were both sufficiently refined and subtle to partner happily with these foods, but the riesling was the star. Put simply, it is difficult to better a fine Australian riesling with dressed seafoods, especially when it has a few years of age on it.

Second course

• Grilled lamb ribs, chimichurri (Uruguay)
• Ox tongue anticuchos, Peruvian dried chillies, carretillera sauce (Peru)

Wines

• Yarra Yering Pinot Noir 2023
• Ten Minutes By Tractor McCutcheon Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023

Anticuchos are cuts of meat from the eastern side of the Andes, traditionally beef heart, but ours was tongue. And very tasty, as were the grilled lamb ribs. Two outstanding pinot noirs had diners arguing happily over their preferences, the Tractor a little more fragrant thanks perhaps to a cooler site and more whole-bunch, the Yarra Yering a tad richer and more fleshy.

Third course

• Black Market denver steak MS 5 (Argentina)
• Grilled blue-eye trevally, tomato and piquillo pepper sauce, caperberries (Mexico)
• Cos lettuce salad, sour-milk dressing, golden beetroot, persimmon, pecans (Columbia)
• Shoestring fries, Peruvian chilli salt, aji amarillo cream (Peru)

Wines

• Head Wines The Brunette Shiraz 2022
• First Drop Wines Fat of the Land Single Vineyard Greenock Shiraz 2021
• d’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz 2019

Challenging perhaps to serve fish alongside beef but the trevally had big flavour and coped well with the lightest of the shiraz trio, the Head Brunette, made from Eden Valley grapes. This is an elegant wine that can partner many foods, whereas the other two are very big, powerful wines that demand hearty food, the First Drop superbly rich and plush, the Dead Arm more rustic and robust— a wine to sort out men from boys, to use a tongue-in-cheek last-century phrase.

Fourth course

• Cheeses – Parmigiana Reggiano; Le Marquis Chèvre de Rambouillet Bleu (Italy; France)

Wines

• Cullen Diana Madeline Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc Merlot Malbec Petit Verdot 2023
• Howard Park Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
• Cape Mentelle Heritage Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
• Huntington Estate Block 3 Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

This was a truly glorious quartet of cabernets (well, the DM is 94% cab sav this vintage), the Margaret River trio showing contrasting styles. The Cape Mentelle, from the south, showed elegance and herbal notes, the Abercrombie powerful yet polished and one of the best of this line in recent times, and like the Cullen showing the enormous depth of fruit of the outstanding ’23 vintage.

The outlier was Huntington from Mudgee. This showed the complexity that even a few years of extra cellar time can bring to a top cabernet. Sourced from the highest and hungriest block of estate vines, it had elegance and stacks of detail. Needless to say, the parmesan cheese worked best with the reds.

Dessert

• Bomba rice pudding, sweet‐lime curd, citrus crunch, yuzu sorbet (Peru)

Wine

• Pressing Matters R139 Riesling 2022

A beautiful, fragrant and delicate auslese-style riesling from Tasmania’s Coal River Valley, this was a fitting conclusion to the evening and a fine way to finish up the creamy blue cheese as well as the last crumbs of parmesan.

Where would you ever see so many of Australia’s top winemakers in one room? Answer: The Real Review Top Wineries Australia tastings in Sydney and Melbourne, which took place this year on August 2 and 9 respectively.

Tessa Brown (Vignerons Schmölzer & Brown), Melanie Chester (Giant Steps), Vanya Cullen (Cullen Wines), Sarah Crowe (Yarra Yering), Heather Fraser (Yalumba), Sue Hodder (Wynns Coonawarra Estate), Anna Pooley (Pooley Wines), Liz Silkman (Silkman Wines and First Creek), and that’s just the girls.

The other gender was represented by the likes of Paul Bridgeman (Levantine Hill), Larry Cherubino (Cherubino Wines), Stephen Cook (Eisenstone), Alexey Doumbouya (Yalumba), Matt Goldstein (Wine By Farr), Brendan Hawker (Yering Station), Owen Inglis (Sidewood), Tom McCarthy (Quealy Wines), Alex McKay (Collector Wines), Madden Morris (Morris Wines), Hugh Mugford (Moss Wood), Chester Osborn (D’Arenberg), Matt Pooley (Pooley Wines), Darren Rathbone (Yering Station), Jeremy Schmölzer (Vignerons Schmölzer & Brown), Greg Silkman (Silkman Wines), Adrian Sparks (Mount Pleasant) and Kym Teusner (Utopos Vineyards).

There were 35 wineries, each pouring four of their top wines. These included some rare gems: for example Giant Steps Applejack Chardonnay 2023 (The Real Review White Wine of the Year), Mount Pleasant Maurice O’Shea Shiraz, By Farr Côte Vineyard Pinot Noir and Côte Vineyard Chardonnay (The Real Review Winery of the Year 2025), Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No. 1, Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon, Eisenstone d’Or Shiraz X10, Cullen Kevin John Chardonnay and Diana Madeline Cabernet blend, John Duval Eligo Shiraz, Mount Langi Ghiran Langi Shiraz, Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier, Xanadu Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Morris Old Premium Rare Muscat and Topaque … and on and on goes the list of spectacular wines.

The tastings were conducted over two two-and-a-half-hour sessions in each location. In Sydney it was the Kimpton Margot Sydney, in Pitt Street, and in Melbourne the Glasshouse, on Olympic Boulevard. In all, approximately 800 members of the public attended. The spacious rooms gave a relaxed atmosphere and plenty of room to move, so that people could access pours of wine and conversation easily and in an unhurried atmosphere.

Snack foods were available for all at no extra cost. Yours truly conducted masterclasses for the trade and public in both locations.

Every year we receive gratifying feedback from exhibitors that they are impressed with the calibre of those attending.

We at The Real Review were thrilled with the response from the trade and the public and look forward to doing it all again next year.

Thanks for coming!

To celebrate our Top Wineries Australia 2025, dinners were held in Sydney at Rafi restaurant, North Sydney, on August 5 and in Melbourne at Tonka in the Melbourne CBD on August 11.

The Tonka dinner potentially posed a challenging wine/food matching scenario as it serves Indian cuisine, but the matches turned out to be inspired. The heat was turned down and the flavour turned up, and it worked a treat.

Winery of the year, Wine By Farr, was represented by Nick Farr whose RP Côte Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019 was served with the main course of confit duck leg in Mangalorean curry, alongside Pooley Jack Denis Pooley Pinot Noir 2020 and Kyneton Ridge Reserve Pinot Noir 2023. All worked well with this dish and many thought the By Farr the wine of the night.

Prior to that, we were served a trio of chardonnays from different regions and wineries with a prawn biryani with garam masala and raita.

Brown Brothers Patricia 2023 from Tasmania, Cherubino 2023 from Pemberton and Pike & Joyce The Kay Chardonnay 2023 from Adelaide Hills showed three varied expressions of chardonnay which all worked well with the prawn biryani, while Larry Cherubino himself was on hand to discuss all things chardonnay and Pemberton, one of the less-known regions of WA.

The evening opened with a suite of appetisers—scallop with nduja butter, bhutte ka kees tostada, and pani puri with semolina puff, spiced potato and chickpeas.

Here, Duke’s Vineyard K2 Riesling 2022 open the batting with a superbly fragrant and complex display, and its maker, Ben Cane, was on hand to quiz about the wine and the Porongurup region. Moss Wood Elsa Ribbon Vale Sauvignon Blanc 2024 from Margaret River and Nikola Estate Regional Chenin Blanc 2023 from the Swan Valley both showed more worked and complex sides of their grape varieties, and Nikola Estate’s viticulturist Matty Trent was in attendance to shed some light on the Swan Valley, where chenin is well established, and Nikola Estate, the reborn Houghton property.

Finally, the cheese course of Marcel Petite Comté arrived with a trio of cabernets: Cullen Diana Madeline 2023, Yeringberg ‘Cabernets’ 2022 (The Real Review Red Wine of the Year) and Wirra Wirra The Angelus 2021. David de Pury was on hand to discuss his wine and represent his family’s iconic property Yeringberg, which won The Real Review’s inaugural Vigneron of the Year this year—an award David shared with his sister Sandra.

To wind up the night on a sweet note, we tasted Chambers Rosewood Vineyards Grand Rutherglen Muscadelle, and sixth generation winemaker Stephen Chambers was with us to take us on a trip into the intricacies of great Rutherglen fortified wines and the family history.

The Sydney dinner at Rafi was quite a different affair, the modern Australian fare pitched against a different selection of wines.

Here, just one winemaker was present: Larry Cherubino again spoke about his wine and the little-known Pemberton region explaining why Pemberton is a region of the future for WA because of climate change bringing drier, warmer seasons which improve prospects for table wines.

We also had a conversation between yours truly and Katrina Strickland representing our Top Wineries print partner, Good Weekend magazine; in Melbourne Konrad Marshall, the new assistant editor, joined us for a chat. Also up for a conversation with myself between courses was Angus Barnes, our Len Evans Prize winner for 2025.

First course was hummus with sourdough, and tuna with tomato, tahini and chilli oil. Partnering it were three wines: Tasmanian bubbly Delamere Blanc de Blancs 2017, Château Pâto Hunter Valley Semillon 2023, and Hatch Watervale Riesling 2024. We have raved before about the quality of Fran Austin’s superb (and beautifully packaged) Delamere sparkling wines; Nick Patterson’s traditional delicate, dry, low-alcohol Château Pâto Hunter semillon deserves to be much better known; and Chris Hatcher’s ‘retirement’ project wines following his lengthy tenure with Wolf Blass are beautifully made regional styles.

Course two consisted of three chardonnays: Brown Brothers Patricia 2023, Cherubino Pemberton 2023 and Mercer 2023. Aaron Mercer is doing interesting things with Tumbarumba chardonnay, as well as a raft of ‘alternative’ grape varieties. The matching food course was Glacier 51 toothfish, served with crispy eggplant with spices and honey—hard to beat and a brilliant match with these wines.

The fourth course, of succulent black Angus rib-eye MB4+, crispy potatoes and salad, was paired with Yeringberg ‘Cabernets’ 2022, Wirra Wirra The Angelus Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 and to top off the evening, a glass of Chambers Rosewood Vineyards Grand Rutherglen Muscat—The Real Review’s Fortified Wine of the Year 2025.

A cheese plate completed the menu: Ford Farm Cave Aged Cheddar from Dorset, and Woombye truffled brie, from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

Guests taste their way through the wines on show. The Real Review

What better way to eradicate some of that mid-winter lethargy than diving into a fabulous array of 36 outstanding New Zealand and Australian wines?

On a somewhat bleak, grey and monochrome Sydney evening, 60 guests gathered at the rather genteel Centennial Hotel in Sydney’s leafy Woollahra to work their way through this fabulous line-up of wines.

It was an open-format tasting—the attendees could taste at their own pace and didn’t have to work their way through all 36 wines, they could pick and choose their targets. Then again, a majority of the battle-hardened guests were up for the challenge and through sheer grit, guts and determination, toiled their way through the full line-up.

There were a couple of brackets of whites to start proceedings, with the first one consisting of some alternative varieties and a smart little pinot noir chardonnay rosé. The Jasper Hill Lo Stesso Fiano 2024 was a firm favourite with the throng of tasters—lashings of citrus pith, white stone fruit and plenty of saline acidity to cut through the fruit weight.

Te Whare Re Single Vineyard 5182 Toru 2023 also impressed. This ‘field blend’ of gewürztraminer, riesling and pinot gris out of Marlborough delivered fabulously exotic aromatics and fragrantly opulent flavours, but with plenty of perky acidity cutting through the lick of sweetness and keeping all in check.

The next bracket was a powerhouse chardonnay line-up covering off Margaret River, Macedon, Tasmania, Orange, Gippsland and the Hunter Valley.

Bindi Quartz Chardonnay 2023 was ethereal, with aromas of nougat, grapefruit pith and nutty lees all at play. The palate had a seamlessness to it, with fabulous concentration, flow and length. This is top level chardonnay on a world standard. The Pooley Cooinda Vale Chardonnay 2023 from Tasmania was also performing in the zone, with a drive of lemon and grapefruit aromatics and a palate displaying tension, focus and length. A youthful and delicious chardonnay at the start of its journey.

Next up, a posse of pinot noirs as well as a pinot noir blend. Yarra Valley, Waipara, Central Otago and Marlborough were all represented.

The Marlborough offering, Giesen Single Vineyard Clayvin Pinot Noir 2021, delivered pinot noir of power, fragrance and poise, with purity and absolute balance. This fabled vineyard continues to produce amplified pinot noir, with fabulous texture and presence. In contrast, the Giant Steps Primavera Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023 out of the Yarra Valley was lighter on its feet and more delicate, with dried-herb aromas galore, a trace of meatiness and light and punchy acidity all at play.

Next to come were some reds with a bit more weight, where we encountered a brace of grenache, alongside a sagrantino, a couple of shiraz testing the biodynamic principles and a fabled Aussie shiraz-viognier.

Pouring some white winter warmers. The Real Review

Toby and Emanuelle Bekkers are among the top exponents of grenache in Australia and their Bekkers McLaren Vale Grenache 2023 is benchmark gear. It displayed lovely perfume, earth, spice and peppery blue fruits along with a palate that was opulent, dark fruited and with a ferrous, earthy edge. And as for that shiraz viognier, it could only be the fabled Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier 2023. Wonderfully fragrant, with heady aromas of pot-pourri, dried herbs, blueberry and dark cherry and a palate that flows effortlessly with great purity, poise and precision.

Shiraz was the next port of call, with Bourke and Travers Tuckey Syrah 2023 from the Clare Valley and Turner’s Crossing The Frederick 2021 providing some nice compare-and-contrast. The Bourke and Travers was deep, dark and brooding, delivering lashings of plum, mulberry, opulent oak and lovely fragrance. Iron-fist-in-velvet-glove stuff. The Turners Crossing was more around spice, blue fruits and lively acidity, all snappy, minty and crunchy and a lovely example of what a lick of cabernet can bring to shiraz in this very Aussie blend.

The final bracket of the evening showcased a very smart array of Australian cabernet and cabernet blends.

Coonawarra was represented by Brand & Sons Sanctuary Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, and what a stunner this is. Still youthful and all cassis, bramble and cedar, with real power and concentration, but impeccable structure, cut and drive: benchmark Coonawarra gear with years ahead of it.

Margaret River was also superbly represented by three wines, with the Howard Park Abercrombie Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 delivering the archetypal Margaret River cabernet experience. There’s plenty of brambly, dark fruited drive here, along with structured and grippy tannins and plenty of youthful acidity keeping all in check. A wine that’s built for the long haul.

And just to finish things off, there was a sole fortified to fortify the soul and take you off into the night. Morris Old Premium Rare Liqueur Muscat is an exercise in opulence, decadence and deliciousness. Rutherglen muscats are unique to Australia, the incredible concentration and viscosity balanced out by a touch of rancio character as well as acidity to keep all in check.

And with that, the indulgent evening had come to an end with a rather decisive bang, and all wandered off into the evening, satiated and with the knowledge that what had been before them that night was a truly enchanting array of some of Australia’s and New Zealand’s finest.

On Thursday 5th of June, Top Wineries of New Zealand descended upon Metita at Sky City in Auckland, home to superstar chef Michael Meredith’s refined Pasifika, Samoan-inspired cuisine.

The full house of guests, who were expertly looked after by Alex and her team, included representatives from several Top Wineries. The wines came out thick and fast, each glass special in their own right, making it a dizzying selection.

The first course consisted of several snacks: Natural Oyster with hibiscus vinegar, lemon oil; Corned Beef Steamed Bun, lardo, soy; Fried Pork Belly, spiced caramel, shiso leaf, lemon. Accompanying these were a trio of stunning sparkling wines: Esses Encore Methodé Traditionnelle Vintage 2016, No.1 Reine Cuvée Reserve NV and Sparkling Wine of the Year 2025 – Quartz Reef Methode Traditionnelle Blanc de Blancs 2017.

The development and complexity in these bottles were brought further into focus by the complexity of the food flavours. Mel Skinner (Esses), Virginie Le Brun (No.1 Family Estate) and Lianne Collins (Quartz Reef) took to the ‘stage’ and shared their personal stories surrounding the wines and the estates.

The second course, Kingfish, buffalo curd, mandarin, okra, lime, was matched to a trio of chardonnay: Felton Road Chardonnay 2023, Kumeu River Maté Vineyard Chardonnay 2020 and our White Wine of the Year 2025 – Prophet’s Rock Cuvée Aux Antipodes Blanc 2022. Here, we had three winemakers head to head; James Coleman (Felton Road), Michael Brajkovich MW (Kumeu River) and Paul Pujol (Prophet’s Rock) getting into the nitty-gritty of chardonnay winemaking and site.

Things changed gear with the spectacular course of Charred Fe’e (octopus), roasted onion, miti, radish, which guests enjoyed with a range of pinot-based wine, from Rosé of the Year 2025 – Te Whare Ra Single Vineyard 5182 Rosé 2023 to our Red Wine of the Year 2025 – Doctors Flat Pinot Noir 2021 and the beautiful single-vineyard Ata Rangi McCrone Pinot Noir 2020.

The audience was divided here with several preferring the weight and size of the McCrone over the lighter style of Doctors Flat, but it showed even more how personal pinot noir preferences can be in Aotearoa!

The big red course came next, a generous plate of Slow Braised Lamb Shanks, spiced coconut gravy, ulu, sesame
served with a heap of Roasted Carrots, drauni kari, cashews, and yoghurt. This was accompanied by Craggy Range Sophia 2021, Smith & Sheth CRU Omahu Syrah 2021 and the rare Passage Rock Generation Cabernet 2021.

We had young winemaker Johnny Evans present to talk about his family’s wine before he dashed off to catch the ferry back to Waiheke Island. There was significant bottle variation in the Smith & Sheth which led to much discussion about closures and oxidation.

We also took this opportunity to present the Winery of the Year Trophy (or helmet) to James Coleman on behalf of Felton Road. Things closed in a sweet and sticky way with our Sweet Wine of the Year 2025 – Astrolabe Wrekin Vineyard Late Harvest Chenin Blanc 2022 and the very sweet, botrytised Framingham Noble Riesling 2024, which guests enjoyed alongside Passion fruit, niu sorbet, and coconut yogurt.

We had several guests inform us that the food was the finest they have had of any Top Wineries of New Zealand Dinner. I must agree that we were spoilt for quality that night!

After a day off from events (as a team, we went to Waiheke to visit Destiny Bay on Friday), we returned to Auckland CBD for a long day on Saturday when three sessions were held of the Top Wineries of New Zealand Tasting. This year, we took over Brad’s Warehouse which was a very funky, cool space.

The tasting was held across the upper floor. It was extremely heartwarming and humbling to see the fantastic turnout from hospitality and sommeliers for the Trade Session which preceded the public sessions. Each session was sold out and the room hummed with fantastic energy as The Real Review readers tasted, enjoyed and exchanged thoughts with the winemakers and winery representatives present. We were also very fortunate to have Cameron Douglas MS present as he was helping out his friends at Domaine-Thomson. The roll call of great New Zealand wine names was as follows:

• Church Road: Chris Scott
• Grasshopper Rock: Phil Handford
• Esses: Mel Skinner
• Elephant Hill: Hugh Crichton
• Domaine-Thomson: Deborah Adams and Cameron Douglas MS
• Isabel Estate: Nick Lamain
• Dry River: Benjamin McNab
• Wild Irishman: Brian Shaw
• Rising Star of the Year 2025 – A Thousand Gods: Simon Sharpe and Lauren Keenan
• Craggy Range: Ben Tombs
• Pegasus Bay: Mike Donaldson
• Prophet’s Rock: Paul Pujol
• Clos Henri: Damien Yvon
• Destiny Bay: Ella Meckel-Kritos and Sean Spratt
• Mora: Catherine Douglas
• Pyramid Valley: Dan Shea and Huw Kinch
• Quartz Reef: Lianne Collins
• No.1 Family Estate: Antonia Romero and Annie Le Brun
• Felton Road: James Coleman
• Paritua: Oliver Kettle

One of the most notable things about the event was the diversity of attendees, on both the winery side and the wine lovers, particularly with a broader range of ages and a more youthful average than most wine events. The meeting of seasoned and fresh perspectives and the ensuing conversations were utterly invigorating and bode well for our wine community. Long may it continue. For now, we get to settle in and taste through another year’s worth of wine samples until Top Wineries rolls around again in 2026.

It was a packed house at Lady Chu in Sydney’s Potts Point on April 9 to launch a new-style event on The Real Review calendar, with Aaron Brasher and myself going head to head in a food and wine matching showdown. With the votes being tallied from every diner on the night, the pressure was on us both.

This was a night to unpack not only what the best wines were but how they worked alongside the bold and punchy Asian flavours served up from the Lady Chu kitchen. Both Aaron and I had to look at not only the weight and flavours but the structural and textural components of the food and wine to come up with what we thought was the winning combination.

Our first bracket saw a wasabi leaf filled with a sashimi of kingfish with an Asian-style dressing. There was a strong riesling lean from both of us, with Aaron selecting the Otherness Skuld Eden Valley Riesling 2020, and I threw two options at the diners, Pepper Tree Stone Mountain Single Vineyard 2024 riesling from Orange and the Nick O’Leary Flying Fox 2024 riesling from Canberra District.

It was a dish that carried all of the wines very well. The delicacy of the fish was lifted by bright acidity across all three wines, the aged riesling showing a deeper note that worked with some umami in the dressing while the fruit-forward 2024 wines exploded with vitality and lively citrus fruits. In the end the Nick O’Leary narrowly took the win.

Next up was a classic Vietnamese dish, Bánh Xeo, a crispy pancake with prawns and a dressing based on fish sauce. Again I had two runners in the race: Pirie Tasmania Traditional Method NV sparkling and Broad Arrow Pinot Gris 2023, both wines from the ‘apple isle’. Aaron kept it local with the Chateau Pato Oakey Creek O.V. Semillon 2023 from the Hunter Valley.

I approached this from two different directions, the Pirie offering a freshening cleanse from acidity and bubble but good weight from lees ageing versus the Broad Arrow which had a richness and texture to it, leaning into the deeper parts of the dish. Aaron was focused on the clean, crisp, herbal lift in the dish to work well with the Chateau Pato semillon. The Pirie was the winner on the night, making a great point for the way we should look to drink sparkling wines and their adaptability to being served with food, not only prior to the meal.

Our third course was salt and pepper quail, and it really was a stunning dish with flavour turned up to 110%. Aaron and I were at polar opposites with our approach to this wine, and that’s what makes these things so much fun—to see how two completely different wines can still work well with the same dish. Aaron went with the Prancing Horse Estate 2022 chardonnay from Mornington Peninsula while I went rogue, with a lightly chilled Hollydene Mudgee Muscat 2023 (a dry table red style—not fortified).

This is where things got very interesting. The Prancing Horse was clearly the superior wine in a stand-alone comparison, offering classic Mornington Peninsula power and a lean towards Burgundy in its savoury notes, but alongside food the Hollydene was the bolter. It picked out the anise and Sichuan pepper notes of the dish and elevated them to new heights, with the audience giving the win to the muscat.

The penultimate course was whole steamed flounder with ginger and Shaoshing wine. A dish that had everyone stopping to admire its presentation, and testing my rusty silver service skills at my table. A wine each for matching saw myself offer up the Vella Wines Harvest Widow Chardonnay 2020 against Aaron’s Singlefile Great Southern Rosé 2024.

Both wines were gorgeous, both alone and with the food. The richness of the 2020 Adelaide Hills chardonnay accented against the ginger notes was a delight while the lift and freshness of the rosé ensured the dish stayed light on its feet. I thought Aaron had me here, my vote was with the rosé by a whisker but the crowd saw it the other way, the chardonnay narrowly being the favourite.

To close out the evening, the final battle saw a delicious twice-cooked duck with plum sauce paired to three wines, Aaron choosing Ocean Eight Aylward Pinot Noir 2023 from Mornington Peninsula and Scotchmans Hill Shiraz 2022 from Geelong. I took to the duck with the Glandore White Label Red Vines 2023 from the Hunter Valley—a blend of shiraz, tempranillo and touriga nacional.

The Ocean Eight was a wonderful wine, and pinot noir and duck is always a fantastic combination, but the dish’s spice levels ran slightly over the fruit in this case. Glandore’s Red Vines blend had spice and lift in spades, working alongside the duck nicely but the tannin profile rode over the richness of the duck and dried the palate slightly. This left the wonderfully spice-laden and fragrant Scotchmans Hill shiraz to triumph. Its balance of white peppery spice, medium weighted fragrant blue fruits and supple yet persistent tannins melded beautifully with the duck and plum sauce, offering a rapturous mélange of flavours and textures that was greater than the sum of its parts.

All in all, it was a wonderful evening, gentle competition always keeps things exciting and it was a great exercise in looking at how food and wine matching can work with combinations that can surprise and delight. It was great to chat about the various wines and hear people’s thoughts on them, both alone and with the dish, and I look forward to doing it again soon. I’m confident Aaron is keen for a re-match!

It was a full house at Bibo wine bar in Double Bay on February 25 for this delve into all things fabulous about the second-most planted white variety in the world (Spanish grape airén is number one, thanks for asking…) This chardonnay masterclass was a demonstration in how good Australia and New Zealand chardonnay really is.

Chardonnay is the most planted white variety in Australia and second overall to shiraz. In the ‘Land of the long white cloud’, it plays a distant second fiddle to sauvignon blanc.

Chardonnay has undergone significant development in style in both countries over the last couple of decades and it can be safely said that the quality of chardonnay on display out of both countries has never been better.

The first bracket was a great kick-off and set the quality tone for the evening. Hamelin Bay Reserve Selection Chardonnay 2023 was first up. Sourced from Karridale in the southern part of Margaret River, it showed its cool, southerly origins: light, bright and refined, with dashing acidity and a nice little lick of phenolics.

Stargazer Chardonnay 2023 was next, sourced from vineyards in the Coal River Valley (60%) and the Derwent Valley (40%) in Tasmania’s south. This displayed layers of complexity and had fabulous mouth-feel, texture, and surprisingly, considering the pithy, punchy acidity, it had undergone 100% malolactic fermentation. A wine of great poise and precision.

Rounding out the bracket was Soumah Single Vineyard Hexham Chardonnay 2023. An archetypal Yarra Valley chardonnay, fine and focused, with a touch of struck match and leesy lift adding to the complexity levels.

The next bracket contained two Margaret River chardonnays and a fabulous example from the Moutere Valley in Nelson, across the ditch at the top of the South Island.

Swings & Roundabouts Backyard Stories Chardonnay 2023 was full of pithy grapefruit, green melon and mineral acidity, while the Passel Estate Chardonnay 2022 was a little creamier, rounder and had a lovely suppleness to it. The third wine of the bracket was Neudorf Rosie’s Block Moutere Chardonnay 2023, and it displayed quite nutty and creamy mouth-feel, but with a decent amount of zippy acidity and phenolics that delivered texture and grip.

A croquette of salt cod, all salty and savoury, worked a treat with this line-up.

Bracket three took us first up to Beechworth in north-eastern Victoria. Fighting Gully Road Chardonnay 2023 is sourced from a near 50-year-old vineyard. Winemaker/owner Mark Walpole released his first vintage from this high-altitude site in 2010. It’s a wine of power and precision, with a seamless flow of oak and impressive length.

We were back in New Zealand for the next wine, Villa Maria Single Vineyard Keltern Chardonnay 2022. The Keltern Vineyard was planted in 1999 in Hawke’s Bay and has been producing stand-out chardonnay for some time. A powerful style of wine, with oak playing a role, but still allowing for the plush fruit to be the star attraction.

Bracket three was rounded out by a little-known producer from the O’Connell Valley in the NSW Central Ranges, around 25km south-east of Bathurst—a vineyard owned and operated by the Renzaglia family. The Renzaglia Bella Luna Chardonnay 2023 showed plenty of nutty, nougat creaminess, pointing to its 90% malolactic fermentation.

A confit of duck leg with Portuguese rice and mushroom was a deliciously flavoursome and robust dish, but the three chardonnays handled the flavours admirably. This wine and food match proved that duck dishes aren’t just the domain of pinot noir.

The final bracket took us to the Mornington Peninsula, Margaret River and the Adelaide Hills, three regions which have been at the forefront of high-quality chardonnay in Australia.

Quealy Musk Creek Main Ridge Chardonnay 2023 is sourced from a one-acre block planted in the mid 1990s. It was a full flavoured and concentrated wine with plenty of mouth-feel and texture and showing its 100% malo credentials superbly. Howard Park Allingham Chardonnay 2023 was the penultimate wine, and it too displayed power and concentration, also with pithy, precise acidity and a lick of phenolic grip. It was sourced from the cooler Karridale sub-region of Margaret River, a 35 year-old vineyard which consistently produces benchmark Margaret River chardonnay.

The final wine of the night was Pike and Joyce The Kay Reserve Chardonnay 2023. Grown in the sub-region of Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills, this had lashings of just-ripe white stone-fruit all seamlessly wrapped up in some lovely, nutty oak. A small component of malolactic fermentation added texture and creaminess, supported by saline, pithy acidity.

A triple cream Brie was matched to these three wines, with the weight and pointed acidity of all three working well with the ripe and opulent cheese.

This was a showcase of a point in time for chardonnay in the Antipodes, and from the selection of wines on show, we conclude that chardonnay is in a very good place and will continue to evolve to greater heights.