The 12 best NSW wines
Try this mixed dozen of bonza local drops, selected by wine writer Chris Morrison
1 Centennial Vineyards Method Champenoise NV (Pinot Noir Chard), Southern Highlands
Comprised of 60 per cent pinot noir and 40 per cent chardonnay, this is a bubbly of extraordinary complexity and depth, with much more to it than traditional values and homage to the techniques made famous in Champagne. Toasty, smoky and impeccably balanced, it's the perfect aperitif. (02 4861 8700)
2 Logan Sauvignon Blanc, Orange
Making sauvignon blanc these days is far from an original idea, but who gives a stuff when the product is this good? At 900m above sea level grape pickers get nosebleeds, but the cool climate vines at Logan yield super-quality fruit making a fresh, pungent and very drinkable version of this crowd favourite. (02 6373 1333)
3 McWilliams Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon, Hunter Valley
Lovedale is a single vineyard semillon released at four to five years of age packed with layers of rich citrus and toast with a searing line of acidity that keeps it fresh and ensures it will mature for at least another decade. It's simply one of the world's greatest dry white wines. (02 4998 7505)
4 Hungerford Hill Tumbarumba Chardonnay, Hunter Valley
At the foothills of the Snowy Mountains lies Tumbarumba, a region new on many people's wine radars. But mark my words: within the next decade it will be not only NSW's but Australia's top region for quality cool-climate chardonnay. Hungerford Hill finds its groove with a lean, fresh style short on clumsy oak and packed with flavour. (1800 187 666)
5 Audrey Wilkinson Museum Reserve Semillon, Hunter Valley
Tyrrell's winemaker Andrew Spinaze, who racks up his 30th Hunter vintage this year, helped the team at Audrey put together this stunning semillon. Soft, and creamier than the normal youthful fare, the Museum Reserve works across your palate slowly, leaving no crevice untouched by its intense lemon, honey and sherbet flavours and looooong finish. (02 4998 7411)
6 Phillip Shaw No 8 Pinot Noir, Orange
The number eight is a Chinese lucky number but Phil Shaw has left little to chance with the No 8 Pinot Noir. Crunchy berry flavours and spices like clove weave through a textured and supple palate. Good stuff now, but this grape has a real future in Orange and these wines will only get better with cellaring. (02 6365 2334)
7 Chalkers Crossing Cabernet Sauvignon, Hilltops
Cabernet sauvignon loves the cool refinement of the Southern Highlands and hilltops in southern New South Wales. Intense cassis and blackcurrant flavours are laced with herby eucalyptus aromas that accent and intensify. Pure class. (02 6382 6900)
8 Thomas 'Kiss' Shiraz, Hunter Valley
You can smell the wine's roots from the first sniff. There is a flick of dirt and earth on the nose before the wine shifts gears and you almost feel rather than taste the delicious elixir within. Structured and built for cellaring, the Kiss still packs gobs of dark fruit and spice into a wine that is supple and rich with tannins that roll rather than grate across the palate. Beautiful. (02 6574 7371)
9 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier, Canberra District
In 1991, winemaker Tim Kirk travelled to the Rhone Valley in France and learned the art of blending Australia's powerhouse, shiraz, with the exotic and perfume white variety viognier. The Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier became the herald of a new wine style that swept across Australia in the late 90s. This is still the best version in Australia and one of the finest NSW red wines. Expensive, yes, but worth it? Absolutely! (02 6227 5877)
10 Grove Estate Nebbiolo, Hilltops
Home is the misty hills of Piedmont in northwestern Italy, yet Nebbiolo is being adopted by small group of craft winemakers convinced of its ability to make unique and contemporary red wine. Medium-bodied, with assertive plummy, tar and floral notes, the savoury-edged palate cries out for food. A dark horse for the team at Grove Estate regions, but very much one to watch. (02 6382 6999)
11 DeBortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Riverina
There is arguably no better way to finish a meal than to enjoy a wine that has become infected with the mould botrytis cinera (or 'noble rot'). It's been used to make this rich, viscous semillon that oozes orange and marmalade flavours with notes of mandarin. (02 6966 0100)
12 Blickling Estate Riesling, New England
Rolf Blickling's 10-hectare vineyard is a living testimony to the power of finding the best piece of dirt and planting vines best suited to the natural environment. The riesling is full of punchy citrus fruit and lip-smacking acidity, making it a delicious early-drinking style of this famous grape variety. (02 6769 6786)
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