Wynns unveils 2024 Luxury Collection
Wynns Coonawarra Estate has launched its Wynnsday collection, a collection that best exemplifies the Terra Rossa Coonawarra soils and vintages in which each wine was made.
The 2024 release includes three different expressions of Shiraz, two expressions of Cabernet Sauvignon, and one Cabernet/Shiraz blend. The two most premium releases, the Wynns Michael Shiraz and the Wynns Messenger Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, were both made from grapes harvested during the 2021 vintage, with the remaining four heralding from the following year.
According to Wynns’ Senior Winemaker Sue Hodder, “the 2022 vintage was a high-quality year without any obvious climate change impacts. This presented a fabulous opportunity for Sarah, Chris and I to truly bring our creative winemaking style and flair to the fore.”
More information can be found in this Drinks Trade article.
Champagne Lallier Réflexion R.020
This week at an exclusive launch event, Champagne Lallier released the R.020 to the Australian market. The R.020 marks the tenth instalment of Lallier’s Réflexion range and the first blended by Lallier’s new Cellar Master and General Manager Dominique Demarville.
“In R.020 brut multi-vintage cuvée, we aim to show a representation of the year 2020, which was a fruitful one in Champagne, and of course the perfect balance between the four atmospheres of Lallier’s style: freshness, purity, intensity and depth,” said Demarville.
A multi-vintage blend, the R.020 is composed of 81% grapes harvested from the 2020 vintage, 10% of grapes harvested in 2019, and 9% grapes harvested in 2018. This year’s release features 51% Chardonnay and 49% Pinot Noir, marking the first time that Chardonnay has led out Pinot Noir as the dominant variety in a Réflexion Champagne since the range was launched in 2014.
More information on the $95 Champagne can be read here.
Superdrop Lamplighter Tasmanian Single Malt
Superdrop, the Australian spirits company that produces Idle Hour Vodka, Delgados Tequila, and Tequila Soldada, has recently added a whisky to its portfolio: the Lamplighter Single Malt Tasmanian whisky.
Retailing at $120 per bottle and with national distribution via Vintage Cellars, Superdrop’s Lamplighter is hoping to make the Tasmanian Single Malt subcategory more accessible.
Superdrop’s Co-Founder and Director Ewen Pettit said “We feel that Tasmania has got a lot to give, especially in Australian whisky, and we wanted to create a little bit more accessibility to the category by working with a number of different distilleries in Tasmania to shine a little light on what’s possible from Tasmanian whisky.
“For every expression, we go and we speak to multiple distilleries about what the vision is for the liquid, and what we have is a fairly open dialogue with the distilleries down there. Obviously, they’re very keen on what we do – which is we want to shine a light on Tasmanian whisky – and oftentimes, they may not want to necessarily put their name to this brand at this price point, because it’s an incredibly accessible price point for a Tasmanian Single Malt,” he said.
Whilst currently only available in Vintage Cellars stores, Lamplighter is expected to be released into the rest of Coles Liquor’s retail stores over the next couple of months.
Cape Mentelle launches Marri Collection
Cape Mentelle, one of Margaret River’s founding wineries, has launched a new wine range inspired by the iconic Marri tree native to the region. The new range includes four unique expressions from the 2023 vintage: a Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.
Senior Winemaker Coralie Lewis describes the range as “the perfect starting point for those unfamiliar with the Margaret River region and its array of delicious wine styles. The wines are easy-drinking yet quintessential of Cape Mentelle and Margaret River: a crisp and citrus-forward Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, a bright and varietal Chardonnay, a Shiraz bursting with plum and sweet spice, and a Cabernet filled with blue fruits and supple tannins.”
Cape Mentelle Marri collection wines are available now from Dan Murphy’s at an RRP of $21.99 and from BWS at $25.
For more information, click here.
Buffalo Trace releases 2024 Antique Collection in Australia
Buffalo Trace Distillery has launched its coveted 2024 Antique Collection to Australia shortly ahead of National Bourbon Day on 14 June.
For 2024, the Antique Collection portfolio includes all five of the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection staples: George T. Stagg Bourbon, Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye Whiskey, Sazerac 18-Year-Old Rye Whiskey, William Larue Weller Bourbon. It will also include a new addition, the Eagle Rare 17-Year-Old Bourbon, which is the oldest aged bourbon in the Antique Collection’s history.
The collection can be sampled now at select venues nationwide, including Melbourne’s Beneath Driver Lane Bar, Brisbane’s Alice Bar, Adelaide’s Memphis Slims, Sydney’s Baxter Inn, and Perth’s The Norfolk.
More information can be found in this Drinks Trade article.
Vodka Cruiser launches ‘Flavours’ liqueur range
Vodka Cruiser has added a range of three vodka-based liqueurs to its portfolio: Punchy Passionfruit, Bangin’ Boysenberrry, and Wicked Watermelon. These liqueurs will form part of the brand’s new Vodka Cruiser Flavours range.
Each product in the range has been inspired by a known Vodka Cruiser RTD flavour and uses the same premium triple distilled vodka base. The Vodka Cruiser Flavours liqueurs have an abv of 20% and are available now at $35 per 700ml bottle.
Petaluma ANOVA Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
Petaluma has recently added a new premium wine to its lineup, the Petaluma ANOVA Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon.
The debut expression comes from the 2021 harvest and retails at $150 per bottle. Despite being new to shelves, Petaluma’s ANOVA has already attracted widespread critical acclaim including a 98 point score from Huone Hooke and 97 points from Ray Jordan.
Champagne Bollinger releases 2015 La Grande Année and La Grande Année Rosé
Champagne Bollinger has released the 2015 vintage of both La Grande Année and La Grande Année Rosé.
La Grande Année 2015 is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay heralding from 11 Crus, around ⅘ of which being Grand Crus. Sourced from the same 11 Crus, The La Grande Année Rosé 2015 is 62% Pinot Noir, including 5% red wine from La Côte aux Enfants.
Bollinger La Grande Année 2015 and Bollinger La Grande Année Rosé 2015 are available now in select retailers nationwide at $310 and $420 per bottle respectively.
Share the content
