Hope in every sip
Australian Single Malt Signature Whisky, Morris; Rutherglen, 40% ABV, 700ml, $95.
I love a good fortified wine. Growing up near Rutherglen, I was spoilt for choice. The world-famous region has left me with expensive taste when it comes to a quality tawny or muscat. So what do Rutherglen fortifieds have to do with whisky? Morris of Rutherglen - making world-renowned fortifieds for more than 150 years - has made a single-malt whisky. It's a gorgeous golden colour, and is slightly sweet on the nose, displaying remnants of raisins and caramel so famiilar in its muscat. It makes sense, Morris has finished their whisky in their fortified barrels. It works splendidly, especially during a cold, dark winter like this one. There's hope in each sip. This is a refined, delicate whisky Australia should be proud of. Available online and Dan Murphy's.
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Kyle Mackey-Laws
Beating expectations
Beeramisu, Pastry Stout, Jetty Road Brewery, Dromana, Victoria, 6.5%, $8.
The processing capacity of the human mind has been estimated at 120-bits-per-second (bps). Run the numbers; 120-bps per person multiplied by the population of NSW and Victoria (14.8 million). That's a lot of information processing. How many people in government? Far less. So, how does one hone in on truth? How do you know what's good for you or for other people? You don't. You can't. Case in point: 'Beeramisu' by Jetty Road. I thought it would be awful, but it's actually very nice. Nowhere near as sickly sweet as I first guessed, but I'm no expert. A creamy texture of warming roasted notes, with bitter coffee, sweet vanilla, and bittersweet cacao too. Balanced? Yes. Tasty? Yes. Sessionable? Not really. Run the numbers. Taste it for yourself. Don't trust. Verify.
Daniel Honan
Aussie reds' Gallic bent
Eden Road 2018 Tumbarumba Pinot Noir, $30.
French connections are the focus in today's classy reds and here the connection is Paris-born Celine Rousseau, who trained in Bordeaux and worked in Bordeaux, Champagne and Languedoc before moving to Western Australia in 1997. In 1999 she became Chalkers Crossing foundation winemaker-manager at Young and moved to Eden Road as winemaker-manager in 2017. She made this wine from Tumbarumba fruit at Eden Road's Canberra Region winery at Murrumbateman. With 13.5% alcohol, ruby hues and rose petal aromas, zippy raspberry flavour shows on the front palate. Blueberry, pomegranate, briar and mocha oak meld on the middle and the finish has minty tannins. Get it at edenroadwines.com.au and Dan Murphy's. Try with tuna steaks and cellar for six years.
John Lewis
Grenache gifts migrate
Blue Pyrenees 2020 Organic Exclusive Release Grenache, $28.
M.Chapoutier is the French Rhone Valley producer celebrated as a master of the grenache variety and has vineyards in Australia in Victoria's western Pyrenees Region. Blue Pyrenees, since 2019 part of the Richmond-Smith family's Glenlofty Wines group, has used grenache from two of these organic vineyards in this multi-layered red. Crafted by Andrew Koerner, formerly a Rosemount Denman winemaker-manager, it has 14% alcohol and shines bright crimson in the glass. The nose has scents of violets and spicy cherry front-palate flavour, middle palate cranberry, bramble jelly, peppermint and savoury oak and a dusty tannin finish. At bluepyrenees.com.au, bottle shops and sans-lockdown at the Avoca winery. Team it with paella and cellar seven years.