Arguably still Australia’s best value white, this excellent wine was purchased this evening for $10.40.

Weighing in at eleven per cent alcohol by volume and with a bright straw/green appearance, the bouquet offers up a complex mix of limey citrus, freshly cut grass, sunlight soap, star anise, oily lanolin wool, hessian and some nutty, toasty notes. Substantially fresher and citrussy in the mouth with extremely good delineation, plenty of grassy, melony fruit, particularly fine acid cut and a long satisfying departure. Continuing a long and distinguished lineage, this Elizabeth provides a wealth of nuance on the nose and a palate that should continue to develop and improve for another 5-8 years. Although a thoroughly satisfying wine to drink today, I’d predict a slightly higher score to come over the next several years. Noice one, McWilliams! 88 points.  

Tasted immediately after the Vat 1 of the same vintage (see note below) this wine shares a very similar youthful colour. Similarities between the two are obvious with the HVD a little more reticent on the nose displaying broader aromatics, a little more honeyed, toasty character but with an underlying soapy, grassy, lemony, lanolin backbone. In the mouth, there’s more weight than the Vat 1, greater breadth, distinctly more diluted lime cordial character and some bright, but much softer, persistent citrussy acidity that provides excellent couterbalance. Finishing much softer but still with impressive carry, this wine lacks the boisterous vitality of the Vat 1 and will not last as long. Still worthy of a solid 91 points with a good chance of going a little higher with another 5 years hidden in a cool, dark place. 10.5 % A/V and sealed with a cork closure. 

Incredibly youthful bright pale straw in colour, this outstanding example of pristine Hunter Valley Semillon displays a profound minerally-driven nose housing notes of lanolin, hay, honeysuckle and grassy/citrus fruit with only the merest hint of toasty bottle development. The palate’s equally impressive - tight, racy and nervy with rapier-like acidity providing the footstone for a marvellous future in the cellar. Attractive today as a crisp, mouth-quenching, citrussy, grassy Semillon that would go especially well with oysters in the nude, I have no doubt much greater things are in store for anyone prepared to hold on to this youngster for another 10 years careful nurturing. One of the all-time great young Vat 1’s worthy of 93 points today with much higher scores forecast once this beauty sheds the infantile clamps holding it back today. 10.5% A/V and sealed with a cork closure.

The considerable winemaking talents of Andrew Spinaze fashioned this outstanding example of racy Chardonnay - brilliant bright straw green colour, fascinating nose of gunflint, struck match, apple cider, slightly oily, lightly charred French oak, complimentary green fruits of guava and honey-dew melon, grilled cashew and a flinty minerality suspiciously reminiscent of a very fine Mersault and the steeliness of a Grand Cru Chablis. The palate paints an almost identical canvas - tightly coiled, well focussed and mealy with attractive green melon and guava underpinned with attractive oily/lightly toasted/nutty oak and very fine integrated indelible acidity. Finishes long and crisp with mouth-quenching, crunchy apple- and citrus-laden acidity. Good cellaring prospect. Drink 2007-2012+. 13.1% A/V. Sealed with a cork closure. 92 points