“After a wet and cold winter, it’s time to feel the warmth of the sun and enjoy warm weather drinking. The lineup for this On The Vine tasting was impressive from the start, with an excellent range of wines, offering
great quality and great value.

In making the selection, the aim was to find wines that would suit the warmer months as light to medium bodied pick-me-ups. So, varieties and combinations such as riesling or semillon and sauvignon blanc certainly come into their own, while in the reds it makes sense to be looking at pinot noirs.

In the whites, the Leeuwin Estate Riesling showed that in a good season like 2025, Margaret River Riesling comes into its own. The blended white was a pleasant surprise with a Pemberton-based producer, better known for its pinots and chardonnays, producing an absolute gem.

It’s no surprise that one of the pinots would be from New Zealand, but the other was from Mount Barker, which shows the versatility of the region. And finally, we have a fairly traditional Adelaide Hills sparkling, and a sparkling shiraz to round out the pack.”

– Ray Jordan

On the vine volume 13 tasting notes

LEEUWIN ESTATE ART SERIES RIESLING 2025 | 93/100

Leeuwin have stuck with riesling in Margaret River and in years like 2025 it pays off. This excellent wine has lovely powdery acidity, a touch of spice and a little lemon peel lift. Very tidy. Long and crisp with real intensity. This would have to be one of the best Leeuwin has released.

ANGOVE FAMILY CREST PINOT GRIS 2024 | 90/100

This pinot gris avoids both the big, rich style and the lean, tight style, instead sitting beautifully in between. Light bodied yet textured and flavoursome, with excellent fruit intensity. A terrific summer
drinking wine.

HA HA MARLBOROUGH PINOT NOIR 2024 | 91/100

Sourced from New Zealand’s South Island, this pinot noir is light to medium-bodied, but shows tremendous intensity. Dark fruits dominate, with blackberry and black cherry nuances. Typical chalky acidity gives drive to a long, seamlessly integrated palate.

SNAKE + HERRING WIDE OPEN ROAD PINOT NOIR 2024 | 90/100

Throughout what was a very warm year, the fruit sourced from vineyards in the Great Southern—in this case, Mount Barker—has turned out pretty well for pinot noir. The colour is slightly translucent with a purply-red and crimson hue. The aroma displays a savoury, chalky, sour cherry character, with bright
raspberry fruit. It’s tightly knit with fine tannins and a subtle use of oak, which reflects the use of larger format in both fermentation and maturation. Probably best in the shorter term.

NEPENTHE ADELAIDE HILLS PRESTIGE CUVÉE | 91/100

Opens with delightful apple, pear and citrus notes, with a touch of brioche richness. Ultimately fine, fresh and bright, this sparkling is excellent value for money and perfect for warm weather drinking.

BLEASDALE SPARKLING SHIRAZ | 92/100

One of Australia’s most popular sparkling shiraz. Typically generous, full-bodied and packed with rich dark fruits, chocolate notes and a velvety smooth palate. Fine tannins and excellent length complete the picture. Sparkling Shiraz is an Australian classic and would be great buying when you are getting ready for Christmas in the next month or so.

Liquor Barons, delivering fine wines for over 25 Years. Head to our allocated On The Vine stores (below) to grab your $99 Premium Wine Six Pack.