Annies Lane Riesling 2002 , €C , 89
Lovely lean citrus style. (Irl: u/n) (UK Beringer Blass +44 (0)20 8843 8411)

Annies Lane Semillon 2002, €C ,  87
Attractive pungent lemon and lime fruit. (Irl: u/n) (UK Beringer Blass +44 (0)20 8843 8411)

Annies Lane Shiraz 2000, €D,   87
Good plum and cherry fruit. (Irl: u/n) (UK Beringer Blass +44 (0)20 8843 8411)

Antipodean Petit Verdot 2001, €?
Antipodean seems to be Yalumba’s off beat label with nouveau (to Australia anyway) grape varieties. This is dark and intense with prune and liquorice fruit and fair length. (Irl: CD) (UK: Negociants UK +44 (0)1582 462859).

Antipodean Pinot Gris 2001, €u/n, 87
Quite interesting with good varietal character with its nut, melon and orange fruit. (Irl: CD) (UK: Negociants UK +44 (0)1582 462859).

Antipodean Sangiovese Rose 2002, €u/n,  84
Soft simple raspberry style. (Irl: CD) (UK: Negociants UK +44 (0)1582 462859).

Brown Brothers Barbera 2001,  €C ,  87
Light nose but tightly knit, well-structured palate with prune and liquorice fruit. (Irl: WB) (UK: Brown Bros. Europe +44 (0)1628 776446)

Brown Brothers Family Reserve Chardonnay 1997, €D, 89
The family reserve range get aged before release, which is rare enough in this day and age and it has benefited, as a layer of nutty toasty elements have developed alongside the melon and tropical fruit associated with this variety in Australia. (Irl: WB) (UK: Brown Bros. Europe +44 (0)1628 776446)

Brown Brothers Family Reserve Noble Riesling 1999, €E, 94
Sweet wines seem to be a Brown Bothers speciality and this is fabulous with its intense apricot, toffee and honey palate with a finish that lasts minutes. (Irl: WB) (UK: Brown Bros. Europe +44 (0)1628 776446)

Brown Brothers Family Reserve Riesling 1998, €F, 92
Riesling is clearly something Brown Brothers do very well indeed. Age has brought this to a beautiful peak and given it an ethereal character that just has you sniffing and sniffing the petrol, honey and lemon notes. Good length and years of life yet. (Irl: WB) (UK: Brown Bros. Europe +44 (0)1628 776446)

Brown Brothers Graciano 1999, €D, 88
We don’t see much (any?) varietal graciano, which is usually found in Rioja. Perhaps we should if it’s as nice as this with its plum, prune, and cedar flavours and good length. (Irl: WB) (UK: Brown Bros. Europe +44 (0)1628 776446)

Brown Brothers Liqueur Muscat NV, €F, 91
Has an average age of about 8 years they say and its intense and complex with flavours like a liquid bar of fruit and nut chocolate and much more besides. Why don’t Woodford Bourne import it? (Irl: WB) (UK: Brown Bros. Europe +44 (0)1628 776446)

Brown Brothers Nebbiolo 1998, €D, 87
Like an old fashioned Barolo with very light colour showing browning plus brutal tannins and meaty fruit. (Irl: WB) (UK: Brown Bros. Europe +44 (0)1628 776446)

Brown Brothers Orange Muscat & Flora 2001, €C, 87
Justifiably popular in restaurants with its intense marmalade aromas, sweet fruit and cleansing acidity. (Irl: WB) (UK: Brown Bros. Europe +44 (0)1628 776446)

Brown Brothers Shiraz Mondeuse & Cabernet 1996 , €F, 89
Held back to allow bottle development, so there was sediment in my sample but that shouldn’t stop you enjoying this rich wine with its chocolaty fruit and slightly leathery edge brought on by age. Very good length too. (Irl: WB) (UK: Brown Bros. Europe +44 (0)1628 776446)

Brown BrothersTarrango 2002, €C, 85
Australia’s answer to Beaujolais with it raspberry and pepper fruit. Serve it cold. (Irl: WB) (UK: Brown Bros. Europe +44 (0)1628 776446)

Chandon Australia NV, €G, 87
Tony Jordan is far too polite to admit that this is better than the fizz made by parent company Moët in France, but it consistently is, with it’s lightly biscuity elegant style. (Irl: FV) ) (UK: Moet Hennessey +44 (0) 207235 9411)

Clonakilla Canberra District Shiraz 2001, €G, 93
Australia’s answer to Côte Rôtie with its perfume and persistence. Flavours are dark raspberry and white pepper. It’s not a blockbuster, but it’s beautiful and in the vanguard of new wave ‘elegant ‘ Australian shiraz. (Irl & UK: Liberty – info@libertywine.co.uk)

Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz 2001, €F, 91
Ethereal perfumed elegant nose with bacon and white pepper plus a touch of menthol cherry fruit. (Irl & UK: Liberty – info@libertywine.co.uk)

Coriole Lloyd Reserve Shiraz 1999, €G, 93
A stunning nose of cherry, perfume and pepper that grabs you and makes you want to sniff again and again and the palate delivers too by succeeding with the great balancing act of mouth filling intensity, good length and not overwhelming or becoming jammy. (Irl: WD) (UK: Seckford +44 (0)1394 446633)

Coriole Mary Kathleen 1999, €G, 91
A good Irish name would help it in the Irish market, but so does the terrifically classy ripe Bordeaux like fruit with its ripe cherry and blackcurrant and balancing acidity that keeps it fresh. (Irl: WD) (UK: Seckford +44 (0)1394 446633)

Coriole Sangiovese 200I, €D, 87
This shares its Italian relative’s tendency toward cherry and spice flavours with a bit of bite, only a little cleaner purer fruit as the Australian always manage. (Irl: WD) (UK: Seckford +44 (0)1394 446633)

Craiglee Chardonnay 2001, €F, 88
Mid weight and length in an elegant style. (Irl DW). (UK: Morris & Verdin +44 (0)20 7921 5300)

Craiglee Shiraz 2000, €G, 88 
Highly rated by many, this is made in an elegant style that at times veers toward the slightly light for me. Other Aussies do elegant too and get more persistence. (Irl DW). (UK: Morris & Verdin +44 (0)20 7921 5300)

Cullen Wines Mangan 2001, €F, 89
A blend of malbec, petit verdot and merlot, which is interesting and so is the wine with its pitch black colour and spicy liquorice fruit overlaying some plumy fruit. There’s 14% a.b.v. and it takes no prisoners, so may be too much for the faint hearted. (Irl & UK: Liberty – info@libertywine.co.uk)

Cullen Wines Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2001, €D, 88
Herbaceous, clean gooseberry and lemon fruit. (Irl & UK: Liberty – info@libertywine.co.uk).  

d’Arenberg D’Arry's Original Shiraz / Grenache 2000, €D , 88 - 89 
It’s hard to believe that this silky supple wine has 14.5 abv. It’s the perfect answer to those who say such things are unbalanced. It has a beguiling mixture of strawberry, raspberry and chocolate (this is Mclaren vale after all) and excellent length. (Irl: TS) (UK: Bibendum +44 (0)20 7448 4110).  
 
d’Arenberg Galvo Garage Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/ Caberent Franc 2001, €E , 91
Their take on what the Californans would call a meritage blend but Osborne is more imaginative. Intense dark blackcurrant fruit with notes of mint, and chocolate and nut and liquorice with good structure and length. (Irl: TS) (UK: Bibendum +44 (0)20 7448 4110).  
  
d’Arenberg The Broken Fishplate Sauvignon Blanc 2002, €D , 86
Pungent , herbaceous gooseberry plus melon, in the manner of a half decent Chilean.  (Irl: TS) (UK: Bibendum +44 (0)20 7448 4110).  
 
d’Arenberg The Coppermine Road Cabenet Sauvignon 2000, €G , 91
A very smart wine with ripe blackcurrant varietal character, as you’d expect – cabernet always delivers that, but also a structure and length that adds up to a very classy wine. (Irl: TS) (UK: Bibendum +44 (0)20 7448 4110).  
 
d’Arenberg The Custodean Grenache 1999, €D, 88
Textbook grenache with its rich mellow strawberry flavours and soft texture. (Irl: TS) (UK: Bibendum +44 (0)20 7448 4110).  
 
d’Arenberg The Dead Arm Shiraz 2000, €G, 94
Another winner that confirms the stature of this wine. A truly enticing nose of white pepper with chocolate, nut and liquorice supported by a big but not massively structured, elegant even in this context, palate that echoes the flavours of the nose. (Irl: TS) (UK: Bibendum +44 (0)20 7448 4110).  
 
d’Arenberg The Dry Dam Riesling 2001, €C,  89.
As ever it’s an elegant style with mineral notes complementing the lime zesty character. (Irl: TS) (UK: Bibendum +44 (0)20 7448 4110).  
 
d’Arenberg The Hermit Crab Marsanne Viognier 2002, €C , 90
Once again chester osborne shows his mastery of Rhone varietals. Like the 2001 this is muted on the nose but has a hugely characterful palate showing nuts, apricot and williams pears and a rich soft almost oily texture. (Irl: TS) (UK: Bibendum +44 (0)20 7448 4110).  
 
d’Arenberg The High Trellis Cabernet Sauvignon 2000, Mclaren Vale/Cooonawarra, €D, 88
Rich, ripe blackcurrant with a touch of mint and toffee with an easy, smooth texture. (Irl: TS) (UK: Bibendum +44 (0)20 7448 4110).
 
d’Arenberg The Last Ditch Viognier 2002, €C , 91
Another very succesful vignier from d’Arenberg, although a touch less brilliant than the 2001. Excellent varietal character of apricot and pear is supported by a nutty oak adding weight to a well structured wine. (Irl: TS) (UK: Bibendum +44 (0)20 7448 4110).  
 
d’Arenberg The Laughing Magpie Shiraz Viognier 2001, €D , 92
Another outstanding vintage of this Côte Rôtie style blend of Shiraz blended with a little viognier. There’s a violet perfume and elegant cherry fruit and great length, but never threatens to overwhelm. (Irl: TS) (UK: Bibendum +44 (0)20 7448 4110).  
 
d’Arenberg The Money Spider Roussanne 2002., €C, 88
Tighter than the 2001 , but shares the same characteristics of nuts and lemon in the flavour spectrum and good length. Structure suggests it will age well. (Irl: TS) (UK: Bibendum +44 (0)20 7448 4110).  
 
d’Arenberg The Noble Riesling 1999 375ml, €G, 93
Just about as good as you hope it would be. Germans should be worried that Australia can make such intense, dessert styles with honey, apricot, fig and acleansing finish. (Irl: TS) (UK: Bibendum +44 (0)20 7448 4110).  
 
d’Arenberg The Stump Jump Grenache/Shiraz 2001, €C, 87
Dark wine with attractively vibrant berry fruit and a dusting of oak. (Irl: TS) (UK: Bibendum +44 (0)20 7448 4110). 
 
d’Arenberg The Stump Jump Riesling / Marsanne / Sauvignon 2002 , €C, 86
Fragrant citrus on nose and palate, fair length.  (Irl: TS) (UK: Bibendum +44 (0)20 7448 4110). 
 
d’Arenberg The Twenty-Eight Road Mourvedre 2000, €E, 91
An impressive wine with intense rich flavours of dark fruits and spicy liquorice or soy like flavour. (Irl: TS) (UK: Bibendum +44 (0)20 7448 4110).  
 
d’Arenberg Vintage fortified shiraz 2000, €F, 95
As good as almost anything that you’ll find in the douro and better than most. Ths wine’s ethereal flavours last forever. It’s intense, well structured, rich, and sweet with blackberry, chocolate and soy or liquorice spice. Leave it a couple of years to peak. (Irl: TS) (UK: Bibendum +44 (0)20 7448 4110).  
 
Ellen Landing Petit Verdot 2000, €C, 87
Dark spicy fruit with pepper and liquorice and mid to good length. (Irl: u/n) (UK: Patriache: +44 (0) 20 7381 2023).

Émigré 2002, Barossa , €G, (92-94)
A shiraz, grenache, mourvedre (mataro), muscadelle blend made by Bordeaux based Brit Jonathan Maltus that will be highly priced and highly sort when released. It’s a big wine with a range of components that are still jostling around in the glass but will settle down in time. Cherry, prune, pepper, mint, nuts cedar, 15 + % alcohol and more all vie for your attention. (All Irl: GB) (Brtn: Berry Brothers)

Exile 2002, Barossa, €G, (96-100)
Ambitious new wine, not yet released, by Le Dôme’s Jonathon Maltus. Set to be similarly priced to Grange, it just may turn out to be the best Australian red I’ve ever tried. It’s essence of Barossa with heavenly perfumed nose of fruit and spice with cherry, cedar, berry and white pepper. The palate is fabulous with cherry, tar, pepper, tea, and spice and is unfeasibly long. It’s over 15% a.b.v. and yet avoids jamminess or burn. 92% shiraz and 8% mourvedre, dry grown fruit from a vineyard part of which dates back to the 19^th century. (Irl: GB) (GB: Berry Brothers)

Fermoy Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 1999, €F, 90
There’s plenty of cassis and it’s starting to gain a little complexity too, which combined with its excellent length augers well. (Irl: TS) (UK: Vinus Vita +44 (0) 1225 322 815)

Fermoy Estate Semillon 2000, €C, 86
Clean lime fruit, mid to good length. (Irl: TS) (UK: Vinus Vita +44 (0) 1225 322 815)

Fermoy Estate Semillon Reserve 2000, €F, 88
Unusually for my taste, an oaked Semillon that works as it adds weight and nutty flavours that are fairly well integrated to the herbaceous lime fruit. (Irl: TS) (UK: Vinus Vita +44 (0) 1225 322 815)

Ferngrove Cossack Riesling 2001, €C, 89
Fragrant, lemon, lime and orange. (Irl: u/n) (UK: Vinus Vita +44 (0) 1225 322 815)

Ferngrove Shiraz 2001, €C, 88
Good value wine with impressive fruit, structure and length. (Irl: u/n) (UK: Vinus Vita +44 (0) 1225 322 815)

Fox Creek JSM Shiraz Cabernet Franc 2000, €G, 89
Attractive wine with chocolate/ cherry fruit and creamy vanilla fruit and quite good length. (Irl: MK) (UK: Noel Young +44 (0)1223 844744).

Fox Creek Reserve Shiraz 2000, €G, 93
Consistently my favourite of the Fox Creek range, the 2000 has a fragrant nose of pepper and dark fruits while the palate has an array of intense flavours including bacon, pepper and berry fruit and it’s oh so looooong. (Irl: MK) (UK: Noel Young +44 (0)1223 844744).

Green Point Sparkling 1998, €G (E), 89
Full with biscuity nose, with a rich long palate. (Ir: FV) (UK: Moet Hennessey +44 (0) 207235 9411)

Grosset - Hill Smith Mesh Eden Valley Riesling 2002 (Stelvin), €G (E), 89
A coming together of two acknowledged experts, who each made a batch of wine their way from neighbouring rows of vines and then blended them together. No doubt each was convinced of the superiority of their vinification but the outcome is a fine wine, quite big, yet elegant with chalky mineral and lemon peel character and good length. (Irl: u/n) (UK: Negociants UK +44 (0)1582 462859).

Grosset Vineyard Gaia 2000, €G, 88
Quite an elegant Bordeaux style blend with mellow fruit and a fragrant tobacco like edge that puts it on a par with a 4th or 5^th growth for me. (Irl:DW) (UK: Milton Sandford +44 (0)1628 829449).

Grosset Vineyard Pinot Noir 2000, €G, 88
Fair varietal character with cherry and strawberry but also menthol, which is less welcome. A sheen of French oak adds spice and it has mid to good length. (Irl: DW) (UK: Milton Sandford +44 (0)1628 829449).

Grosset Vineyard Polish Hill Riesling 2002 (stelvin), €G, 92
Probably Australia’s best-known riesling and justifiably so as this is really classy with fragrant lime and orange zest on the nose and palate, mineral character, marmalade and great length. (Irl: DW) (UK: Milton Sandford +44 (0)1628 829449).

Jansz of Tasmania Non Vintage Cuvee, €G, 87
Very elegant buttery, biscuit and melon fruit that’s much better than many basic real Champagnes. (Irl: u/n) (UK: Negociants UK +44 (0)1582 462859).

Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz 2000, €G, 93
Complex, intense nose with a mix of toast, berry, coffee and nut. The palate has a huge amount of rich fruit yet just pulls back from jamminess in time and lasts for ages. (Irl: CD) (UK: Negociants UK +44 (0)1582 462859).

Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Riesling 2002 (Stelvin), €u/n, 89
The first white by Jim Barry that I’ve tried. It’s quite delicate with mineral and lemon and lime. (Irl: CD) (UK: Negociants UK +44 (0)1582 462859).

Jim Barry The Lodge Hill Shiraz 2001, €u/n, 89 
A new line to me. This uses French oak giving weight to some cherry scented fruit. It’s big but just about balanced. (Irl: CD) (UK: Negociants UK +44 (0)1582 462859).

Jim Barry The McRae Shiraz 2000, €G, 91
Very different to the Armagh with spicy smoked meats and black pepper to the fore with great length. (Irl: CD) (UK: Negociants UK +44 (0)1582 462859).

Katnook Estate Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon 1998, Coonawarra, €G, 90
120% new oak, which means that they put it all in new oak and then took 20% of it out and put in new barrels again after several months! All that plus its origins in Coonawarra plus a famous vintage and a high price mean it should be really special. I find it very good with ripe fruit, tobacco scents and toasty oak but not as I and perhaps they hoped. (Irl: WD) (UK: Bibendum +44 (0)20 7448 4110)

Katnook Estate Prodigy Shiraz 1999, Coonawarra, €G, 92
Prodigy works better than its partner Odyssey for me. It too gets the 120% oak treatment but the fruit is richer and more concentrated. (Irl: WD) (UK: Bibendum +44 (0)20 7448 4110).

Katnook Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2002, Clare,€D, 89
As ever this has pungent gooseberry and passion fruit in the style of a kiwi sauvignon blanc and very good it is too. (Irl: WD) (UK: Bibendum +44 (0)20 7448 4110).

Kilikanoon ‘Prodigal' Grenache 2000, Clare, €G, 90
Well balanced, elegant strawberry fruit with liquorice and cedar like spice from oak. Good length. (Irl: n/i) (UK: Thorman Hunt +44 (0)20 7735 6511)

Kilikanoon 'Covenant' Shiraz 2000, Clare, €G, 93
Very concentraged dollop of dark fruit with explosive palate oozing smoked bacon and black pastille like fruit that is just about prevented from becoming overblown by some ripe tannins. (Irl: n/i) (UK: Thorman Hunt +44 (0)20 7735 6511)

Kilikanoon Mort’s Block Riesling 2002, Clare, €u/n, 92
Only founded in 1997, but by people with a long history in Clare, this new label astonishingly won 6 out of 7 trophy’s at the recent Clare wine show! This riesling is one of the winners and it’s a cracker with a mix of fragrant citrus peels and terrific mineral character and length. (Irl: n/i) (UK: Thorman Hunt +44 (0)20 7735 6511)

Kilikanoon 'Oracle' Shiraz 2000, Clare, €G, 90
Intense dark fruit with elegant polished French oak plus dark cherry and liquorice with good structure and length. (Irl: n/i) (UK: Thorman Hunt +44 (0)20 7735 6511)

Knappstein Lenswood Vineyards Pinot Noir 2000, €G, 89
Almost Rioja like with ripe strawberry and cherry fruit, oak and good weight and length. (Irl: DW) (UK: McKinley Vintners +44 (0)207 928 7300)

 Knappstein Lenswood Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2002, €D, 89
Fragrant lemon and passion fruit on nose and elegant palate, which also shows an orangey character. (Irl: DW) (UK: McKinley Vintners +44 (0)207 928 7300)

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