Effortless harmony and elegance is the simplest way to describe the sublime Henri Laurent Champagne. Rich in character and texture with dried apricot and honeyed notes, this is remarkable value non-vintage Champagne.

The Robert Oatley Signature Series draws on a remarkable portfolio of vineyards nurtured by the winemaking talent of Larry Cherubino showcasing Australias most successful wine styles and regions. Bob Oatleys mantra was that all wines should be a 'darned good drink', and the high quality Signature Series delivers immediate appeal, with satisfying flavours over an elegant frame. Each wine embodies the grape variety and region in which it was grown.

House of Arras sounds French and it would be easy to mistake this Brut Elite for a NV Champagne. Arras winemaker Ed Carr has spent the last 15 years on a quest to produce a world class sparkling. With this wine, we considered it mission accomplished! Vanilla, nougat and exotic spices on the nose, followed by a palate bursting with lychee, truffle and cinnamon flavours, this is a complex, elegant wine. Australian sparkling has come a long way in the past decade, but this is a wine that really excites us.

The citrus rind and grapefuit lead the palate to an overall fine yet textural journey. Cape Mentelle Chardonnay had this distinctive minerally line too, apparent with focussed refreshing acidity. Faint nuancesof soft nougat and cashews also add to what is a harmonious balance and an elegant and length finish.

The wine is super pale with green flashes. The nose is complex, evolving slowly to a cascade of ripe citrus, highlighted by flinty minerality. The palate is fine and very tight. The acid structure is breathtaking in its length and persistence drawing out flavours of white stone fruits with complexing oak structure.

Fine and fresh delivering serious quality while still promoting a frivolous side. Chandon's Vintage has the depth of character that makes you sip, pause and reflect on its complex bakery notes, freshness and citrus fruit, while still enjoying its more obvious strawberry and cream character.

A high quality wine from the first whiff of the bouquet through to the long finish...has a tapestry of flavours from the base of Cabernet...all supported by persistent but ripe tannins, the oak absorbed by the fruit. Winning the prestigious Decanter International Trophy, we snaffled as much of this wine as we could. Very limited.

A fine and quite flinty modern expression of Margaret River Chardonnay. Finer and leaner it might be in some ways, but the unmistakable power and persistence of the region still triumphs. Complex mealy grapefruit and roasted nut characters on the nose, and a deep and richly intense palate power through to the finish.