Peter Mertes Mosel Riesling 2013 $9.99
Aldi's semi-dry riesling comes from the vicinity of Kues, the village opposite Bernkastel on Germany's Mosel River. These days the area carries the name Bernkastel-Kues – the hyphen is perhaps symbolic of the bridge joining the two villages. The middle Mosel produces some of the world's great rieslings bearing the name of individual vineyards and the nearest village. Bernkastler Doctor wines, for example, come from the Doctor vineyard on Bernkastel's edge. Aldi's wine bears only the Mosel name. It's a decent expression of the regional style: full flavoured but delicate, low in alcohol, high in acid and with a little kiss of sweetness in the finish.
Tyrrell's Vat 1 Hunter Semillon 2005 $80
An old Tyrrell fact sheet lists 17 trophies and 41 gold medals for Vat 1. Some might say wine judge familiarity with the wine and its distinctive style guarantees such a tally in the closed circuit of Australian wine shows. But in the broader church of pleasure-seekers, the wine will surely convert anyone lucky enough to drink it. This is perfect, ageing Hunter semillon: low in alcohol and showing rare beauty and power. At the Winewise Championship, judged late February, it narrowly pipped Meerea Park Alexander Monroe 2009 for top spot – my pick by the smallest margin.
St Hallett Faith Barossa Shiraz 2013 $14.95-$18
Demonstrating the juicy seduction of Barossa Valley Shiraz, St Hallett 2013 earned my top score in a group of six gold-medal shirazes at the recent Winewise Championship. The championship puts gold-medal winners from other shows to the test each year. Our judging panel, me included, didn't rate the six wines highly in comparison to many others we tasted from the vintage. Indeed, we judged the group not worthy of gold medals. However, St Hallett Faith gives what it always has: a fair price plush rich, ripe fruit flavours, wrapped in the Barossa's soft, caressing tannins.