The Matthew Jukes 100 Best Australian Wines 2010
The Matthew Jukes 100 Best Australian Wines 2010
TASTING NOTES
Welcome to the 100 Best Australian Wine list for 2010.
As always this list is the result of exhaustive tastings over the last twelve months and it represents the finest one hundred Australian wines on the shelves in the UK today.
This year I have introduced a brand new initiative - the Hall of Fame - and I congratulate the names below for making this imperial grade.
Cullen, De Bortoli, Fox Gordon, Hardy's, Jacob’s Creek, Knappstein, McWilliam's, Mitolo, Penfolds, Peter Lehmann, St. Hallett, The Lane Vineyard, Tyrrell's, Wirra Wirra, Yalumba
These fifteen magnificent producers have had one or more wines in
every 100 Best Australian Wines list since its inception in 2004. They are the inaugural members of my Hall of Fame. Their wines,
along with this year's 100 Best, will be used as the vanguard of my continued push to celebrate and educate the world about fine Australian wine. They reflect what is exciting, engaging, passionate and essential about Australian wine and they have all gained a
place in the very highest echelons of the world of wine.
2009 First Drop, Bella Coppia Arneis, Adelaide Hills, SA
It is no surprise that the mercurial Matt Gant is the first winemaker to score an Arneis in the 100 Best. That's not to say that I haven't chewed through a fair few failures for the team before arriving at this glistering example. The aim with this characterful (and oft awkward) variety is to harness as much of its floral charm as possible, without loading it with sour phenolics. When judged correctly (and there are only a handful in Piemonte who regularly crack its code), this is a sublime and thirst-quenching accompaniment to intricately assembled Asian cuisine.
2007 First Drop, Two Percent Shiraz, Barossa Valley, SA
I know Gantos pretty well, but I have never had the balls to ask him what 2% meant. I realise that this is the reserve Shiraz in the First Drop line up, but until I logged onto his website and saw some of the hilarious movies, I was flying blind. Two per cent, in this instance, is Albariño - surely shome mishtake? So none the wiser I just retired to the glass and carried on with analysing its contents. Weirdly this is only the second Shiraz from Matt and John which has made the grade over the last six years. All of the others have been ever so slightly too testosterone-fuelled. 2% is balanced, harmonious and genial - please don't send the gangstas 'round. I know it's meant to be intimidating and 4 real, but it's not. It utterly bloody delicious! HA!
[ download pdf of review in original context here - 2mb ]
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