Wine By Nine

White Wine by Mount Horrocks from Clare Valley, Australia. Stephanie Toole's Cordon Cut is undoubtedly one of Australia's greatest dessert wines. It is something quite magical. Cordon Cut refers to a unique and risky process which involves cutting the canes when the grapes are ripe, allowing the remaining fruit to concentrate and raisin naturally on the vine. The result from the 2006 harvest is again a lush, intense yet elegant mouthful of delicious fruit cocktail of mandarins, pears, lemons, stone fruit and honey. Hints of spice and flinty minerals add to its beauty.

White Wine by Jacob's Creek from Barossa Valley, Australia. The Riesling grapes were allowed to ripen fully and were only picked when the flavors of rich flowery limes were achieved, and when the supporting mineral acid balance was at its optimum. The Jacob's Creek Steingarten Riesling preserves the delicate lemon-lime citrus fruit and the very soft, but mineral-like flavors which typify the varietal fruit characteristics of a classic Cool Climate Riesling. The ripening of the grapes was monitored with regular berry tasting by winemakers in the vineyard, to ensure the grapes were harvested at maximum flavor concentration. Color: Pale straw with green hues Bouquet: Apple and citrus blossom notes, enhanced with an attractive lemon fragrance and a subtle toasty bottle development nuance. Palate: Very delicate lime and lemon fruit flavors overlain with soft toasty lemon butter complexity, and balanced by a long chalky natural acidity which provides great length and structure to the finish of the wine.

White Wine by Henschke from Barossa Valley, Australia. Riesling is the classic grape variety of Germany and one of the earliest varieties brought to South Australia. Cyril Henschke developed the Henschke reputation for premium Riesling wines as early as the 1950s, from the vineyard areas of Eden Valley, Keyneton and Springton. These dry, food-oriented wines are clean and crisp and have the ability to age into delicious marmalade on toast flavors, due to the cool climate of the Eden Valley region. This region provides excellent ripening conditions for the Riesling grape and has a unique track record of exceptional aging potential for the variety. The 2006 Julius Eden Valley Riesling is green gold in color. The nose is very lifted, floral and perfumed with rose petals, citrus blossom, lime/lemon zest, hints of slate and green peppercorns. The crisp, dry palate shows sweet fruit with rich flavors of lemon and lime, fresh acidity and excellent length.

White Wine by Henschke from Barossa Valley, Australia. Riesling is the classic grape variety of Germany and one of the earliest varieties brought to South Australia. Cyril Henschke developed the Henschke reputation for premium riesling wines as early as the 1950s, from the vineyard areas of Eden Valley, Keyneton and Springton. Green gold in color. Sweet and floral with nectarine, white currant, citrus blossom and lime zest, complexed with hints of gooseberry and white peach. The palate is rich, minerally, crisp and zesty with a good structure, depth and length. Cellaring potential: Exceptional vintage, drink now to 2015. Serving idea: Salad of tommy ruffs, baby carrots and beetroot.

White Wine by Pikes from Clare Valley, Australia. This is a classic bone dry Clare Valley Riesling, courtesy of ideal growing conditions and the unique slate driven minerality of the soil at the Pikes family vineyard in the Polish Hill River region of the Clare Valley. Beautiful aromas of citrus blossom, pineapple and ripe pears waft from the glass. The palate is fresh, crisp and clean with wonderful citrus notes in abundance. Great balance and lingering finish. Delicious to consume now, but will age beautifully over the next 10 years. Drink with any fresh seafood.

White Wine by Peter Lehmann from South Australia, Australia. The cooler slopes of South Australia's Eden Valley consistently produce many of Australia's great Rieslings. Peter Lehmann Wines have won the International Wine & Spirit Competition's prestigious Peter Sichel Trophy for Best Riesling, World Wide on four occasions with Eden Valley Rieslings. As young wines, Eden Valley Rieslings show floral aromatics and fresh, tangy crispness. Deliciously lively in their youth, Eden Valley Rieslings tend to soften and honey with age. The 2004 Eden Valley Riesling has been bottled using the Stelvin closure to maximize freshness and guarantee quality. Lemon/lime flavors with hints of honey to come. Superbly crisp with the typical steely mineral backbone of an Eden Valley Riesling from an excellent vintage. Excellent with pan-fried fish, freshly shucked oysters, seared scallops, and freshly caught yabbies.

White Wine by Petaluma from Clare Valley, Australia. Clare Valley arguably produces Australia's best Riesling and Petaluma's Hanlin Hill Vineyard provides the fruit for Petaluma Riesling, recognized in Australia as the best of this traditional dry style. Clare lies in a valley in the northern extension of the Adelaide Hills, 90 miles (145km) from Adelaide. The geology of the Hanlin Hill Vineyard is Mintaro shale, deposited as shallow marine sediments between 550 and 600 million years ago, and metamorphosed into high quality grey slate, which has weathered to form well draining, brown to red-brown clay rich soils. Crisp in texture and generous in flavour, a seductive mouthful of Bosc pear, white peach, lime and green tea flavours, lingering on the polished finish. This one has depth and distinctive character. 91 Points, Wine Spectator

White Wine by Jim Barry from Clare Valley, Australia. This wine is pale straw in color, with lovely lemon and grapefruit citrus aromas. The palate is dry, revealing flinty lemon citrus, with floral orange blossom notes - quite austere and steely - with a zesty finish. A wine to be enjoyed now or after it has aged gracefully. Ideal to consume with chicken and seafood dishes.

White Wine by Leasingham from Clare Valley, Australia. Bright, impeccably balanced and appealing for its distinctly peppery grapefruit, green apple and floral aromas and flavors, which linger effortlessly on the dry finish. -Wine Spectator This renowned wine was first released in 1967. Its aromatic, dry wine displaying excellent lime and citrus varietal flavours. Sourced from a selection of sights throughout the Valley, the wines length of flavour and elegant overall structure serves to reinforce the Clare Valleys enviable reputation for premium Riesling.

White Wine by Pewsey Vale from Barossa Valley, Australia. Each individual block of grapes was picked at optimum ripeness exhibiting the classic ripe flavors gorgeous natural acid freshness evident in the Pewsey Vale Vineyard, Eden Valley. Timing could not have been more perfect as the rain and cold weather came in early April 2007 when the wines were safely tucked away in tank. The 2007 Pewsey Vale Riesling is a rich and intensely flavored wine, with classic fruit aromas of lemons and limes and a hint of overlaying dried herb. This wine shows great length, finishing with a soft but fresh natural acidity which balances the flavor intensity, and will reward with medium to longterm cellaring. Light, delicate and immensely appealing for its gentle lime, orange peel, peach and mineral aromas and flavors, lingering on the refined finish. Drink now through 2017. Wine Spectator 90 Points

White Wine by Jacob's Creek from South Australia, Australia. Vibrant green color. Attractive flowery citrus lime aroma, clean and fresh with good Riesling varietal definition. Enticing citrus flavors on the palate with great structure and length. The fruit is balanced with soft minerally acid that finishes crisp and dry. The Jacob's Creek Reserve Riesling selects the best out of South Australia's classic Riesling vineyard. A quality premium Riesling, this wine is attractive now, but will certainly reward extended cellaring uder temperature controlled conditions.

White Wine by d'Arenberg from McLaren Vale, Australia. Keen to produce d'Arenberg's first white in the late 1950's, d'Arry Osborn needed no convincing that it should be made from Riesling. Inspired by his friend and neighbor, Cud Kay of Amery Vineyards, d'Arry finally released d'Arenberg's first vintage of Riesling in the late 1960's. Another neighbor, Jack Neil, inadvertently helped d'Arry to decide in which years it was best to make d'Arenberg's Riesling. The Neil's dam runs up against d'Arenberg's Riesling block and a dry summer always meant a Dry Dam, which results in concentrated Riesling grapes brimming with flavor and well balanced acidity. It was not long before d'Arry discovered that the best Rieslings were Dry Dam Rieslings. The Dry Dam's young pale to medium straw color is often permeated with remarkable green tinges. It attacks the senses with ripe, spicy cinnamon, candied fruit and lychee qualities overlaid with lime, citrus blossom and almost perfumed rose-petal aromas. The young Dry Dam is medium bodied with lime and lemon flavors initially, followed by tropical pineapple and pear flavors. The rich, soft, juicy mouthfeel finishes with fresh crisp acidity. Over time the color will take on a deeper golden appearance and the fruit intensity will develop into a richer honeysuckle, orange peel, glace fruit and tea aromas.