News
-
Henschke - The Real Review Top Wineries 2026
link to article
add Henschke wines to website
-
Vigneron of the Year - Stephen Pannell (The Real Review Awards 2026)
"The Pannell wines are exemplary across the board, and there is a confirmed vigneron ethos at S.C.Pannell as all of the top wines come from estate vineyards. He’s a vigneron through and through." The Real Review
A great addition to what is now a very crowded 'pool room'! Stephen is also a two-time Jimmy Watson winner, HWC 'Winemaker of the Year' recipient and a serial McLaren Vale 'Bushing King'. Far out!
The accolades still arrive thick and fast; in the past 12 months, Steve achieved a perfect 100-point score for his Sunrise 99 Grenache and Koomilya was named Halliday Wine Companion Shiraz of the Year.
We love the wines and always have a decent listing on the website.
"This 111 clone Nebbiolo is pretty, pink & delicate, with aromas of blood orange, pomegranate, pink rose petals, pink peppercorns, pickled strawberry, alpine meadows, autumn leaves & the faintest whisper of sage. On the palate, all those notes flow seamlessly, joined by an added dimension of roasted chestnuts & musk that provide depth & backbone to the finish. The texture unfurls slowly: lacy tannins supported by seductive acidity bringing complex refreshment. There’s a trance-like state to its poise, giving way to a quiet reveal—graceful, generous, & deeply complex." Stephen Pannell
A single-block Shiraz from 33-year-old vines grafted onto Gewürztraminer planted in 1974. Grown on slaty siltstone with laminated ironstone rubble at an altitude of 116m, facing south. This is the most isolated of the three blocks.97ptsFirst Looks - Sutherland Estate (Heathcote)
We've been working through a handful of samples from uber-micro Heathcote producer Sutherland Estate. The vineyards were planted in 2012 and 2014, mostly to Shiraz, with smaller plots of Grenache and Mataro.
The east facing vineyard comprises 3 acres of Shiraz from 2 distinctively different clones, an old Tahbilk and old Barossa clone which each provides distinct character to the wines. On the steeper slopes of the southerly vineyard Grenache, Mourvèdre & Cinsault has been planted.
Carrying its adolescent 5yrs of age nicely. Medium weight, bright fruit early but gets darker as the palate progresses. Faint toasty oak late. Drinks like a proper medium climate Shiraz region and this would be a fair representation of Heathcote. The freshness is a highlight. Very solid value. Drink now to 2028.
Shiraz 2023
Somewhat different to the 2021 but probably reflects the cooler vintage. Still very much in the medium-bodied spectrum but a noticable tangy component. Did unsettle me early but got my head around it and particularly so on night 2. Lifted fruit, bristles a little, but does dance through the palate. Time won't hurt.
Rose 2025
Looks a bit 'skinsy' with a blood orange hue but don't be fooled into thinking this a fruit bomb. Broad palate structure (ahla Provence-style) but this is dry and savoury. Grenache-based, clearly ripe with a slatey pepper note late. Bit of class here and can take a chill (ie strongly recommended).
Sparkling Shiraz 2022
So I need to be transparent on my general bias against this style (Rockford excepted). Not bad however. Mostly dry, some jube fruits early, medium length finish. If you like the genre you will like this.
Good Soul Wines Newsletter #4 - June 2026
Winery Spotlight - Five Vineyard
Never thought I'd be writing about a winery in Mernda, the home of 'value' house and land packages, but here we are!
The Valla family began planting vines on the family cattle farm in 2019 with the focus on Chardonnay, Shiraz and Pinot Noir. Predictable enough but of course these varieties have a proven track record in this part of the world. Five Vineyard doesn't sit in any particular GI although it is ~5km from the western boundary of the Yarra Valley and 10km east of the Sunbury region.
A recent tasting with Sam Valla proved to be quite the eye opener. I didn't have huge expectations (young vines, unproven terrior) but happy to report that I was taught a lesson on making assumptions (again!). The Estate Range, in particular, demonstrates a well handled balancing act of value, drinkability and competent winemaking.
The standout was the Reserve Shiraz 2022 $54, built from vines a mere 3yrs old (first commercial crop). Juicy fruit that never mis-steps with mineral streaks and great purity and lift. More than a hint of Craiglee here I reckon (true dinks!).
Our Five Vineyard range can be found here.
New Release Whites Worth a Look
FG's 'Innovation' tag is a relatively new mid-tier offering and I assume takes over the previous 'Margaret River' label. It's easy to forget about this winery when the region is jammed packed with high profile superstars but there's plenty of quality to be had at the price. Lively with bright minerals and supporting acid.A YV favourite for mine and although I'm not the winery would want to be known as a 'value player' the fact is most wines across both the 'Estate' and 'Shed' range play well above their respective price points. Flint, talc, river stone, jasmine and citrus. Pulpy, solids-y weight from whole bunch and dirty juice ferment. Even in these warmer years the granitic soils of the vineyard ensure a clean acid line and cool fruit characters.Easily the standout NZ wine at the Nelson Wines Trade Show late last year. I'm no fan of the bog standard Sav B offerings from this part of the world but examples like this force me to pause for thought. Fresh minerals (think river stones) and even fresher tropical fruits. Honey hints coming through. A cracker of a wine.Pretty certain I'm not the first person to claim these dudes are the best white wine producers on the Peninsula. Oz leaders in Gris and Grigio, the Quealy's make high grade Gris & Grigio across an impressive range of sub-regions and single vineyards. easy to rubbish local Grigio but you won't here.“Kathleen Quealy and Kevin McCarthy were among the early waves of winemakers on the Mornington Peninsula. They challenged the status quo - most publicly by introducing Mornington Peninsula pinot gris/grigio (with great success). Behind this was improvement and diversification in site selection, plus viticulture and winemaking techniques that allowed their business to grow significantly.” James HallidayOld & Rare Wines
We try and run a minor specialisation in all things old and rare. We are in the fortunate position to be able to get hold of most wines these days (ie through wholesale channels) and we also hold back stock for the cellar that we can release in due course to both the GSW customer base and pour as 'Feature Wines' at our wine bar 'The Grape & Hop'.
Below is a little taster of stock on hand. The full range can be found here.
Bass Phillip 'Estate' Pinot Noir 2023
Bindi 'Block 8' Pinot Noir 2022
Chateau Cantemerle Cabernet 5th Growth 2010
Marc Bredif 'Classic' Chenin Blanc 2006
Noon 'Reserve' Shiraz 2021
Rockford 'Moppa Springs' Grenache Shiraz Mataro 2014
Wantirna Estate 'Lily' Pinot Noir 2023
Old & Rare Snapshot @ July 2026
Some pretty handy top-ups to the Old & Rare portfolio over the past few weeks....the full range can be found here.
Bass Phillip
First time we've been able to get our hands on this house through 'official' channels. Complex cool climate fruits and mineral laced, the BP wines will live for some time.
Rockford
Additional vintages of the 'Rod & Spur' Shiraz Cabernet now on the shelf.
Vintage Ports
No better birthday present we reckon? Vintages spanning 2001 to 2006 from Stanton & Killeen, Noon and Campbells.