Three tiny blocks of Pinot Noir, J26, J27 and J28, were hand-tended and kept separate through the year, the whole bunch being fermented in old French oak developing complexity and sophistication, then tiraged as one small batch. After more than three years ageing on tirage the wine was disgorged and liquored, again using 100% Tasmanian Pinot Noir. This wine is rosewater, pale pink in colour with an intense, lifted nose, showing the power and elegance of Jansz Pinot Noir. The aromas are of rosewater, strawberries, sea spray and truffles; coupled with the yeast influence of toasted brioche and nougat. A wonderfully complex sparkling wine on the palate, in which full fruit flavours of Turkish delight, rose petals and fresh strawberries are married with cream, truffles, spice and seaspray. The power of the Tasmanian fruit is balanced by mouth-watering natural acidity delivering great structure, finesse and wonderful length.

Pale salmon-pink, a 100% pinot with three years on yeast lees marries flavour with finesse, strawberry pinot with spices and some brioche/cracked yeast; long, fresh finish. Drink: 2013; Rating: 94 Points; James Halliday, Australian Wine Companion, 2011 Edition

This is 100 percent pinot noir, barrel-fermented, resulting in a very rich, comples, full-on style. Pale, pink, it has a delicate smoky, spicy, strawberry pinot aroma and is intense and rich but also soft and refined in the mouth, with subtle, well-balanced sweetness. Rating: 94 Points; Huon Hooke, Sydney Morning Herald - Good Living

In the north, around Pipers River, there is an astonishing cluster of vineyards that produce sparkling base (pinot noir, pinot meunier and chardonnay) for brands such as ...Jansz. Natalie Fryar has made Jansz for 10 years and now has five sparklers in her portfolio. The maritime climate of the region gives the local wines a strong identity. "They have finesse and complexity, there are notes of sea spray, oyster shell and a distinctive savouriness," Fryar says, excited about Tasmanian potential. "New sites are emerging all the time and many are still to be discovered." The pinot noir (100 per cent) for this rose comes from the highest part of the vineyard. It is barrel-fermented, which gives it an extra dimension of flavour and structure. It smells of wild strawberries, nougat and spice, and is rich and complex with an amazing aftertaste. Sally Gudgeon, Qantas In-Flight Magazine, July 2010

Made from pinot noir, fermented in old French oak with three years spent on its lees makes this rose rather special and complex. It entices first with its pale onion skin/salmon colour, then more with its fine bead though the mousse dissipates quickly. The palate is alive with fresh delicate raspberry fruit; some toasty notes, savoury and a hint of spice. Still quite tight with fine acid and length. Rather understated and refined. Jane Faulkner, The Age

Vinous, raspberry, good rose character, savoury, not sweet, fine bubbles, dry finish. Very savoury finish. Good length. Really well made. $39.95 11.5% Cork ***** Lovely 93-94 points; By Gary Walsh; The Wine Front ***** Denotes favourite wines.

Syn is good enough to be called sin in a bottle. It's a red sparkling, made from Coonawarra Shiraz. It's surprisingly elegant (at the price point) and liqueured with 2% vintage port. It's creamy, moreish and very easy drinking. Made by Leconfield, a reputable and well-established brand (since 1974) this wine is perfect for a summer's day but will do just fine this time of the year, sipped cold in front of a nice fire. Look for it in your local bottle shop. Franz Schuerer, Australian Gourmet Pages

Gorgeous colour and powerful blackcurrent aromas with an incredible minty lift. Masses of rich, sweet fruit flavours. Winestate

Before getting carried away with value equations or the impressive package this wine comes in, it is imperative that this wine is judged on its merits and in context with all other Australian Sparkling wine in terms of quality. What we have here is a 2006 vintage sparkling wine made from the classic Champagne varieties of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier. To look at the wine has a bright straw colour, with youthful tinges a generous mousse and fine bead. A copybook nose of brioche and cream combining with strawberry, ripe berries and fleshy white fruit. The palate is equally generous again with a 'strawberries and cream' mouthfeel and a long acid finish that teases with glimpses of fruit all the way to the end. This has the weight to work with food and the acidity and interest to work alone. This is very good bubbles at any price and a clear step above the commercial muck seen at sub-$20 price points. Drink: Now-2012; Quality: Very Good - BW; WineStar © March 2010
 
This wine retails at $16.99 which in itself is a travesty given it is rare to find ANY vintage Aussie bubbles at under twenty dollars these days let alone something that has seen two years lees contact and another two years of bottle age. Following the success we had with the previous 2004 vintage a year ago, this week we are offering the 2006 for a tick over eleven bucks a bottle when purchased by the dozen, which includes freight and insurance to most destinations. Any way you look at it this presents beautifully, the packaging is classy, the wine more than measures up and the price can be our secret - sorry to labour the point but the offer is for a limited time!
 
Sourced mainly from a range of South Australia's premium wine growing regions, pinot parcels are strongly represented by the Coonawarra, with a predominance of chardonnay from the Adelaide Hills. A dry winter was relieved by rains in September that helped ensure an even fruit set. Cool spring conditions gave way to a warmer than average summer and dry conditions. Cool climate regions such as the Coonawarra and Adelaide Hills produced fruit with an excellent balance of ripe fruit flavours and crisp natural acidity.
 
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier. Secondary fermentation in the bottle with 24 months bottle maturation on yeast lees and disgorged using the traditional champagne method. A delicate pale yellow with a fine, creamy bead.  The nose is fresh and clean with a nucleus of citrus and stone fruit aromas. Toasty Pinot Noir characters and a hint of vanilla and biscuit support the fruit and add complexity. The richness of the palate is balanced by a crisp, natural acidity, complemented by citrus fruit and hints of strawberry that taper gently into a persistent dry finish.

Gleaming green-gold; persistent, fine mousse; a high quality blanc de blanc (chardonnay) with a lovely display of white peach and creamy brioche notes from over five years on lees, and a long, citrussy finish. Cork. 12.5% alc. Rating 96 Points; Drink 2012 Date Tasted Dec 09 James Halliday Wine Companion

Murray and Adrienne Cousins’ purchase in 1985 of a 220 hectare property situated between Lancefield and Kilmore on the Great Dividing Range saw the humble beginnings of Mt William winery. Situated on the northeast slopes of Mt William at an altitude of 605 metres the original plantings continue to provide fruit for both still and sparkling wines of award winning distinction.

• TROPHY AT THE 2009 MACEDON WINE SHOW
• TROPHY AT THE 2009 MORNINGTON PENINSULA WINE SHOW

The 2003 is the fifth release of our sparkling blanc de blancs Macedon. Pouring with a soft creamy mousse and a gentle touch of yeast and citrus. This vintage having a minimum of 6 years on lees, continues the delicate fine beaded ; aperitif style. A wine for celebration and to enjoy with fine food.

Adrienne and Murray Cousins purchased a 220-ha grazing property in 1985; the sheep and Angus cattle remain the principal part of the general farming program, but between ’87 and ’99 they established pinot noir, chardonnay, cabernet franc and merlot. The quality of the wines has been consistently good, and are sold through a stone cellar door, as well as at a number of fine wine retailers around Melbourne.

Still pale straw-green after six years on lees; a very pure, very long and beautifully balanced wine with citrus and white peach fruit. Arguably the best of the three Mount William sparkling wines. Drink by: 2014; Date tasted: 09/Feb/2011; Price: $40.00; Alcohol: 12.5%; Rating: 96 Points; James Halliday Wine Companion

Murray and Adrienne Cousins’ purchase in 1985 of a 220 hectare property situated between Lancefield and Kilmore on the Great Dividing Range saw the humble beginnings of Mt William winery. Situated on the northeast slopes of Mt William at an altitude of 605 metres the original plantings continue to provide fruit for both still and sparkling wines of award winning distinction.

Disgorged August '08, and needed no dosage; quite remarkably fresh, fine and elegant, the palate with great line and length; a special Australian sparkling. Diam. 12% alc. Rating 97 Points; Drink 2014 $70 Date Tasted Dec 09 James Halliday Wine Companion

• GOLD MEDAL MACEDON WINE SHOW
• TOP IN CATEGORY WINESTATE MAGAZINE

Disgorged August 2008, after 10 years on lees. Still maintaining a freshness and colour which belies the age. The fruit character was found to be so elegent on disgorging, that no dosage was required. Very delicate with a light bready yeastness. Extremely fine beading eminating from the centre of the flute. Soft, though developed on first taste, with refined lingering flavour on the palate.

This wine celebrates the lives of Jorja and Alexis Davey who tragically died in the Kinglake fires on Saturday 7th February 2009. Salmon pink in colour, indicative of the premium Pinot Noir fruit used in the making of this sparkling Rose.This wine has spent over 5 yrs on lees maturing in the cellar. An ideal accompaniment to oysters, crayfish and poultry or any foods of a delicate nature. 750ml. 7.7 Standard drinks. 13.0% Alc/Vol. Fermented in this bottle.

Deep salmon-pink; intense spicy red fruits gain velocity on the long palate, travelling through to the finish and aftertaste. Honours the lives of Jorja and Alexis Davey who died at Kinglake on Black Saturday. Five years on yeast lees has softened the acidity since first tasted in Dec ’09. 95 Points; James Halliday

Adrienne and Murray Cousins purchased a 220-ha grazing property in 1985; the sheep and Angus cattle remain the principal part of the general farming program, but between ’87 and ’99 they established pinot noir, chardonnay, cabernet franc and merlot. The quality of the wines has been consistently good, and are sold through a stone cellar door, as well as at a number of fine wine retailers around Melbourne.

Finally, the re-emergence of one of Australia’s most highly acclaimed sparkling wine labels and the origins of the brand Pirie. Pirie Non Vintage is the latest development of a project that began when the inaugural 1995 Vintage Pirie was launched to international acclaim: Matthew Jukes declared it as the greatest sparkling wine ever produced outside of champagne.

Free run juice and light pressings (max 0.2 bar) oxidatively handled. Blending of multiple parcels from Tamar Valley regions with some aged, reserve wines. Tirage and secondary ferment in bottle (méthod traditionelle) followed by a minimum of 18 months on lees before disgorging.

The colour is a yellow/gold with a fine and quite vigorous mousse. Typical bready, toasty notes on the nose display the autolysis characters from lees age. Vibrant, lemony acidity supports a pleasant richness in the mouth with creamy mouth feel and a strong finish. Andrew Pirie Winemaker

'Fleur de Lys has reappeared with a smart new label. It remains a reflection of the high standards in reasonably priced Australian sparkling wine. It’s clean and dry with a good level of bready richness adding interest and depth to quite a fine aroma and flavour. * * * * 'Uncorked'

An assemblage of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with excellent intensity of flavours grown to premium and mature cool climate, low yielding vineyards. Great emphasis is placed on the selection of fruit and the determination of base wines, each component must contribute finesse and elegance to the final Cuvée. In the manner of champagne, no one fruit or other character is dominant on either bouquet or palate, and is included for the purpose of progressively building an impact through to the long finish. Treated to a secondary fermentation in the bottle and a minimum of two years bottle maturation on yeast lees. Salinger is then disgorged in the traditional champagne method. Approx 12.5%

With its proven track record for producing the traditional Burgundy varieties of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the Mornington Peninsula with its proximity to the cold southern body of Port Phillip Bay lays strong claims to being one of the finest regions for sparkling wine production in Australia. The winters are remarkably consistently cool contributing the natural high acidity and wonderful pretty aromas and flavours required for sparkling wine production.

The Starlite Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir Chardonnay 2008 is made in the traditional method from approximately 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay. The fruit was all hand picked then chilled before light pressing and then fermentation. Remarkably for a wine at this price point, it was then transferred to old barrels to age in lees before tirage in 2009. It then spends two years in bottle, is disgorged, finished under Diam and ready for release in early 2012.

Frustrated by the price creep of particularly, 'big company' wines, we set out to make the best possible example of a cool climate, vintage sparkling wine while keeping the resultant cost 'real' - this being the brief for all Starlite Wines produced by WineStar. While the target was a sub-$20 retail point, with our resources we have managed to come in well under that mark with quality that punches well above the very modest price.

The Starlite Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir Chardonnay 2008 is a youthful pale straw-green colour, the nose shows lovely fresh fruit characters from strawberry to nectarine and pear. Its time on lees produces wonderful creamy texture, with lingering acidity on a very long finish. The weight of fruit and perfectly balanced acids suggest a long life ahead.

The Stefano Lubiana NV Brut is a blend of base wines from up to three consecutive vintages. A 95:5 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Traditional methode champenoise techniques including oxidative juice handling and barrel maturation using a range of reserve wines. All degorging and final treatment is carried out by hand. The NV Brut stays on lees for a minimum of eighteen months.

Light gold, fine bead, vigorous mousse; Bouquet: Cream, oysters, nuts, honey, toast, bready. Palate: Slightly more obvious Pinot fruit than previous years, toast, bread, honey, nutty, dry clean finish.

Pale straw in the glass with a vibrant mousse. A lifted fragrant nose showing strawberries & cream from the Pinot Noir component meshing seamlessly with the apple and lemon zest characters from the Chardonnay. Hints of nectarine & peachy stone-fruits, soft, biscuity tones and white flowers.

The wine displays a vibrant, energetic mouthfeel with creamy strawberry and redcurrants and hints of ripe stone-fruits. Crisp green apple, pithy lemon and hints of biscuit crust flow through to a creamy, lingering finish with a vibrant line of acidity.

In the early 1970’s, David and Christine Fyffe took a calculated risk and planted a small vineyard at Yarra Junction. After several years of persistence and some experimentation, the first wine was released in 1978. Five years later, David pioneered sparkling wine from this region, releasing a classic Pinot Noir sparkling from deliciously complex, Yarra Valley fruit. Its quality was evident, as it was Australia’s most expensive sparkling wine in 1983.

The Yarra Valley is Victoria’s oldest wine region and is now recognised as one of Australia’s most celebrated cool climates. Cooler than Bordeaux, and slightly warmer than Burgundy, the Upper Yarra is capable of producing some of Australia’s most sought-after sparkling wines.

The new Premium Cuvee Brut consists of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier fruit sourced from select vineyards sites, ensuring elegance of structure and longevity. Coupled with extended maturation on yeast lees, this wine displays heightened depth & complexity, showing lifted citrus and white stone fruit characters complimented with nuances of toast and mushroom. A brilliant wine for any sophisticated celebration.

A blend of pinot noir and chardonnay offering an attractive mix of stonefruit and lifted citrus with a palate that is complete and long. Value for money here. Very good. Ray Jordan, West Australian

The vintage versions under this label are consistently of the highest quality but the recently released and cheaper NVs also merit a serious sampling. There is a rose alternative that deserves a following but after the toss of a coin, I'm endorsing the white. Quaff away your cares! Paddy Kendler, Herald Sun

Yarra Burn offers a consistency of style whilst offering elegance, grace and distinction to every glass. The classic Methode champenoise varietals are grown to highly specialized vineyards in the heights of the Yarra Valley and throughout Victoria, painstakingly husbanded to yield grapes exclusively for sparkling wines.

Fruit is harvested in the cool of night from premium Victorian vineyards, treated to a gentle pressing to ensure minimal extraction of phenolics. As a Rosé wine, particular attention is given to selection of Pinot Noir with more overt red berry fruit characters, thus ensuring its stylistic difference from white alternatives. Each parcel of juice is further fined to guarantee structural elegance. Extended maturation on yeast lees further builds the complexity and character of this wine. Yarra Burn pioneered sparkling winemaking in the Yarra Valley, and through the continued dedication of a highly awarded sparkling winemaking team, continues to reach brilliant heights.

In the early 1970’s, David and Christine Fyffe took a calculated risk and planted a small vineyard at Yarra Junction. After several years of persistence and some experimentation, the first wine was released in 1978. Five years later, David pioneered sparkling wine from this region, releasing a classic Pinot Noir sparkling from deliciously complex, Yarra Valley fruit. Its quality was evident, as it was Australia’s most expensive sparkling wine in 1983.

The Yarra Valley is Victoria’s oldest wine region and is now recognised as one of Australia’s most celebrated cool climates. Cooler than Bordeaux, and slightly warmer than Burgundy, the Upper Yarra is capable of producing some of Australia’s most sought-after sparkling wines.

Yarra Burn was the Yarra Valley's sparkling wine pioneer and its latest range is the best yet. Outstanding value is this vibrant pink beauty with a delicate lifted bouquet of rose petals and strawberries. The palate is soft, medium dry and rounded out with gentle flavours and a crisp, zippy finish. Widely available. Jeff Collerson, Daily Telegraph

There's a lot of the character and structure of the more expensive Yarra Burn Vintage bubblies in this affordable cuvee. Typical rose aromas of strawberries are counterbalanced with a fair bit of yeast-derived complexity. It's well put together and handy with or without food. Greg Duncan Powell, Sydney Morning Herald

Yarra Burn was established in 1975 at the base of Mt Dona Buang and the impressive Wharburton Ranges. It was a pioneering property which led the renaissance in popularity of the rich loamy soil, gentle cool breezes and warming afternoon sun of the Yarra Valley, for premium wine production.

Clear musk pink with a fine and persistent bead, this wine displays lifted red current fruit aromas which are complexed by butter toast and mushroom characters on the bouquet. The palate exhibits wonderful raspberry and cream characters with a yoghurt-like texture. It is a flavoursome, fine and elegant palate with fresh acidity balanced by a lingering, light tannin finish.

Blended from select parcels of the classic sparkling varieties and sourced from cold climate vineyards of the Yarra Valley and Tasmania, is rosé blend is styled to express the richness and complexity of a mature Pinot Noir-driven wine. It is made in a drier style with crisp acid and a slight tannin grip on the finish.