Halliday 2016 Results
Stonefish welcomes its debut inclusion in James Halliday’s 2013 Australian Wine Companion with impressive ratings across its entire range of wines. The standout of the Stonefish collection, the Reserve Shiraz received a highly recommended rating of 93 points, with all wines in the range acknowledged as ‘Special Value’ wines.
Established in 2000, Stonefish is a successful partnership between owner Peter Papanikitas and various grape growers and winemakers across the country. Of the accomplishment, Peter said, “this is great public recognition for Stonefish and an important mark in the history of the company.”
“It serves to demonstrate our commitment to providing quality wine at competitive prices. We are thrilled to receive the accolade and can only hope to improve upon our achievements in years to come.”
| Product | Review | Rating |
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✪ 2010 Reserve Shiraz “Deep crimson-purple; the wine has layer-upon-layer-upon-layer of blackberry, blood plum, spice and licorice flavours; oak barely rating a mention, the tannins full, round and soft. Exceptional value from the ’10 vintage.” |
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✪ 2010 Shiraz “Light, clear crimson; from several vineyards in the Great Southern region, it has aromas of red and black cherries, licorice and multi-spice that flow on to the light- to medium-bodied palate; a deceptive wine, because the length of the palate and the lingering flavours on the aftertaste come as a pleasant surprise. Great value.” |
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✪ 2010 Merlot “Bright, clear crimson-purple; grown in the Great Southern, one of the few places in Australia that are able to produce merlot with distinctive varietal fruit; the wine is light-bodied, but does have the savoury black olive nuances to the core of cassis fruit; the tannins are fine-grained, the oak subtle.” |
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✪ 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon “Once again shows that McLaren Vale can do with cabernet sauvignon, even at this low price point. The bouquet has strong savoury/earthy varietal aromas; the medium-bodied palate following suit on the savoury front, but also picking up plenty of blackcurrant a modicum of regional chocolate.” |
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✪ 2011 Verdelho “Here the telescope swings to the Hunter Valley; once again, there is clear varietal character that has been carefully preserved in the winery; there is a fleeting hint of spice on the bouquet, half-suggesting some oak (there is none) and adding to the interest; the fruit is luscious and sweet within the usual fruit salad spectrum, but with pineapple more obvious than most.” |
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✪ 2011 Chardonnay “The light, vivid crystal-green colour of itself suggests the wine has not been barrel-fermented or otherwise been exposed to oak, and the palate confirms this. It’s at the riper end of the spectrum, with peach, nectarine and pear to the fore, and its generosity means there is no need to wait.” |
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