Christmas specials, including Leogate Hunter Valley chardonnay, French bubbles and Whistler Barossa shiraz

A brilliant Barossa shiraz (with a Grange backstory), a high-class Hunter chardonnay and a sensational French bubbly will lift spirits this festive season.

From French fizz to serious shiraz, this Christmas dozen has every taste covered.

Keep it simple, stupid! It’s a well-worn piece of advice that holds true for many of us as we juggle and jostle our way through complicated times.

You may not have noticed, as we hustle through this challenging Covid year, but it’s little more than four weeks to Christmas.

So to help you keep it simple, here’s a cracking Christmas offer from The Australian Wine Club that will bring a dozen beautiful wines to your door in time for festive fun. Actually, let’s make it 13 bottles!

Our team has assembled a mix of quality boutique whites and reds – including a brilliant Barossa shiraz and a sensational French bubbly – to add a touch of flair to your Christmas table.

Between the China lockout and restaurant lockdowns, it has been a tough time for many of our winemaking friends. To thank you for your support, we’ve also thrown in a bonus gift this week – on top of some remarkable discounts.

Leogate Vicki’s Choice Hunter Valley Chardonnay 2017

From the Brokenback vineyard planted in the 1970s by wine legend Len Evans comes this classy Hunter chardonnay. Peach and nectarine aromas meld with toasty oak on the nose, leading to elegant stone fruit flavours and sweet vanilla spice. A soft and creamy finish rounds out this high-quality creation. Fermented in 100 per cent French oak hogshead. Add lobster for pure Christmas decadence. 13.5 per cent alc. 92 points from James Halliday. RRP $70. SPECIAL $22.99 a bottle in Christmas dozen only.

Heirloom Vineyards Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2019

A little more sophisticated than your garden-variety tropical savvy. Citrus and grapefruit flavours mingle with lifted fresh herbs, supported by a refreshing acid backbone. More French in style than Kiwi. As Team Halliday wrote: “There’s often a savoury element to this wine which makes it a little more interesting than the many inherently fruit-driven examples of sauvignon blanc from the region – and so it is with this vintage.” Gold medals at the Winemaker Challenge International Wine Competition in the US and the China Wine & Spirits Best Value 2020 awards. 11.5 per cent alc. RRP $30 a bottle. SPECIAL $22.99 in any dozen, including Christmas dozen.

Roche Lacour Cremant de Limoux 2019

A staff favourite at our wine club for years. From Limoux, in Languedoc-Roussillon, this is fabulous French fizz without the champagne price tag. A pretty nose of apples, vanilla and toasty brioche gives way to generous creamy flavours of ripe peach and citrus zest. A fine persistent bead. Winemaker Viviane Gianesini’s cuvee combines chardonnay, pinot noir and chenin, and nearly half the wine is oak fermented, like Krug. You won’t be disappointed with the quality – or the price. 12.5 per cent alc. RRP $33.99 SPECIAL $22.99 a bottle in any dozen, including Christmas dozen.

Hirsch Hill Estate Yarra Valley Pinot Noir Rose 2020

Pale salmon hues give a Provence vibe to this delicate rose. The pinot noir fruit shows gentle aromas of strawberry, cherries and musk, with hints of watermelon, rose water and spice giving complexity to a dry, crisp drinking experience. Versatile lunch partner; would dance with spicy prawns and a green papaya salad. 93 points. 13.5 per cent alc. RRP $24 a bottle SPECIALS$20.40 a bottle in any dozen; $22.99 in Christmas dozen.

Loom Long Yarn Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir 2021

From a small family-owned winery comes this vibrant, cherry-driven pinot from carefully selected parcels of premium Adelaide Hills fruit. Fresh cranberry and cherry flavours jostle for attention, with subtle smoky notes in the background. Minimal oak intervention. This is a pure pinot experience. 13.5 per cent alc. RRP $40 a bottle. SPECIALS $29.99 a bottle in any mixed dozen; $22.99 in Christmas dozen.

Whistler Estate Barossa Valley Shiraz 2018

 

Christmas Day is not complete without a high-quality shiraz. This is a cracker – and comes with a Penfolds backstory. It’s inky purple in the glass, and you’ll be enticed by aromas of dark plums, black pepper and coffee. The palate is rich and voluptuous, packed with blue fruits and smooth, silky tannins. Whistler was founded by Martin Pfeiffer, former head vineyard manager at Penfolds and third-generation grapegrower. At Penfolds, Pfeiffer was fortunate enough to obtain cuttings from the famous Grange vineyards (the Kalimna 3C clone). These were the first plantings on the Pfeiffers’ Heysen estate and are one of three shiraz clones blended in this wine. Pfeiffer’s son, Sam, now runs the operation using organic and biodynamic practices. Vegan friendly. 14 per cent alc. RRP $60 a bottle. SPECIALS $51 a bottle; $22.99 in Christmas dozen.

CHRISTMAS DOZEN DEAL Two bottles of each wine, $22.99 a bottle.

BONUS BOTTLE With every Christmas order, one complimentary The Prophet by Chapel Hill McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon. RRP $42. (One bonus bottle per order.)

Order online or telephone [phone] Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm AEST. Deals available only while stocks last. The Australian Wine Club is a commercial partnership with Laithwaites Wine People.