Tasting Report: The Last of My White Notes from Oz

It took me awhile to get this last batch of Australian white wine notes posted, but there are a number of wonderful wines here that must be mentioned. I find it did difficult to generalize about Aussie whites, other than saying that I prefer wines with tension and freshness. The full-blown, blockbuster whites of the country are not my favorite rendition of Australian whites, which is why I gave my highest marks to wines from Great Southern, Yarra Valley, Orange, Tasmania, and Geelong – all cool areas.

I tasted these wines on a trip to Australia last year with my friend and colleague, Master of Wine Ned Goodwin.

Click to see all Australian whites I have tasted by name and by score.

Also tasted, but not receiving marks of 90 points or more:

2008 Bellvale Gippsland Athena's Vineyard  2011 Cape Mentelle Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Margaret River  2008 Castagna Beechworth Adam's Rib The White 2011 Chapel Hill McLaren Vale il Vescovo 2011 Howard Park Sauvignon Blanc Western Australia  2010 Howard Park McLaren Vale Madfish Gold Turtle 2009 Kaesler Viognier Barossa Valley  2010 Leeuwin Estate Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Margaret River Siblings 2011 McHenry Hohnen Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Margaret River  2011 Pierro Margaret River L.T.C. 2010 Skuttlebutt Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Margaret River  2010 Torbreck Roussanne Viognier Marsanne Barossa Woodcutter's 2011 Chalk Hill Vermentino McLaren Vale  2010 Coates Viognier Adelaide Hills  2010 De Bortoli Yarra Valley Limited Release (EZ) Edelzwicker 2010 De Bortoli Sauvignon Blanc Yarra Valley Estate Grown 2011 Fraser Gallop Semillon Sauvignon Blanc Margaret River  2009 Gembrook Hill Sauvignon Blanc Yarra Valley  2010 Hardy's Clare Valley and Tasmania HRB D644 2011 Harewood Riesling Great Southern  Porongurup 2001 Heemskerk Riesling Coal River Valley  2011 Holly's Garden Pinot Gris King Valley  2011 Howard Park Riesling Great Southern Porongurup 2009 Howard Park Great Southern  2010 Josef Chromy Chardonnay Tasmania Pepik 2010 Lowe Wines Riesling Mudgee Nullo Mountain Late Picked 2010 Lusatia Yarra Valley PHI 2011 Mosswood Margaret River  2010 Penfolds Timbarumba Bin 311 2005 Peter Lehmann Riesling Eden Valley Wigan 2010 Pfeiffer Marsanne Rutherglen Winemaker's Selection 2011 Pikes Riesling McLaren Vale The Merle 2011 Pizzini Arneis King Valley  2011 Poonawatta Riesling Barossa The Eden 2011 Rolf Binder Riesling Barossa  2010 Rowsley Fault Sauvignon Blanc Geelong  2011 Saltram Riesling Eden Valley Mamre Brook 2009 Shadowfax Chardonnay Geelong  2011 Tscharke Savagnin Barossa Valley Girl Talk 2011 Turkey Flat Barossa Valley Butchers Block 2011 Voyager Estate  Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Margaret River  2007 Castagna Beechworth Adam's Rib The White 2010 Chateau Tanunda Riesling Barossa Grand Barossa 2010 Clairault Semillon Sauvignon Blanc Margaret River  2011 Coriole Fiano McLaren Vale  2010 Dexter Mornington Peninsula  2011 Eden Hall Riesling Barossa  2011 Eden Road Riesling Canberra  2011 Frankland Estate Riesling Frankland River Rocky Gully 2011 Gosset Riesling Clare Valley Off-dry 2001 Mac Forbes Riesling Strathbogie Ranges RS19 2010 Ocean Eight Pinot Gris Mornington Penninsula  2011 Pizzini Pinot Grigio King Valley  2009 St Hallet Riesling Barossa  2011 Tim Smith Wines Eden Valley  2011 Tower Riesling Clare Valley Windmill Vineyard 2011 Wolf Blass Riesling Eden Valley Gold Label 2010 Xabregas Riesling Great Southern Spencer 2010 Josef Chromy Sauvignon Blanc Tasmania  2010 Mistletoe Wines Hunter Valley Home Vineyard 2011 Oakridge Yarra Valley Over the Shoulder 2011 Petuluma Clare Valley Hanlin Hill 2011 Pfeiffer Riesling Rutherglen  2010 Stella Bella Semillon Sauvignon Blanc Margaret River  2011 Stella Bella Vioginer Margaret River  2011 Voyager Estate Chenin Blanc Margaret River  2010 Dal Zotto Arneis King Valley  2011 Gosset Clare Valley  2010 Sutton Grange Fiano Bendigo Estate 2010 Tahbilk Pinot Gris Nagambie Lakes Rowsley Fault 2010 Coriole Chenin Blanc McLaren Vale The Optimist Reserve 2011 Harewood Great Southern  2011 Howard Park Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Margaret River Miamup 2010 Mc Williams Mount Pleasant Verdelho Hunter Valley Classic 2010 Oakridge Yarra Valley Over the Shoulder 2011 Stella Bella Sauvignon Blanc Margaret River  2001 Jeanneret Riesling Clare Valley Watervale 2011 Juniper Estate Semillon Sauvignon Blanc Margaret River  2010 Leeuwin Estate Riesling Margaret River Art Series 2010 Pacha Macha Riesling Heathcote  2010 Blue Poles Viognier Margaret River  2011 Howard Park Sauvignon Blanc Great Southern Madfish Grandstand 2010 Leeuwin Estate Sauvignon Blanc Margaret River Art Series 2011 Tower Riesling Tasmania Meadowbank Vineayard