Shiraz from the Chandon Colbinabbin Vineyard at Heathcote, an auspicious confluence of terroir and clime unlike any other in the world. Deep ferrous soils punish the vines into digging deep for their moisture, infusing grapes with the most ardent, stately tannins. The peaks of Mount Carmel Range further serve to conduct chilling southerlies along fortuitous longitudes, very like the Mistral winds of Vallee du Rhone. Easterly aspects moderate afternoon heat, so essential for an idyllic ripening of Shiraz grapes with extraordinary concentration of flavour.

$3199each $383DOZEN EACH DOZEN Bunches of estate grown grapes are destemmed and crushed, chilled and treated to three days of cold soak. Regular pumpovers are applied to ferments throughout the course of vinification, gently extracting colour, flavour and tannin while building body in the wine. A portion is transferred to oak and fermented to dryness, another is set aside and settled for several days of rest, a third remains on skins for an extended maceration. After pressing, all parcels are run to a mix of seasoned and new French oak barriques for completion of malolactic and maturation. After fourteen months, the best barrels are assembled into the finished wine and sent for a further six months of age before bottling.

Deep red colour, bright purple hues. Radiant perfumes of berry compote, blueberries and blood plum fruits, liquorice and liqueurs, seasoned by Asian five spice, cacao and carob. Juicy berry fruit flavours flood the palate, piquant spiced plums, cured meats and savoury complexity. Fine, silky tannins throughout, a memorable, everlasting finish. A match to game roasts and corned beef.

Victoria makes world class Pinot Noir, Chandon have the resources to develop the best vineyards and to retain the finest sites. Fruit is predominantly sourced from two vineyards in the Upper Yarra, planted to altitudes of 250 metres, they yield a quality of Pinot Noir that's highly akin to her stately siblings in the old world. The task of the Chandon team is to preserve the eccentricity of Pinot Noir in an engaging and balanced wine, suitably endowed with generous fruit filled palate, laden with bucolic varietal charm, truffles and barnyard, cherry and rhubarb spice.

$3299each $395DOZEN EACH DOZEN Crafted to an artisanal old world style of vinification, the retention of whole berries in the ferments is essential, bunches are destemmed but uncrushed into small open vessels and treated to three days of cold soak. Each vineyard patch is separately handled throughout the winemaking. Ferments are closely managed, temperature controls and a course of old fashioned hand plunging aid in the optimal extraction of colour, flavours and soft tannin. Upon completion, batches are pressed to a selection French oak barriques for malolactic and maturation. Some components remain on malolactic lees while others are racked and returned to oak, the best barrels are determined and assembled into the finished wine.

Dark garnet with purple edges. The nose exudes the idiosyncrasy of Pinot Noir grown to good terroir, cherries and applejack, sassafras and earthy, forest floor notes. The palate is layered with dark cherry flavours, seasoned by closet spice and cedary clove notes, supported by dark grain acidity and textural, licorice tannins. Match to vension and rare breast of duck.

André was Dominique Portet’s father, role model and mentor. The eigth generation in a distinguished lineage of vigneron, André raised Dominique amongst the world's most sacred vines during his tenure as manager at the illustrious Château Lafite-Rothschild. An assemblage of parcels Cabernet Sauvignon, hand picked and hand sorted from elite blocks in the Pyrenees and Yarra Valley, Andre can only ever be made from the most exceptional vintages.

$24999each $2999DOZEN EACH DOZEN The Pyrenees portion is picked off forty year old vines grown to gravel/quartz soils, a terroir that's ideal for elegance and structure. The Yarra Valley component is sourced off twenty year old vines, planted to propitious clay and broken rock soils, contributing mid palate flesh and freshness. An essential part of Andre's excellence is the exacting work over the sorting line, entirely eliminating green stalks and grapes which can be borderline over or under ripe. Winemaking is highly traditional, fruit is destemmed, gently crushed and treated to four weeks on skins, where it develops splendid softness and remarkable complexity, followed by a course of eighteen months in an extravagantly high proportion of new French oak.

Dark opaque scarlet. Black fruit nose, perfumed with violets and blueberry, ribena, meat grills and dark cherry jube. Blackberry and cassis palate, layered with wine gum and licorice notes, framed by a cosset of luxurious French oak, the final word in tannins, statueasque, chiselled yet affable, expansive yet reserved and refined.

The winemaking at Dominique Portet has one foot planted firmly in tradition and the other in the latest developments. It is ultimately an empathy for the grape and respect for the shared experiences of winemaking pioneers which drive the Portet wineworks, nestled amongst the flourishing vineyards of Victoria. It is from these propitious sites on the benign aspects of Yarra Valley, that Dominique Portet identifies auspicious parcels, so akin to the peerless quality of harvest that he husbanded during his childhood amongst the vines of Château Lafite.

$6899each $827DOZEN EACH DOZEN Making wine has always been a family affair for the Portets. Dominique is the ninth recorded generation in a family of vignerons dating back to eighteenth century France. A love of winemaking traditions developed from growing up amongst the vineyards. Arriving in Australia 1976, Portet quickly became an integral part of the Victorian wine industry. For the Porterts, wine is life, it has a cycle from earth to table, it is the first love. Ben Portet has worked under the direction of Brian Croser and Con Moshos at Petaluma, at Taltarni with his father, the Napa Valley and South Africa, in Bordeaux with Philippe Blanc of Chateau Beychevelle, in Reims with Louis Roederer, and the Rhone Valley where he specialised in Hermitage Syrah.

Beet red hues, darker robes. Bouqets of currant and cassis, dark cherry and coffee/ cocoa complexed by light dusty spice and pencil notes. A finely structured Cabernet of solid, savoury yet silky tannins, blackcurrants and bay leaf/ green peppercorn/ spice notes over a backdrop of controlled oak. Unequivocally Yarra Valley in its articulation of Cabernet Sauvignon, drink magnificently on release whilst relatively young.

Dominique Portet comes from a great lineage of notable winemakers, he clearly shines at Sauvignon Blanc, honing his style during tours of duty at Taltarni and Napa Valley's Clos du Val. Totally unworried about competition from across the Tasman, Portet's style of Sauvignon Blanc enjoys a growing demand in Qantas business class and throughout the world. Fashioned to be vital and exhilarating in it's youth, while appealing to those who are excited by what the French term a sauvage style of Sauvignon Blanc.

$2899each $347DOZEN EACH DOZEN Totally unworried about competition from across the Tasman, Portet's style of Sauvignon Blanc enjoys a growing demand in Qantas Business class and throughout the world. Dominique Portet has brought flair and fancy French styling to harvests of the most splendid Yarra Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Parcels are collated from the family vineyard at Coldstream, a unique terroir which achieves a Sauvignon Blanc that's a bit unique. Firstly, grapes are left on the vine a little longer, picked by hand and pressed at cooler temperatures for a different kind of flavour. A long cool vinification retains the crispness of Sauvignon Blanc on the vine, a course of regular lees stirring adds aromatics and infuses gentle creaminess.

Bright, light lime/ straw colour. Aromas of lime blossom, white peaches and spring flower. The flavours are clear and crisp, a lovely creamy texture, especially on the mid palate. Fresh, dry and so refined, completely ideal as an aperitif, day or night with canape of salmon, seafood ceviche or antipasto. Enjoy at any time and match with or without food.

From harvests of estate grown Cabernet Sauvignon, assembled off the salubrious Dominique Portet vineyards. The temperate seasons of Yarra Valley allow for complete ripening of fruit, components grown to climes further afield at Heathcote or the Pyreness encourage the development of fragrant pepper spice and the most graceful tannins. The lucky grapes are all hand picked, destemmed and very gently crushed, to be fashioned into a sublimely integrated accord, showing suppleness on the palate after an engaging nose of delicate perfumes.

$2499each $299DOZEN EACH DOZEN Dominique Portet did his training at some of the world's most illustrious red winemaking estates. He qualified at the Montpellier University of Oenology and during a compulsory one year military service was the Legion's wine purchasing adviser. Portet spent vintages in the Medoc, Rhone Valley, Provence and with Moet et Chandon. Following vintages in the Napa Valley, the founding of Taltarni and Clover Hill, vintage 2000 would see the establishment of the Dominique Portet label. Choice harvests of Cabernet Sauvignon are treated to a three day cold soak, vinified and left on skins for two to three weeks before maturation, mostly in a selection of fine French oak barrels.

Bright purple red in the glass. Juicy dark fruit aromas and flavours that focus on blackberry, plums and red cherry with a floral lift. A wine of supple texture and intense fruit, clear crisp acidity makes the flavours evolve over lovely soft tannins, making this elegant red blend so very easy to drink right now, ideally alongside pink butterfly lamb, Coq au vin or egg ribbon pasta with meatballs.

$2699each $323DOZEN EACH DOZEN

Named for a stylized French stone fountain which stands outside the Portet wineworks, Fontaine is an entirely appropriate adjective for this effortlessly luscious wine. Fontaine Rose is tickled pink, the colour just blushes through the glass, a visually stunning wine with chic and panache, as designed by Monsieur Portet. Parcels of Yarra Valley Merlot and Cabernet infuse the wine with delectable flavours of mixed summer berry, a component of Pyrenees Shiraz adds a sprinkling of revitalizing spice to the lightness of the easy drinking pink style.

$2499each $299DOZEN EACH DOZEN Dominique Portet calls Australia home, but his bond with Bordeaux cannot be broken. His family has been in the wine industry since 1780 and before. It is actually longer but any official records were lost during the revolution. The earliest remaining document dates back to 1720, relating to the sale of Eaux de Vie by the Portet family to Martell. Fontaine is sagaciously fashioned to emulate the French penchant for leisurely drinking, where Rose sipping is venerated as the most rejuvenating pastime. Savouring a chilled, blush coloured wine on balmy evenings is considered de rigueur amongst the bon vivant of Provence, it's now an essential part of today's relaxed Australian lifestyle.

A blushing, rose coloured wine. Scented with plum, cherry, jujube and spice characters, made complex by lighter fragrances of biscuit and confection, rosewater and glace. A mouthful showing fruits of the forest and spice, ripe black cherry, blueberries, red apple and stalk. Delightfully fruit driven in moreish styling, a fresh, elegant wine with a superb red berry fragrance and delicious drying, savoury finish.

Heathcote produces the most distinctive Shiraz wines, lined by noble tannins and carrying a serious weight of fruit. The rich terra rosa soils and favourably sunny climes make the region so exciting for protagonists of world class Shiraz, that it beckoned Dominique Portet to impart continental flair and skill into parcels of the choicest local fruit. A solidly structured wine, instantly recognizable as Heathcote, endowed with showroom tannins and an intensity of bramble flavours, luxuriously refined oak and minarets of peppery, aromatic spice.

$4999each $599DOZEN EACH DOZEN Dominique Portet is the ninth generation of his family committed to winemaking, yet he is the first to establish a winery and label bearing the family name. His training began early, at one of the world's most illustrious estates. Portet's father was regisseur (vineyard and winery manager) of the great Chateau Lafite Rothschild. Shiraz is harvested as the fruit reaches the desired levels of physiological ripeness. Following selection and sorting, grapes are inoculated and macerated in fermenters, followed by transfer to a selection of the most luxurious Allier, Nevers and Tronçais French oak barrels for an extended maturation and term of bottle age underneath the Dominique Portet cellars.

Deep garnet colour. Nose of bright, ripe red and black fruit, liquorice and freshly milled spice over red and black cherry notes. Delightfully approachable in its youth, the distinctive plum and spicy pepper flavours are supported by smooth but firm tannins. New French oak enhances the complexity of flavour, Portet is a master in the fine art of handling oak without destroying the fruit. A match to duck, steak and the finest cheese.

$3699each $443DOZEN EACH DOZEN

Dominique Portet grew up amongst the vineyards of France and appreciates the rejuvenating qualities of blush coloured wines. The vibrance of Yarra Valley Chardonnay is dominated by a slightly larger component of savoury Pinot Noir, all grown to good local vineyards and fashioned into the cultivated French interpretation of Rosé. The tide has turned in Australia towards the refreshing, savoury styles which have always been heralded in France. Ready to drink when slightly chilled, Dominique Portet is the pink sparkler of choice to enjoy at every occasion.

$4199each $503DOZEN EACH DOZEN Portet is the ninth generation of his family to be committed to winemaking, yet he is the first to establish a winery and label bearing the family name. Brut Rose is a cepage of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, grown exclusively to fine vineyards in the cool districts of Yarra Valley. Brut Rose draws on centuries of French tradition, bottled fermented and disgorged shortly before release, receiving only a small amount of red wine and a light addition of liqueur tirage. Grapes are all hand picked, gently pressed and vinified before being treated to secondary fermentation inside its own bottle. Aged and tiraged for two years under the Dominique Portet cellars, disgorged and lightly dosed prior to resealing and release.

Deep salmon pink colour with a a creamy mousse and persistent bead. Fresh strawberries and rose petals on the nose, nuances of stonefruit and hints of light bread spice. Red berry flavours and tangy rhubarb characters, peaches and red delicious apple follow through to the fresh and dry, creamy finish. Without a doubt, this sparkling sensation will add something special to boardroom luncheons, long languid dinners and discrete soirées.

Elgee Park is the oldest vineyard on the Mornington Peninsula. The picturesque property is situated at the end of Wallaces Road, amidst the protected gentle hills of Merricks North, one of the warmest sites on the peninsula. Established in 1972 by Baillieu Myer and family, the five hectare property was the first in a new era of distinguished Mornington vineyards. The splendid maritime conditions which surround the vines are so very similar to that of Bordeaux. Limited quantities of exceptional wine are released each year under the Family Reserve label.

$2299each $275DOZEN EACH DOZEN Elgee Park vineyard covers the north facing slope of a natural amphitheatre, with a view across Port Phillip Bay to the Melbourne skyline, as depicted on the label. Surrounded by gardens, the vineyard is adorned by a gazebo and sculptures, hand hewn fences and an array of roses at the end of each vine row. There's normally good rainfall throughout the growing season and the climate offers an extended ripening period, ideal for premium grape growing. After being harvested at perfect ripeness, grapes are de-stemmed and crushed, drained, pressed and settled. The free run juices are cool fermented, settled and racked, filtered and bottled to arrive at a wonderfully fresh, crisp and aromatic style. Alcohol 13.0%

Pale straw colour. Perfumed bouquet of lime, passionfruits and rose. Wonderful cool climate citrus and lime, apple and a hint of peach as well as dry, savoury mineral. The palate is crisp, delicate and dry, showing great length, abundant with citrus and floral flavours.