Wine
Selector Cellar – Issue 98
From award-winning drops to fantastic food companions, superb seasonal suggestions and more, this is your at-a-glance guide to what to look out for next time you're entertaining, taking it easy at home, or celebrating a special occasion... specially curated for your drinking pleasure. Be inspired. Get excited. It's time to enter the cellar.
"The golden hour"
GIANT STEPS SEXTON VINEYARD CHARDONNAY 2023
Deluxe barely begins to describe this wine: deep gold in the glass, with very complex aromas of struck match, citrus, fig, melon and toasty oak. Refined yet complex, juicy yet delicate, with limey acidity driving the ripe core of fruit, beautiful texture, deluxe oak, and a never ending finish. A benchmark wine.
Pairing and cellaring
Summer poultry dishes, roast pork and/or seafood. Beautiful now, but will age gracefully for 3–5 years.
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"Those summer nights"
Giant Steps Sexton Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023
Another classic vintage from a true Yarra icon. The nose is juicy, generous and full with ripe black plums, ripe strawberries, earth, and fine, delicate layers of Provencal herbs. The palate shows a lovely, balanced tension between sweet and savoury fruits, creating a highly attractive mouthfeel. A keeper.
Pairing and cellaring
Great with barbequed lamb and any roast poultry. Will cellar nicely for 5-10 years.
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"Time to chill"
SAM MIRANDA NUOVO NEBBIOLO 2024
A fresh, modern interpretation of this regal Italian varietal. Bright, crunchy aromatics with fresh wild raspberries, red plums and wild strawberries, and a delicious earthy undertone. Soft enough to be chilled and enjoyed through summer, the palate is classy, juicy, refreshing and generous without the tannin grip typical of young Nebbiolo.
Pairing and cellaring
Chill and enjoy with carpaccio or steak tartare over the next 3-8 years.
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"A winning choice"
Mount Avoca Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2023
Classic, cool climate Cabernet characters flow generously through the aromatics of this Chairmans Award Trophy winner (2024 Ballarat Show). Tomato leaf with hints of regional eucalyptus, dark cooking chocolate, cassis, and blackberry. Medium bodied and well balanced, with a lovely array of blackcurrants, juicy blackberries and fine, smokey tannins.
Pairing and cellaring
Thai beef salad provides the ideal match for this cool climate Cab. Cellar for 3-8 years.
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"HIT THE HEIGHTS"
MOUNT AVOCA ESTATE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2024
Pale straw in the glass with refined and elegant aromatics, emblematic of cool climate Sauv Blanc. Aromas of creamy gooseberries and fine herbs underscored with fresh layers of lemons, lemon pith and green apples. Palate is sophisticated and generous with lemon/lime peel savoury citrus, fresh herbs, and great length.
Pairing and cellaring
Fresh aromatics and a citrussy palate pair sensationally with baked barramundi. Cellar 3-5 years.
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"QUE SYRAH, SERÁ"
TAMBURLAINE ORGANIC RESERVE SYRAH 2018
Gloriously heady, the fresh, vibrant aromatics of this wine contradict its age. White pepper, cloves, cooking chocolate, thyme and fennel showcase great, aromatic beauty. Palate is medium bodied and lithe, with soft flowing layers of blackcurrants, black cherry, blackberry and herbs, with fine and soft tannins. A great cellar wine.
Pairing and cellaring
Venison or fillet steak. Will age gracefully over the next 10 years.
Visit Tamburlaine
"Seriously moreish"
TAMBURLAINE POINT 65 ORGANIC MALBEC 2024
Top Gold medal winner at the 2025 International Cool Climate Wine Show. Deep and rich aromas of blue and purple fruit, blueberries and dried herbs flow through to a rich yet soft palate of blue plums, blackberries and fresh red cherries. There is a lovely sweet/sour balance across the palate that flows through to a long, rich finish.
Pairing and cellaring
Layered and lovely, best paired with beef bourguignon or osso buco. Cellar for 5-10 years.
Visit Tamburlaine
Every issue, the Selector team reaches out to wineries across Australia, large and small, to help uncover new and exciting wines to share with our readers.
Interested in having your wine feature in one of our Selector Cellar tastings?
Contact Nadia Waugh on nadiaw@selectormagazine.com.au and join the Selector Cellar.