It may jar your tropics/hot desert image of Australia to learn that in parts of Victoria and New South Wales, as well as Tasmania, it’s chilly enough for snow in the winter. There’s even skiing – “you can see the ski fields from the vineyard” said one winery guy.

However the summer is another matter and that sounds more like Oz, with temperatures routinely rising into the forties Celsius with continuous sunshine. This hardly qualifies as “cool”, but the chilly nights in the higher elevations keep the grapes fresh and sharp.

In each case the agent for Ontario is given – contact for details.

Skillogalee Riesling 2006. $22.95 (Worldwide Cellar)
Bold aromatic nose with a hint of petrol. Fairly fruity – apples and peaches. Fairly tart on the palate, but not as fruity as expected. Medium bodied and the petrol carries through onto the palate. Nice and dry with a good finish. 88 points

Katnook Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2006. $22.95 (Charlton Hobbs)
Neither very aromatic nor characteristic of a sauv blanc. Herbaceousness did come through on the palate and the acidity level is very crisp. There are only very light tropical fruit notes on the palate and I thought I detected the slightest hint of cardboard. Overall very pleasant with an OK finish, though it didn’t strike me as representative of either of the styles of sauvignon blanc (i.e., herbaceous/grassy or tropical fruity). 86 points

Redbank Sunday Morning Pinot Gris 2006. $24.95 (Charton Hobbs)
Fairly bold nose with a bit of apple fruit. Quite big on the palate, and the alcohol is a bit evident. There is also that pinot gris undertone present, but not overpowering or unpleasant. Very dry and with crisp acidity, OK finish. 87 points.

Jacob’s Creek Reeves Point Chardonnay 2004. $34.95 (Corby Distilleries)
Boldly woody nose – both cedar and vanilla are evident. Very smooth and big on the palate with nice vanilla and delicate fruit notes, mainly lemon. Good crisp acidity and a lovely smoky note emerges towards the lingering finish. A terrific high-end effort from this mass-market producer that feels more like Burgundy than Barossa. 90 points.

Bay of Fires Pinot Noir 2006. $38.95 (Churchill Cellars)
Very New World fruity nose of cherries. Great light red colour. Smooth on the palate with some earthiness, though not much. The oak is evident and gives some cedar notes. Acidity is high and, at 13.5% in a pinot, so is the alcohol. Fresh. 88 points.

Brokenwood Indigo Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006. $38.95 (Mondio Alliance)
Very slightly cooked fruit nose with only moderate aromas, but nice secondary woody notes. Quite smooth on the palate and farily light and muted red cherry fruit. Nice lingering finish. 89 points

Yering Station Pinor Noir Reserve 2005. $43.00 (Trilogy Wines)
Very bold and attractive nose of cherries combined with mild earthiness. I noted it as “silkily complex”. Beautiful on the palate, with acidity and tannin levels both fairly high, but nicely balanced. Fresh and fruity with lots of cherries, but also some great smoky notes. The wood and fruit come together nicely on the finish. A terrific pinot. 91 points.