Australian wines are coming on strong again and I recently had the opportunity to taste several wines that really impressed me. Two that I really enjoyed were from Dandelion Vineyards located in the Barossa region of South Australia. Dandelion Vineyards creates each wine with the utmost care and attention to detail resulting in some wonderful, high quality wines.
Dandelion Wonderland Riesling 2010
I adore a good Riesling especially in the warmer months and usually prefer them on the sweeter side. This version has no residual sugar so I was surprised when I first tasted this wine and really liked it. This wine is pale straw color in the glass and has a pleasant aroma of citrus and slightly floral notes. There is a pleasant tartness to the wine reminiscent of a juicy green apple mixing with light citrus flavors. Wonderland Riesling is very refreshing and has a nice acidity. It is 12.5% alcohol and is very well priced at less than $20 per bottle.
Dandelion Pedro Ximenez NV
Dandelion Pedro Ximenez is honestly the best dessert wine I have tasted so far. This is serious stuff. It has been made since 1944 and is blended and bottled by hand. It has a pretty golden amber color and caramel aroma. I can only say this is dessert in a glass with a kick. Think creamy vanilla and more caramel. Totally delicious and packs a punch with a whopping 19% alcohol! Dandelion Pedro Ximenez is a knockout and can be bought online for $25-$30 per bottle.
