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State Winner New South Wales: Rockpool, Sydney

This is one of Australia’s great wine lists. It goes without saying that a good list should be comprehensive in its offerings, but sometimes that means you have such an enormous tome thrust at you that a feeling of helplessness threatens to overwhelm. With its 46 pages, Rockpool’s wine list slips into the category of large, but there is something rather friendly and accessible about it. Perhaps it’s in the way it’s laid out with clear headings, a good index and a font, albeit small, that is gentle on the eye. The selections are well spaced, with the origins of the wines grouped according to region – a sensible layout decision.

As for the wines, they are terrific. A must-have for any good list is an excellent range of wines by the glass and Rockpool has it, with delicious Champagnes on offer, stunning sherries and sakes, and a full range of different white wine varieties and reds from around the world. Added to this is the very impressive range of half-bottles and magnums. The magnums on offer all have some bottle age, which makes them perfect drinking now.
 
For sommelier Nicole Reimers, this is the dream job, where she has freedom of choice for the list. Each week, about 10 pages are reprinted to keep it up-to-date, so you can be sure they’ll have that special bottle you’ve taken the time to choose. If you’re after great Burgundy, you’ll find it. Ditto Bordeaux, Rhône or Tuscan wines. Superb local wines? Yes. A vertical of Grange? Why not. Or simply a glass of dolcetto – you can have it all at Rockpool.

Rockpool, 107 George St, The Rocks, NSW, (02) 9252 1888, www.rockpoolsydney.com.au.

TEXT MARYANN EGAN

This article appeared in the August/September 2008 issue of Gourmet Traveller WINE.