In recent years the whisky industry has borrowed from the wine industry.
Barrels that have previously been used to mature port, madeira, sauternes, burgundy and other wines have been used to complete the maturation of whisky, with these ''cask finishes'' adding their own nuances of flavour to the finished product.
Following a practice adopted by some breweries, Jacobs Creek have turned the tables by using aged Scotch whisky and Irish whiskey barrels to complete the maturation of two new wines, a Barossa shiraz and a Coonawarra cabernet.
Dubbed ''Double Barrel'', these wines are kept in the traditional French and American oak casks before being transferred to whisky barrels for their final maturation.
An innovative idea, likely to win over new fans.
Mission Estate celebrates 30 years of barrel-fermented Chardonnay
The spiritual home of chardonnay is Burgundy in France.
In the 1970s and '80s, winemakers in California, Australia and New Zealand began to get to grips with this noble grape, looking to Burgundy for inspiration.
Using oak barrels for maturing the wine was well known, the juice being fermented in stainless steel tanks and then run into barrels for ageing.
The concept of fermenting the juice in oak barrels was still little known or understood.
This can add extra layers of flavour and a desirable creaminess to the wine.
Back in 1983, winemaker Paul Mooney at Mission Estate in Hawkes Bay adopted this technique.
He appears to be the first winemaker in New Zealand to do this with hand-picked fruit being whole-bunch pressed and then fermented in barrel.
Fast-forward 30 years and Paul is still at the helm at Mission.
To honour both 30 years of this wine style and their founding winemaker Brother Cyprian Huchet, Mission has released its flagship Huchet Chardonnay, which can be sourced ex-winery for $89.
Price: RRP $19.99 (but cheaper on special)
Rating: Very Good
Charry toast and stewed fruits at first; the oak recedes as it moves to plum.
The palate has plums and spiced Xmas cake.
Quite refined and mellow rather than a big Aussie bruiser with just enough tannic grip.
This drinks rather well with a hint of dark chocolate on the finish.
Price: RRP $24.99 (around $20 on special)
Rating: Excellent
Vanillan oak, sweet liqueur raspberries and redcurrant.
Some spiciness comes up.
Fills the mouth, very rich and full-bodied but incredibly rounded and supple at the same time.
Something indefinably different here but quite delectable.
A lot of bang for your buck for big Aussie shiraz lovers.
Price: RRP $24.99 (around $20 on special)
Rating: Excellent
Chocolate, mint and blackcurrant leap out on the nose.
Powerful palate, distinctly cabernet sauvignon with intense blackcurrant before the tannic grip sets in.
Lovely density, ripe but not overblown with a long finish.
A hint of spirit early on but this recedes.
Would be the bees knees with roast lamb.
