In very surprising news, Wine Australia today announced that the 2019 Australian winegrape crush will be 1.73 million bottles, just 1% lower than the long term advantage. It is such a …
Massolino Barolo 2015 Want to know what the Barolo fuss is about? Why people go nuts about Nebbiolo? Here's one wine that shows the beauty of what Jancis Robinson describes as 'the world's …
Raidis Estate Wild Goat Shiraz 2015 Easily appealing Coonawaarra Shiraz from Steve and Emma Raidis. Cocoa powder oak, a little Coonawarra mint, the palate old school, mid noughties ripe and oak …
Tim Smith Barossa Mataro Grenache Shiraz 2018 Old vines, old barrels, unfined and unfiltered. Tim Smith delivers another lively, generous and affordable Barossan red and I like it. Dark purple red, it's …
Stefano Lubiana Collina Chardonnay 2014There is just 51 dozen of this Chardonnay in existence or 612 bottles. That's very very small numbers in the scheme of things - just 459 …
Pizzini Estate Nebbiolo 2014 Pizzini's range of Nebbiolo has exploded in recent years, and headed by quality varietal wines like this. It's good. It's real and, importantly, varietal. Close your eyes and …
Juniper Estate Chardonnay 2017 Here's a Margaret River winery with a decidedly quieter profile than the usual suspects (Cape Mentelle, Cullen, Voyager, Leeuwin, Moss Wood, Vasse Felix etc) but delivering genuine, …
Warramunda Estate Syrah 2016 The Warramunda wines are firmly on the up, even in a year as dry and challenging as 2016. Sourced from the Warramunda vineyard at Coldstream, the vines planted …
Brothers at War I’m Always Right Eden Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 Another well-weighted release from the Wardlaw brothers. From a vineyard at 390m outside of Eden Valley. it’s a really quite …
Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon 2014 There is more Tyrrell's Semillon, under various labels, in my cellar than any other white wine. Maybe that colours my views, and shout out if you …
Lou Miranda Shiraz Centarian Mataro 2015 Old vine Shiraz Mataro, with the Mataro component in particular over 100 year old. For all that old vine fruit it seems to have been …
Chateau Tanunda 150 year old Vines Semillon 2017 Barossa Semillon is such a particular taste. An oddity that must be achingly hard to sell - even harder than Hunter Semillon - …
Castle Rock Estate Shiraz 2015 Porongurup. Polish Hill River. Eden Valley. These three sub-regions are the dress circle of Australian Riesling. But Eden is the only one of those three that …
St Hugo Grenache Shiraz Mataro 2016 It's interesting to see how the St Hugo style hasn't changed over the years, despite new wines being added to the range. Still ripe, old …
Here's a wine that I know will brighten up a dour pub list. The Wirra Wirra Church Block 2017 is another reminder that making good $25 wine isn't hard. You …
Baileys of Glenrowan Organic Shiraz 2016 The Baileys of Glenrowan vineyard is a sleeping giant. A 144ha, certified organic vineyard with vines over a century old. That’s a large organic plot. At one …
Lou Miranda Estate Old Vine Grenache 2018 One of the better wines from the Lou Miranda stable for mine. Nails the old vine Grenache mode with generous fruit and no oak. From …
Opawa Pinot Noir 2017 Marlborough Pinot from the Nautilus empire - easy attraction here and well priced. It's a little lean, complete with a dash of mint. But that's part of …
Bugalugs Shiraz 2018 This is good, inexpensive, bright and juicy modern Barossa Shiraz. Plum juice aplenty in an affable style. Minimal oak, minimal tannins, just genuine, simple Barossa Shiraz. A bit …
Millon Estate The Royal GSM 2017 Every time I see Millon Estate I write Million Estate.... This is a tick up on the Shiraz, if also a little syrupy. 12 months …
At 18 I started working in a small suburban bottleshop, largely to buy cheap beer. It was my first year of university, doing a degree that I didn't really like, and a liquor shop seemed like fun. Needless to say I discovered wine, my uni degree morphed into something completely different and wine/beer took over my life.
Almost twenty years later and I currently spend my days wearing many (wine) hats, mostly as a writer, presenter and marketer.
While wearing my writer cap I write features for the likes of National Liquor News, Gourmet Traveller WINE and the RAS plus I'm a Lifestyle FOOD channel wine expert. Read more about me here or get in touch to book your next wine event with me here.