It's been fascinating to watch the revival of the big Burgundian negociants. Historically, names like Faiveley, Chanson and Louis Jadot have been treated with a certain disdain here in Australia, tagged as 'just negociant wines'. That's likely …
With the official Graham HQ Chief Chardonnay Drinker 34 weeks pregnant, I'm not opening up as much Chardonnay as normal (outside of tasting lineups). The flip side is that I'm probably drinking more beer than ever …
Firstly, apologies for the little number of recent posts. More beaching, less writing for me this Christmas (not a bad thing at all). Today, I'm too sunburnt for the beach, so instead I'm attacking the …
I'm still working out what to drink on Christmas day. I've got most of the usual boxes ticked - Primo Joseph sparkling red, '12 Giaconda Chardonnay maybe and a stray bottle of Pra Monte Grande that …
It's been a long month here at Graham HQ, and the next few weeks promise to be just as intense. I can't wait for that glorious period in between Christmas and New Year where life …
On Thursday, a squad of Hunter Valley winemakers came to Sydney to show off some new releases at the new Brix Distillery. While I couldn't hang around and drink beer with the lads, they had in …
Petaluma B & V Vineyard Shiraz 2015 Petaluma's premium single vineyard Shiraz and it's almost a star. From the B + V Vineyard on the eastern side of the Adelaide Hills, this sees 72% new oak …
Longview Devil’s Elbow Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Always plenty of flavour in these Longview reds, with Nebbiolo the standout variety. This Cabernet packs in plenty of punch, but I'm not sure the minty tannins work. It's not …
From near misses to faulty junk. Here is a collection of the wines that almost won me over in October 2018. A special, frustrating mention to the two Leasingham wines. I grew up worshipping the mid …
Sunshine Creek Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2015 A traditionally structured, if slightly old school (complete with cork seal) Yarra Pinot with plenty of flavour. Glacé cherry nose, the full and extractive palate has broad, vanilla bean …
Mandala Matriarch Pinot Noir 2015 The pointy end of the Mandala range, from a great vintage. All MV6 clone fruit, it was handpicked and all destemmed, spends 9 months in 50% new oak. That's lots of …
Terre à Terre Crayères Vineyard Reserve 2015 For the past few vintages, the Terre à Terre label of Xavier Bizot and wife Lucy Croser has been inching towards a truly game-changing wine. Something that will put …
Bremerton Coulthard Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 So much flavour and heart in this serious Langhorne red. $22 well spent. Less lavish oak on the nose this vintage, and better because of it, with varietal cedar and tobacco …
Hardys HRB D670 Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Underrated wines these HRB series and with a rich history - there are lots of forgotten labels in the Accolade portfolio really, though plenty of hollow commercial products too. This …
This edition of the Almost Club is a few days late as I was busily not doing much in Noosa (photo attached. We love Noosa). Here than are 20 wines that almost hit the mark in …
Vinea Marson Rosè 2015 Amidst the clamour for rosé (one of the fastest growing segments in the wine industry) it's always great to know that not everyone ascribes to the 'must taste like Provence rosé' theory. …
Bellvale Athena’s Vineyard Chardonnay 2015 From the Ellis families dry-grown Gippsland family vineyard. There's an intensity here that you often see in dry-grown vineyards - like the grapes hit another gear in the flavour-per-berry stakes. For …
Vinea Marson Col Fondo Prosecco 2015 More Col Fondo! In Australia! For the uninitiated this is Prosecco made in the traditional method, with a second fermentation in bottle but without a disgorgement. The best Italian Col …
Chapel Hill Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 In my mind this is the archetypal McLaren Vale Cabernet. From a warm year that typically delivered ripeness and power, it's a wine of substantial flavour, oak, tannins - everything. Hearty, …
A wine to remind that not all Australian Merlot need be boring. Ruckus Estate/Merite Wines are pushing the Q45 clone and giving the grape the love it deserves. This Ruckus Estate the Q Merlot 2015 …
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.