Hot on the heels of this month's Almost Club (highlighting wines that didn't make the silver medal standard), here is a selection of ten wines that DID make it (if …
Firstly, what a treat to get four-year-old Coonawarra Cabernet Merlot for sub $30! Coonawarra Cab, even in easier forms, needs the age, and it helps give this an edge. The …
The bread and butter wine for Zema and reliable in its style. This warm-year Zema Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 is a hearty beast though. Think sappy, dry and tannic Coonawarra Cabernet …
Too much. That's the challenge with both the latest Tapanappa Whalebone reds. This is a bit easier than the Merlot Cab, but still heavy-going, despite the obvious quality. From a warm, …
Ultimately, this Tapanappa Whalebone Merlot Cabernet Franc 2018 is too firm and ripe to be great. But maybe, just maybe, it's too young by half and I'm going to look …
Not all wines can be great. Plenty are just ‘ok drinks’, and some are just bad… Here is a selection of 22 wines that almost made it in September 2022. As ever, …
Want to know what the best part about wine show judging is? The judge's dinner. That's because the judging is less glamorous than you'd think. Often, it's a mouth-destroying slog, with …
There is something very comforting about Balgownie Cabernet. I was talking last week about that sense of the right variety on the right site, and Cab looks perfectly at home …
Not all wines can be great. Plenty are just ‘ok drinks’, and some are just bad… Here is a selection of 48 wines that almost made it in August 2022. With this …
We're on a bit of a value kick here at Australian Wine Review towers today? Between this and the Voyager? I'm a man of the people, and this Yalumba Samuel’s …
As the name suggests, here are 10 of the better Chardonnay to have passed the Australian Wine Review desk in recent weeks. I tried to keep this as a 'Top 10' …
Juniper Estate (or just Juniper as it is now labelled) has quite a reputation for crafting archetype Margaret River styles while slipping under the radar. Indeed, they have some of …
I never miss this tasting. Every year, the Sydney Royal Wine Show throws open the doors for a trade/exhibitor tasting of all everything entered into what is one of Australia's famous, …
The tip-top top dog for De Bortoli, and even comes in an old-school claret bottle. Reach for the stars! This De Bortoli Melba Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 tastes like classic …
At 18, I started working in a small suburban bottleshop, largely to buy cheap beer. It was my first year of university, slogging through physics and chemistry, so a liquor shop seemed like fun. But then, I fell in love with wine and craft beer, and it took over my life.
Twenty three years later and I spend my days wearing many beverage hats and judge at wine shows around the world...Read more