Always like Tim's Mataro, and this Tim Smith Wines Mataro 2019 is smart (again). Sourced from two vineyards 70+ yrs old. Luscious blackberry fruit, it’s plush, deep, varietal and yet with …
As announced on Facebook late last week, Damien Tscharke is closing his popular Barossa cellar door permanently to focus on vineyard and wines. It's a bold move. Bold, but I don't …
'I want to make the vineyards the story, and not the winemaker'. That's not your usual Barossan winemaker line. Not in a region where the mantra is about blending, and often …
This didn't feel like a normal NYE. But with a toddler, what counts a 'normal' NYE anyway? More importantly, who cares about New Years? Regardless, I opened plenty of tasty drinks …
Not all wines can be great. Plenty are just ok drinks. And some are just bad. Here then is a selection of wines that almost made it to a pass mark …
Fun fact: Shiraz makes up over 25% of all winegrapes crushed in Australia, and South Australia has the largest vineyard area with 76,292ha (Wine Australia figures 19/20). But what I want …
Tim's done it again. The master of textural and luscious Barossan reds delivers another winner in this Tim Smith Wines M.G.S 2019. It’s flush with soft blackberry fruit that’s very approachable …
The first-ever 'serious' red wine I bought was a 1998 St Hallett Faith Shiraz back in 2000. I had just turned 19 and was working in a bottle shop where …
I missed most of the Zoom Virtual Tasting for this St Hallett Blackwell Shiraz 2018 so I'm missing a little context. But suffice to say it's ala very different wine …
The Calabria family’s more recent premium red releases are now Barossa, with a step up in quality expectations (and price). This Calabria Three Bridges Grenache 2018 leans a little too …
It's halfway through spring. Already. That escalated quickly... As the name suggests, these are the best pink/blush/salmon orange/reddish coloured Australian rosé to pass the Australian Wine Review tasting bench this springtime. …
The latest step forward into premium wine for Bill Calabria and family, this Calabria Alternato 2017 is an unusual blend of Barossa Durif, Nero d’Avola, Montepulciano and Shiraz. Blackberry fruited, warm …
Jason Schwarz's typically approachable Meta wines in good form again. This Schwarz Wine Co. Meta Mataro 2019 is handpicked Barossa fruit, wild fermented with 28% whole bunches. A berry delight …
Perhaps the least natural winner of the Thorn-Clarke Single Vineyard Selection range (behind wines like the Shiraz), but what do you expect for a Barossan Malbec? Actually, this Thorn-Clarke Single …
While not quite in the same echelon as the Mataro, this Thorn-Clarke Single Vineyard Selection Grenache 2018 is handy drinking. From the 'Old Vine Block' it's all bright red raspberry Grenache …
Always like Jason Schwarz's Meta wines. Barossa drinkability plus. This Schwarz Meta Grenache 2019 is a bright, light and vibrant style, sourced from old vine fruit, and all tank matured …
Not quite a bolt from the blue, but these Thorn Clarke Single Vineyard wines are very good. This Thorn Clarke Single Vineyard Selection Mataro 2018 is one of the highlights. From …
Dom Torzi's Barossa Sangiovese and every bit the uncomplicated and delicious drink. Indeed this Vigna Cantina Sangiovese 2019 is varietal, bright, and stuffed full of summer berries and sandy Sangiovese …
Today is Cabernet Day, which, like all the other days, no one cares about bar a handful of marketers. But you know that already. Rather than stew on why we need …
As the name suggests, these are the Top 20 Shiraz of August 2020. There was more Shiraz this month, there always is. But these are the wines I want to …
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. Needless to say, I discovered wine, and my life evolved with a unique dual focus - wine and environment.
Twenty years later and I spend my days wearing many (wine) hats, mostly as a writer, presenter and marketer.
I now judge at wine shows around the world, sit on the Australian Wine List of the Year awards panel and was once a Wine Journalism Young Gun (but baby that was years ago).
Currently, I write features for a variety of publications including National Liquor News, Gourmet Traveller WINE and the RAS, plus I'm a former Lifestyle FOOD channel wine expert.
In 2019 and 2020 I was voted in the Top 30 Best Wine Critics in The World, and in my spare time, I'm a sucker for punishment and run trail ultra marathons, much to the delight of my long-suffering family. Read more about me here or get in touch to book your next wine event with me here