Not all wines can be great. Plenty are just ok drinks. And some are just bad… Here’s a selection of wines that almost made it in July 2019. I like plenty …
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 …
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 - …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Millon Estate The Royal Shiraz 2016 A new name to me that looks to be export-focused, with the wines made by Angus Wardlaw (Brothers at War). Based on the Millon Wines …
Pirathon Gold Shiraz 2016 Following on from the Black Shiraz comes the top dog Pirathon red. Interestingly, I preferred the Black, but that's just me. From the De Fazio and Hillview …
Pirathon Black Shiraz 2016 Just when you thought the luscious, mega ripe, sweet-oaked 'Parker-style' Barossan reds have disappeared, up lobs the Pirathon reds. But for all the largesse, these are very …
Ubertas Shiraz Cabernet 2017 A new name for me, and plenty of promise. Ubertas is the label of the brothers Kevin and Phil Liu who bought a vineyard at Nurioopta. This …
Auld Family Wines Wilberforce Barossa Cabernet Shiraz 2015 The Auld family name is synonymous with South Australian wine, with William Patrick (Pat) Auld known as one of the early Adelaide vignerons. …
Two Hands Gnarly Dudes Shiraz 2017 I always like the Two Hands packaging. Proprietary bottle and cool names. This is agreeable Shiraz too - a plump Barossa red in a classic …
Barossa Valley Wine Company Gravel Track Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre 2017 The Mataro/Mourvedre contrast goes on. I've seen it called either in either region now. Mataro is more Australian for mine. Anyway, …
When I first landed in the wine industry nineteen years ago, the Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz was one of my benchmarks. As a wide-eyed 19 year old I lusted over …
Not all wines can be great. In fact plenty are just ok drinks. And some are just bad... Here's a selection of wines that didn't quite excite me in May. Several …
Schwarz Wine Co. Meta Grenache 2018 Mark this down as another example of the rebounding fortune of Australian Grenache. The Schwarz wines are always charismatic, and the somewhat experimental Meta wines are …
Let's not bullshit, the vast majority of wines made aren't compelling. They're not. There's a tiny quantity that are compelling, but most are are pleasant, well made, if unexciting. And …
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.