The Top 20 Shiraz of August 2020
August 28, 2020
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 …
The Almost Club Lockdown edition: 68 wines that almost made it over the past 3 months
July 8, 2020
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 over the past few …
Review: Passing Clouds Graeme’s Shiraz Cabernet 2017
June 24, 2020
Graeme's Blend is always the best Passing Cloud release. Sure, the Macedon wines have the style, but Bendigo is the beating heart (and it shows). This red aims high and almost …
10 of the best cellaring reds to pass the desk this November – feat. Oakridge, Craggy Range, Eldorado Road etc
November 19, 2019
This is just a taste of the finest big reds that passed the desk this November. Background notes in italics. Oakridge Original Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 Spends 3 weeks on skins post …
Top 10 Shiraz of October 2019 – Thomas Wines, Balgownie, Shaw + Smith et al.
October 21, 2019
As it says on the tin, here are ten of the best Shiraz to pass the tasting bench this October. A special note to the breadth of Hunter Shiraz from …
14 of the best Cabernet based reds this August: Feat. Oates Ends, Voyager, Levantine Hill & more
August 15, 2019
It's been a rough week or so at Graham HQ, as a sniffly 5 month old meant little sleep and not enough wine... So let's keep this tight. As the name …
15 Australian Cabernet (and blends) that looked good in late 2018
January 2, 2019
Happy New Year! I'm celebrating the start of 2019 with a little tasting note house cleaning, how about you? Actually I'm mainly at the beach. Before we crack out the towels …
Almost Club October 2018 edition: From ‘not bad’ to ‘how did that get bottled’
October 29, 2018
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 …
The Top 10 Shiraz tasted this August 2018 – feat. Balgownie, Gundog, Yalumba etc
August 22, 2018
The title says it all, these are 10 of the best Shiraz to pass the desk this month. This isn't a comprehensive last, as I probably taste somewhere between 6000-7000 wines …
13 of the better red blends to pass the desk in May
May 21, 2018
Following on from last month's focus on other reds and Shiraz, this May I'm all about red blends. It's always frustrating that we seem so singularly focused on mono-varietal wines in Australia, as …
The Almost Club: October 2017 edition, feat. 37 wines that are almost really good (or not)
October 25, 2017
Here's a selection of wines that were almost great. Some are just good, solid wines that are occasionally unready, through to slightly underwhelming/unexciting, and rounded out with a few wines that …
A brace of $40+ Cabernet from Moss Wood, Balnaves, Leeuwin, Rockford, Woodlands et al
September 18, 2017
It feels like I've had a lot of premium Cabernet over the past few weeks, especially after the Voyager extravaganza and the Margaret River 50th Anniversary tastings. But no point in …
July ’17 Shiraz roundup: Alkoomi, Leeuwin Estate & Balgownie highlights
July 17, 2017
While I struggle through the man flu and can't smell anything, here are a few Shiraz/Syrah to pass the desk recently. Leeuwin Estate Art Series Margaret River Shiraz 2014 This is the …
2015 SA & Vic reds roundup: 22 wines w/ highlights from Schwarz, Balgownie & First Foot Forward
July 12, 2017
Following on from my post about 2015 vintage generalisations, here is a roundup of a swag of 2015 reds from Victoria and South Australia that have passed the desk recently. Mornington …
2015 vintage generalisations are mad + wines from Sidewood, Chapel Hill, Wirra Wirra & Balgownie
July 10, 2017
Q: Have you noticed any trends among the wines this year? A: 'The quality of the 2015 vintage in South Australia and Victoria'. That's James Halliday, talking trends in an article …
Balgownie Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
April 18, 2017
Balgownie Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 Ripeness. That's the focal point in this Balgownie Cabernet, which flirts with some of the rum and raisin dried fruit characters seen in other '13 Vic …
Six quality Victorian Shiraz from The Story, Balgownie, Tahbilk and more
February 1, 2017
The Story Grampians Shiraz 2014 Rory Lane's latest Shiraz and it's a beauty - if in need of another 2 years minimum to show it's best. Sourced from three Grampians Shiraz …
Balgownie Estate Centre Block Shiraz 2014
January 10, 2017
If there is one winery whose new release wines I'd like to see with more bottle age it is Balgownie. There's a sturdiness to the structure of the Bendigo reds …
The heroic Balgownie Estate Old Vine Shiraz 2013
October 24, 2016
Balgownie Estate Old Vine Shiraz 2013 The pointy end of the Balgownie Range and from a dry, warm vintage. This comes off the oldest 12 rows planted in 1969 and spends …
Three flavours of Balgownie Chardonnay
March 9, 2016
Balgownie aren't classically known for their Chardonnay, but the classically full-flavoured style of the Balgownie Chard has won plenty of friends over the years. On that point, I'm still amazed at …
About me – Andrew Graham
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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
