I missed December's Almost Club edition (holidays), so this is a huge crop of almostness... As the name suggests, here are the wines that almost hit the mark for me in January. Some are just nice …
The premise with this collection is very very simple - I've been hitting the sample pile hard over the past week or two, and these 30 wines were not only the most quintessentially smashable Australian …
Christmas is my favourite time of year. The smell of gardenias. The sun. The green grass. The promise of holidays. It's so good. This time of year is also perfect for opening lots of wines. I …
For the final post in my 'wines that moved me in April' series comes this final collection - that I'm calling the 'better reds that aren't Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz or Pinot Noir'. As a primer, check …
'We’ve taken the old roller and painted it red.' 'To make it go faster, to be fun and breezy. So that everyone can enjoy the ride. And appreciate the timelessness of a new beginning.' They're the words …
Witchmount Sunbury Cabernet Franc 2016 Now, for something completely different. A handpicked, wild fermented, carbonic macerated, unfined and unfiltered Cabernet Franc from a region that lies in the shadow (and underneath the flight path) of Tullamarine airport. Unusual. It's …
Howard Vineyard Picnic Adelaide Hills Rose 2016 Now here's a Cabernet Franc based rosé from an Adelaide Hills based vineyard who know a thing or two about Franc. Lightly coloured and built around acidity and crunch, this …
Can Cabernet Franc 'make it' in Australia? Long considered just a blending grape, I talked up the future of Orange's Cab Franc just the other week, and this new Terre à Terre Cabernet Franc is another …
So now that I'm back in Sydney, at the desk, it's time to start writing up a few of the producers I visited over the weekend in Orange. And what better way to start off than …
So today was my second and last day of vineyard touring here in Orange (start here for day one) and while I've got a ridiculously early 5:40am cab booked to get a ridiculously early flight …
I've decided that the single biggest challenge with these two Brash Higgins reds is deciding what to attack first - is it the flesh and round generosity of the MRLO or the more fragrant and …
More imported goodies from the Negociants portfolio Negociants Australia can not only lay claim to the finest range of imported wine in Oz, but they put on some great tastings too. These goodies came from a …
Henry's Drive Pillar Box Rosé 2013 (Padthaway, SA) 13%, Screwcap, $20 Source: Sample www.henrysdrive.com A blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Franc, this is about as cynical as pink wines get. It's not even that cheap.. Light coppery pink colour, the …
Howard Vineyard 'Amos' Cabernet Franc 2009(Adelaide Hills, SA) 14.8%, Screwcap, $60 Source: Sample www.howardvineyard.com The search for great Australian Cabernet Franc continues - am I a masochist? This is from the 'Amos' super-premium range, which is sourced from the …
Orange: Time to rethink its hero red wine? 'The region is planted to 60% red wine varieties and 40% white wine varieties - which says something about the region but also about what the national palate …
Tapanappa Whalebone Merlot Cabernet Franc 2008 (Wrattonbully, SA)$80, Cork, 14%Source: Samplewww.tapanappawines.com.au Another day, another dogma challenging wine. Here though, the question is not about climate challenging varieties (as it was with yesterday's Domaine A Cabernet), but …
Sally's Hill, Petaluma and Climbing Sally's Hill Cabernet Franc 2008 (Pyrenees, Vic) - 14% The (effective) second label of Neil Robb's Sally's Paddock operation, with the wines still produced at the Redbank winery, even though the Redbank …
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.