McLaren Vale Cabernet is most underrated. Or, it's just a bit forgotten in the Vale hierarchy, even though the region's Cab is amongst the oldest in South Australia. This Penny’s …
This Longview Devils Elbow Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 is solid Adelaide Hills Cabernet, but honestly, the Saturno brothers should just graft this over to Nebbiolo (which they do so well). Dusty and …
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 …
Hard to keep up with all the Altus Rise wines, but this Altus Rise Ascension Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 is a cut above the rest. Margaret River Cabernet from an ambitious …
This Hickinbotham Vineyard Trueman Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 is irrepressibly fine wine. The Porsche 911 of the McLaren Vale Cabernet world. And not just 4S - this is Turbo level. Actually, I …
Pure class. This Oakridge Original Vineyard Cabernet 2018 is a somewhat shy - but deadly correct - Yarra Cabernet. Bright, leafy and relatively high acid style. Cool and pencily, the palate …
I long for the days when Taltarni of the modern era starts tasting like Taltarni of yesteryear. Obviously that's the past and with climate change likely impossible to replicate the …
Second in line behind The Menzies in Yalumba's Coonawarra Cabernet hierarchy and it's a long term style. Set and forget form, with drying tannins as the centre feature. Oh and …
Grippy, tannin-led Margaret River Cabernet at a fair price. Drying and a little lean, but has classic perfume and a rather long palate. A little Merlot might have helped this …
Good packaging, but not much substance with these Altus Rise wines. This Altus Rise Wildlight Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 is firm and lean Margaret River Cab that ends up as largely …
Cath Oates' Margaret River wines continue to impress. Ever since the original releases using fruit nabbed from a Treasury contracted block, these wines have shone. And this Oates Ends Cabernet …
I didn't expect to like this. Ripe Coonawarra Cabernet, finished off in an Irish whisky cask, and proudly about oak rather than fruit? It's the antithesis of the vital terroir …
Welcome to old school Coonawarra Cabernet. Mint. Tannins. Slightly warm, ripe fruit. More tannins. Stern acidity. You wouldn't call this anything but full bodied, and the best years are quite …
Entry level Yarra Cabernet from Soumah and it's an easy drink. Proudly leafy, yet not unripe at all. it's light, lithe, tannic and well made, the alcohol a little noticeable, …
From the Millon Wines stable, though I've never seen a bottle of this Clare’s Secret Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 locally. Export special? Inspired by Lasingham Bin 56, this is chunky, rustic …
Classy Yarra Valley claret mode in an arch-traditional, mid-weight style. Pencil shavings, understated fruit, balanced acidity. It’s perhaps lacking the killer blow - and the fruit is light and leaning …
According to this benchmark New York Times article, our music tastes are set in our teens. For men, it means your favourite song is likely to have been released when …
In what has become a semi-annual event, I ventured out into the Armageddon-esque sideways rain on Saturday to taste the trophy winners (and more) from the Sydney International Wine Competition. You're …
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 …
If ever I needed a reminder of how bloody big and variable Australia really is, then it came on Saturday morning's flight. Flying out of Sydney and it's hard to miss …
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