For anyone like me who likes sunshine and warmth, late April in Sydney is a bit sad. That's because now is when you start realising that summer beach action is now …
I have a load of Yarra new releases hitting the sample cupboard over the next week or so, and I'm not unhappy about it. I'm judging at the Winewise Championship …
No matter what happens, there will always be a place in the world for thick, full-flavoured South Australian reds. And when they're delivered for just $20, like this Longhop Cabernet …
Probably the most awkward wine in the excellent Longview Macclesfield range, this Cabernet Sauvignon 2020 is nothing if not varietal. Cedary and dark, with molten yet leafy edged dark fruit, the …
Not all wines can be great. Plenty are just ok drinks. And some are just bad. Here is a selection of wine that almost made it in December 2021 & January …
The end of December and early January is an excellent time of year for reducing the size of the sample pile (or the sample wardrobe in my case). Many winemakers/PR folk …
I was reading on Andrew Caillard's new site (the Vintage Journal, published alongside Angus Hughson, well worth a read) that the famous '63 Mildara Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon (aka the legendary …
God this is good for $15. Many of the Quilty & Gransden wines have been smart (and with the hits I think '$15 is madness') but this Quilty & Gransden …
While not quite as minimalist as the 2019 Vineyard Series I reviewed earlier, this Oakridge 864 Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 is another entirely elegant, and very classy wine, let alone another …
It always feels like you're stepping back in time with these Zema reds, harking back to the early noughties in winemaking style. That's not necessarily a bad thing mind you, …
Prepare yourself, these 2019 Oakridge Cabs are very different beasts to most Australian Cabernet-based reds. One peek at the alcohol on this Oakridge Vineyard Series Oakridge Cabernet 2019 tells the story …
While the Jaraman Shiraz was a bit OTT for my tastes (and ended up in the Almost Club as a result), this proper hearty Taylors Jaraman Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 is …
Chunky wine is this Vinedresser Cabernet. Hearty McLaren Vale Cabernet with thick cut tannins, dark berry fruit, firm flavours, tough edges. It’s not exactly subtle, and the tannins are bristling, …
Not all wines can be great. Plenty are just ok drinks. And some are just bad. Here is a selection of wine that almost made it in October and November 2021. As …
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. But then, I fell in love with wine and craft beer, and it took over my life.
Twenty three years later and I spend my days wearing many beverage hats and judge at wine shows around the world...Read more