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 grew up worshipping the mid …
It's roundup time! These are some of the odds and ends that haven't quite made it up on to the site so far this month. Wines are listed from higher to lower scores... 10X Mornington Peninsula Sauvignon …
Paul Mas Sauvignon Blanc 2011 (France)12%, $7.99 (Exclusive to Dan Murphys) While the Chardonnay has some winemaking cleverness to cover up the holes, this looks like ordinary grapes laid bare. Green and grassy, the nose and palate …
Paul Mas Chardonnay 2011 (France)13.5%, Screwcap, $7.99 (Dan Murphys exclusive) Forget Chile or Brazil, the real cheap wine onslaught is going to come from a more traditional sources - such as the south of France. This cleverly …
Marcel Deiss Riesling 2011 (Alsace, France)Cork, circa $40Source: Tastingwww.marceldeiss.com From Marcel Deiss' 'fruit' series, this looks particularly rich and botrytised this vintage, apparently representative of a year with quite a bit of rot. No need to …
Paul Mas Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 (France)13.5%, Screwcap, $6.99 Source: SampleA Dan Murphy exclusive apparently, the most importantly thing to notice is the price. $6.99 is cask wine territory and this is better than cask …
Charles Heidsieck - my new favourite NV Champagne That title is a bit of a misnomer actually. The Charles Heidsieck 'standard' NV is not actually all that new to me. Indeed, 10 years ago the Charles …
Domaine de la Grange des Pères Blanc 2007 (Languedoc, France) 13%, Cork, $150+ Source: Dinner Guest Apparently French restaurateurs fight to get this cult white, such is its heralded reputation. The appeal is as much about rarity as …
Delamotte Blanc de Blancs 2002 (Champagne, France) 12.5%, Cork, $135 Source: A glass from someone else's bottlewww.salondelamotte.com The Champagne you're having when you're not having Salon, Delamotte is usually a wine of some intensity, carrying plenty of its …
Tasty modern Cornas: Vincent Paris Granit 30 + 60 I'm a genuinely big fan of Cornas, the hearty, rugged charm and depth of the better wines not lost on me in any way. These two …
Abbotts & Delaunay Cumulo Nimbus Minervois Syrah Carignan 2010 14%, Cork, $40 Source: Sample www.fourthwavewine.com.au This is what Minervois is all about - rich, meaty, rustic and hearty flavours. Bring on sausages and ribs immediately. Roast lamb, biltong, sweet oak …
Chant Du Midi Syrah 2008 (Minervoise, France) 13.5%, Screwcap, $21 Source: Sample www.echelonwine.com.au From Minervois and proudly wearing the rusticity of the region with pride. Neutral, dirt and old oak nose. Slightly meaty, pongy and simple. Looks authentic but also …
Bright eyed and bushy tailed Chablis Billaud Simon Chablis 2010 (Chablis, France) 12.5%, Cork, $25 Source: Retail www.billaud-simon.com I've got no shortage of time for good, simple AC Chablis. That purity, that acidity, that freshness - all of it adds …
Dard & Ribo Note the hand written labels in the background there. Dard & Ribo Hermitage Blanc and Rouge 2009 René-Jean Dard and François Ribo first established their domaine in 1984 and now count 7.5 hectares in Crozes-Hermitage, …
More old goodies: 98 Petit Cheval, 90 Montrose, 83 Unico + more.... As mentioned here, I've been helping to 'drink out a cellar' recently, a task that is - given the wines involved - something of …
Chateau Riotor Rosé 2009 (Provence, France) $21, Screwcap Source: Sample www.chateauriotor.com A poster boy for the rosé revolution if ever there was one. This vintage sees it in blinding form too.Yum yum. Classic Provence Rosé. If anything this vintage …
A Rosé threeway 3 X pink love I'm feeling capricious tonight, hence the provocative title, but I really couldn't help myself with this little rosé comparo (too many pink references I think :)). Regardless, these three were …
Bécasse Cellar Night + Grower Champagne Inside Bécasse. Good wine list too I've just returned from a superb dinner at Sydney's Becasse restaurant which celebrated the launch of the new 'Bécasse Cellar Night', an evening that encourages diners to …
Carmes de Rieussec 2005 (Sauternes, France)Cork, $30, 14%The second label of Rieussec and produced in the same manner as the grand vin, this is 85% Semillon, 10% Sauv Blanc & 5% Muscadelle, spending 18 months …
Jean Foillard Morgon Cuvee Corcelette 2007 (Beaujolais, France)$55, Cork, 13.0%Ahh, lovely. Natural wine done good. This is the companion to the Cote du Py tasted earlier this year, this wine coming off a single vineyard …
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.