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 …
Wine shows cop a lot of flack. You need only read the feedback to my post on the 2018 Sydney Royal Wine Show exhibitors tasting to see that. But is it justified? And indeed do …
There is no reason why this tasting should be so bad. Yet every year I line up a collection of textural white wines and every year it's disappointing. Except that this lineup didn't suck at all. …
Topper's Mountain Barrel Aged Gewurztraminer 2015 This is the best Gewurz in Australia. Top of the list. King of the hill. A number one... What's even better is how unlikely it is. An unheralded region (and one of …
Huntington Estate Mudgee Gewurztraminer 2015 Now this is a surprise packet. I've got a massive soft spot for Gewurtz, but this Huntington Estate is good. Concentrated and varietal, the nose a riot of lychee fruit, before a …
The quest for quality BYO restaurants in my area (Sydney's northern beaches) is an endless pursuit. Sure, there are plenty of quality restaurants. There are also plenty of BYO restaurants. But there are precious few that …
Topper's Mountain Barrel Ferment Gewurztraminer 2014 In a few short years, Topper's Mountain has become one of the most exciting wine producers in the country, blazing a trail with not only alternate varieties, but blends that …
Kellermeister Eden Valley Eiswein 2010 An Eden Valley Gewurztraminer ice wine? Tricky. Hand-picked grapes are slowly frozen over 2 weeks and whole bunch pressed when frozen. But this doesn't tasty tricky. Just odd. Almost Muscat like in …
Toppers Mountain Bricolage Blanc 2013 (New England, NSW) Toppers Mountain is, by a large measure, New England's hero winery. The tablelands Clonakilla. A hotbed of fine wine in northern NSW. Part of the interest with Toppers is …
Spring Vale Louisa Sticky Gewurztraminer 2013 (East Coast, Tasmania)9.1%, Screwcap, $22CD 375ml The sweet wine for Spring Vale and it's cleverly, utilising a little skin contact (a week apparently) and a sweetness level that seems about …
Topper's Mountain new releases Tonight I have the new releases from Topper's Mountain on the bench, with both wines again showcasing the blinding intensity that this fine New England producer is famous for (and great packaging …
Spring Vale Gewurztraminer 2013 (East Coast, Tasmania) 13.6%, Screwcap, $28Source: Samplewww.springvalewines.com I think I can count on one hand how many bottles of straight Australian Gewurtz I've drunk over the years. Tasted heaps, love the variety, but …
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.