'Arguably the best value variety from Australia in decades' That's the Decanter opinion on Australian dry Riesling, a wine that - despite endless coaxing from wine writers, sommeliers, retailers and producers - continues to not grow …
So, I'm happy to announce that the official Australian Wine Review sample pile is now nearing a manageable level! That's a very welcome improvement from the point it was at a few months ago when …
It feels like anything but Riesling weather in Sydney this weekend and I can only feel for the producers at the Wine Island festival who would have endured three days pouring in the wet. Unfun. …
Hot on the heels of my ranty response to a rant on Australian Chardonnay styles, and Jancis' very complementary piece on modern Australian Chardonnay, let me present to you a collection of what I'd call …
Plantagenet Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 Interesting to taste this up against a varied squad of Cabernet competitors. A surprisingly marginal wine to be honest, reflecting in this wine's variable reputation. The Plantagenet Shiraz gets all the plaudits, …
Xabregas Mad Men of Riesling Devolution 2014 'This is devolution'. To be honest, this is less wild and crazy than expected. It's just really fucking good - the best of the new Xabregas Riesling wines. It sounds wild …
Xabregas Artisan Riesling 2014 A worked, dry style Riesling fermented in neutral barrels on fine lees for texture. You can see the step-up over the standard Xabregas Mount Barker, with more texture equalling more interest. Sherbet, lemongrass …
Alkoomi Black Label Frankland River Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 It's Cabernet day here at Australian Wine Review, which means I really should have some cheddar on hand. Or goose, as a Bordeaux winemaker told me recently. Still …
X by Xabregas Figtree Riesling 2014 The drier of the two X by Xabregas '14 Rieslings and, for mine, the better balanced wine. pH 3.22 Ta 7.35 RS 11g/L. Water green. Slightly mute nose with just a …
X by Xabregas Spencer Riesling 2014 Light straw coloured, this 'medium dry' (according to the IRF scale on the back) Mount Barker Riesling has an old fashioned lemonade lemon juiciness on the nose, before a generous …
Xabregas Mount Barker Riesling 2014 Essential stats: pH 3.08, TA 7.8g/L, RS 4.2g/L. There's a broadness in these 2014 Great Southern Rieslings that I'm not enamoured with. A warm year, producing chunky, pineappley wines - or alternatively …
Houghton Jack Mann Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 I opened this alongside the Devil's Lair in a WA flagship death match, and they couldn't be any more different. Sourced exclusively from the Justin Vineyard in Frankland River, planted in …
Plantagenet Great Southern Riesling 2014 The forgotten Western Australian Riesling king, in fine form here. I do wonder why Plantagenet has lost some shine in recent years, for the Riesling, in particular, looks as good as …
Quick under $20 red wine shootout There's too few 'good value' wines here on Australian Wine Review, a situation that needs addressing. Hence why I quickly pulled together this lineup of sub $20 reds. It's a slightly odd …
Houghton fineries - verticals of Jack Mann, White Burgundy and more This article appeared in print earlier this year. Seems only right to reprint it here now and include the tasting notes from a few Houghton …
Xabregas Mt Barker Shiraz 2011 (Great Southern, WA) 14.2%, Screwcap, $25 It's not hard to appreciate the savoury, evolved styling of Xabregas' wines. Much more complexity in every mouthful. Even this wine, which sits at the entry …
Ferngrove Cossack Riesling 2013 (Great Southern, WA) 12.5%, Screwcap, $23 That this is just $23 is almost criminal. Australian Riesling is ridiculously good value. This has an Initial big hit of free sulphur, which blows off to reveal …
Plantagenet Omrah Pinot Noir 2012 (Great Southern, WA)13.5%, Screwcap, $18.99Making Pinot Noir out of the Great Southern is tricky work. Actually, making Pinot Noir in the Great Southern isn't the tricky bit - it's getting …
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.