Oh yes, this is a big edition! As the name suggests, these are the 34 wines that almost made the Australian Wine Review top grade (of 17/20 or 90/100+) this month. Some missed the mark by a …
From great value quaffers to absolute train wrecks, this month's compilation of 'almost' wines is a biggun'. I'm always conscious of my prejudice against overripeness and heavy-handed oak, but I call both as symptoms of poor …
Following on from last month's focus on other reds and Shiraz, this May I'm all about red blends. It's always frustrating that we seem so singularly focused on mono-varietal wines in Australia, as it often makes for less …
For the final post in my 'wines that moved me in April' series comes this final collection - that I'm calling the 'better reds that aren't Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz or Pinot Noir'. As a primer, check …
Following on from my Cabernet compilation on Monday, let me introduce you to the Shiraz/Syrah selection. Twenty of the better Shiraz to pass the desk in April, all in one handy place. I particularly like the diversity …
As close followers would have noticed, I've been on a mission this month, trying to get the sample pile back into shape. Now we're nearing the end of April and I'm still behind, so it's time …
Hither & Yon Old Jarvie The Enforcer Shiraz Mataro Malbec 2016 From Hither & Yon's newish label that pays homage to Admiral John Jervis. There's character about the wines too. This is a bold, fruity and luscious …
Chapel Hill Parsons Nose Grenache Shiraz Mourvedre 2016 Another runaway bargain from Chapel Hill. Hearty and even a little rustic, the style driven by blocky tannins rather than just fruit. Indeed its chewy, licoricey and so much …
Hither + Yon Nero d'Avola 2016 A vibrant Nero from Hither + Yon. A grape with real promise in the warmer parts of the Vale. Lovely raspberry and red currant nose - a cavalcade of black and …
It's 3 days late I know, but here are a few wines that almost hit the mark this month. Some are just good, simple drinks. Others are genuinely average to poor... Hand Crafted Montepulciano 2016 From Geoff …
Here are a few wines that almost made it in February (and a day late I know). A few serious disappointments here, and a few solid, simple wines. That Ferngrove was notably unbalanced - what's happening …
Here are a few of the wines that have passed the desk this month and almost made the grade. Some weren't far off the mark, others are absolute disasters. A few big disappointments of note: The …
If you're a wine producer with a high profile, decidedly serious top end label, what happens when you want to make something a big more fun and less serious? For Shaw & Smith, the answer was …
As you can see the volume of posts has dropped off a bit lately as I'm still not feeling great. My ankle issues turned out to be an arthritis flare up, and the last few …
In theory at least, Australian Grenache just had a jumpstart. For the first time ever, a Grenache has won the most famous wine award in Australian wine, with the Turkey Flat Grenache 2016 taking out the …
Here's a selection of wines that were almost great. Some are just good, solid wines that are occasionally unready, through to slightly underwhelming/unexciting, and rounded out with a few wines that miss the mark completely. Why post …
After last week's feedback I'm going to be sticking to just one roundup a month on site going forward (thanks everyone for the feedback). This roundup features a kaleidoscope of Australian Shiraz to have passed the …
Fiano has quite some potential in Australia - and notably in McLaren Vale. The Vale has a climate that isn't far from sothern Campania or Sicily, with the beaches outside of Menfi even looking like …
Grenache is back. Not that it every really went anywhere, but there's a palpable sense of enthusiasm for Grenache (and notably Australian Grenache) that wasn't there a few years back. Of course it was only three vintages …
Forgive the clickbait title, but that was how the 'Yves Cuilleron vs Australia' tasting I went to today was pitched. This event, organised by the local Cuilleron distributors, saw 4 of Yves Cuilleron's finest wines up …
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.