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 …
It's been a long month here at Graham HQ, and the next few weeks promise to be just as intense. I can't wait for that glorious period in between Christmas and New Year where life …
A wine to remind that not all Australian Merlot need be boring. Ruckus Estate/Merite Wines are pushing the Q45 clone and giving the grape the love it deserves. This Ruckus Estate the Q Merlot 2015 …
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 …
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 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 …
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 …
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 …
This is the third part of a look at rosé - one of the fastest growing categories in the Australian wine industry. Best to start here. While this is a roundup of 'the rest' what's most …
Brash Higgins MRLO Merlot 2016 This is the best Australian Merlot I've had in some time. Importantly, this doesn't taste anything like your average Aussie Merlot. Instead, it reads from a song sheet that is more like …
Chateau Picoron Les Terrasses 2014 This comes from the estate of Frank Kalyk and family, ex-pat Aussies who have taken over a Chateau in Sainte-Colombe. This wine was made before they arrived, but serves as a starting …
A few of the wines to have passed the tasting bench this month that didn't quite make it onto the full site. La Bise Adelaide Hills Pinot Gris 2016 From the Kozned Vineyard in Gumeracha. Light pear …
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 …
I've decided that the single biggest challenge with these two Brash Higgins reds is deciding what to attack first - is it the flesh and round generosity of the MRLO or the more fragrant and …
On the back of a week of Victorian Shiraz (including top wines from Lethbridge and Willow Creek), I thought it only natural that we carry on the theme this week, with a collection of Victorian …
Brash Higgins MRLO 2014 Brash Higgins (Brad Hickey) is clearly no fan of vowels. He's a generous man, so that really surprises me. Then again, who need vowels anyway, eh? Now, this Merlot - it's good. Real good. …
Grant Burge Hillcot Barossa Merlot 2012 This has always been a quiet star of the Grant Burge range (Grant has grown Merlot in the Barossa for 30+ years, so maybe not that quiet), and I think …
November Tasting Notes Roundup A few wines that passed the Australian Wine Review tasting bench during November - lots of 'almosts' this month, plus some real surprises from Taltarni. Tenefeate Creek Merlot 2011 (Adelaide, SA) 14% $20 From …
Tenefeate Creek Merlot 2009 (Adelaide, SA)14.5% Screwcap, $25 Source from up near One Tree Hill on the border between the Barossa, Adelaide Plains and Adelaide Hills. Quite a history of winemaking in that part of the …
Capital Wines Kyeema Vineyard Reserve Merlot 2011 (Canberra district) 13%, Screwcap, $48 I can't think of many eastern Australian vineyards where Shiraz and Merlot grow alongside each other and the Merlot is the stronger performer - it …
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.