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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
It's that time again - time to roundup a selection of wines that didn't quite make it onto the site. Some because of time and space, others because they failed the grade, this January 2017 …
It’s that time of the month again – time to collate a range of wines that didn’t quite make the grade. Plenty opened this month, which is why this list is longer than usual… Bremerton Langhorne Creek …
Old Jarvie The Charitable Nero d'Avola Aglianico Rosé 2016 Old Jarvie is the new label of Hither & Yon, with Old Jarvie the reference to Admiral John Jervis, whom the Gulf of St Vincent was named …
Thanks to the challenges of couriers (Auspost has its drawbacks, but wine does turn up more often than not), these two wines have been floating around at depots and in the back of delivery trucks …
It's been a pretty shit week for me, with an innocuous scrape from a low speed bike fall (a stupid one where I just took my hands off the bars) turning into a full-blown leg infection. That …
A few alternate reds from the week. Lino Ramble Tom Bowler McLaren Vale Nero d'Avola 2014 Another smart wine under this label. Handpicked, biodynamically farmed grapes that were wild fermented, basket pressed and then bottled unfined with …
While I am slowly wearing down the mountain of samples that have arrived at Graham HQ over the past few weeks, it has still required frequent raiding, and today's target was alternate reds. As ever when …
Lino Ramble Tom Bowler McLaren Vale Nero d'Avola 2014 A well packaged, clever Nero from Andy Coppard and Angela Townsend, this is biodynamically grown, hand harvested, open (wild) fermented, basket pressed and bottle unfined. 265 cases …
Brash Higgins NDV Nero d'Avola Amphora 2014 Benchmark Mediterranean 'alternative' (whatever that means anymore) variety from the thoughtful American big man Brad 'Brash' Hickey. Sourced from the Omensetter vineyard in McLaren Vale, this was handpicked and wild …
Good drink or good wine? A drinkability discussion feat. a smart new Nero d'Avola 'Nero (is) pretty much always a great drink first, a great wine rarely' That's the typically cutting opinion of fellow scribe Gary …
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.