It's that time again. These wines haven't quite made a full write up this month. Odds and ends... Sunshine Creek Yarra Valley Cabernets 2013 No back label. Feel the mystery! Not quite in the same realm as the …
What a pleasure to dive into the wines from a favourite producer. Just lust week it was the 2014 10X Chardonnay that inspired (with the Sauv Blanc one step behind), and now it is two Pinot mutations - Noir …
So Helen Masters of Ata Rangi dropped around last week, bringing with her a bagful of the latest releases. Never one to refuse an excuse to taste Ata Rangi with straight-talking Helen I naturally dived …
This comes from Robe, the town forever immortalised in this cheese ad. Pretty part of the world it is too, if isolated (a long and boring drive from Radelaide). Not known for its Gris/Grigio though, and …
Cape Jaffa En Soleil Wrattonbully Pinot Gris 2015 The fruit here comes from the Koch family's organic vineyard at Wrattonbully. There is so much promise with the fruit sourcing and intentions with these Cape Jaffa wines, …
Church Road Hawke's Bay Pinot Gris 2014 Hawke's Bay Gris doesn't get much love. Wonder if this full-flavoured style sells? Green straw coloured, this smells of musk and rich pear - it's every bit the Alsace white …
That title is a bit misleading actually - I don't mind tasting Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio category, even though the category has become something of an abomination. Indeed much of the challenge with Australian (and …
What a disappointment this lineup was. So many boring wines, with too many edging towards flavourless, acidic water territory. Obviously price plays an important part here, but that doesn't excuse the boredom factor... Ninth Island Tasmanian …
Ra Nui Marlborough Pinot Gris 2014 Imported by Tyrrell's. Green straw. Succulent, musky nose though with a lean and reductive edge. Palate is sufficiently phenolic, loaded up with C02 and dry to finish but lacks the fruit …
Escarpment: The other Martinborough superstar There's one in every region. Often more than one, actually, particularly in the more remote and less fashionable locations. They're the 'other' superstars. The 'other' superstars are wine producers that were once considered …
Lethbridge Pinot Gris 2014 (Geelong, Vic) Apparently there are now more Pinot Gris than Riesling vines in Australia (and more in Australia than France) according to this Lethbridge label. Sad state of affairs really as Riesling …
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 …
Bleasdale Pinot Gris 2014 (Adelaide Hills, SA) 13%, NSW, $19 Always intriguing to try a wine with a bit of bling - this has 2 trophies to its name. Smartly sourced from the Adelaide Hills. Handpicked, whole bunch …
Raidis Estate Cheeky Goat Pinot Gris 2013 (Coonawarra, SA) 13.9%, Screwcap, $20 This is genuinely orange. 'Partridge eye', 'I can't believe it's not from Provence' orange. Fun wine it is too. Produced from Orange Pinot Gris with a …
Waipara Wai Pinot Gris 2013 (Waipara, NZ) 13.5%, Screwcap Another cynical $20 Kiwi Pinot Gris. Pear juice on the nose suggests ripe fruit, but the palate shows none of the weight or intensity of good Pinot Gris, all …
Mud House Pinot Gris 2013 (Marlborough, NZ) 13.5%, Screwcap, $18.99 By the numbers Marlborough Pinot Gris. Has a muted, sweaty pear nose that initially suggests life, but that is a misnomer. Underneath the palate is simple and lifted …
More imported goodies from the Negociants portfolio Negociants Australia can not only lay claim to the finest range of imported wine in Oz, but they put on some great tastings too. These goodies came from a …
Drift Pinot Gris 2013 (Marlborough, NZ) 13.5%, Screwcap, $26My expectations were low here. The Drift name is middling, the lack of any identifying winery never all that promising and the label has been an average performer …
Eden Road Long Road Pinot Gris 2013 (Canberra)13.5%, Screwcap, $27 Sourced from the Long Rail Gully vineyard, this was left in the press for 12 hours to get a skin contact hence the barest hint of …
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.