It seems like a big jump to go from jewellery valuer to Barossa winemaker. But that's the route Michael Hall's life has followed. From a childhood in the UK to the 'rarefied air' of record breaking …
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 …
Sometimes, you get what you pay for. In the wine industry it doesn't happen as often as you'd like, but occasionally you pay for great wine and really get it. With these new single vineyard Shaw + …
There's always questions when the founder of a famous winery leaves. Will the wine style change? Prices go up? Labels disappear? No matter how many times the new owner says that it will be 'business as …
Goodman Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2015 There's a great freshness to this new range of wines from Kate Goodman. Understatement, low alcohol, purity. They're Yarra wines of old, but not fusty. Just elegant. This Pinot is the …
Steels Gate Pinot Noir 2016 From the 30yo Steels Gate Vineyard. No irrigation, hand bottling, no fining or filtering. Love the handling. Interesting wine this too - there's the touch of the warm vintage that gives …
Main Ridge Half Acre Pinot Noir 2015 What will happen at Main Ridge? That's the question looming large when you pour this Pinot. Actually, there's many questions. Will the Sexton family, who bought the estate in 2015 do 'the …
I can easily see why you'd want to make wines on the Mornington Peninsula. Close enough to Melbourne but still far enough away. Great beaches. A healthy local wine community. Distinctive terroir. In fact, the only …
Irrewarra. Mark that name down under your watch list. Irrewarra is the new winemaking project of Nick Farr (yes, son of Gary) focused on a vineyard near the town of Irrewarra in western Victoria. Planted in …
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 …
Following on from the Chardonnay and Riesling hits of the summer, it's only fair that the other most popular grape at Graham HQ get's a post too. Below then is a list of the 22 Pinot …
Although I can't afford it, there is an awful lot of Chablis and white Burgundy consumed here at Graham HQ. Chardonnay, in general, is the choice grape, Pinot second, Riesling is up there and then …
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.