I'm in notebook digging mode this week and landed upon my scribbles from this year's Masters of Wine Sydney 2012 Bordeaux tasting. I make it a habit to go to this every year, as it offers …
Based purely on subjective gut feel, I've presumed that Sauvignon Blanc sales in Australia have peaked and over the past year or so are on the downward slope. Turns out that I'm wrong. According to 2017 IRI …
Firstly, thanks everyone who responded to my post yesterday. I really appreciate all the kinds words and advice. Hopefully, I can deliver more of what you want! Meanwhile, let's talk about these Oates Ends wines. Oates Ends …
Chateau d'Yquem 1990-2011: Working With Wine Flight 4 This was the final flight in the 2016 Negociants Working With Wine seminar series and easily the most anticipated. Check out the other flights here, here and here …
Working With Wine Highlights: Flight 3 2007 Sauternes You're probably best starting here for this series of posts. The 3rd flight introduced some bottle age into the equation and, despite it being another strong vintage, I was less …
Working With Wine Highlights: Flight 2 Sauternes 2013 (inc. '13 d'Yquem) Following on from yesterday's Flight of top sweet wines, today it is all about Sauternes, with the excellent 2013 vintage on offer. 2013 is considered to …
It's that time again! These wines haven't quite made it into full review status this month. I'm a bit behind (living out of a suitcase does that), hence why this list is longer than normal. Ten Minutes …
Still more satisfaction in Margaret River Sauv Sem styles than straight Sauv. Yet the single varietal wine sells more. Ugh.. Green straw coloured, this is slightly muted to start before a little Sauv herb kicks in. …
Bordeaux 2010: An IMW mega tasting of 20+ top Bordeaux Tasting young Cabernet is hard. Actually, it's not technically hard at all, just unfun. Sure, you can recognise potential, and the great wines do look great. But …
Voyager Estate Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2014 There's now a photo of founder Michael Wright on the back of this Voyager Estate bottle, along with a nice vista of the estate. Good work. This smells like classic WA …
Willow Bridge Dragonfly Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2014 I've always thought that these Willow Bridge Dragonfly wines are much better than the naming and label suggests. I hate to say it, but they almost feel like 'critter' …
Pepper Tree Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2014 A blend of Hunter Semillon and Tasmanian Sauvignon Blanc. Unusual, but theoretically interesting, combo. Green apple citrus, largely derived from the Semillon, the palate light and short, finishing with a twang …
Willow Bridge Bookends Fume Geographe Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2013 Interesting to look at this just a few days after working through the 2013 Cullen whites at cellar door. For mine, this is a better wine than …
December Tasting Notes Roundup A few hits and misses from the tasting bench this month. A special mention to the Streiker (hit) and the Bleasdale (miss).La Linea TRKN Riesling 2013 (Adelaide Hills, SA) 12%, $26 Bright, extremely …
Clairault Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2014 (Margaret River, WA) Our love affair with single varietals (and Sauvignon Blanc) has seen the 'Margaret River Classic Dry White' fall out of fashion in recent years, a move that continues …
Snake + Herring Perfect Day Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2013 (Margaret River, WA) 12.5%, Screwcap, $23 Handpicked and whole bunch pressed; 68% tank fermented with full solids, 32% barrel ferment with wild yeast; aged on lees for 6 …
What happened to Sauvignon Blanc Semillon blends? A quick tasting tonight of a brace of WA Sauv Blanc/Semillon blends had me thinking - what happened to this most popular of white wine styles? Back in the early …
Willow Bridge Bookends Fume Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2012 (Geographe, WA) 12.2%, Screwcap, $25 Source: Sample www.willowbridge.com.au Another impressive Willow Bridge wine. High five Simon Burnell, who continues to prove that Geographe isn't just that wine region near Margaret River …
Opalie de Château Coutet 2010 (Bordeaux, France) 14.5%, Cork, $59.95 Source: Tasting www.chateaucoutet.com 'Drink this when you're waiting for your Sauternes to come around.' That's Aline Baly, from the Baly family (owners of Chateau Coutet) talking about the purpose 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.