With 36C temperatures here in Sydney town today it seems only fair and right to be hooking into some young Hunter Valley Semillon. My summer man flu has kicked into overdrive, but lucky I tasted …
I'm just cleaning up the Evernote folder today (love Evernote, helps keep my notes together on all devices) and discovered a few more tidbits from the big Hunter pre-release tasting back in May, plus a …
Audrey Wilkinson Winemakers Selection Semillon 2014 Typically the best wines at Audrey are the Sems. This doesn't quite get there. Very much a product of a warm year, this is green straw, the nose green apple citrus …
Thomas Wines Cellar Reserve Braemore Semillon 2008 I somehow misplaced this and then found it while moving a week or so ago. A very tidy find it was too. The key difference between Andrew 'Thommo' Thomas' standard …
Tyrrell's Hunter Valley Semillon 2014 A new range for Tyrrell's comprising a Shiraz, Chardonnay and this Semillon. From what I can gather sits between the single vineyard/Vat wines and Lost Block. Bang on for presentation and …
2015 Sydney Wine Show - Results + Tasting the Winners Last week saw the 2015 Macquarie Group Sydney Royal Wine Show (to use the full name) winners announced and, carrying on a tradition that now dates …
Westend 3 Bridges RIverina Botrytis Semillon 2011 Am I the only one who finds actually drinking most Australian botrytis styles hard work? All that sugar. So little refreshment. The better wines, however, at least counter the marmalade unctuousness …
Thomas Wines Braemore Hunter Valley Semillon 2014 From an excellent vintage in the Hunter (though more a classic red than a classic white year), I've had this a few times now and it's a cracker. Curiously …
Pepper Tree 2014 'Alluvius' Semillon and 2014 Rhodes Semillon As you can see here, here and a little here, the 2014 vintage is being plumped as one of the Hunter's best in some time, the near perfect …
Welcome back: Barossa Pearl 2014 Don't throw the past away You might need it some rainy day Dreams can come true again When everything old is new again Peter Allen I'm too young to remember much about Barossa Pearl, purely because …
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 …
Thomas Wines O.C. Semillon 2014 (Hunter Valley, NSW)11.7%, Screwcap, $23 The more forward and approachable of Thommo's Semillons. I must admit I'm a Braemore man and the O.C. does less for me as a young wine …
October tasting notes roundup These are some of the odd hits and misses from the ozwinereview tasting bench this month, all coupled together in a collection of tidbits. Tscharke The Master Montepulciano 2012 (Marananga, Barossa Valley, Barossa, …
September Tasting Notes Roundup Some highlights (and lowlights) from the tasting bench this September, all in one easy roundup. Dal Zotto L'Immigrante Prosecco 2013 (King Valley, Vic) $36 Pure and clean - really taps into the white flowers …
Tyrrell's Vat 1 Semillon + fried chicken = shit yesOn Wednesday night a group of notable Hunter Valley winemakers came to town, bringing with them a swag of gold medal and trophy winning wines from …
Punt Road Nehme Vineyard Botrytis Semillon 2013 (Griffith, NSW)13.5%, Screwcap, $32 (500ml) Curious wine this. Clearly tapping into the trend towards drier botrytis styles, it comes from the heart of 'sticky country' at the Nehme family …
Gundog Estate Hunter's Semillon 2014 (Hunter Valley, NSW) 11.8%, Screwcap, $25 This was one of the highlights from yesterday's quick stop at the Gundog Estate cellar door - a smart wine from a smart young winery. A …
Hunter Legends & Wine Industry Awards - the winners and the losers I've just come back from a quick trip to the Hunter for the Hunter Valley Legends & Wine Industry Awards - an annual celebration …
Alkoomi Wandoo Semillon 2006 (Frankiland River, WA) 11%, Screwcap I wanted so much to like this. I love Hunter Semillon and, by extension, want Australian Semillon to do well. Yet this looks... odd. There is a real forward …
Admittedly I know very little about good Vermouth, however this VerVino is something quite magical. Made by the irrepressibly cool Channing Daughters winery of Long Island, NY, this dry Vermouth is Sauvignon Blanc based and incorporates …
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.