Welcome to tranche 2 of the #MonthofAndrew wines. I probably haven't hit the cellar as hard this birthday with the imminent baby arrival (just over two weeks until due date), but …
On Thursday, a squad of Hunter Valley winemakers came to Sydney to show off some new releases at the new Brix Distillery. While I couldn't hang around and drink beer with …
From near misses to faulty junk. Here is a collection of the wines that almost won me over in October 2018. A special, frustrating mention to the two Leasingham wines. I …
This edition of the Almost Club is a few days late as I was busily not doing much in Noosa (photo attached. We love Noosa). Here than are 20 wines that …
Tim Adams Semillon 2014 Nice to see an aged Semillon from somewhere not the Hunter. Likely a tricky sell though. A textural style that hasn't lost its lustre, there's lots of …
Wine shows cop a lot of flack. You need only read the feedback to my post on the 2018 Sydney Royal Wine Show exhibitors tasting to see that. But is …
After just over two weeks in the Hawaiian warmth I'm back at the desk and into the grind today, labouring through Sydney's chilly mid-winter with sunshine but a dream. Despite trying …
I'm in research mode this week, gathering information about the 2018 vintage in the Hunter (which looks pretty promising based on early accounts). The bad news for me personally is that …
There is no reason why this tasting should be so bad. Yet every year I line up a collection of textural white wines and every year it's disappointing. Except that this …
Did you get a long weekend last week? I joined in the throng of people making their way northwards in search of sunshine, landing in Noosa (along with half of …
Aged Clare Riesling and aged Hunter Semillon - two superb Australian wine styles that deserve more love. Here's a pair of fine examples, both released as mature wines. Thomas Wines Cellar …
While the perception of value is different for everyone, there are some times when the equation is unequivocal. Enter this Andevine Hunter Valley Semillon 2017. Andevine is the label of Andrew Leembruggen, …
Tyrrell's Belford Semillon 2009 I've been smashed by the man flu this week, to the point where midweek (Anzac Day) I couldn't smell much at all. Thankfully I'm back to full …
Every time you look, the range of wines from Hunter Valley-based winemaker Gundog Estate keeps expanding, now with more Hunter & Canberra wines than ever. Gundog recently took over the old …
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 …
The Vinden Headcase Semillon 2016 Drinking young Hunter Semillon is often unfun. It really is. You can appreciate the classic lines - ie lots of acidity - but otherwise it is …
Following closely behind the '15, and this looks rather similar (though obviously four years younger). Golden straw, the lemon butter nose is surprisingly forward all things considered, with just a little …
Bimbadgen's quality has really kicked up a notch in recent years, particularly with the classic Hunter varieties of Hunter Semillon and Shiraz. I think newish winemaker Rauri Donkin can take plenty …
It doesn't get much attention but there is a fair bit of Semillon in Mudgee, with Robert Stein, Huntington Estate, Burundulla and Bunnamagoo (amongst others) all releasing dry table examples, …
I've always counted Huntington Estate as one of the forgotten labels of the wine industry. The sort that just to blend into the fabric of the wine industry and either …
At 18, I started working in a small suburban bottleshop, largely to buy cheap beer. It was my first year of university, slogging through physics and chemistry, so a liquor shop seemed like fun. Needless to say, I discovered wine, and my life evolved with a unique dual focus - wine and environment.
Twenty years later and I spend my days wearing many (wine) hats, mostly as a writer, presenter and marketer.
I now judge at wine shows around the world, sit on the Australian Wine List of the Year awards panel and was once a Wine Journalism Young Gun (but baby that was years ago).
Currently, I write features for a variety of publications including National Liquor News, Gourmet Traveller WINE and the RAS, plus I'm a former Lifestyle FOOD channel wine expert.
In 2019 and 2020 I was voted in the Top 30 Best Wine Critics in The World, and in my spare time, I'm a sucker for punishment and run trail ultra marathons, much to the delight of my long-suffering family. Read more about me here or get in touch to book your next wine event with me here