What I really like, more than anything, about Yangarra is that it's a winery built around a great vineyard. That's somewhat unusual in the world of Australian wine, where typically labels come first, vines later (when …
I could almost phone in the review for this St Hugo 2015 duo. Oaky reds with warm alcohol, no shortage of (added) acidity and plenty of tannins. Job done, let's go to the pub (and drink …
Authenticity. It's something we need more of in the wine industry. More authenticity, less made up brands. Less mid-tier reserve wines, more genuine wine labels. More single vineyards, less South Eastern Australia. Actually, there are plenty of …
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 …
Overripe and overdone or just a particular style? That's the question that rolling around my brain when I opened these new Bremerton super premiums. Here's a winery that has made its reputation on wines with expansive flavour, …
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 + …
After getting stuck into Penfolds this week for a lack of authenticity in their mooted new releases, I figure it's only right today to highlight a producer that is making genuine wines. Schwarz Wine Co. is …
Believe the hype, the 2014 Hunter Valley vintage really is that good. Or at least that's what I wrote back in 2015, when it was being bandied about as 'the vintage of the century'. But three years …
Alkoomi White Label Frankland River Shiraz 2016 More than once on this site I've had the criticism that I don't talk enough about widely-available, well-priced wines (and probably fair enough too). Consider this Alkoomi White Label Frankland …
From great value quaffers to absolute train wrecks, this month's compilation of 'almost' wines is a biggun'. I'm always conscious of my prejudice against overripeness and heavy-handed oak, but I call both as symptoms of poor …
Following on from my Cabernet compilation on Monday, let me introduce you to the Shiraz/Syrah selection. Twenty of the better Shiraz to pass the desk in April, all in one handy place. I particularly like the diversity …
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.