The premise with this collection is very very simple - I've been hitting the sample pile hard over the past week or two, and these 30 wines were not only the most quintessentially smashable Australian …
Following on from last month's focus on other reds and Shiraz, this May I'm all about red blends. It's always frustrating that we seem so singularly focused on mono-varietal wines in Australia, as it often makes for less …
There is another side to the Barossa. A side that sits beyond big brands, the cellar doors, the marketing budgets and the volume. A world where producers are small, the wines are handmade (in the literal …
Forgive the clickbait title, but that was how the 'Yves Cuilleron vs Australia' tasting I went to today was pitched. This event, organised by the local Cuilleron distributors, saw 4 of Yves Cuilleron's finest wines up …
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 Capital Wines cellar door in …
Some very brief highlights from Rootstock 2016 I only managed a single morning session at Rootstock 2016 (the sustainable wine/food fair - see previous iterations here or here) this year, mainly because I was originally slated to be …
Rock of Wisdom Barossa Shiraz Viognier 2014 The final wine in the Rock of Wisdom cabal. Barossa Valley fruit. Mataro still my favourite. Probably the wildest of the trio this Shiraz, the hints of brown in the …
It's that time again. The following wines didn't quite make it onto the full site this month, and I'm still living out of a suitcase to complicate matters. Yelland & Papps Devote Roussanne 2015 Greenock Roussanne eh? Yelland …
Lark Hill Shiraz Viognier 2014 Clonakilla has done amazing things for Canberra. A region that once was once small and insignificant, is now the premier cool climate red wine region in NSW - and I'd argue …
I've got plenty of time for Alkoomi, with this well established Western Australian winery quietly producing good-value, varietally true wines from their large (259 acre), mature (first plantings in 1971) estate in Frankland River. If …
For this week's sample pile raid I've focused on premium red wines from McLaren Vale, including a whole swathe of new '13 reds. Always interesting to look at a horizontal like this. Of particular note is …
On the back of a week of Victorian Shiraz (including top wines from Lethbridge and Willow Creek), I thought it only natural that we carry on the theme this week, with a collection of Victorian …
Easing back in with three bold Balgownie Shiraz I managed to sleep all the way through overnight, gladly not waking up at 5am again. Take that jet lag! Tonight I'm celebrating with a beer and three Shiraz …
Alkoomi Black Label Frankland River Shiraz Viognier 2012 They don't get much credit for it, but Alkoomi got on the Australian Shirognier train very early in the piece. Mid red, this is spicy, minty number too with …
Sneak peak at 2012 Torbreck RunRig and more from Game of Rhones Today was the Sydney instalment of Game of Rhones, a clever event from Dan Sims' Bottleshop Concepts. What it entailed was a room full …
Angullong Fossil Hill Orange Shiraz Viognier 2013 The biggest challenge with Orange Shiraz, from where I sit at least, is nailing the ripeness balance. Too ripe and it can look weirdly confected, underripe and its horrible …
Turners Crossing Shiraz Viognier 2012 (Bendigo, Vic)14.5%, Screwcap, $25 This Shiraz spends between 30-60 days on skins, which is quite rare for Australian Shiraz (where short warm ferments and early pressing off skins are the norm). …
Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier 2013 (Canberra district)14%, Screwcap, $95 Clonakilla's most famous wine and probably the best release of the last couple of vintages. The only problem? It's way too young. Too young to really love as …
More Rhone highlights from the Working With Wine Seminar While the Guigal La La trio was the centre of attention at the recent Negociants Working With Wine seminars, the other wines on show probably deserve just …
Tasting the 2010 Guigal La La's - totally unaffordable benchmark Syrah Boom! The 2010 Guigal La Landonne hits you like a freight train, all brutish tannins and huge flavours, the wine almost mocking you for daring …
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.