It's been a long month here at Graham HQ, and the next few weeks promise to be just as intense. I can't wait for that glorious period in between Christmas and New Year where life …
Sailor Seeks Horse Pinot Noir 2016 Here's a label on the rise. Gilli and Paul Lipscombe's Sailor Seeks Horse continues to produce beautiful Tasmanian wines from a rehabilitated 'renovators delight' vineyard in the Huon Valley. This …
Bay of Fires Pinot Noir 2016 From a big warm year in Tasvegas, and it's a wine of some bulk - built for the future. Creamed vanilla oak nose over bright strawberry fruit, with oak the …
From Shaw + Smith's prospective project to consistent quality wine in the space of just a few vintages - the Tolpuddle Vineyard has come a long long way. The Chardonnay, in particular, is so very good every …
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 it justified? And indeed do …
From solid drinks to faulty train wrecks (and everything in between), the Almost Club is for wines that didn't hit the Australian Wine Review 'recommended' mark (17/20, 90/100) in August 2018. Note that there is friendly …
After posting Wednesday's list of the 10 best Shiraz to pass the desk in August 2018 I had a closer look and realised that there is a whole lot of great wines in the next …
There a few wines that, when they land at Graham HQ, skip any sort of 'tasting' queue and go straight to the 'drinking' department. This Tolpuddle Chardonnay 2016 is such a beast. Again, the beauty of …
Here are a few wines that almost made it in February (and a day late I know). A few serious disappointments here, and a few solid, simple wines. That Ferngrove was notably unbalanced - what's happening …
Following on from the Chardonnay and Riesling hits of the summer, it's only fair that the other most popular grape at Graham HQ get's a post too. Below then is a list of the 22 Pinot …
The title is pretty explanatory - here are 24 Chardies that hit the mark over the past few weeks, plus a few that almost made it but fell short. The Hits Bay of Fires Chardonnay 2016 What a …
I'm not drinking at the moment (on heavy anti-inflammatory drugs to get on top of my ankle issues. Too many kms over the winter. Pain won't go away), so it's tasting only for the moment …
While I struggle through the man flu and can't smell anything, here are a few Shiraz/Syrah to pass the desk recently. Leeuwin Estate Art Series Margaret River Shiraz 2014 This is the best Art Series Shiraz I've …
Tolpuddle Vineyard Chardonnay 2015 Know what makes this exceptional Chardonnay great? Fantastic attention to detail. It starts with the written tasting notes accompanied my sample bottle. Two sheets of succinct words, printed on shiny, heavy stock, with …
Roaring 40s Pinot Gris 2015 Roaring 40s is the second label (of sorts) for Riversdale Estate. Making good wines under this label too. This Gris has 15g/l residual sugar and it works a treat - a …
I've been engrossed in moving house this month so less wine than usual. Will be rectifying that this week. Eden Road The Long Road Canberra Pinot Gris 2016 A 'ramato' style skin contact Pinot Gris from Team Eden …
It’s that time of the month again – time to collate a range of wines that didn’t quite make the grade. Plenty opened this month, which is why this list is longer than usual… Bremerton Langhorne Creek …
Holm Oak Pinot Noir 2015 The RRP is the same as the 2010 vintage, yet the quality has come along even further. Big tick. On a side note, my first published article was on Holm Oak's …
Riversdale's premium botrytis Riesling. Circa 160g/L residual sugar. Bottled early from what I can gather. Oh and no, I didn't drink this with the miso... Big hit of botrytis on the nose here. Too much. There's …
It was the Pinot Grigio that had me taking notice of Riversdale. It stuck out - unexpectedly - amongst a middling lineup of Pinot Grigio and Gris like a beacon of hope and (varietally correct) flavour. Now …
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.