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 …
It's 3 days late I know, but here are a few wines that almost hit the mark this month. Some are just good, simple drinks. Others are genuinely average to poor... Hand Crafted Montepulciano 2016 From Geoff …
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 …
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 …
I'm calling it now. Vermentino should be the hero white variety of Langhorne Creek. It's not because of fashion, or the perceived attraction of 'alternate varieties', more just the suitability of the variety to the …
di Lusso - great pizza and solid, varietally correct, Italian inspired wines. Now there's a good recipe for a cellar door experience, and Mudgee's di Lusso do it well. Only challenge really is finding the wines …
There's promise for Vermentino in the Hunter, with the acid retention of this Mediterranean grape a boon for Hunter whites. Fiano might get there too. This is definitely a step in the right direction. Green straw, …
What a disappointment this lineup was. So many boring wines, with too many edging towards flavourless, acidic water territory. Obviously price plays an important part here, but that doesn't excuse the boredom factor... Ninth Island Tasmanian …
Angullong Fossil Hill Vermentino 2014 Good to see Vermentino being planted in areas beyond our warmer bits (this is Central Ranges/Orange sourced). Unconventional for the grape, but good to see. There is promise here. It's a fragrant …
Seppeltsfield Barossa Vermentino 2014 This is one of the better Australian Vermentinos to pass the tasting bench. Water clear, it carries distinctive green melon and cucumber aromatics, a touch of Gardenia florals and a really quite intense, …
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, …
From the notebook: Grand Italian Wines from the Grandi Marchi Masterclass I was doing a little tidying tonight of some old unpublished notes and discovered this little gem - a collection of reviews from the Grandi …
De Bortoli Bella Riva Pinot Grigio Vermentino 2012 (King Valley, Vic) 12.5%, Screwcap, $18Source: Samplewww.debortoli.com.au My, my this is a clever wine. Actually, De Bortoli's King Valley wines all seem to carry a little more intrigue, with …
Pala Crabilis Vermentino 2007Whilst I can understand the attraction of rich and textural Vermentino, this quite well regarded wine feels like an 'also ran'. I'd be interested in seeing a retail price, as I wouldn't …
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.