Sorry everyone, I failed. Last week, I said that I'd try to post some tidbits from my time judging at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles in Beijing, China. Except I didn't event get close. Long days …
It's great to be home. Great, in particular, to be back on my own pillow. Italian pillows fall into one of two camps - a) stunted lumps or b) shapeless fluff balls. I then end up …
Australian Wine Review on Tour 2017 It's been a long time coming, but today I'm off for my first decent European trip in a good 18 months. For the next 3 odd weeks I'll be looking forward …
So now that I'm back in Sydney, at the desk, it's time to start writing up a few of the producers I visited over the weekend in Orange. And what better way to start off than …
I liked Verona. There's something beautifully romantic about this northern Italian city, the sentiment extending well beyond the tourists and tacky selfies in front of Juliet's Balcony. Romance, great food, and vines surrounding the city in many …
I came home to this. Not bad at all Sydney After 9 weeks, 10 countries, 35 hotel rooms (including the odd Airbnb apartment and such) and many many airports, it's genuinely great to be home. Travel is …
I'm in Santorini at the moment, a Greek island that is seriously stunning. Yet despite the magic of the famous sunsets over the caldera, and indeed the quality of the local food and wine, this remains …
I've just landed in Porto, a city which seems even cooler than expected (if heaving with tourists). It was the detour here via Ribeira Sacra that was the most intriguing though. The crux of Ribeira Sacra's appeal …
Airport beers. They taste much better on holidays I know it's a given, but have you ever tried to use a full sized laptop in a cattle class airline seat? It's bloody hard. Particularly for your elbows (or …
I'm back at the desk today, successfully managing to make the second half of my Queenstown trip as much of a holiday as possible. Mostly (sorry family if I went too far). I've got to say, again, …
The late postcard: Etna Ever arrive home after a holiday and find that you beat your postcards home? Well that's me, except this postcard I never quite got around to sending. Now that I'm back - and under …
Postcard: Sicilia Grapevines. Olive trees. Brown hills. Blue skies. The Med. That about sums up the vista on the southern Sicily coast this week, where the relentlessly warm 'bluebird' days roll on as if they'll never end. It's …
Postcard: London While the English summer has finished a few weeks early this year (damn), it is a pleasure to be back in the UK. Yesterday I fought the throngs of kids drinking long necks of Stella …
A break in transmission + new Hardys William Hardy Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 Several William Hardy Cabernet Sauvignon in therenatural habitat You may notice that the volume of posts will be a little lighter over the next two …
Orange - Part 2: The tasting notes For context, it's best you start here. The Swinging Bridge Cellar Door If I have to pick but one variety that most impressed me on last week's little sojourn to the …
Orange: Time to rethink its hero red wine? 'The region is planted to 60% red wine varieties and 40% white wine varieties - which says something about the region but also about what the national palate …
The Jacobs Creek Files: On Coonawarra My hand + Coonawarra Cabernet grapes. These were picked minutes later. Destined for 2013 St Hugo apparently Today's update is a short one, all because of how far away Coonawarra is. Make no …
The Jacobs Creek Files: Why the Reserve Chardonnay is so goodSam Virgara's Piccadilly vineyard as seen from his verandah. The whole green swathe through the middle goes to JC ReserveI've often wondered why the Jacobs Creek …
The original Jacob homestakd The Jacobs Creek Files: The Barossa As I outlined yesterday, I'll be spending much of this week in the world Australian mega brand Jacobs Creek, touring vineyards, tasting wines and talking branding. Today was …
The Label Project - my week of Jacobs Creek Tying in nicely with the end of last week's Budget Wine Week, I'll be spending the next few days ensconced in the world of Jacobs Creek, one …
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.