australia — jamie goode's wine blog

The IMW Australian Shiraz masterclass

Just on my way back from the Institute of Masters of Wine Australian Shiraz Masterclass. It was led by a distinguished group of Aussie winegrowers: Tim Kirk (Clonakilla), Julian Castagna, Prue Henschke, John Duval and Ron Laughton (Jasper Hill).

Julian Castagna flanked by Prue Henschke and Ron Laughton

The line up of wines, was – on [...]

Some tasty wines from First Drop

Really impressed by this latest batch of wines from First Drop, who I reviewed a while back. These wines seem to manage to combine ripe fruit with freshness to great effect. And I love the packaging. Great label designs.

First Drop Half and Half 2009 Barossa, Australia
A blend of Shiraz and Monastrell. 14.5% alcohol. Sweet, ripe [...]

The 50th vintage of Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz

Early in my wine drinking journey, I was heavily influenced by the Penfolds bin series reds – 28, 128 and 389. Grange, although cheap by today’s standards at £35, was a bit out of my league.

Bin 28 is named Kalimna after the famed vineyard in the Barossa bought by Penfolds in 1945, although today it’s [...]

Video: tasting three rather interesting Chardonnays

A short film of me tasting three interesting Chardonnays, two from Australia and one from South Africa.

Cracking Pinot Noir from De Bortoli

Very impressed with pretty much everything De Bortoli are making at the moment. Steve Webber is heading off in the direction of restraint, low alcohol and elegance, and that’s exactly my sort of thing.

De Bortoli Yarra Valley Pinot Noir 2008 Yarra Valley, Australia
13% alcohol. Serious stuff this. Fresh and lively with some green herby characters [...]

Penfolds to price fix Grange?

Interesting article in the Drinks Business today by Patrick Schmitt. He has interviewed David Dearie, who is the new CEO of Treasury Wine Estates, which includes Penfolds, who make Australia’s most famous wine, Grange. Grange sells for much more in Australia, than, for example in the UK. This has resulted in grey market imports hitting [...]

Catching up with Yabby Lake

Caught up with Tom Carson today, over lunch with him and Robin Davis of SWIG. He’s winemaker at Mornington Peninsula winery Yabby Lake, which is one of Australia’s new stars. We looked at the 2009 releases, which is the second vintage Tom has made, and the first where he’s been involved all through the [...]

St Hallett Dawkins Vineyard Shiraz

Now this is interesting. It’s a new single-vineyard Shiraz from Barossa producer St Hallett, and it has bags of personality. It won’t be to everyone’s taste, but it’s distinctive and potentially ageworthy. Very Australian in style, but quite serious with it.

St Hallett Single Vineyard Release Dawkins Vineyard Shiraz 2009 Eden Valley, Barossa
From a single vineyard [...]

Video: Syrah and Shiraz - northern Rhone and Barossa

Here’s a short film of me tasting two contrasting wines. Both are from the same grape variety, but one is a Syrah (Jean-Luc Columbo Crozes-Hermitage Les Gravieres 2008), the other a Shiraz (St Hallett Dawkins Vineyard Eden Valley Shiraz 2009 Barossa, Australia). Both are very good but in quite distinctively different styles.

Bespoke Bros Heathcote Syrah - Australian elegance

This wine is the result of a collaboration between wine journalist Nick Stock and Gilles Lapalus of Sutton Grange winery. Some things to note: (1) it’s simply labelled; (2) it’s just 13% alcohol; (3) it’s labelled Syrah, not Shiraz. These all bode well for the wine.

Bespoke Bros Heathcote Syrah 2009 Australia
Deliciously fresh, with sweet rounded [...]

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