Today was one of those days where I had to pinch myself. How come a dude with an interest in wine and a hobby website can end up writing about…
A beautiful Syrah from the Grampians
Never heard of this wine before, but it’s brilliant. A great example of the new wave of serious, small scale Aussie producers who are shunning over-ripe, sweet, oaky styles for…
Three very interesting Aussies: First Drop
Three wines from innovative Aussie producer First Drop (see their website here). They specialize in alternative varieties, but also do a pretty good job with their more conventional wines. The…
The 2007 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier
I’ve just written up a remarkable vertical tasting of Clonakilla’s Shiraz Viognier, one of Australia’s best and most consistent red wines. Of the 12 vintages tasted, my joint favourite was…
A pair of Mad Dogs – Shiraz and Sangiovese from the Barossa
I first reviewed the Mad Dog wines, made by Barossa grape grower Matthew Munzberg, some time ago. Here I’m taking a look at the latest releases, which are just fantastic….
Two impressive Aussie Nebbiolos
Nebbiolo is a perplexing but wonderful grape variety. Naturally low in colour and high in tannin, it isn’t very consumer friendly. But it is capable of greatness, as the top…
An afternoon with Mac Forbes
It was a gloriously sunny day here in London. I discovered, to my great advantage, that my netbook screen is visible even in bright sunlight, so I spent the morning…
A wonderful Aussie Syrah with a French accent
This wine is brilliant. I really like the style, which bridges the Northern Rhone and warmer-climate new world regions. And it’s very well priced. Domaine Tournon Shiraz or Syrah 2008…
Video: Australia’s most celebrated wine, the 1962 Penfolds Bin60A
I’ve finally written up my report on last year’s historic tasting of Australian wines at the Landmark Tutorial. You can read it here. We were fortunate to taste many rare…