I’ve struggled a bit with some Tasmanian wines in the past, which show a bit of unripeness. But this affordable example (£10 is cheap for Pinot Noir, remember) is really…
Brothers in Arms: big, bold and lovely
Really like this wine, despite its monstrous alcohol level (15.5% alcohol). It’s really well put together from some very decent fruit. Brothers in Arms No 6 Shiraz Cabernet 2005 Langhorne…
Jacob’s Creek Steingarten Riesling
One of the Rieslings tasted on camera in my recent video clip, this is the well known Aussie, Steingarten, which now goes under the Jacob’s Creek label. Steingarten is not…
A convincing Aussie Sangiovese – Greenstone
Italian red grape varieties all seem to travel poorly. While they achieve good results in Italy, they seldom work abroad. Here’s an exception: possibly the best non-Italian Sangiovese I have…
Confused by the ‘Top 100’ Aussie wines list
I must admit to being slightly confused by Matthew Jukes’ Top 100 Australian Wines list, which has just been released here. It’s a funny mix of genuinely exciting high-end wines,…
Yabby Lake lunch with Tom Carson
Tom Carson is one of the bright hopes of Australian wine. He was previously with Yering Station in the Yarra Valley, but a few years back moved to a much…
A serious Aussie Chardonnay: Eldridge Estate
Australian Chardonnay doesn’t have a great image these days. But, as the Landmark Tutorial last year showed, it’s a serious category. Here’s a new wine to me, which I really…
The Wanderer: impressive Shiraz and Pinot from the Yarra Valley
Two very nice wines from a new (to me, at least) producer in the Yarra Valley, Andrew Marks’ The Wanderer. The story of Australian wine isn’t actually about big brands,…
Sweet wine season, 11: Turkey Flat Pedro Ximenez
I haven’t finished my sweet wine season yet. Not by any measure. Here’s number 11, and we’re off to Australia’s Barossa Valley for a bit of a rarity: an Australian…