This week while I was in McMinnville I had a chance to taste through the Eyrie range with Jason Lett. Back in the mid-1960s Jason’s dad, David, planted the first…
New Zealand Pinot Gris, a masterclass
Dom Maxwell (Greystone, above left) and Emma Jenkins (above right) presented this masterclass on Pinot Gris from New Zealand. It’s a grape that has been neglected by wine geeks. This…
Mac Forbes EB18 ‘P3’ Pinot Gris/Pinot Noir/Pinot Meunier 2015
Mac Forbes is a bit of a legend. He’s been a pioneer of lighter, lower alcohol, naturally made wines from the Yarra Valley. As well as his regular wines, he…
Underwood: Oregon wine in a can
Underwood wines come in 375 ml cans. It’s striking packaging. I was curious, so I bought a pair to try, for $5.99 each from World Foods in Portland, Oregon. They…
In NZ, day 2: Prophets Rock, Central Otago
Day 2 of this short visit to Central Otago began with Paul Pujol at Prophets Rock. This was an amazing visit. I’ve met Paul and tasted his wines a number…
Two lovely volcanic wines from the Cotes d’Auvergne
Cave St Verny make some lovely wines, from the Côtes d’Auvergne, a really interesting but obscure wine region pretty much in the middle of France, which is counted as part…
Holly’s Garden Pinot Gris 2013, a Victorian gem
Neil Prentice’s Holly’s Garden wines are made from biodynamically tended vines grown in Whitlands, Victoria, at 750 m altitude. Normally, the prospect of drinking Australian Pinot Gris doesn’t thrill me,…
Yealands Estate Pinot Gris, a convincing aromatic from New Zealand
Back in January I visited the mind-boggling Yealands Estate, a vineyard the size of an entire appellation in Marlborough’s Awatere Valley. They’re making some nice wines, including this very Alsatian…
Eyrie Original Vines Pinot Gris, and a synaesthetic label
This is a remarkable wine on two counts. First of all, it’s a superb Pinot Gris, made without the use of any sulfites. Secondly, the label, which is synaesthetic. Winegrower…