The Yarra Valley. It was almost a decade ago that I first visited, back in March 2006. It was a lovely trip owing much to the generosity of Tony Jordan,…
Domaine Jamet Côtes du Rhône 2008
This is the sort of wine I just love, even though it’s one that probably needs to be drunk up now. It’s inexpensive but it’s authentic. It tastes of where…
Fun with Ryan and Samantha – Skurfberg, Jamet, Silvervis et al
So Ryan Mostert and Samantha Suddons, of new winery Terra Cura, popped round. They brought with them a couple of boxes of wine, so we sat, tasted and drank. Some…
Wakefield The Pioneer Shiraz and The Visionary Cabernet Sauvignon
Wakefield, known in Australia as Taylors, are a leading Clare Valley producer, and they have recently begun making two very high-end wines: The Pioneer Shiraz and The Visionary Cabernet Sauvignon….
Washington State wine adventures, day 2
The vehicle the four of us are driving around Washington State is big enough to fit a hot tub in the back. It’s really, really big, and all the doors…
The 2013 Craggy Range Prestige wines: Le Sol, Sophia and Aroha
These are three remarkable wines. Craggy Range are very excited about the 2013 vintage in these two regions, and on tasting these wines it’s easy to show why. ‘In 2013…
Lunch at St John with Dujac, Niero, Barthod and Bereche
Lunch at St John today. A special time with Francis Percival, Dan Keeling and Jeremy Seysses. The company, the wines, the food: all were on sparkling form. I haven’t been…
Amery Vineyards Block 6 Shiraz 1989
My wine trade buddy Greg Sherwood brought this wine around to dinner, and served it blind. It was a real treat. I reckoned it was properly old, and new world,…
What the Great South African Syrah tasting tells us
On Thursday a very interesting tasting was held. It has already been written up by Tim Atkin and Christian Eedes, the two journalists who put it together. They were…