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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Clare Valley Shiraz – two good ones
Australia’s Clare Valley is a region I’m drawn to. It’s capable of making great Riesling, great Shiraz and great Cabernet Sauvignon – an unusual mixture. Perhaps this is because the…
Another good Aussie Riesling
Here’s another classic Aussie Riesling, from the Eden Valley. It’s a wine that is held back before release, which is great, because few consumers have a chance to cellar wines…
Peter Lehmann Wigan Riesling
Traditional Australian dry Riesling is quite unique. It’s very different from Riesling grown elsewhere, and it’s remarkably consistent. I know there are supposed to be regional differences between wines from…