The 2011 vintage of the Shingleback The Davey Estate Shiraz is finally on the shelves and given the quality of the latest offering from one of McLaren Vale’s best-known producers, it may soon be in short supply. Over the last few years, I have been fortunate enough to sample the majority of the Shingleback range…
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There’s little doubt that bad wines make the good ones seem great and vice versa, but if you ever try the Aramis “The Governor” Syrah 2006 after a glass of poorly crafted Pinot from the Yarra (like I did), you’ll seriously believe that you’ve received manna from heaven! The “Governor” is probably Aramis’ flagship wine,…
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It’s not a style that has made an impact in the Australian market, but white Zinfandel has been a huge success in the USA where the Beringer White Zinfandel is said to be “America’s favourite white Zinfandel”. And the “white zinfandel” moniker is somewhat surprising given that it is more pink than white in the…
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If Barossa Shiraz tickles your taste buds but jammy, over-ripe styles overwhelm your senses, then the Westlake Albert’s Block Shiraz 2010 will be right up your alley. The crimson coloured Albert’s Block shows the typically fragrant Barossa nose and the regionally synonymous dark berried fruit up front, but rather than explode across the palate there…
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I’ve regularly given a big “thumbs up” to Hunter Valley whites like their Verdelho, Semillon and even Chardonnay, but rarely have red wines from the region captured the attention of my taste buds like the recently released Meerea Park ‘Hell Hole’ Shiraz 2010. While the Hunter reds are typically “dirty” on the nose and forest…
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It feels a little like insider trading, but I happen to know a bloke who knows a bloke and suddenly, a bottle of the soon to be released Deisen Backblock Shiraz 2010 fell onto my desk last week. This little-known vineyard nestled in between some of the Barossa’s most highly regarded winemakers like Rockford and…
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Pinot Noir is undoubtedly one of the world’s most versatile food wines and outside of Burgundy in France, the Central Otago region in New Zealand’s South Island is probably the world’s premier Pinot producing region. The hallmarks of a good Central Otago Pinot include a savoury nose, sweet cherried fruit and a smooth smoky finish…
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Growing Pinot Noir in Australia is always a bit hit and miss. After all, it’s a grape that shows its best in a cool climate, but even the so-called “cool climate” regions in our sunburnt land can be subject to significant seasonal variations. And the Adelaide Hills region in South Australia is no different despite…
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It wasn’t all that long ago that organically and biodynamically produced wines were often regarded as somehow inferior to their chemically supported cousins, but such is the quality of modern farming practices that the inference that “biodynamics” means “B-Grade”, seems lost forever. An emerging example of the quality of organic viticultural practices is the Rock…
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Pinot Gris is generally a richer and more opulent style than its much leaner Italian Pinot Grigio cousin, which is made using the same grape. And if ever there was a complex and decadent Alsacian style of Pinot Gris, it is the T’Gallant Tribute Pinot Gris 2008. I really like the dried fruit and herbaceous…
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