When a close mate announced he was travelling to South America for Chilean Wine Week in Portillo for his 50th birthday, and extended an invitation to join him, it was like moths to a porch light – not just for me, but for 11 of us in total. After all, what better way to expand…
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A tree change may sound blissful, if not idyllic to those of us who become jaded by the traffic snarls of a peak hour commute or the hectic pace of 21st century business life but to former Sunshine Coast locals, Warren and Sue Smith, it was a dream that was to become a reality when…
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Only three and a half hours drive to the north west of Sydney, lies the wine district of Mudgee, a part of the Central Ranges Zone. It may be a tad chilly there at this wintery time of year, but the cool climate, spring frosts and low rainfall make wines from local vineyards distinctive, if not…
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It was a fiasco in more ways than one, but the bulb-like bottle wrapped in straw became synonymous with a decline in quality through the 1990s. It ended the consumer’s love affair with the Italian Chianti style. Through the 1960s and 1970s, the Tuscans enjoyed enormous commercial success with their Chianti blend, but loose rules,…
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Steeped in tradition and blessed with diverse terroir, the French wine industry enjoys an enviable position atop the rankings of the world’s wine producing regions. As one of the top three producers of table wine by volume (Italy and Spain produce similar volumes each year, depending on vintage conditions), France is also blessed with a…
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According to Saint Ambrose, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. So, when in New Zealand, how could I defy native ideology and look elsewhere than the wares of the vignerons of both the South and North Islands? While visiting their country, would it be churlish to refuse the local offerings in favour of…
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It may be the rise of Enotourism or just the handiwork of 21st Century hipsters and beatniks, but there has been a definite push towards new and exciting styles of wine in recent times. There was once a time when the “in crowd” were satisfied with a wooded chardonnay or even a cab-sauv blend, but…
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According to Saint Ambrose, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. So, when in New Zealand, how could I defy native ideology and look elsewhere than the wares of the vignerons of both the South and North Islands? While visiting their country, would it be churlish to refuse the local offerings in favour of…
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Cellaring wine can be an intriguing and rewarding hobby, but if you play this form of oenological roulette for long enough, a disaster is almost certain to strike. Like it did in one of my climate-controlled wine fridges last weekend! Having rearranged a shelf to make room for a couple more bottles, I noticed that…
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Cellaring wine can be an intriguing and rewarding hobby, but if you play this form of oenological roulette long enough, a disaster is almost certain to strike. Like it did in one of my climate-controlled wine fridges last weekend. Having rearranged a shelf to make room for a couple more bottles, I noticed a telltale…
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