Buying wine at the value end of the spectrum can be a little hit and miss, but you can vastly improve your prospects of scoring runs by buying a type of wine that is the strength of its region of origin. Like the Valley of the Giants Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2013. It’s an example of…
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While I’ve never been a disciple to the sweet and floral style of white wine, I admit that everything has its place. And while I would never countenance serving Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc as a table wine with anything I’d personally prepared, there are times when an aromatic white wine with high residual sugar is the…
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When West Australian wines grace my table it’s normally the Margaret River Cabernet that grabs the attention of my tastebuds but having recently tried the Shelton “Calem Blue” Shiraz 2012, I think I might have to broaden my horizons! The Calem Blue sits at the budget end of the spectrum but shows the ripeness of…
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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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