Yalumba may be best known as Australia’s oldest family-owned winery, or for being the only one in the southern-hemisphere with its own operational cooperage, but for all its rich history and fine wine, I recently discovered that the iconic brand’s links to Australian cricket are as deep rooted as the vines that trace their origins…
Read more
With the Christmas parties starting and the silly season in full swing, sales of Big Macs, Panadol and Berocca are set for their annual sales spike. It’s that time of year when good intentions are frequently subverted by the frivolity of the moment and before you know it, daybreak on Saturday morning is greeted by the…
Read more
It irks, frustrates and at times, infuriates me, but my big sister insists on adding ice cubes to her wine glass no matter what the quality or price point of the wine! Cracking a quality chardonnay when she visits feels like feeding truffles to pigs when my heathen sibling desecrates the winemaker’s artistry with a…
Read more
When it comes to white wine varietals, Gruner Veltliner is not one that sits on the tip of Australians’ tongues. But this Austrian grape has found a new home in the vineyards of cool climate Australia where it is experiencing a remarkable surge in popularity. In recent years, Gruner Veltliner has captivated wine boffins and…
Read more
Wine aficionados across the globe are becoming increasingly conscious of the methods used in winemaking leading to a surge in demand for sustainably produced wines. It seems that consumers don’t just want their food to be organically produced and sustainable, they care about the way their wine is made as well. Australia, known for its…
Read more
Burgundy is indisputably the best known pinot noir and chardonnay region in the world and undeniably sets the benchmark for other regions to reach. And if there’s an Australian wine region that most closely emulates the climate of Burgundy, it’s arguably the Tumbarumba district in the western foothills of the Snowy Mountains. The famed “High Country” is…
Read more
Sangiovese may not be a grape that is widely grown or even well known in Australia, but it’s influence across the winemaking world can’t be understated. It may be an Italian native grape but it has proven itself capable of producing exceptional wines in hot and dry climates across the globe. The French Island of…
Read more
If you’re an investor, you’ve probably been impressed by the upward trajectory of the Coles and Woolies share prices. After all, at the time of writing, Woolworths shares have risen by about 12% in the calendar year to date, and while Coles are down this year, they’re still sitting well above their pre-pandemic levels. The…
Read more
Having written, this year, about the chardonnay hot spots of the Orange region in New South Wales and the glorious Adelaide Hills in South Australia, I’ve copped a bit of flack from chardy-lovers for neglecting the “best chardonnay region outside of Burgundy”, (so they said) – the Margaret River in the West. And I can…
Read more
You don’t win the prestigious James Halliday Winery of the Year unless you’ve got some serious plonk! In 2024, the winner was Bleasdale Wines from Langhorne Creek, while in 2023, it was the famed Pooley Wines in Tasmania – where they make what are undoubtedly amongst the best pinot noir from Australasia. So when the…
Read more