In this 21st Century digital and commercialised world we live in, it’s the big end of town that seemingly holds the whip hand when it comes to promoting and selling wines in Australia. After all, when you consider that between Coles and Woolworths, they control (on some estimates) between 70 and 80 percent of the…
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Well before George Constanza claimed to have invented the “it’s not you, it’s me” routine, sauvignon blanc and I had long broken up. Though as Jerry Seinfeld observed “I thought things were going great”, but that was before the Marlborough Sauv-o-lanche. Back in the days when sauvignon blanc was green, grassy and showed herbaceous and…
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The Yarra Valley, an hour to the north east of the Melbourne CBD, is home to some of the biggest brands in the Australian wine industry and is believed to be Victoria’s oldest wine growing district. The first vines were reportedly planted in the Yarra in 1838 on a property that is today known as…
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Moorooduc Estate 2014 McIntyre Vineyard Chardonnay will enamour your taste buds I may be stealing a song lyric from over a decade ago but, as Fats Domino famously sang, “I’m in love again”! I have always said that Chardonnay is the most regal of white wine varietals, but in recent years, some of the lean…
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It’s time to raise a glass to Buderim, literally. Over the years I’ve been involved in my fair share of fundraisers, certain of which have demanded some seriously hard yakka requiring lycra, pedals and sweaty feats of athleticism. I’m pleased to say that my latest foray into community engagement is more geared towards testing out…
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Sardinian wine may hold the key to a long life Cannonau di Sardegna may be earning its’ fame as the “longevity grape from Sardinia”, but for all the touted health benefits it offers, it is a remarkably palatable drop. The “it’s good for you” spin, may be just the work of clever local marketers, but…
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Make light of the changing season As summer approaches and temperatures climb, many wine lovers put aside the heavy reds in preference for lighter styles like Pinot Noir or even make a complete colour change to the vin blanc styles that can be chilled within an inch of their lives. And if you’re anything like…
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Wine Industry Tourism is big business in Australia, and for good reason. We live in a country which is rich in viticultural offerings and blessed with diversity of micro-climates and terroir. While we may be regarded as “new world” by the elitist “old world” producers, the juvenile tag given to our winemakers doesn’t stop them…
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Hahndorf Hill blend impresses They are a producer best known for their successful introduction of Gruner Veltliner to the Australian Wine Consumer and now the team at Hahndorf Hill are pioneering other Austrian styles like Blaufrankisch, Zweigelt and St Laurent and now, it seems, Trollinger as well. They may not be house hold names, but…
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2016 Nebbiolo is truly exceptional When it comes to red wine, it is often said that patience is a virtue, but if Nebbiolo is your preferred drop, then you probably need to be a Saint! It’s a style which hails from the Piedmont Region in North-Western Italy and is thought to have earned its moniker…
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