Wine & Musings

Come and share my passion for wine and food.

Wirra Wirra

Wirra Wirra Grenache

For reasons I’ve never really understood, Grenache has long been the Nutribullet of grape varietals; not really a headline act itself, but considered really useful for blending. But in recent years, the style seems to be gaining momentum as a single varietal of note and one worthy of occupying space in the cellar. And if…
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SunnyKids Winemakers master class

2021 Travis Schultz Winemakers Master Class backed by NAB for SunnyKids

More than 350 Sunshine Coast wine imbibers attended the Travis Schultz Winemakers Master Class backed by NAB for SunnyKids on Friday 28 May at the Maroochy RSL Events Centre, raising a record amount of $170,000 for a local charity that supports our community’s most vulnerable. This was the ninth year running for the sold-out special…
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Three Bridges Durif

Durif; power and presence

As the mercury drops, the days shorten and the winter westerlies begin to bite, it’s time to push the white wines aside and reach for the big brooding reds that match the cold season cuisine and warm you on the inside. And typically, at least in my house, the go-to drop is normally either Cabernet…
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Yalumba Viognier

International Viognier Day

In these times of polished marketing, data-driven delivery and social media savviness, there’s an “International Day” for just about every product or service – no matter how dumb the idea sounds. From International Fruitcake Toss Day in January to Caramel Popcorn Day in April and Donald Duck Day in June, there’s a ridiculous reason to…
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Riedel Decanter

To decant, or not to decant

It may at times be misunderstood as snobbery, haughtiness or the hallmark of pretention, but the practice of decanting a bottle of wine really can be an important speed bump between cork removal and pouring a glass. Sure, it can be somewhat of an inconvenience to have to find the crystal vessel you inherited from…
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Lake Canobolas Reserve - Orange NSW

Orange Chardonnay – the very cool new kid in town

If you were to ask a bunch of wine gurus (self-proclaimed or otherwise) where you’ll find the world’s best Chardonnay, I’m guessing that at least eight out of ten will tell you that you’d need to travel to Burgundy in France and visit a sub-region like Chablis or Côte de Beaune. Others may well say…
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Tamar Valley

Tasmania’s Tamar Valley Wines

As state and federal governments begin their push to encourage all of us to holiday domestically this year, there’s probably no better time to visit Queensland’s far north – but if a cooler climate, fresh air and a world-class wine trail are high in your list of priorities, look no further than the pristine beauty…
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Sarah Crowe Yarra Yering

Wine, Women and Cellarbration

With International Women’s Day being celebrated on Friday March 5th, it seemed appropriate to pen an article shining a light on the success of Australia’s women of wine. Amongst Australia’s best female winemakers are many who are the creators and hands behind some on my favourite wines. Names like Liz Heidenreich – the first ever…
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The odd couple – red wine and vegetarianism

The odd couple – red wine and vegetarianism

Research suggests that there are about half a billion vegetarians on the planet – and that number is on the rise; a fringe movement is becoming mainstream due to a focus on health, animal welfare and climate change – or so they say. From my doctor friend who talks about the benefits of a meat…
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Calabria Saint Petri Shiraz Carignan

4 Wines to try when you’re feeling a little adventurous

Whether we’re creatures of habit looking to break the shackles or open-minded adventurers searching for the next dose of inspiration, there are times when our palates crave something new and different when it’s time for a pre-dinner tipple. Across the globe there are over 100,000 wineries and in excess of 10,000 different types of wine,…
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