Call them a wine list, a bill of fare or if you’re fancy, la carte des vins; it’s a fact of life that a restaurant’s catalogue of wines on offer will often define a venue’s status – whether for the better or worse. And I’m sure I’m not the only diner who tends to scrutinise the…
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The terms legend and icon are frequently bandied around, all too often undeservedly. However, when it comes to the Australian wine industry, it’s hard to find any better descriptors for the doyen of the industry, Brian Croser. His upbringing in South Australia’s Clare Valley was the spark that ignited his passion for oenology (study of…
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It goes without saying that 2020 has landed a cruel blow to many Australian households and small businesses. Almost three decades since our last recession, and this one comes wrapped with a 4.3% drop in wages, unemployment rates of 8% and now a decline in property values that some pundits predict could be as high…
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My visceral dislike of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is hardly a tightly guarded secret; and yes, I did once describe it as “one-dimensional cat-piss briefly soaked in lemon zest” but that was in reference to the Oyster Bay offering that is the biggest selling Sauvignon Blanc in the country. It’s a style that is as popular…
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Semillon hails from the French region of Bordeaux where it is grown alongside the more popular Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle. Whilst today, in France, it isn’t really fashionable as a single varietal, it commonly plays a minor role blended in dry table wines or, more significantly, is coveted as a dominant contributor to sublime dessert wines.
The Australian Wine industry is recognised and valued globally for the remarkable character of our wines. Here, at home, we also recognise the characters who produce a ‘good drop’; the early pioneers, the industry stalwarts, the entrepreneurial winemakers and the lovable larrikins who ’do it their own way’.
Picture: Wilyabrup Bluff It’s the most planted grape varietal in the world and despite its European origins, Australian cabernet sauvignon is widely regarded as being as good as just about any on the planet. From the white pepper jubiness of the Coonawarra to the more robust styles from Padthaway, the Limestone Coast in south eastern…
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Blessed by a Mediterranean style climate and some of the oldest root-stock in the world, the Barossa Valley is undeniably a world leader when it comes to shiraz production, but there’s a sting in the tail of that enviable reputation. Such is the power of the “Barossa Shiraz” brand that uninformed consumers often miss out…
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“It’s the best chardonnay on the Mornington Peninsula” he decreed as he pressed his thumb into the punt at its base and forcefully thrust a bottle in my direction. “You won’t find better” my mate promised, as if the acceptance of his gift was accompanied by the clatter of a gauntlet hitting the tiled floor.…
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School holidays. Gotta love the break from routine and the chance to travel, relax or just bond with your kids. But we all know that the gap between school terms isn’t all beer and skittles. After all, the traffic can be horrendous, the house looks like a warzone, and all too often “those” relatives want to come and stay.