Kurtz Charlie’s Grenache 2022 Grenache may be a varietal most frequently used for blending, but as a single varietal is typically brash, bright and berried! It probably originated in Spain, but shows its best side in hot, dry continental climates like the Barossa Valley in South Australia. There are plenty to choose from, but if you…
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Across the globe Australian Shiraz is synonymous with the Barossa Valley; a region with plantings that go back as far as 1843, and in which over half of all vineyards are dedicated to the varietal. It’s a style that is typically full bodied, ripe and bold, and emphasises ripe fruit, chocolate and earthy characters. Undeniably…
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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…
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Maybe it’s human nature, or just the Aussie way, but we seem to be a bunch who like to seek the “good oil” in our quest for the proverbial holy grail. Whether it’s investing in the shares our stockbrokers are buying, following the lead of the racehorse trainer having a bet on their pick of the…
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Blends of grenache, shiraz and mouvedre (mataro) are extremely popular amongst Australian wine consumers and wine producers are adding the style to their cellar lists in abundance. The spiritual home of these blends is the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC in the southern parts of France’s Rhone Valley where the Mediterranean climate is ideally suited to these key…
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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’.
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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I’ve always found the wines of the Rhone region fascinating, if not charming. And particularly those of the Southern Rhone where the winemakers of the Côtes du Rhône villages set an exacting standard using Châteauneuf-du-Pape as their role model. In the region, the wines are typically richer, spicier and higher in alcohol than other parts…
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For oenophiles like me, there’s an indisputable romance in wine, wineries and the vinicultural process. Sampling the product of other’s hard labour in the vineyard and expertise in the winery is enchanting, if not seductive; but for mine, there’s nothing more intoxicating than a good story about the journey of the people behind the brand.…
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Murray Street Vineyards 2017 Red Label “The Barossa” Fans of the comedy series, Frasier, would be acquainted with the French style, Châteauneuf-du-Pape; the red wine that Frasier Crane is frequently observed ordering while eating out at French restaurants. It’s a blend of red varietals from a region in the southern Rhône area near Avignon which…
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