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
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…
Read more
Bordeaux blends are among my favourite French styles of wine, but while my palate yearns for their wet gravel nose and balance of juicy fruit and chalky tannins, my wallet resents their lofty price tag. Typically, a good quality Bordeaux wine will set you back upwards of $50 a bottle, and up to $5,000 for…
Read more
Turns out a good chardonnay runs in the family genes It could be a case of unconscious bias, but I’ve never been keen on writing about the Dan Murphy’s or BWS stable of highly promoted and often, overhyped reds and whites. Leaving aside the big brands like Tyrells, Penfolds, McGuigan, Taylors and De Bortoli, many…
Read more
Stand aside nerds, there’s a new kid on the Margaret River Cabernet block, and with her oenological charm, she seems destined to fit right in with the popular crowd. Devil’s Lair have recently released a new “on premise” Cabernet, the Dance with the Devil which sells at around $25 a bottle and is crafted to…
Read more
There’s no better place to source Cabernet than in Western Australia’s Margaret River region and you’ll have to search high and low to find a more approachable example than the 2010 Killerby Cabernet Sauvignon. I can’t help but enjoy the slightly dusty mintiness that hits you on the nose, but it’s the full-bodied blackcurrants and…
Read more
Buying wine at the value end of the spectrum can be a little hit and miss, but you can vastly improve your prospects of scoring runs by buying a type of wine that is the strength of its region of origin. Like the Valley of the Giants Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2013. It’s an example of…
Read more
While I’ve never been a disciple to the sweet and floral style of white wine, I admit that everything has its place. And while I would never countenance serving Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc as a table wine with anything I’d personally prepared, there are times when an aromatic white wine with high residual sugar is the…
Read more
When West Australian wines grace my table it’s normally the Margaret River Cabernet that grabs the attention of my tastebuds but having recently tried the Shelton “Calem Blue” Shiraz 2012, I think I might have to broaden my horizons! The Calem Blue sits at the budget end of the spectrum but shows the ripeness of…
Read more
The Devil’s Lair Chardonnay has always been a wine that is near and dear to my heart, but I can’t help but feel a little jaded since the winemaker, Oliver Crawford, put her once bold and oaky Chardy on a diet. Where once the flavours were full, the texture creamy and the mouth feel buttery…
Read more