Perhaps more polarising than Kyle Sandilands, Riesling is one of those grapes that most people either love or hate; rarely is there a middle ground. I’ve heard friends say they wouldn’t ruin their risotto by pouring in a cup of Riesling, but others vow that it’s the word they instinctively scan for when handed a…
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As the Australian daytimes get longer and the summer storms begin to roll in, most of us tend to eschew the bigger reds and instead reach for something cool and white for a pre-dinner tipple. And we’ve plenty of varietals to choose from with high quality chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and pinot gris being made by…
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It may be a product of our international image, but when we talk about South Australian wines, the discussion tends to gravitate towards the Barossa Valley district and their ripe, jammy and consumer-friendly Shiraz. And I get that the Barossa shiraz has been a big player in putting our industry on the international wine map.…
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Australians love their wine; indeed, we are the tenth largest wine consuming country in the world with 98% of bottled wine consumed within 24 hours of purchase. Obviously, the lure of ‘instant gratification’ overrides the hidden pleasure of laying down a bottle of wine to savour the alchemy of maturity at a later date. Is…
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If you’ve ever been to a wine appreciation night or wine club meeting, you’d be well familiar with the “blind wine” or “wine options” challenges that entertain, beguile and often confuse those sampling the vino on offer. These games, in which a bottle of wine is wrapped in alfoil to conceal its identity and then…
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It’s been more than a few years since I’ve made the sojourn across our continent to visit the wineries of the west. We are blessed in Australia to have so many wine districts around the country that offer 5-star cellar doors and also turn out world-class wines. It’s a shame that for those of us…
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At last we have a suitable white for Asian-fusion dishes The rise of Asian fusion style restaurants and our penchant for dishes with a hint of spice has seemingly caught Australian winemakers a little by surprise; is it just me or is there a dearth of wine lists with a wide selection of whites with…
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It’s confession time, and while I hesitate to admit it, the reality is I was wrong. Erroneous, incorrect or just plain mistaken, I was firmly of the view that longtime Sunshine Coast resident, Trevor Harch, had gone stark raving mad when he first told me that he had purchased a vineyard near Keyneton in the…
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The rise of Asian fusion style restaurants and our penchant for dishes with a hint of spice has seemingly caught Australian winemakers a little by surprise; is it just me, or is there a dearth of wine lists with a wide selection of whites with a hint of aromatic sweetness about them? And in fairness,…
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Rediscover a love for a style of wine that is often overlooked by the modern-day consumer I’ve never understood why riesling, as a style, isn’t more popular, but the fact remains that it accounts for only around 1.4% of the national grape crush. And to put that sad statistic in perspective, according to the 2018…
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