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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When the annual James Halliday Wine Companion announces a 5 Red Star winery and awards red wines scores as high as 95 and 96 points, I generally sit up and take notice. This year, the release of the 2025 Companion listed Victorian producer Sanguine Estate in this elite category. With such accolades, what else could…
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In a modern winemaking world of endless shows, medals and trophies, there probably isn’t an award more coveted by Australian winemakers than the Jimmy Watson Memorial Trophy . First awarded in 1962, the award is made at the Royal Melbourne Wine Show each year and honours the memory of the late Jimmy Watson – the…
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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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I’ve always loved wines with personalities, and perhaps more so, when personalities love wine. So, when former Australian cricket captain Allan Border shared both a bottle of the wine and his story behind the Sanguine Estate Maiden Tonne shiraz, I was hooked (pardon the cricket pun). As the man once known as ‘Captain Grumpy’ explains,…
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Big, ripe, and juicy Australian shiraz are wines that are as popular abroad as our famous native marsupials like the koala and kangaroo. In the United Kingdom, South Australian shiraz is the biggest selling Australian varietal, while in the United States, they buy the low end sweet and sugary shiraz from “south-eastern Australia” like it’s…
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Climate sceptics aside, it seems to be well accepted across the wine industry that average global temperatures are likely to rise in coming years and that there will be an unavoidable consequence for the wine industry. Regions that were once warm will need to deal with even hotter conditions, and those that have been historically…
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Australian primary producers are a resilient bunch who are well accustomed to the vagaries of their trade and the wrath of mother nature. From drought to bushfires and sometimes even floods, our sunburnt country throws just about every imaginable challenge at our vignerons. Add to that lot the impact of a global pandemic and the…
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As a self-confessed wine-wanker, I get a warm feeling in the pit of my stomach whenever I hear or see my friends sharing their excitement about a wine, a wine region or even just a grape varietal. After all, happiness isn’t real until it’s shared, right? So, when a friend visiting Somerled in South Australia…
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Over the years, the blending of shiraz and cabernet has become something of an artform amongst Australian winemakers. Our producers certainly weren’t the first to recognise the beauty of the blend, but the style has become as Aussie as lathering white zinc on your nose or layering vegemite on your toast. Domestically, the varietals are…
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