Maverick Wines are probably best known for their winemaker, Ron Brown, and his elegant Barossa Valley Shiraz, but you know the winery is genuinely “five star” when the “house white” is as good as the 2011 Maverick Breechens. Squarely aimed at the “everyday tipple” end of the market, the Breechens is a white blend primarily…
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The 2011 vintage of the Shingleback The Davey Estate Shiraz is finally on the shelves and given the quality of the latest offering from one of McLaren Vale’s best-known producers, it may soon be in short supply. Over the last few years, I have been fortunate enough to sample the majority of the Shingleback range…
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There’s little doubt that bad wines make the good ones seem great and vice versa, but if you ever try the Aramis “The Governor” Syrah 2006 after a glass of poorly crafted Pinot from the Yarra (like I did), you’ll seriously believe that you’ve received manna from heaven! The “Governor” is probably Aramis’ flagship wine,…
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If Barossa Shiraz tickles your taste buds but jammy, over-ripe styles overwhelm your senses, then the Westlake Albert’s Block Shiraz 2010 will be right up your alley. The crimson coloured Albert’s Block shows the typically fragrant Barossa nose and the regionally synonymous dark berried fruit up front, but rather than explode across the palate there…
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It feels a little like insider trading, but I happen to know a bloke who knows a bloke and suddenly, a bottle of the soon to be released Deisen Backblock Shiraz 2010 fell onto my desk last week. This little-known vineyard nestled in between some of the Barossa’s most highly regarded winemakers like Rockford and…
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Growing Pinot Noir in Australia is always a bit hit and miss. After all, it’s a grape that shows its best in a cool climate, but even the so-called “cool climate” regions in our sunburnt land can be subject to significant seasonal variations. And the Adelaide Hills region in South Australia is no different despite…
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The “budget” end of the red wine market has become a cluttered space in recent years. With the ready availability of so-called “cleanskins”, online sales, auctions and heavy discounting by the stores owned by the major supermarkets, the Australian consumer is spoilt for choice at the sub $15 price point. But buying a case of…
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Unless you’re related to one of its 685 residents, you’re unlikely to have heard of Greenock, a town nestled in the northwestern edge of the Barossa Valley, but you’ll certainly be hearing a lot more about their wine if they can replicate vintages like the 2009 Laughing Jack Greenock Shiraz! Owner and vigneron Shaun Kalleske…
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While the McLaren Vale in South Australia is best known for its ripe spicy berry Shiraz, some vintages from the region also produce very good whites, and 2012 was definitely one of those years. The beauty of the McLaren Vale is that when Mother Nature is kind to the vignerons, you don’t have to pay…
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It seems that Chardonnay has had its day as the white wine of choice for the chic and trendy, and the sun may be setting on Sauvignon Blanc’s stellar run as Australia’s biggest selling varietal. And it may be nothing more than optimism on my part, but I can’t help but think that the stage…
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