Marsanne is a troublesome white wine varietal that originated in the Northern Rhone region of France and has challenged winemakers and their viticultural practices for centuries. Notoriously difficult to grow, it struggles in heat or freezing conditions and it is susceptible to a wide range of vineyard diseases. Depending on the conditions and terroir, it…
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We all love drinking wines that come with a story, and while much is written about wines, wineries and even their wine dogs, rarely do we get told about the background of the winemaker themselves. After all, these days, major producers are more concerned about corporate branding and profiling their product rather than any back…
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Well before George Constanza claimed to have invented the “it’s not you, it’s me” routine, sauvignon blanc and I had long broken up. Though as Jerry Seinfeld observed “I thought things were going great”, but that was before the Marlborough Sauv-o-lanche. Back in the days when sauvignon blanc was green, grassy and showed herbaceous and…
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The Yarra Valley, an hour to the north east of the Melbourne CBD, is home to some of the biggest brands in the Australian wine industry and is believed to be Victoria’s oldest wine growing district. The first vines were reportedly planted in the Yarra in 1838 on a property that is today known as…
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Moorooduc Estate 2014 McIntyre Vineyard Chardonnay will enamour your taste buds I may be stealing a song lyric from over a decade ago but, as Fats Domino famously sang, “I’m in love again”! I have always said that Chardonnay is the most regal of white wine varietals, but in recent years, some of the lean…
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Wine Industry Tourism is big business in Australia, and for good reason. We live in a country which is rich in viticultural offerings and blessed with diversity of micro-climates and terroir. While we may be regarded as “new world” by the elitist “old world” producers, the juvenile tag given to our winemakers doesn’t stop them…
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The Yarra Valley is considered a cold climate – but is it really? As I poured a glass of the 2008 Coldstream Hills Pinot Noir to take the edge off last Sunday’s mustard crusted lamb racks (which, I admit, were worthy of a Master Chef elimination), I pondered the “cool climate” regionality claimed by the…
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It could simply be logistical challenges and the tyranny of distance, or perhaps because Australian made wines offer such good value for money, but lovers of Old World wines aren’t exactly spoilt for choice in our local bottle shops. The term “Old World” simply refers to regions that are considered to be the birthplace of…
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Despite that famous line from the 2004 movie, Sideways “If anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving. I am not drinking (expletive) Merlot!”, the style has long been the compromise for red wine drinkers seeking a softer but fruit driven style. It appeals to palates that find Shiraz and Cabernet too heavy, but desire more weight that…
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Cabernet Franc is not a style that we often see vinified as a single varietal, but when it’s done well, it can be at least the equal of its better-known cousin, Cabernet Sauvignon. Most frequently, Cabernet Franc is used in the classic Bordeaux blends to provide charm, aromatics and fragrance to what is my all-time…
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