Langton’s classification of Australian wine — the market’s scorecard

29 September 2010WineChris Shanahan

Every five years, Langton’s, a wine auction specialist belonging to Woolworths, updates its classification of Australian wines. Unlike all the other wine-rating systems, based on the judgement of individual palates, Langton’s derives its classification from the volume and value of wine it sells at auction. The rankings are therefore based on perceptions of value and … Continue reading Langton’s classification of Australian wine — the market’s scorecard →

Cellaring for pleasure

25 August 2010WineChris Shanahan

Thanks to my old friend, Jeremy Stockman for collaborating on this feature. Jeremy is a wine show judge, wine consultant and former fine wine buyer for Vintage Cellars WHY WE CELLAR AND CONDITIONS FOR CELLARING Chris Shanahan There’s terrific pleasure in cellaring wine, whether for two years or twenty. It’s about savouring the lovely changes … Continue reading Cellaring for pleasure →

Small makers flock to Winewise awards

21 July 2010WineChris Shanahan

As the National and Melbourne wine shows bend over backwards to attract small makers to their competitions, Canberra based Winewise herds them in by the flock. This year’s Winewise Small Vignerons awards, judged at the racecourse in early July, attracted over 1,500 entries from 394 wineries. To qualify for the event wineries must crush, for … Continue reading Small makers flock to Winewise awards →

Wine review — Domain Day, Wallaroo, Villa Maria, Grove Estate, Voyager and Chapel Hill

30 June 2010People, Vineyard, WineChris Shanahan

Domain Day ‘g’ Garganega 2009 $20 Mount Crawford, South Australia If you’ve enjoyed Soave, Verona’s famous dry white, then you’ve enjoyed garganega, one of Italy’s many native grape varieties. Robin Day claims his planting at Mount Crawford to be the first outside of Italy. From it he makes a full-bodied, distinctively flavoured dry white. It … Continue reading Wine review — Domain Day, Wallaroo, Villa Maria, Grove Estate, Voyager and Chapel Hill →

Hilltops — making winning reds

30 June 2010UncategorizedChris Shanahan

Along the Great Divide in New South Wales, wine growing regions are striving to establish their identities in the minds of consumers. Mudgee, Orange and Cowra seem to be struggling in that regard. But Canberra has a foot in, thanks to its shiraz and riesling; high, cool Tumbarumba’s reputation for sparkling wine and chardonnay continues … Continue reading Hilltops — making winning reds →

Hilltops flies solo

23 June 2010People, Vineyard, WineChris Shanahan

The Hilltops wine region, centred on Young, an hour and a half’s drive north from here, emerged at about the same time as Canberra’s. In 1969, just two years before CSIRO Drs John Kirk and Edgar Riek planted vines, independently of one another, at Murrumbateman and Lake George, cherry farmer, the late Peter Robertson, established … Continue reading Hilltops flies solo →

Savouring the shiraz spectrum

31 March 2010UncategorizedChris Shanahan

Australia owns shiraz – not just in the generic sense of making juicy, soft, affordable quaffers (which we do very well) but in expressing a wide spectrum of styles across our dozens of regions. We’ve arrived at an amazing diversity of extraordinarily good shirazes. And the quality we’re now enjoying seems to be drawn from … Continue reading Savouring the shiraz spectrum →

Canberra – vintage 2010 a rollercoaster

24 March 2010People, Uncategorized, Vineyard, WineChris Shanahan

What might vintage 2010 hold for Canberra wine drinkers? The season began exceptionally hot and dry in November, turned cool and wet at Christmas, warmed up in January, then dumped rain again in February and March – encouraging berry split and fungal diseases. A slightly too-cool week following the early March rain retarded grape ripening. … Continue reading Canberra – vintage 2010 a rollercoaster →

Trophy Collector — how a Canberra shiraz stole the Sydney show

24 February 2010People, Vineyard, WineChris Shanahan

There was no phone call, no email, no press release. Indeed, if it hadn’t been for a tip-off from one of the judges, Alex McKay’s success at Sydney’s 2010 Royal Wine Show might’ve escaped our notice. His Collector Reserve Shiraz 2008 won a gold medal and four trophies, including the Dr Gilbert Phillips Memorial Trophy … Continue reading Trophy Collector — how a Canberra shiraz stole the Sydney show →

Brats mellow to greats

27 January 2010Wine, Wine reviewChris Shanahan

In the mid eighties Penfolds released the first edition of The Rewards of Patience, containing reviews of Grange Hermitage (as Grange was then called), and the rest of the Penfolds red family, back to the earliest vintages, including the experimental Grange of 1951. Grange was moving into a purple patch at the time, gaining international … Continue reading Brats mellow to greats →

Chris Shanahan

Australian wine & beer judge, writer and connoisseur

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