You don’t have to be a wine lover to love a bottle of wine for Christmas. And with Australian regions now offering such a diversity of styles, a gift of regional, varietal wine ticks so many boxes: it’s lovingly grown and made by people with a passion for what they’re doing; it can be shared … Continue reading Christmas wine gifts — regional vignettes
The International Riesling Challenge, held in Canberra in October, reminds us that riesling remains our best value-for-money white wine variety. The results catalogue is packed with delicious, potentially long-lived wines available at modest prices. However, riesling remains a niche variety, ignored by the vast majority of drinkers, despite the decades of praise heaped on it. … Continue reading Big value in niche rieslings
The Jimmy Watson trophy is to wine drinkers what the Melbourne Cup is to once a year punters. We’ve all heard of it. There’s a buzz each year as the Melbourne show unveils the latest winner. And for the winner, especially if it’s a little known winery, victory can be a fast track to glory. … Continue reading Hilltops shiraz wins Jimmy Watson trophy — but more reform needed
Once again judges at the recent Canberra Regional Wine Show praised the strength of Canberra’s shiraz and riesling. What the commentary didn’t reveal though is the statistical dominance of shiraz from the neighbouring Hilltops region. Hilltops fielded just nine of the forty-seven wines in the two shiraz classes but won seven medals – an extraordinary … Continue reading Canberra show needs its benchmarks
Two weeks ago a dozen independent Cowra winemakers visited Canberra. Their story is a microcosm of the shrinking act now underway in Australia as big makers pull the pin on grape contracts, export and local prices decline, and domestic tastes shift dramatically away from chardonnay to sauvignon blanc. Cowra, the group told me, had already … Continue reading Cowra part 1 of 2 — honey, they shrunk the wine industry
Voyager Estate Margaret River ‘Girt by Sea’ Cabernet Merlot 2007 $20–$24 Voyager Estate’s ‘Girt by Sea’ is to Margaret River what Majella’s ‘The Musician’ is to Coonawarra – a richly-flavoured, finely-structured, medium-bodied red built to drink now but without losing regional identity. ‘Girt by Sea’ reveals Margaret River’s greatest winemaking strength – blending cabernet sauvignon … Continue reading Wine review — Voyager Estate and Grant Burge
In the Clare Valley a couple of weeks back Jim Barry Wines hosted its fiftieth anniversary celebrations. The highlight was a tasting of memorable Jim Barry, Leo Buring, Lindemans and Richmond Grove rieslings from vintages 1972 to 1998. And what lovely twists there were to the tasting: the beautiful old Leo Buring wines came from … Continue reading Jim Barry Wines, delicious old rieslings and a great Clare vineyard
As wine drinkers we’ve never had such choice as we do today – the offerings of more than 2,300 Australian and 500-odd New Zealand vignerons, as well as a widening range of imports. Paradoxically, as the number of wine brands expands, liquor retailing continues to consolidate as Coles and Woolworths carve up the trade – … Continue reading Google and gurgle your way to drinking pleasure
Domain Day Mount Crawford One Serious Riesling 2008 $20 Search ‘Mount Crawford South Australia’ on Google Earth and you’ll see that it’s in the hilly country (450 metres altitude) to the east and slightly south of the southern Barossa town of Lyndoch. It just scrapes into the Barossa boundary, but has a significantly cooler climate … Continue reading Wine review — Domain Day
McLean’s Farmgate Eden Valley Riesling 2008 $25 Bob McLean’s Farmgate topped my list of 14 South Australian 2008 rieslings judged at the recent Winewise Small Vignerons Awards here in Canberra. It’s a fresh, taut, finely structured, dry and lively style based on delicious lime-like varietal flavours. It should drink well for years, as these fine, … Continue reading Wine review — McLean’s Farmgate, Mount Majura and Cullen