Vinecrest Barossa Semillon 2006 $16 Vinecrest was one of three delicious gold medallists in a semillon class that I judged recently at the Barossa Regional Show. It passed the real-life, glass-or-two with food test at the awards presentation dinner a few days later, too. Proprietor Ian Mader tells me that it’s sourced from the central … Continue reading Wine review — Vinecrest, Meeting Place & Lark Hill
Sniffing around the Barossa last week – after judging the area’s wine show – turned up a number of wonderful, off the radar wine ventures. Just as we’ve seen in Canberra this week following Hardy’s decision exit from the region, Australia’s grape surplus, combined with industry rationalisation, has been driving change, often in unpredictable ways. … Continue reading Barossa — a changing landscape
Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 1996 $180-$240 In today’s salute to Len Evans it seems fitting to include two contrasting luxury Champagnes from the great 1996 vintage. The all-chardonnay Taittinger Comtes de Champagne – sourced from top-ranking vineyards in the Champagne district’s Cotes de Blancs sub region – has Champagne’s elusive combination of … Continue reading Wine review — Taittinger, Veuve Clicquot & Tyrrell’s
Len Evans, Australia’s greatest wine man died suddenly of a heart attack on August 17th, just two weeks shy of his 76th birthday. Len crammed a lot into those years – perhaps too much his cardiologist might say. But nothing was ever going to mollify Len’s ebullience, creativity, energy, love of great wine or commitment … Continue reading Goodbye Len Evans, the world will miss you
Chateau Pato Hunter DJP Shiraz 2004 $45 & Old Pokolbin Vineyard Shiraz 2004 $29 Chateau Pato, founded by the late David John Paterson and now run by his son, Nick, makes impossibly small batches – 160 dozen and 180 dozen respectively – of these classic Hunter Shiraz styles. The first, bearing David’s initials and from … Continue reading Wine review — Chateau Pato, Fox Creek & Mount Horrocks
For many small winemakers Canberra’s Winewise Small Vignerons Awards is the most important Australian wine show, overshadowing the usually prestigious and larger – but to them irrelevant – Sydney, Adelaide and National Wine Shows. So how did this little home grown show assume such importance? What began for Lester Jesberg (then a tax office official) … Continue reading Winewise small vignerons awards
Lenton Brae Margaret River Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2005 $19 The Tomlinson family operates this small, much loved — and very vocal on wine-tax-issues –winery, located at Willyabrup in the heart of Margaret River. It makes one of the region’s more serious Semillon Sauvignon Blanc blends, opting for the subtle use of barrel fermentation to add … Continue reading Wine review — Lenton Brae, Domain Day & Coriole
The flavours found in Asian cuisine vary from the pure, unadorned simplicity of natural produce – as we see in Japanese food – to the most complex blends of meat, vegetable, fungus, spices, herbs and piquant sauces. The spectrum of textures is similarly wide, ranging from watery to soft and creamy to rubbery to hard … Continue reading Asian food and wine
Hanging Rock Heathcote Cambrian Rise Shiraz 2003 $27 Winemaker John Ellis calls this the ‘son’ of Hanging Rock’s flagship $55 shiraz reviewed last week – and it is very much a chip off the old block. At half the price, it offers great value as it has the rich flavour, silky smoothness and finesse of … Continue reading Wine review — Hanging Rock, McWilliams Mount Pleasant Lovedale & Rochford
Penley Estate Coonawarra Phoenix Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 $19.99 At last year’s Limestone Coast Show, Singapore based writer, Ch’ng Poh Tiong awarded Phoenix the International Judge’s Trophy as his favoured wine of the show. Together with James Halliday, we’d ranked it at the top of the small 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon class, noting its vibrant, sweet, fruity … Continue reading Wine review — Penley Estate, Rochford & Madfish