McWilliams recently released the 2006 vintage of a distinguished, if little known red wine – Brands Laira Stentiford’s Old Vine Coonawarra Shiraz. The wine’s story stretches back more than a century, involves some of Coonawarra’s oldest vines and provides unique drinking at $75 a bottle – a modest price for a scarce wine of such … Continue reading Stentiford’s Coonawarra Shiraz — a scarce and stunning wine
Draytons Vineyard Reserve Shiraz 2009 $30 Pokolbin, Hunter Valley, New South Wales John Drayton and winemaker William Rikard-Bell say they made this from the Drayton family’s unirrigated Bull Paddock Block, planted in 1965. At a refreshingly modest 13 per cent alcohol, it’s medium bodied and spicy with a substantial grip of savoury, youthful tannins. It’s … Continue reading Wine review — Draytons, Tar & Roses, Winbirra, Stanton & Killeen, Mount Beautiful and Crittenden Estate
Propagandists in the French wine industry portray Australia as one big, hot, homogenous country pumping out vast quantities of “industrial” wine. While our export success with bright, fresh, affordable varietals – largely at the expense of French producers – might be partly to blame for this perception, it’s as far from the truth as a … Continue reading Extraordinary diversity in Oz wines
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
Nick O’Leary Shiraz 2009 $28 Murrumbateman, New South Wales Vintage 2009 looks to be a great year for Canberra shiraz. This graceful red won the trophy for best shiraz at the recent Winewise Small Vignerons Awards, with Ravensworth 2009, another gold medallist, not far behind. Nick O’Leary sources about 80 per cent of the grapes … Continue reading Wine review — Nick O’Leary, Bleasdale, Dandelion, Chalkers Crossing, Peter Lehmann and Sam Miranda
There are changes afoot in the Canberra wine district, following the departure of two of the district’s most influential winemakers from Lake George Winery late last year. Nick O’Leary left the winery in winter 2009 and Alex McKay followed in December. Part of the Lake George property is up for sale. And O’Leary and McKay … Continue reading Lake George vineyard to be carved up, young guns go their own ways
Riesling in Australia – the history, the regions, the legends, and the producers Ken Helm and Trish Burgess. Published by Winetitles, South Australia, 2010. $49.50 plus postage at Winetitles. Spike Milligan might have called “Riesling in Australia” a book of bits, or a bit of a book. Written by Ken Helm and Trish Burgess, the … Continue reading Book review — “Riesling in Australia”
Rutherglen Estate Fiano 2009 $21.95 Rutherglen, Victoria A number of Australian vignerons, mainly in hotter regions, now grow fiano, a white native of Italy’s warm, dry Campania region. Rutherglen Estate’s well made 2009, its second vintage, gives a good impression of what to expect from the variety. It’s clean, fresh, zesty, richly textured and dry. … Continue reading Wine review — Rutherglen Estate, Teusner, Printhie, West End, Campbells and Cape Mentelle
For the most part brewers and winemakers happily co-exist. Indeed, there’s been considerable cross-over within the industries in Australia, with winemakers becoming brewers, brewing companies acquiring wineries, and wine companies acquiring interests in breweries. The list of connections is long. And having judged at both wine and beer shows, I’ve joined beer judges over a … Continue reading Grape versus grain in Margaret River
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