We’re all familiar with the idea of regional wine specialities, like Coonawarra cabernet, Barossa shiraz, Marlborough sauvignon blanc and Mornington Peninsula pinot noir. And with a growing focus on regions, we’ll enjoy increasing numbers of intra regional specialties – like Andrew Seppelt’s wonderful shiraz-grenache-mourvedre reds of the western Barossa reviewed here two weeks back. As … Continue reading Near and yet so different
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
Mr Riggs Adelaide Hills Yacca Vineyard Tempranillo 2007 and 2008 $22–$25 I can’t think of a better Aussie expression of this Spanish variety than Mr Riggs 2007. It offers plush, blueberry-like varietal flavour and assertive but soft tannins that give it structure and a satisfyingly dry finish. It’s made by Ben Riggs from grapes grown … Continue reading Wine review — Mr Riggs, Pewsey Vale and Hewitson
Murray Street Vineyards’ new-release reds are sensational — generous, juicy, seamless wines, made by Andrew Seppelt and sourced from low yielding vines sprinkled along the Western rim of the Barossa Valley. They stand comparison with the best shiraz and blends from any part of the globe. And yet they’re just a small part of a … Continue reading Andrew Seppelt’s sensational Barossa wines
Shaw Vineyard Estate Canberra District Laughter Series Riesling 2009 $15 Reserve Isabella Riesling 2009 $28 Here’s a couple of attractive wines from Graeme Shaw’s vineyard, on the Western edge of Murrumbateman. Isabella – Graeme’s new flagship, named for Isabella Anderson, matriarch of the former wool property’s founding family – is a knockout with its shimmering … Continue reading Wine review — Shaw Vineyard Estate and Banrock Station
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
Australian winemaking 2009 – it’s a tale of two industries: mature, vibrant, small and medium producers with their strong regional identities; and the headline-grabbing wreckage of the ‘brand Australia’ juggernaut. A recent Winemakers’ Federation of Australia (WFA) report, Wine industry must confront the reality of oversupply, detailed the horror behind the chilling headlines. The report … Continue reading Brilliant regional wines emerging from Oz wine wreck
Canberra’s National Wine Show bills itself as the grand final of the Australian circuit. But to deserve the mantle it needs to re-invent itself. In reality, it’s just another capital city show, more notable for what’s not in the tasting line up than what is. Its strength is the high standard of judging and the … Continue reading National Show shouldn’t ignore gaps in its ranks
In the nineties as Australian wine regions agonised over their boundaries, Tasmania got smart. Its winemakers saw that as small, comparatively homogenous producers, their interests would be best served by promoting the island as a whole. In opting for ‘Tasmania’ as their only entry in the register of protected names they neatly avoided the distraction … Continue reading Tasmania rolls Burgundy and Champagne into one
Angullong Fossil Hill Orange Region Sangiovese 2008 $20 Angullong Fossil Hill Orange Region Barbera 2008 $20 The Crossing family’s 220-hectare Angullong vineyard undulates in and out of the Orange District because of its varied altitude – the vines located above 600 metres are in, and everything else is out. The climate clearly suits these two … Continue reading Wine review — Angullong, Freeman and Chapel Hill