Those who say that too much gewürztraminer (aka traminer) is too much of a good thing are probably right. It’s one of the most instantly recognisable of wines and a joy to drink in small doses. But it’s hard to find the good ones because Australia grows so little of it – about six thousand … Continue reading Top-shelf Aussie gewürtztraminer — it’s there if you look
There’s a fascinating wine pilgrimage you can make driving to or from Melbourne: heading south on the Hume Highway, take the Kilmore exit, at Kilmore turn right towards Lancefield and at Lancefield follow the Woodend Road through to Newham, and then the signs to Hanging Rock Winery. Coming home from Melbourne, take the airport freeway … Continue reading Hanging Rock — bubbling along nicely
A long, thoughtful email from a reader, Maureen Hickman, raised many interesting wine points including the role of additives in wine. Maureen wrote of a much-enjoyed tipple, “… looking at the label recently I was shocked to see that it contains ‘egg, milk and fish products’ along with sulphites. I wonder, is it really wine … Continue reading Waiter, there’s a fish in my wine
There’s something about Hunter shiraz that reminds me of Chianti – the sangiovese based wines of Tuscany. No, it’s not the firm, drying, tart tannins of sangiovese – that’s a pure contrast to the soft, almost tender character of Hunter shiraz. It’s more the medium body and earthy, savoury flavour that both share in contrast … Continue reading Old boots, sweaty saddles and Hunter Shiraz
At Len Evans’ wake a few months it was inevitable that in the kick-on party venerable old bottles of Hunter shiraz and semillon appeared. Served on Len’s home turf these regional specialties hit the spot. But to the unconverted they remain idiosyncrasies. Idiosyncratic is a key word here for each is as eccentric as it … Continue reading Idiosyncratic or idiotic? — Hunter semillon
In 2001 brewer Lion Nathan acquired Petaluma, the upmarket wine company founded by Brian Croser in 1976. In January 2003, Croser — in partnership with, Jean-Michel Cazes of Château Lynch-Bages, Bordeaux, and Société Jacques Bollinger, the parent company of Champagne Bollinger — purchased the Koppamurra vineyard at Wrattonbully, near Coonawarra. The partnership — Tapanappa Wines … Continue reading Petaluma’s Brian Croser joins Bollinger, Lynch-Bages in Tapanappa venture downunder
Rather than tut-tutting, Italian winemakers ought to applaud Guenther Aloys’ launch, in designer cans, of Rich Prosecco, a semi-sparkling wine from Italy’s Treviso Province. In a series of Paris Hilton hosted parties, starting in a Tyrolean ski resort last April before fanning out over Germany (and even to Munich’s beer-drenched Oktoberfest), the little gold tinny … Continue reading Paris Hilton, rich prosecco tinnes and gen Y
It’s amazing what a bit of altitude and rainfall can do to a wine region. To see what I mean, hop in the car one weekend for the three-hour drive to Orange, via Yass, Boorawa, Cowra, Canowindra and Cargo. I did this last week to judge at the Orange Region Wine Show. In the forty-minute … Continue reading Orange wine region — high-altitude, high-quality wine
John Glaetzer, former Wolf Blass winemaker, says he saw it coming: the day that bigger companies might pull back on grape supply. And come it has, with a vengeance, as Canberra growers contracted to Hardys learned a few weeks back. Driving from the Barossa Valley to Langhorne Creek with John in late September, the gentle … Continue reading John Glaetzer saves growers’ bacon
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