A press release launching four Sail and Anchor beers, says, “the heritage listed Sail and Anchor Hotel in Fremantle was one of Australia’s first pub breweries”. But the smoke-and-mirrors press release tells us little about Sail and Anchor beers. For starters the beers aren’t brewed there and the brand’s connection with the famous pub seems … Continue reading Smoke and mirrors for Sail and Anchor beer launch
Lark Hill Chardonnay 2010 $35 Lark Hill vineyard, Lake George Escarpment, Canberra District, NSW The 2010 vintage produced a particularly fine, appealing and potentially long-lived chardonnay from Lark Hill, Canberra’s highest and coolest vineyard. High natural acidity and intense nectarine-like varietal flavour underpin the wine, which also bears the funky thumbprint of a wild yeast … Continue reading Wine review — Lark Hill, Marquis de Riscal Rioja, Chapel Hill, Down to Earth and Peppertree
Brokenwood Stanleigh Park Vineyard Semillon 2007 $45 Lower Hunter Valley, NSW People tend to have or hate the Hunter Valley’s idiosyncratic semillon style. If, like me, you love it; or if you’ve heard of it but haven’t tried it, Brokenwood’s just-released 2007 provides the perfect opportunity. It’s travelled through the early, lemony, austere stage of … Continue reading Wine review — Brokenwood, Majella, Ten Minutes by Tractor, Yalumba, Vinaceous and Blandy’s
The Investigator by Jacques Lurton 2006 $70 – wine of the week The Islander Estate vineyards, Kangaroo Island, South Australia French winemaker Jacques Lurton believes in cabernet franc, an aromatic red variety that plays a key but not dominant role in the wines of Bordeaux’s St Emillion and Pomerol sub-regions. But in Kangaroo Island’s warmer … Continue reading Wine review — Jacques Lurton, Ben Haines, Shingleback, La Promesse, Marques de Riscal and Domaine Chandon
The history of Australian wine: Stories from the vineyard to the cellar door Max Allen, Victory Books 2012, $49.99 Canberra readers might wonder at first, as I did, why Max Allen’s new book excises us, and surrounding wine regions, from Australian wine history. Local industry founders, Edgar Riek and John Kirk don’t rate a mention. … Continue reading Book review — Max Allen
Arras Methode Traditionelle Blanc de Blancs 2001 $80 Pipers River and Upper Derwent, Tasmania For Champagne buffs the name Salon-sur-Oger conjures images of delicate but powerful and complete sparkling wines made from chardonnay alone – unaided by pinot noir or pinot meunier, the majority varieties in most Champagnes. In good years chardonnay from the Salon … Continue reading Wine review — Arras, Brown Brothers, Simmonet-Febvre, Cherubino Ad Hoc, Yab Tree and Cherubino
Stefano Lubiana Tasmania Estate Chardonnay 2010 $48–$50 The best chardonnays have a unique weight and beauty – full bodied but elegant and demanding ever another sip. They’re wines to savour slowly, like the contrasting Tyrrell’s Vat 47 1996 and Lubiana 2010 we compared at Chairman and Yip recently. The first a glorious old white, delivered … Continue reading Wine review — Stefano Lubiana and Grant Burge
When IGA Ainslie’s Manuel Xyrakis moved his liquor section out of the supermarket to a separate store nearby, industry colleagues told him he was mad. Every supermarket in Canberra sells liquor, they said. You will lose sales. But he didn’t. Sales increased by 10 per cent. He knew the risks – mainly of losing impulse … Continue reading Staying independent in Ainslie
On June 4 in Australian brews news, beer historian, Dr Brett Stubbs, took Woolworths-owned retailer Dan Murphy to task over errors in its new booklet, Beer styles: The beers, the brewers and the breweries. Dr Stubbs welcomes Dan Murphy’s attempt to educate beer drinkers, but finds the book riddled with careless mistakes. These include placing … Continue reading Beer historian takes aim at Dan Murphy
Vasse Felix Cabernet Merlot 2010 – wine of the week $20.89–$26 Northern Margaret River, Western Australia At a recent cabernet tasting Virginia Willcock’s shimmering blend attracted drinkers to it like gold diggers to a new lode. Fragrance, purity, deliciousness and finesse drew many of us back for second and third helpings. Willcock says cabernet sauvignon … Continue reading Wine review — Vasse Felix, De Bortoli, PHI, Oxford Landing Estates and Dopff au Moulin