Wine

I’ve never figured why a company might make you go through a sign up process to access bottle images from their website, but there you have it. Or don’t in this case. Anyway…

Funny to think how quickly time flies. I’m regularly surprised when I realise the 1998 vintage is now 15 years old etc. etc. So, here we are.

I am not sure if Cudal falls into the Orange GI and certainly the bottle doesn’t cite Orange, nor does the website, really, but the vineyard was established in the vicinity of Orange in the 90s by a bunch of Charles Sturt Uni folk. It’s a big crew taking care of all things Monument – [...]

Remiss of me. This was stuffed into my hand on exiting one of the wine shows in Canberra, by one of the trio of Canberran wine dudes – Travis Cutler, Nick Barton and James Duffell – who put this wine together in their spare time with Nick O’Leary. All are forging a path in Canberra’s [...]

From McLaren Vale, from 2011, from the Silver Hammer. Or not from the Silver Hammer. But referencing Silver Hammer. Meanwhile, this sees American oak, for a change. Can be good with MVale shiraz.

Here are my top wine picks from the May 25 Vintages Release. I’ll be posting more of my Best Value Wines and Top Rated Wines this week. You can add my wine picks to your shopping list by clicking on the little shopping cart icon. You can also create a custom list just for this release that will be saved in your account. Print a text-only version of the reviews. Here are my tasting notes and scores that were published in the May 25 LCBO Vintages Catalogue, the most quoted Canadian source of wine reviews: Posted with permission of the LCBO. Get access to all wine reviews:

Why don’t more people seek out David Franz’s wines? Hard to find I guess. But so worthy. Such an interesting range of wines. Selected across bits of South Australia, this from the Adelaide Hills. A third of this ferment was whole bunch which was left under the two thirds de-stemmed, which was hand plunged so [...]

Always find the Haven wine of Kooyong the most austere of the premium trio, austere, but sexy in that way. Gotta unwrap it a bit. Peel it down real slow. Throw on the Barry White. Dim the lights. Set your voice to purrrrr.

John Forrest has been around the traps, a beacon for promoting New Zealand wines, and a man of many cuvees of the same. Pinot noir in this case comes from Marlborough.

The first time I met Kate Hill was at the most recent Limestone Coast Wine Show (2012), judging at the wonderful town hall in Penola (or is it a scout hall?), where they fed us great sausage rolls between flights. Kate comes across as an assertive but fun person, knows her stuff, has a depth [...]