The judging of The Great Australian Red this week saw a higher proportion of gold and silver medals awarded than in any other year in the five year history of the competition. The calibre of entries as a whole was the highest that we have ever seen. This confirms the rising quality of Australia’s cabernet shiraz blend, all the more noteworthy in a year when three-quarters of the entries came from the challenging 2007, 2008 and 2009 seasons.
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There’s a cracking new name in the Adelaide Hills. Is Mayhem & Co one of Australia’s best new bargain boutiques?
readThis is not the wine show overview that you’ll read anywhere else. Here’s an unofficial perspective and a behind-the-scenes peek at the standouts at one of Australia’s best regional wine shows.
readA brand new riesling lands in the wine world this week and it’s like nothing we’ve ever seen from Jeffrey Grosset. Is this the sweet surrender of Australia’s icon riesling man to the tide of popular preference? Or does it mark the dawning of a dynamic new era for Grosset Riesling?
readDo the finer details of winemaking really make a significant difference? I didn’t think so until Chapel Hill winemaker Michael Fragos opened a few trails. How mistaken I was.
readIt was as if the Zema Estate International Cabernet Tasting 2010 was a tasting of four completely separate worlds of cabernet, revealing some stark lessons for the stylistic expressions of this variety.
readAnother new vintage release from the best value boutique in the country. There are more Mike Press wines than ever to choose from this year, all sporting dashing new labels. But a word of warning to begin with…
readOn a recent trip to the Yarra Valley, I (Mark) recieved a small insight into what we can expect from the region in 2010.
readAn interruption to our normal program this week to update you on a topic that’s a little more sobering.
readThis week I (Tyson) have been on assignment in Sydney to judge Neil Perry’s Rockpool Bar and Grill for a high profile international restaurant award. A key criterion is the wine list and, oh my goodness, I’ve never seen anything like it this side of the equator! Fingers crossed for Rockpool – if they get this award it will, I believe, be a first for the southern hemisphere. I’m hoping they get it, throw a party and open a few of those bottles!
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