It’s a different world in the Barossa. At a glance, it would be easy to presuppose that these fairytale appearances are little more than a façade to lure the tourists to Australia’s most famous wine destination; an Aussie attempt to replicate kitsch German traditions in a half-hearted fashion. But there’s a lot more to the Barossa than it might seem.
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New Zealand is so close to Australia that we might be tempted to think of it as another state of ours. But it’s far from it – as the Kiwis are quick to remind us. As wine growing goes, it’s another world over there. The landscape of New Zealand wine is as diverse as the country’s dramatic scenery.
readLet me take this opportunity to introduce myself, and introduce you to a few wines I dare say are extraordinary expressions. Please enjoy the content of this site and, most importantly, the contents of what we recommend.
readWhat makes a single vineyard a single vineyard? A vineyard could be anything from a few vines to a sprawling property of sheep station proportions. Is it enough to define it as a single, connected site? For the custodian of Australia’s most famous single vineyard, it’s much more than that.
readThere’s something very odd about the Penfolds new releases this year. What are the best red wine seasons of the past decades? Line ‘em up: ‘86, ‘88, ‘90, ‘91, ‘94, ‘96, ‘98, ‘99, ‘02, ‘04, ‘05, ‘06 and ‘08. With just three exceptions in a quarter of a century, it’s an odd pattern indeed. So what are we to make of a release centred around ’05, ’07 and ’09? Vintages certainly have their own unique styles and themes but for as long as we cling to the pattern we will miss the exceptions. And, oh my goodness, are there some exceptions among this year’s Penfolds releases.
readGet ready to experience wine like you’ve never known it. To kick things off at a cracking pace, I’ve gone through every wine I’ve tasted in recent months and assembled a list of the best-of-the-best. This is a roll call of heroes for those special moments when it’s time to take things up a level. Shove this list in your purse, download it to your iphone or scratch it up your arm.
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