Tyson Stelzer presents the sparkling wines for winter celebrations. A midsummer afternoon on the hillside of the grand cru vineyard amphitheatre of Oger in the heart of Champagne’s Côte des Blancs in northern France. The sky growled as dark storm clouds assembled above the treetops. I dashed to my car, clutching my camera, the howling […]
Is there such a thing as a bloke’s wine and a ladies’ wine, asks Tyson Stelzer. I recently did something I never expected to do. I bought myself a women’s deodorant. Before you jump to conclusions, let me explain. My favourite men’s deodorant was discontinued and I was quickly becoming disenchanted auditioning replacements in the […]
Australia’s great white is back, says Tyson Stelzer. What would you name Australia’s best varietal wine at the moment? The buzz among wine judges this year might come as a surprise. Chardonnay. Australia’s great white grape has had a tumultous journey since its humble beginnings in this country just forty years ago. Between the mid-80s […]
Australia’s fortified wine capital is reinventing itself. When the door of the old barrel shed at Chambers Rosewood winery is thrown open, visitors are greeted by a breath of warm air of intoxicating aroma, rich, sweet and generously inviting. Inside the humble, dusty space within, scores of giant, ancient barrels aligned in haphazard rows emanate […]
In the tiny outback town of Dunkeld in Victoria, Australia, it’s a nightly occurrence to spot sommeliers dashing across the highway clutching a bottle of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, an old Château Latour or an Australian icon. Plucked from a giant climate-controlled cellar, a steady stream of prized bottles make their way to The Royal […]
Champagne rosé has never been more popular, says Tyson Stelzer. It wasn’t long ago that we wouldn’t be caught dead drinking pink. How times have changed. Rosé champagne is now a highlight of every champagne dinner I host, and connoisseurs can’t seem to get enough of it. So much so that Champagne is struggling to […]
Coonawarra is hardly renowned for riesling, but there’s great value to be found in Majella’s reliable and well-made style. It’s crisp, fruity, clean and precise with citrus notes of lemon, lime zest and tangelo, supported by softly textured acidity and good persistence. $15 direct.
Majella’s estate shiraz vines are responsible for a well balanced rosé of enticing appeal, subtle fruit sweetness and soft, finely textured structure. Pretty strawberry and raspberry fruit notes linger with pomegranate and pink pepper on a long finish. Great value at $15 direct.
Jacob’s Creek’s entry sparkling rosé isn’t what it used to be, making the small trade up to Trilogy a worthy investment. Sourced predominantly from the great 2012 vintage in Langhorne Creek and the Adelaide Hills, this blend of pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot meunier is a soft and creamy rosé of elegant strawberry and red […]
There must be wizardry on the go at the great Primo Estate to conjure a wine that transcends the nature of the region and the variety in summonsing a white wine more zesty and refreshing than anyone would expect for McLaren Vale Colombard. Fresh lemons and crunchy nashi pears are accented with a subtle sea […]