Wine lovers musings, amusings and news

[qaz]

Tourist Jura – A Brief Guide to Arbois and Beyond

[Added Note 28/08/2024: This article was published in 2020 and since then much has changed in the Jura region. Whilst the majority of the information here remains relevant, from shopping to walking…

wideworldofwine.co

The most exclusive wineries in Victoria are ready for you

Here’s your chance to have an intimate tasting and a yarn with the winemakers ... but only if you call ahead.

www.afr.com

a staggered five-day road trip targeting more than a dozen of Victoria’s premium appointment-only wineries, across several key wine-growing regions:

Beechworth

• Giaconda
• Savaterre
• Castagna
• Golden Ball

Heathcote

• Wild Duck Creek Estate
• Jasper Hill

Bannockburn

Mornington Peninsula

• Principia
• Staindl Wines
• Portsea Estate

Yarra Valley

• Mayer
• Luke Lambert
• Yeringberg

Your Guide to Beechworth’s Appointment-only Wineries

This tiny region is home to a new wave of winemakers glad to guide you through their cool-climate offerings – just make sure you book in advance.

app.gourmettravellerwine.com

• Giaconda
• Sorrenberg
• Castagna
• Savaterre
• Fighting Gully Road
• Golden Ball
• Piano Piano
• A. Rodda Wines
• Domenica
• Traviarti
• Sentio Wines
• Vignerons Schmölzer & Brown

Tessa Brown on Whole Bunch Fermentation

There’s so much to learn when evaluating fine wines.

wineexperience.com.au

The Science Behind Whole-Bunch Wines

Emergence is the phenomenon whereby an entity becomes more than merely its constituent parts. That definition could have been invented for whole-bunch wines.

app.gourmettravellerwine.com

Tasting Some Of The Sensational Latest Releases Of Australian Superstar Winery Henschke - Quill & Pad

One of the problems with having an iconic wine among your offerings is that other, equally worthy wines are often overlooked or diminished in the eyes of wine lovers. But such is life. With its latest releases, Australian superstar winery Henschke has moved to align the vintages of several of...

quillandpad.com

Henschke Hill of Grace 2016 released

One of Australia’s most outstanding wines, Henschke Hill of Grace, has been released. #DrinksInternational #edenvalley #HenschkeWines

www.therealreview.com

Sacred Sites: Henschke's Hill of Grace

If there’s one drop any serious wine drinker needs to try at least once in their life, first crafted more than 60 years ago, this shiraz is it.

app.gourmettravellerwine.com

 

[qaz]

Discover Australia’s hottest new wine region with a road trip

Gippsland’s new generation of producers is taking the region’s wine in an exciting new direction.

www.afr.com

The Adelaide Hills’ accidental winemakers

After buying a burnt-out Paracombe dairy farm in 1983, the Drogemuller family realised their land was steeped in a rich viticultural heritage.

www.afr.com

These ‘crazy’ winemakers win by ‘doing almost nothing’

In their quest for constant improvement, Richard and Malcolm Leask of the adventurous McLaren Vale wine label Hither & Yon are aiming not to do anything.

www.afr.com

 

[qaz]

Smallfry Virtual Tasting @ 5pm AEST next Thursday - 3pk $90 delivered ($30/bt) @ Notwasted:

• 2021 Smallfry 'Pimpernel' Trousseau
• 2020 Smallfry 'Jellyfish' Grenache
• 2020 Smallfry 'Stella Luna' Cinsault Shiraz

undefined | NOTWASTED

notwasted.io

What's in the blend? Everything that's hot in wine

A tasting session with Australia's captains of industry leaves few participants standing.

www.afr.com

Wine for the rich and/or famous

www.jancisrobinson.com

Clare versus Eden Valley riesling

If someone put two glasses of riesling in front of you, one each from the Clare and Eden valleys, would you be able to pick the difference? #AdelaideHills #ChaffeyBrosWineCoTripelpunktRiesling2019 #clarevalley

www.therealreview.com

Freak of a riesling

The wine in the spotlight this week is Rieslingfreak. Yes, that is its name. #BaronsofBarossa

www.therealreview.com

Great Value Wines: 8 Great Australian Dry Rieslings under $25 - JamesSuckling.com

Wine reports from the internationally acclaimed wine critic and journalist

www.jamessuckling.com

8pm AEST today:

Clare Valley Riesling: Wines of brilliance and innovation

Wine Australia organises and hosts over 150 activities yearly ranging from key trade shows to regional and varietal masterclasses in over 17 global markets.

www.wineaustralia.com

• Steve Baraglia - Pikes Wines
• Stephanie Toole - Mount Horrocks Wines
• Hilary Mitchell - Mitchell Wines
• Matt Paulett - Paulett Wines
• Jeffrey Grosset - Grosset Wines
• Adam Eggins - Wakefield Wines

 

[Jczer000]

Piquette set to take off this spring, says Good Food's new drinks writer Katie Spain

Move over, rosé. The biggest spring wine trend will be a low-alcohol drop made from leftover grape skins.

www.goodfood.com.au

 

[qaz]

The Grower-Winemakers Redefining Tasmania with Cool-Climate Sparklers, Riesling and More

Separated from the rest of Australia, Tasmania's small, quality-focused producers are making a huge name for the island's wines.

www.winemag.com

National Wine Centre at Home Weekly Virtual Masterclasses @ 8.30-10.30pm AEST Thursdays
A-Z of Australian Wine Regions Masterclasses - 6 wines from 6 wineries per class - Hunter Valley this Thursday

• Thursday 8th July - Tasmania: Shy Susan Riesling, Stefano Lubiana Primavera Chardonnay, Mewstone Chardonnay, Small Island Pinot Noir, Pooley Pinot Noir, Shiny Wines Syrah
• Thursday 15th July - Yarra Valley: Hoddles Creek Pinot Blanc, Punt Road Chardonnay, Mac Forbes Woori Yallock Chardonnay, Payten & Jones Pinot Noir, Wantirna Pinot Noir, Oakridge Pinot Meunier

The evolving language of wine

www.jancisrobinson.com

"What does 'minerality' in wine mean exactly?"

Sommelier Melania Battiston explains what it means to her when she describes "minerality" in wine.

cluboenologique.com

 

[Brissy1]

I think that this might get up the noses of the French.

Moscow says champagne is Russian​

Bubbly supply halted after Moscow says champagne is Russian

For most aficionados, a sparkling wine can be called champagne only if it comes from the region of France with that name and is made under certain regulations

abcnews.go.com

 

[RooFlyer]

Henschke offering a free Henschke umbrella with a 6-pack of the 2016 Euphonium (@ $372/6). Oh, and the '16 HoG is a snip at $890 ea.

 

[Jczer000]

A Longform article on low intervention wine in Oz (Will be covered on Landline ABC 12:30 today)

'We're making a lot of noise': the loud movement disrupting Australian wine

Is natural wine having an outsized influence in reshaping our wine culture, or just the latest plaything for trend-chasing, virtue-seeking millennials?

www.abc.net.au

 

[Jczer000]

WA chardonnay wins world’s top wine award - taste it here while you can

Fermoy, established in 1985 and acquired by the Young family in 2010, built a new cellar door in 2013 to drive domestic sales and has tried to keep a low profile.

amp.watoday.com.au

Fermoy 2019 Reserve Chardonnay

 

[Jczer000]

This might turn St. Emilion on its head. Cheval-Blanc and Ausone to withdraw from 2022 classification.

Bordeaux Giants Quit the Classification System | Wine-Searcher News & Features

A bolt from the blue in Bordeaux, where two prestige producers say au revoir to the Saint-Émilion classification. Read the latest wine news & features on wine-searcher

www.wine-searcher.com

 

[Daver6]

This might turn St. Emilion on its head. Cheval-Blanc and Ausone to withdraw from 2022 classification.

Bordeaux Giants Quit the Classification System | Wine-Searcher News & Features

A bolt from the blue in Bordeaux, where two prestige producers say au revoir to the Saint-Émilion classification. Read the latest wine news & features on wine-searcher

www.wine-searcher.com

Are they worried about others joining the group or potentially failing to stay in classe A? Call my a cynic, but why else would you kick up a stink?

 

[Jczer000]

I believe the general consensus among critics is that they are still the top 2.

I have read elsewhere that the classification is becoming more about $$$ and how well you promote the region (size and quality of winery carpark was mentioned as a factor in another source).

The % attributed to the wine itself was not as large as I would've expected

 

[qaz]

Len Evans' Theory of Consumption/Capacity - 10 points or longform:

1. There is an awful lot of wine in the world, but there is also a lot of awful wine.
2. No sensible person drinks to excess. Therefore any one person can drink only a certain predictable amount.
3. There are countless flavours, nuances, shades of wine; endless varieties, regions, styles. You have neither the time nor the capacity to drink them all.
4. To make the most of the time left to you, you must start by calculating your future capacity. One bottle of wine a day is 365 bottles a year. If your life expectancy is another thirty years, there are only 10,000-odd bottles ahead of you.
5. People who say, "You can’t drink the good stuff all the time" are talking rubbish. You must drink good stuff all the time. Every time you drink a bottle of inferior wine it’s like smashing a superior bottle against the wall. The pleasure is lost forever. You can’t get the bottle back.
6. There are people who build up huge cellars, most of which they have no hope of drinking. They are foolish in overestimating their capacity, but they err on the right side and their friends love them.
7. There are also people who don’t want to drink good wine and are happy with the cheapies. I forgive them. There are others who are content with beer and spirits. I can’t worry about everybody.
8. Wine is not meant to be enjoyed merely for its own sake, it is the key to love and laughter with friends, to the enjoyment of food and beauty and humour and art and music. It rewards us far beyond its cost.
9. What part is wine of your life? Ten percent? Then ten percent of your income should be spent on wine.
10. The principles of the theory should be applied to other parts of life. A disciple of the theory kissed a beautiful young lady, who demurred. He was aghast and said, "Don’t get the wrong idea. I’ve worked out that I can make love only another 1,343 times... and I’m bloody sure I’m not wasting one on you."

Penfolds Australia Collection 2021 Release Masterclasses - $155 @ 6.30-8.30pm:

• SYD - Wedneday 18th August
• MEL - Thursday 19th August
• BNE - Tuesday 24th August
• ADL - Wednesday 25th August

Canapés and cheese platters will be served throughout.

United Cellars' Yarra Yering Online Tasting with Sarah Crowe @ 6.30pm AEST Thursday 2nd September - 3pk $298.99:

• Yarra Yering Chardonnay 2018
• Yarra Yering Dry Red No. 1 2018
• Yarra Yering Dry Red No. 2 2018

Online Tasting Pack - Yarra Yering with Winemaker Sarah Crowe Thursday 2nd September 6:30pm aest

Congratulations to the Halliday Winery of the Year 2022, Yarra Yering! We are thrilled to be bringing you a fantastic evening celebrating with winemaker Sarah Crowe, from the Winery of the Year, Yarra Yering. Taste these iconic wines in an online session with legendary winemaker Sarah Crowe...

www.unitedcellars.com

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www.captainschoice.com.au

Enjoy the top vintages: travel with an award-winning wine writer

If a week-long private jet tour of some of the nation’s most exciting and acclaimed vineyards with an expert host is your dream, have we got the tour for you.

www.afr.com

A Wine Odyssey by Private Jet - An AFR Reader Journey

A Wine Odyssey by Private Jet - An AFR Reader Journey

brochures.captainschoice.com.au

Introduction to the Barossa Valley

The Barossa Valley is said to be the most recognised wine region name in Australia. #AppellationatTheLouise #ArtisansofBarossa #Atze’sCorner

www.therealreview.com

Barossa multicultural

Welcome to the Barossa Valley, Australia’s most famous wine region. It’s an area that’s still strongly influenced by the Lutheran settlers who arrived from Silesia in Germany around the middle of the 19th century. #BarossaValley #DutschkeWines #GlaetzerWines

www.therealreview.com

The rise of Langmeil

Langmeil is one of the most improved Barossa wineries, and also one of the most interesting, but arguably one of the least understood. #BarossaValley #CarlLindner #CharlesAngas

www.therealreview.com

Rolf Binder moves on to his next phase

Rolf Binder describes himself as a ‘paused’ winemaker. The Barossa Valley veteran has just sold his eponymous winery to Accolade, Australia’s biggest winemaking company. #AccoladeWines #Carignan #Grenache

www.therealreview.com

Barossa homestead on the Grange

Ever wondered who owns all those complete sets of Penfolds Grange? Well, Kingsford Homestead, the newest luxury accommodation resort in the Barossa Valley, has one. #BarossaValley #KingsfordHomestead #McLeod’sDaughters

www.therealreview.com

A multi-million dollar luxury chateau has relaunched in the Barossa

The secluded, luxury property, set in 225 acres of native landscape, was once used as the set of McLeod's Daughters and dates back to 1856.

glamadelaide.com.au

Chenin Blanc: the world’s most underrated grape

Chenin – a transhemispherical marvel

www.jancisrobinson.com

The Paradox of Chenin Blanc (Published 2021)

How can a wine be bone dry yet offer flavors that appear sweet? It’s part of the mystique that makes this versatile grape so captivating.

www.nytimes.com

online tasting 3pk $92.66 delivered ($30.89/bt)

Discover Chenin Blanc [ONLINE]

Get tickets on Humanitix - Discover Chenin Blanc [ONLINE] hosted by Sommeliers Australia Ltd. Online. Monday 9th August 2021. Find event information.

events.humanitix.com

• Thursday 15th July - Yarra Valley: Hoddles Creek Pinot Blanc, Punt Road Chardonnay, Mac Forbes Woori Yallock Chardonnay, Payten & Jones Pinot Noir, Wantirna Pinot Noir, Oakridge Pinot Meunier

now Thursday 26th August with:

• Hoddles Creek Pinot Blanc
• Santolin Chardonnay
• Mac Forbes Chardonnay
• Payten & Jones Pinot Noir
• Wantirna Pinot Noir
• Warramate Cabernet Sauvignon

The NWC at Home - Yarra Valley

Get tickets on Humanitix - The NWC at Home - Yarra Valley hosted by The National Wine Centre of Australia. Online. Thursday 26th August 2021. Find event information.

events.humanitix.com

"What does 'minerality' in wine mean exactly?"

Sommelier Melania Battiston explains what it means to her when she describes "minerality" in wine.

cluboenologique.com

Lush or Lean? Wine Pros on What their Favorite Tasting Terms Really Mean

So we can all understand each other a little better, experts dish on the definitions of their go-to wine tasting terms.

www.winemag.com

The Science Behind Whole-Bunch Wines

Emergence is the phenomenon whereby an entity becomes more than merely its constituent parts. That definition could have been invented for whole-bunch wines.

app.gourmettravellerwine.com

The Low Down on Carbonic Maceration

Over the past few years, I’ve noticed the increased use in Australia of a certain winemaking technique known as carbonic maceration. This

winepilot.com

Chianti Classico: 46 top wines tasted and rated – wineanorak.com

This Summer, Make It Chianti Classico (Published 2021)

Even in warmer weather, some occasions cry out for a red. This Tuscan wine is a gorgeous expression of sangiovese, with many excellent producers.

www.nytimes.com

First-Taste Guide to Chianti Classico – Sangiovese Wine | Opening a Bottle

In this guide to Chianti Classico, Italian wine specialist Kevin Day discusses the history, guidelines & top producers of this classic Sangiovese wine.

openingabottle.com

 

[qaz]

The Collector

Do you have too much wine? The answer to that question will probably depend on how much disposable income you have and whether you have the space to keep it, or to pay someone else to do so. I’m ex…

wideworldofwine.co

Why (Almost) Everybody Loves Wine

Wine or grapes are the most complex agricultural product on earth. The variety of flavours based on chemical compounds is not matched by an...

australianwinereviews.blogspot.com

How to Think About Wine Vintages (Published 2021)

Conventional wisdom can often lead consumers away from delicious wines. Better to think of individual years in terms of character than of quality.

www.nytimes.com

A Wine Worth Waiting For (Published 2021)

The 2005 Bordeaux vintage will require decades to evolve and develop. Is that better than wines that are terrific sooner, but not as majestic?

www.nytimes.com

This might turn St. Emilion on its head. Cheval-Blanc and Ausone to withdraw from 2022 classification.

Bordeaux Giants Quit the Classification System | Wine-Searcher News & Features

A bolt from the blue in Bordeaux, where two prestige producers say au revoir to the Saint-Émilion classification. Read the latest wine news & features on wine-searcher

www.wine-searcher.com

Wine classification: In the style of an Old Master

What if wine classification followed similar principles to those used in the evaluation of an Old Master painting, asks Margaret Rand.

worldoffinewine.com

John Baker presents: Stalin's Wine Cellar ONLINE

Join John Baker as he explains his mishaps and adventures in finding Stalin's fabled Wine Cellar.

www.eventbrite.com.au

How a wine detective tried to buy Stalin's cellar hidden for 60 years

Two decades ago John Baker got a tip about a mythical wine collection said to have been assembled by the last tsar of Russia, and later fallen into the hands of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Book Review: ‘Stalin’s Wine Cellar’ By John Baker - Quill & Pad

Whether 'Stalin’s Wine Cellar' is a journey about chasing fakes, or if these bottles hidden away in the former Soviet Union are genuine, the story makes for a rollicking saga. And if the bottles are genuine, who really did own them and what on earth might they be worth? The tale takes us on...

quillandpad.com

Is this Stalin’s secret cellar?

The Billionaire’s Vinegar: The Mystery of the World’s Most Expensive Bottle of Wine

Reviewing Benjamin Wallace’s new book, which tells the story of the "Jefferson" bottle of Château Lafite 1787 - the most expensive bottle of wine ever sold.

worldoffinewine.com

The Massandra Collection Crimean Wine That Screams Place And History. And What A Story It Tells! - Quill & Pad

Somewhere in the disorganized depths of Ken Gargett's cellar lies his favorite bottle of wine. It is almost certainly not his best bottle, nor even possibly his most valuable. It is a bottle that screams place and history. It tells a story and it links him to an extraordinary moment in time when...

quillandpad.com

Wine in history: Raid the cellars!

Stuart Walton provides a brief history of the raid of aristocratic wine cellars, exploring the Russian, French, and Romanian Revolutions.

worldoffinewine.com

Wine Review Online - Champagne for … Thursday?

The greatest achievement in the history of wine marketing and the biggest blunder may be one and the same: Casting Champagne as the singular wine of celebration.​

Although the Special Occasion Syndrome is understandable, the result of it is madness: Those of us who love wine and prioritize it in our household budget don’t drink anywhere near as much Champagne as we should, or as often as we should, or on less-than-special occasions…as indeed we should.​

​

aside: the Olympics are now coming to Brisbane in 2032

Wine in history: Sealing the deal

In his second Wine in History column, Stuart Walton explores the role of alcohol as a vital tool of international diplomacy.

worldoffinewine.com

 

[Steady]

Posted on Auswine by matt@5453

Penfolds Just Debuted a Limited-Edition Record Player With a Secret Drawer for Wine

Penfolds has unveiled a limited-edition record player console that has a secret drawer full of two magnums from the 2010 and 2017 vintage.

robbreport.com

 

[Dr Ralph]

Posted on Auswine by matt@5453

Penfolds Just Debuted a Limited-Edition Record Player With a Secret Drawer for Wine

Penfolds has unveiled a limited-edition record player console that has a secret drawer full of two magnums from the 2010 and 2017 vintage.

robbreport.com

Thanks for the post. Haven't seen this listed on OzBargain yet

 

[baldman]

My thoughts on Penfolds and its aspirations to join Gucci, Burberry etc as a global “luxury brand “

Grange Celebrates its 70th Vintage in Style | Wine-Searcher News & Features

Australia's most prestigious wine turns 70 and still puts in a record-breaking performance. Read the latest wine news & features on wine-searcher

www.wine-searcher.com

 

[qaz]

All the Halliday Awards winners

We reflect on those wines, wineries and winemakers named among Australia’s best by James Halliday in his annual guide. Who will be next?

www.winecompanion.com.au

Tyson Stelzer is the new chief editor for Halliday Wine Companion:

I am very proud to announce that in place of the rolling system of the past, in which wineries were allocated variously to tasters every year, the Halliday Wine Companion tasting team will now comprise a panel of regional specialists - James and I are joined by his existing tasting panel of Ned Goodwin MW, Jane Faulkner, Jeni Port and Steven Creber, and for the first time Tony Love in Adelaide and Erin Larkin in Perth

Webinar with chief editor Tyson Stelzer

We invite wineries to join the Companion’s chief editor Tyson Stelzer to discuss the evolution in wine scores and star ratings.

www.winecompanion.com.au

As Tyson explained recently, some wine scores this year are a little more conservative than in recent editions. ​

​

Similarly, a new system for calculating winery star ratings has been introduced in the 2022 edition, which Tyson outlined here. ​

​

Tyson will be hosting a webinar at 11am AEST on Thursday August 19, to answer any general questions that wineries may have around the Companion’s evolution in wine scores and star ratings. ​

​

Webinar details:​

​

Join Zoom meeting here.​

Zoom meeting ID: 952 6537 2125​

Password: 429584​

Penfolds Australia Collection 2021 Release Masterclasses - $155 @ 6.30-8.30pm:

• SYD - Wedneday 18th August
• MEL - Thursday 19th August
• BNE - Tuesday 24th August
• ADL - Wednesday 25th August

Canapés and cheese platters will be served throughout.

Penfolds Wine

Penfolds Penfolds Australia wines are held in the greatest esteem by generations of Australian and international wine collectors. To help maximise your enjoyment of the wines, tasting notes are available for download.

www.penfolds.com

Hot off the Press - Your Inside Track on Penfolds New Releases including 2017 Grange

Penfolds Collection 2021 unleashed

The tasting of the 16 wines that comprise the 2021 Penfolds Collection was done at the Kingsford Homestead in the Barossa in mid-June.

www.therealreview.com

Penfolds's scorecard - The Real Review

Penfolds 2021 Release + 2017 Grange, ERIN LARKIN

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erinlarkin.com.au

Penfolds reviews: What's in a name? - InDaily

indaily.com.au

Penfolds’ Peter Gago: ‘People say we’re getting too big. I say look at the results’

The Australian winery is launching its latest vintages – and launching two new ‘Superblends’. So, is it in danger of overstretching itself?

cluboenologique.com

Penfolds 2021: Shiraz Sparkles and Superblends Find Their Mark - JamesSuckling.com

Wine reports from the internationally acclaimed wine critic and journalist

www.jamessuckling.com

 

[TheWINEman]

If anyone is interested in discussing the 2015 Peter Lehmann Masterson Magnum, please reply if you are a SERIOUS wine collector

MASTERSON embodies the strength and spirit of the Barossa community and camaraderie forged over decades with generations of family grape growers. Today these enduring relationships enable our winemakers to hand select the most exceptional parcels of fruit from the length and breadth of the region, culminating in this very special wine. The inaugural release of this wine is limited to only 1,000 magnums.

https://wbmonline.com.au/peter-lehmann-wines-unveils-tribute-wine-for-2000-a-magnum/

 

[Daver6]

If anyone is interested in discussing the 2015 Peter Lehmann Masterson Magnum, please reply if you are a SERIOUS wine collector

MASTERSON embodies the strength and spirit of the Barossa community and camaraderie forged over decades with generations of family grape growers. Today these enduring relationships enable our winemakers to hand select the most exceptional parcels of fruit from the length and breadth of the region, culminating in this very special wine. The inaugural release of this wine is limited to only 1,000 magnums.

https://wbmonline.com.au/peter-lehmann-wines-unveils-tribute-wine-for-2000-a-magnum/

View attachment 256620

I'm a serious wine collector but this looks like a scam. Well not a scam but what the heck?! $2k for yet another Barossa shiraz with no pedigree/history. No thanks. Unless this is available for tasting at the cellar door so a buyer can make an informed decision, what's the point?