Wine lovers musings, amusings and news

[beefarmer]

tonight 8pm AEST:

2023 Halliday Wine Companion Awards Live Stream

The Halliday Wine Companion Awards will be announced over a one hour live stream featuring the tasting panel, interviews with award winners and of course, James Halliday himself.

www.winecompanion.com.au

Bringing their formidable expertise to the all-star tasting panel will be VIPs representing Australia’s pre-eminent wine publications – James Halliday (Halliday Wine Companion), Huon Hooke (The Real Review), Campbell Mattinson (The Wine Front), and Andrew Caillard MW (Penfolds: The Rewards of Patience).

I have to say does anyone regards a JH 95 as anything worth buying?
Shame perhaps

 

[Rug]

I have to say does anyone regards a JH 95 as anything worth buying?
Shame perhaps

Not really; its like his drinking windows; yeah sure.

 

[qaz]

10 Reasons You Should Give Riesling Another Look (Published 2020)

Critics love it, consumers not so much. But the beauty of these wines requires stubborn advocacy because they are that good. Really.

www.nytimes.com

Australia’s Greatest Riesling Tasting, ERIN LARKIN

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erinlarkin.com.au

Belle of the Hunter - Sacred Sites - Tyrrell’s

Tyrrell’s Belford Vineyard Semillon has the kind of rich history that befits a great wine.

app.gourmettravellerwine.com

Mac Forbes: Man on a Mission - Winery Focus

Yarra Valley’s Mac Forbes is obsessed with the character of his vineyards and bottling it for our pleasure.

app.gourmettravellerwine.com

What's in Your Cellar? - Wine Focus

Times may have changed, but that’s no reason to stop drinking great wine. We gave five leading wine industry figures a certain budget to see how they’d top up their cellars – with Australian and New Zealand wines only.

app.gourmettravellerwine.com

Merrick Watts: Grapes of Mirth

Langton's Live: Penfolds 2020 Collection with Peter Gago @ 5.30-6.30pm AEST next Friday 7th August

Andrew Caillard tastes the Penfolds Collection 2020 | Langton's Fine Wines

Andrew Caillard MW reviews the Penfolds Collection 2020 ahead of its 6 August release, including the 2016 Grange.

www.langtons.com.au

Ned Goodwin tastes the Penfolds Collection 2020 | Langton's Fine Wines

Ahead of the 6 August release of the Penfolds Collection 2020, Ned Goodwin MW tastes and reviews the latest releases for Langton’s.

www.langtons.com.au

Penfolds Collection 2020, ERIN LARKIN

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erinlarkin.com.au

Grange in Context, ERIN LARKIN

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erinlarkin.com.au

A fabulous Shiraz/Syrah tasting

Shiraz is the most adaptable red wine grape to different climatic and soil conditions.This was very obvious in this tasting of seven Shiraz...

australianwinereviews.blogspot.com

Penfolds Collection 2020

Is there a bigger day in Australian wine? The critics have tasted the new Penfolds wines, including the 2016 Grange, and they are ready to tell the world.

winepilot.com

 

[qaz]

Free - The Real Review LIVE: Investment Wines with Huon Hooke @ 6pm AEST Thursday 3rd September

The Real Review LIVE: Investment Wines with Huon Hooke

Collecting wine is a great hobby, but a risky business. Or at least, it’s a business fraught with pitfalls. However, some wines have a strong reputation for increasing in value with time, and these are the wines we’ll focus on, including ultimate collectable, Penfolds Grange.

www.therealreview.com

• Mount Mary Quintet 2015 - HH97
• Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No. 1 2018 - HH98
• Vasse Felix Tom Cullity Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec 2016 - HH96
• Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon 2016 - HH97
• Brokenwood Graveyard Vineyard Shiraz 2017 - HH95
• Henschke Mount Edelstone 2015 - TP96
• Langmeil Winery The Freedom 1843 Shiraz 2017 - HH95
• Penfolds Grange 2016 - HH97

Off the shoulder, but not ‘off’

As someone who loves a fine bottle of mature red, Huon Hooke has often been surprised how good some very ullaged old cork-sealed wines can taste, despite what looks like a fatally low level. #cellaringwine #corks #lowfilllevelinwine

www.therealreview.com

Three special occasion wines worth saving up for

For a special occasion splurge, an anniversary, birthday, or as a luxurious gift for a wine lover these wines are mightily impressive.

www.goodfood.com.au

• Penfolds Grange 2016 - RKP98
• Yarra Yering Carrodus Shiraz 2018 - RKP96
• Tahbilk 1860 Vines Shiraz 2015 - RKP95

Warming winter 'Oz variety' reds: grenache, mataro and shiraz

Rhone grape varieties grenache, mataro (mouvedre) and shiraz have made themselves right at home in Australia.

www.goodfood.com.au

• S.C. Pannell Clarendon Smart Grenache 2018 - RKP95
• Hewitson Old Garden Vineyard 2016 - RKP96

Three wines to drink with winter soup

There are few better dishes than hearty French onion soup served with a rich sherry, a dash of it in the soup.

www.goodfood.com.au

• Seppeltsfield Rich Rare Apera, DP38 Solero, Barossa - HH96
• Equipo Navazos I Think Manzanilla En Rama - HH96

Three styles of shiraz

The range of different styles of shiraz Australia produces is arguably the biggest in the world.

www.goodfood.com.au

• Paringa Estate The Paringa Shiraz 2018, Mornington Peninsula - HH96
• Comyns & Co. Reserve Shiraz 2018, Hunter Valley - HH95
• Ulithorne Avitus Shiraz 2017, McLaren Vale - HH95

Three Italian red varieties to try

Wine drinkers have never been as eager to try new things.

www.goodfood.com.au

• Eldorado Road Comrade Nero D'Avola 2018, North-East Victoria - HH95
• Grove Estate Sommita Nebbiolo 2018, Hilltops - HH95

 

[qaz]

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
$49/person or $79/couple, extra $30 for interstate delivery from Adelaide

 

[Jczer000]

For those after a bit of virtual wine tourism. The below link contains the Wine Companion's cellar door series put on by Channel 31 Melbourne. Decent coverage of wineries across Aus ( and recently NZL).

The Cellar Door

The Cellar Door is an in-depth look into some of Australia's greatest winemakers and vineyards, and the passion that drives one of Australia's most well reco...

www.youtube.com

 

[Dudditz]

Giant steps acquired by Jackson Family Wines. While this will undoubtedly allow mean better exposure in the US market I wonder what it will mean for the long term quality of the brand?

 

[blackcat20]

Giant steps acquired by Jackson Family Wines. While this will undoubtedly allow mean better exposure in the US market I wonder what it will mean for the long term quality of the brand?

That's disappointing. They sold off Innocent Bystander to focus on Giant Steps, and now sold that too?!

 

[Rug]

That's disappointing. They sold off Innocent Bystander to focus on Giant Steps, and now sold that too?!

Money.

 

[wine-muller]

Giant steps acquired by Jackson Family Wines. While this will undoubtedly allow mean better exposure in the US market I wonder what it will mean for the long term quality of the brand?

Just look at the other producers Jackson Family are running in Aus - Yangarra & Hickinbotham - arguably amongst the top producers in McLaren Vale at the moment. I see no reason to fear the Giant Steps acquisition.

 

[qaz]

• Equipo Navazos I Think Manzanilla En Rama - HH96

6pm AEST this Sunday 30th August: The Bibendum Tapes - Sherry & Equipo Navazos with Jesús Barquín, The Sherry Hunter
Zoom - Meeting ID: 979 4559 0667 - Passcode: 859143
The tasting component will focus on three new La Bota releases (15% off all Navazos sherries @ Rathdowne Cellars until Sunday)

• Navazos 'La Bota 85' Fino Que Va Para Amontillado - MB96 - $127.50
• Navazos 'La Bota 91' Fino Macharnudo Alto Jerez - MB95 - $97.75
• Navazos 'La Bota 93' Manzanilla - MB94 - $92.65

Spain's best sherries: Why La Bota from Equipo Navazos is extraordinary

Meet Jesús Barquín, criminology professor and sherry connoisseur. The co-founder of Equipo Navazos reveals the secret that links his disparate worlds.

www.afr.com

Sherry stunners from Equipo Navazos

Equipo Navazos is based in Andalusia. Not only Sherry country (or Jerez to purists), but covering the southern regions of Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa Maria, Sanlucar de Barrameda and Montilla-Moriles. #afinosherry #Andalusia #BibendumWineCo

www.therealreview.com

 

[qaz]

finewineco. The Masterclass Series

Houghton wine legacy revives love for old-school grapes

As part of a famous winemaking family, Rob Mann knows wine. Now he wants you to know the varietals of his own label, Corymbia.

www.afr.com

 

[qaz]

Wynns John Riddoch & The World of Cabernet Sauvignon
7-8pm AEST Thursday 10th September via Zoom - free

Please join our host Jane Anson (Bordeaux Correspondent of the UK’s influential Decanter Magazine) and a panel of distinguished experts who will discuss the character, potential, and history of Cabernet Sauvignon in Australia.

Jane Anson will explore these topics, the story of John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon and the fascinating business of "La Place” with Sue Hodder (Wynns Coonawarra Estate’s winemaker) Andrew Caillard MW (author of “Imagining Coonawarra”) and Tom Portet (Director “Courtier" of Australian First Growths).

This presentation promises to offer a unique insight into the development and ambitions of a prized Australian First Growth.

Imagining Coonawarra, the story of John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon, is available in hard copy or ebook format. The free ebook version is available for Apple users here and PC/Kindle users here.

 

[tielec]

Champagne Suppliers Cut Harvest Quotas

Producers have set harvest limits that are more than 20 percent less than a year earlier in hopes of raising prices to offset pandemic impacts.

www.foodmanufacturing.com

It seems Champagne sales has fallen right off a cliff. This is consistent with the amount of Champagne sales we have seen over the last few months. Perhaps even more bargains in the future, or a long term price adjustment.

 

[qaz]

tonight 8pm AEST:

2023 Halliday Wine Companion Awards Live Stream

The Halliday Wine Companion Awards will be announced over a one hour live stream featuring the tasting panel, interviews with award winners and of course, James Halliday himself.

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

 

[HokitikaGold]

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

When I got the email from hallidays today, it brought a twinge of sadness (?) . So James is effectively retiring this year. Good on him.

 

[qaz]

Why Wine? Why Burgundy? Why Now? (Published 2020)

At a time of disease, strife, economic fear and upheaval, wine still has something to offer, as these 2017 village reds from the Côte de Beaune illustrate.

www.nytimes.com

Australian Wine Crossword - Decanter

Sit back with a glass of Shiraz in-hand and tackle our Australian wine crossword. How well do you know the styles and areas of this leading wine country? Let’s find out… Instructions: Click a cell on the crossword grid, or click a clue Click twice on a cell to toggle between across and down …

www.decanter.com

Australia’s 2020 vintage - Winemakers' perspectives

Join winemakers Virginia Willcock (Vasse Felix), Louisa Rose (Yalumba) and Sarah Crowe (Yarra Yering) to hear their take on the unprecedented 2020 vintage in Margaret River, Barossa Valley and Yarra Valley.

www.wineaustralia.com

 

[Cruiser Elite]

If SA didn't view us as lepers we would so be heading to this:

 

[Jczer000]

Wynns John Riddoch & The World of Cabernet Sauvignon
7-8pm AEST Thursday 10th September via Zoom - free

Please join our host Jane Anson (Bordeaux Correspondent of the UK’s influential Decanter Magazine) and a panel of distinguished experts who will discuss the character, potential, and history of Cabernet Sauvignon in Australia.

Jane Anson will explore these topics, the story of John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon and the fascinating business of "La Place” with Sue Hodder (Wynns Coonawarra Estate’s winemaker) Andrew Caillard MW (author of “Imagining Coonawarra”) and Tom Portet (Director “Courtier" of Australian First Growths).

This presentation promises to offer a unique insight into the development and ambitions of a prized Australian First Growth.

Imagining Coonawarra, the story of John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon, is available in hard copy or ebook format. The free ebook version is available for Apple users here and PC/Kindle users here.

Looking forward to this. Jane is one of the most level headed and insightful international wine commentators, not one to shy away from bordeaux's shortcomings. Would love to grab a copy of her book but Nick's markup is exorbitant.

Inside Bordeaux by Jane Anson | Nicks Wine Merchants

Inside Bordeaux by Jane Anson | Buy Online

www.nicks.com.au

...but apparently still sold out

 

[qaz]

Q&A: James Halliday on Bordeaux, the Hunter Valley, and more | Langton's Fine Wines

The inimitable James Halliday talks the auction of his collection of Bordeaux and Australian wines, and traces his rich wine journey.

www.langtons.com.au