Wine lovers musings, amusings and news

[qaz]

Big Time Rip-Offs at Woolworth’s Bottle Shops

Luxury and wine explored

The ‘Pinot Noir Celebration Australia’ held recently on the Mornington Peninsula was the 10th iteration over a 20-year period. #AaronDrummond #ABCTV #CarolynMiller

www.therealreview.com

The rules, myths, and facts of hangovers

Dr Erik Skovenborg explains the science behind hangovers, and gives his tips on how to avoid the after-effects of alcohol.

worldoffinewine.com

The 50 best wine hotels in the world

From 5-star boltholes in historic Old World regions to boutique stays in fledgling vineyards, discover the world’s best wine hotels in 2022

cluboenologique.com

What to drink at 35,000 feet

I don’t know why we consider it glamorous to drink alcohol on the move, writes Alice Lascelles, but back in the 1920s and ’30s, they knew how to do it in style...

cluboenologique.com

Tolpuddle Vineyard 2012–2021: Martyrs to the cause

Anthony Rose enjoys a vertical tasting of the fine Tasmanian Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of Tolpuddle Vineyard.

worldoffinewine.com

Secrets of Winegrowing at Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone - Young Gun of Wine

When you’re responsible for some of the oldest vines in the world, it demands a particular thoughtfulness for each decision made – one wrong pruning cut could be very telling for the following year’s fruit. With a deep understanding of her family’s vineyard – and the wider realms of agriculture...

younggunofwine.com

The Vintage Journal Easter Special Edition - Henschke Hill of Grace Vertical and 2018 New Releases

Celebrating 60 years of Henschke's Hill of Grace

Matthew Jukes reports from an anniversary tasting of Henschke's Hill of Grace, tasting through 26 vintages of the Australian Shiraz from across 60 years

cluboenologique.com

• 2019 Sassicaia $595 delivered @ Vaucluse Cellars - 2 left

Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia DOC 2019

Shop Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia and wines from Italy wines. Free Shipping and wine discounts.

www.vauclusecellars.com.au

2019 is considered one of the best vintages ever (alongside 2016, 1988, 1985), rated 98-100pts by almost all critics

Cru Markets

uk.cruworldwine.com

Sassicaia Vertical: 40 Years of Tenuta San Guido’s Italian Wine Icon, 1978-2019 – TerroirSense Wine Review

terroirsense.com

Sassicaia 1977-2019

Susan Hulme MW tells the story of Sassicaia and tastes back through 12 vintages over five decades of the Super-Tuscan wine titan

cluboenologique.com

 

[qaz]

Tips For The Wines And Vintages To Buy In 2023 - Quill & Pad

New year is traditionally a time for taking stock and wine lovers are no different. Many will review their own cellars, assess what is ready for drinking, what needs more time and in some cases, what might have passed its best window. They will also look to the future. What should they target...

quillandpad.com

ChatGPT and wine

AI can now dream up almost anything. Its creators say there will be some 'scary moments'

Artificial intelligence can create dreamlike videos, mimicked voices and instant essays — and that's just the beginning, experts say.

www.abc.net.au

Big Time Rip-Offs at Woolworth’s Bottle Shops

Cape Mentelle Back In Australian Hands

It is perhaps not surprising that Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy sold Cape Mentelle. While Cape Mentelle is an iconic Margaret River winery, i...

australianwinereviews.blogspot.com

 

[qaz]

The personal story behind a stock wine photo

If you spend any time in the internet you undoubtedly know these hands holding those grapes. Anyone who has seen anything relating to wine, whether a newsletter or the cover of a well-known magazine will have seen this now iconic image at least once, if not countless times over the last couple...

www.hudin.com

Representation Matters in Wine Stock Photography

There aren't a lot of images of BIPOC folks drinking wine in the world of stock imagery. Now there's at least one more. Some thoughts on representation.

www.vinography.com

With my eyes fading I decided to look to give away my copy of Wine Grapes (print getting slightly too small) to a friend who has just started her wine joujrney and replace it wioth a digital Kindle version. So, for all the wine nerds out there, there's a fabulous opportunity to purchase Jancis Robertson's Wine Grapes book in Kindle form for only AUD$29.99 from the australian amazon site. There's a serious discontinuity on prices between AU and US sites.

Amazon AUS Page

Amazon USA Page

Book Review: The Wine Bible, 3rd Edition

My review of the world's single most indispensible wine book: the newly rewritten 3rd Edition of The Wine Bible.

www.vinography.com

This is a fantastic series for anyone into wine.

Drops of God (TV Series 2023) ⭐ 8.0 | Drama

| M

www.imdb.com

"Blind Ambition" Is the Wine Movie the World Needs Right Now

My review of the recently released documentary covering the efforts of four Zimbabwean sommeliers to compete in the World Wine Tasting Championships.

www.vinography.com

Tolpuddle Vineyard 2012–2021: Martyrs to the cause

Anthony Rose enjoys a vertical tasting of the fine Tasmanian Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of Tolpuddle Vineyard.

worldoffinewine.com

A totemic Tasmanian

A totemic Tasmanian

www.jancisrobinson.com

 

[Rug]

Tips For The Wines And Vintages To Buy In 2023 - Quill & Pad

New year is traditionally a time for taking stock and wine lovers are no different. Many will review their own cellars, assess what is ready for drinking, what needs more time and in some cases, what might have passed its best window. They will also look to the future. What should they target...

quillandpad.com

ChatGPT and wine

AI can now dream up almost anything. Its creators say there will be some 'scary moments'

Artificial intelligence can create dreamlike videos, mimicked voices and instant essays — and that's just the beginning, experts say.

www.abc.net.au

Cape Mentelle Back In Australian Hands

It is perhaps not surprising that Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy sold Cape Mentelle. While Cape Mentelle is an iconic Margaret River winery, i...

australianwinereviews.blogspot.com

But now owned by Endeavour which is a worry.

 

[Hvr]

They blew their budget by €300k on a barrel of wine. Time to tell the boss

The Australian Master of Wine, the Italian wine buyer – and the barrel of burgundy they risked their jobs and reputations to acquire.

www.smh.com.au

So who here would back their wine judgement to spend that much money on a barrel of wine?

 

[qaz]

SA magazine folds after 45 years - InDaily

An Adelaide-produced magazine long considered the Bible of Australia's wine industry has stopped production after 318 issues.

indaily.com.au

But now owned by Endeavour which is a worry.

Stability is key for Oakridge

Stability is a key factor in the success of a winery, according to David Bicknell, the chief winemaker at Oakridge, The Real Review’s winery of the year 2023. #BarossaValley #CapeMentelle #ChapelHill

www.therealreview.com

Despite the prophets of doom, quality has been maintained at all of these wineries, perhaps even improved. Indeed, Bicknell is very positive about his new owner, pointing out the investment they have made in new equipment—such as an expensive optical grape sorting machine—and in viticulture.​

Endeavour seems a benevolent proprietor, not interfering with its wineries. Bicknell says of his bosses:​

“They haven’t been telling me what to do. They don’t get involved.”​

 

[qaz]

Uh Oh - Piemonte Girl

Is it fair to change the rules meere days before the release? Are they trying to make these rare wines available to more people?

piemontegirl.com

Burgund Slipp 2020 - Piemonte Girl

Want to learn more about what a Burgund Slipp is? Why people sleep on the streets for 3 weeks? Here are some of the most asked questions.

piemontegirl.com

Burgundslipp 2023 - Piemonte Girl

It’s finally that time of year again: Burgundslipp! I don’t think anyone could have predicted that a global pandemic would postpone the Burgundslipp for 2 years. And when it’s finally back, something unexpected happened.

piemontegirl.com

My 72 hour Burgundslipp adventure - Piemonte Girl

Why would a 20 year old spend weeks out on then street, in the dead of Norwegian winter, in order to buy rare wines from burgundy, when they don’t seem the slightest bit interest in wine at all?

piemontegirl.com

The Vintage Journal Easter Special Edition - Henschke Hill of Grace Vertical and 2018 New Releases

Stories Archive

winepilot.com

Barossa Guide 2023

A sense of unity is the Barossa wine region’s great strength. Almost all of its successes since the 1840s stem from the local wine industry members

winepilot.com

Yarra Yering 30+ years of Underhill Shiraz

Photography by Hugh Davison Great wine, it is said, is made in the vineyard. Whoever first coined that expression clearly never met Dr Bailey Carrodus,

winepilot.com

The Vintage Journal Jim Barry Florita Vertical

The Clare Valley’s historic Florita Vineyard at Watervale was the source of John Vickery’s exquisite Leo Buring DW series. Today the Barry family have

winepilot.com

The Vintage Journal McLaren Vale Wine Guide 2022

McLaren Vale is a region that is going from strength to strength. Our McLaren Vale Wine Guide 2022 includes over 150 wine reviews plus essays from Angus

winepilot.com

Penfolds Grange Guide 1951-2019

This eJournal explores the complete history of Penfolds Grange. For the first time ever, Andrew Caillard MW, the leading expert on Penfolds, has published

winepilot.com

Cloudburst

Cloudburst is an enigma wrapped in a mystery. It is one of the most unusual wine stories of the last 20 years. Establishing a vineyard, making wine and

winepilot.com

Frankland Estate Olmo's Reward Vertical

Frankland Estate Olmo’s Reward is an emerging classic from Western Australia’s Frankland River. The wine honours the contribution of viticulture expert

winepilot.com

Jim Barry The Armagh - 1985 to 2018

Jim Barry The Armagh Shiraz, from the picturesque Clare Valley, is one of Australia’s most important red wines. Its history and reputation are deeply

winepilot.com

The Vintage Journal 2021 Bordeaux En Primeur Report

The 2021 vintage will always be seen in the afterglow of the brilliant 2018, 2019 and 2020 vintages. After a rare trifecta, such extraordinary luck was

winepilot.com

The Vintage Journal Barossa Guide 2022

The Barossa is undoubtedly one of Australia’s greatest wine regions. It is nowadays a mainstay of the Australian ultra-fine market and home to large,

winepilot.com

Leeuwin Estate - A History

Leeuwin Estate is an Australian masterpiece and represents the dream of coming ‘from nowhere to somewhere’. It is an accidental creation born from

winepilot.com

Leeuwin Estate Chardonnay: Walking the Tightrope between Elegance and Sheer Power - Quill & Pad

Over the years, Ken Gargett has been fortunate to have tried almost all of the Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnays, usually on several occasions. And he has found that he wine has never been anything less than enthralling at whatever stage he has encountered them.

quillandpad.com

 

[qaz]

McLaren Vale winery’s single-site play pays extraordinary dividends

With the backing of its visionary Californian owners Jackson Family Wines, Yangarra’s Peter Fraser is making world-class wines fetching up to $300 a bottle.

www.afr.com

 

[AFAFA]

McLaren Vale winery’s single-site play pays extraordinary dividends

With the backing of its visionary Californian owners Jackson Family Wines, Yangarra’s Peter Fraser is making world-class wines fetching up to $300 a bottle.

www.afr.com

Was on clearance at twc at $50 a bottle.

 

[qaz]

London for wine lovers 2023

www.jancisrobinson.com

Was on clearance at twc at $50 a bottle.

which one and when?

Yangarra New Releases, Part 1

It makes a difference when one has an opportunity to drink a whole range of a winery's wines. You start to really understand the style. Thi...

australianwinereviews.blogspot.com

Yangarra New Releases, Part 2

In the red wine group, only two Grenaches featured at this tasting. The 2021 Old Vine Grenache strikes with an intense aroma of red berry ...

australianwinereviews.blogspot.com

 

[qaz]

Wine critic changes world

Campbell Mattinson on the (only) drawback of tasting wine for a living.

winecompanion.com.au

Parker Estate First Growth

Parker Estate and its First Growth Cabernet Sauvignon mark a high point in Coonawarra ambitions. This eJournal explores the founding of what was

winepilot.com

Whilst I missed having the 30yo Lustau VORS Palo Cortado a couple of days earlier (my favourite sherry style)

Palo Cortado Sherry: An Accidental but Glorious Wine - Quill & Pad

There are many styles of sherry, but there is one which is perhaps the most perplexing and confusing of all – Palo Cortado. An accidental wine if ever there was one, but a glorious one. Ken Gargett explains.

quillandpad.com

• 2019 Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 500ml $103.50/$92 - JA/GS98, TA96, D(GH)98, TWI(LPB)94

2019 Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 500ml

2019 Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 500ml from South Africa, South Africa - Read Reviews At The Wine Collective

www.thewinecollective.com.au

FINE+RARE: A new era for Klein Constantia’s Vin de Constance

Klein Constantia’s winemaker Matthew Day on the evolution of Vin de Constance, South Africa’s most iconic and historic sweet wine

www.frw.co.uk

Vin de Constance – Greg Sherwood MW

Posts about Vin de Constance written by Greg Sherwood MW

gregsherwoodmw.com

A Decade of Vin de Constance 2009-2019: Beauty and History in the Glass – TerroirSense Wine Review

terroirsense.com

 

[AFAFA]

London for wine lovers 2023

www.jancisrobinson.com

which one and when?

Yangarra New Releases, Part 1

It makes a difference when one has an opportunity to drink a whole range of a winery's wines. You start to really understand the style. Thi...

australianwinereviews.blogspot.com

Yangarra New Releases, Part 2

In the red wine group, only two Grenaches featured at this tasting. The 2021 Old Vine Grenache strikes with an intense aroma of red berry ...

australianwinereviews.blogspot.com

The high sands grenache. I suspect a momentary mispricing.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Why oh why?


FFS - why oh why?

 

[afro]

And the history repeats.

TWE new move

 

[redbigot]

Words of Wisdom from David Farmer.
Fire away!

Wednesday Reflection.​

What is the significance of the alcohol percentage in wine? Consider this. At the Decanter Wine Awards 2023 they judged 18249 wines and the highest pointing reds, the best of the best, averaged 14.5% alcohol. Now I have written more words about wine than any other writer though this has been advertising copy.

For 47 years I have told customers that if you want a tasty wine at a reasonable price make sure the alcohol is at least 14.5%. Why? Because you must have ripe grapes, full of flavour and sugar to create rich, full-bodied wines. The point. You cannot create a full flavoured taste from grapes producing low alcohol.

 

[Daver6]

Words of Wisdom from David Farmer.
Fire away!

Wednesday Reflection.​

What is the significance of the alcohol percentage in wine? Consider this. At the Decanter Wine Awards 2023 they judged 18249 wines and the highest pointing reds, the best of the best, averaged 14.5% alcohol. Now I have written more words about wine than any other writer though this has been advertising copy.

For 47 years I have told customers that if you want a tasty wine at a reasonable price make sure the alcohol is at least 14.5%. Why? Because you must have ripe grapes, full of flavour and sugar to create rich, full-bodied wines. The point. You cannot create a full flavoured taste from grapes producing low alcohol.

Well by definition a full bodied wine is going to be high alcohol. He's being Captain Obvious there. What's next? Going to be telling us if you want a sparkling wine it needs to have dissolved CO2?

 

[redbigot]

Well by definition a full bodied wine is going to be high alcohol. He's being Captain Obvious there. What's next? Going to be telling us if you want a sparkling wine it needs to have dissolved CO2?

Full-flavoured is not necessarily full-bodied as I understand the terms. What he is saying is Barossa (and other warm-climate area) makers trying for 13.5% reds are mostly missing the mark with leaner wines that lack generosity of flavour. Obviously people are buying those sort of wines as they keep making them, each to their own.

But you seem to be agreeing full-bodied/full-flavoured is good?

Just one old guy's opinion which, as another similarly old guy, I happen to agree with.

Trolling for reactions from the cool-climate / low alcohol wine fans.

 

[Daver6]

Full-flavoured is not necessarily full-bodied as I understand the terms. What he is saying is Barossa (and other warm-climate area) makers trying for 13.5% reds are mostly missing the mark with leaner wines that lack generosity of flavour. Obviously people are buying those sort of wines as they keep making them, each to their own.

I agree with you. Full flavoured and full bodied are two different things. My comments were in relation to his state about full bodied, not full flavoured.

But you seem to be agreeing full-bodied/full-flavoured is good?

It's good if that's what you like. I'm in the camp that there is no wrong or right when it comes to wine. It's do you like it or not what counts.

For 47 years I have told customers that if you want a tasty wine at a reasonable price make sure the alcohol is at least 14.5%. Why? Because you must have ripe grapes, full of flavour and sugar to create rich, full-bodied wines. The point. You cannot create a full flavoured taste from grapes producing low alcohol.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Penfolds maker shuts Victoria winery as cheaper wine falls out of favour

Treasury Wine Estates will close its Karadoc winery – used to make budget wines – and instead focus on its premium and luxury brands, putting 60 jobs on the line.

www.theage.com.au