Pewsey Vale Vineyard, in South Australia’s Eden Valley, is dedicated solely to Riesling. Why do wine writers and serious wine drinkers love Riesling? Perhaps because it, more than any other variety, can produce such a range of styles, from dry and austere, to semi-sweet or luscious dessert wines. Also appealing is that it ages so gracefully in the bottle. Connoisseurs often appreciate both young and mature Riesling, enjoying it while it is young and fresh, and relishing the lovely toasty characters it develops after years of cellaring. And finally, Australian Riesling represents great value fo ..read more

Photo credit: Jill Wellington from Pixabay. The Alliance Française French Film Festival, held in selected cinemas around Australia, is the largest celebration of contemporary French films outside of France. The 2023 program featured several films that particularly appealed to food and wine lovers: Sugar and Stars, The Tasting, and Umami. The Tasting (La Dégustation) is a delightful, witty, and heartfelt romance that takes place when Hortense enrols in Jacques’ wine tasting course. All these wonderful films are best served with a glass of French wine. The four wines here were served on the open ..read more

Wines imported into Australia by Drink Greek, featured at Wine Island last year. You’ve most likely heard of Chardonnay, Cabernet and Shiraz but have you heard of Moschofilero, Savatiano and Agiorgitiko? They’re from a long list of Greek varietals. Greece has a vast number of indigenous grape varieties – it’s thought that there are more than 300. The first wines were made in Greece thousands of years ago; it was one of the foremost producers in the ancient world. Greek wine was traded extensively around the Mediterranean and was held in especially high regard by the Romans. Despite that ancien ..read more

Tohu Wines is part of Kono, a Māori, whānau-owned company based in Te Tauihu, the top of the South Island. The French call it terroir — a sense of place. In New Zealand, tūrangawaewae is a Māori word meaning ‘our place to stand in the world’. It describes the special connection of a people and the land they live, love and work in. New Zealand’s superlative food and wine reflects the alchemy of this relationship. The country has a well-deserved reputation for products that have been thoughtfully created and ethically manufactured. For some time now, New Zealand Trade & Enterprise has been r ..read more

Soak up the island vibe as you enjoy a drop in the capital. Kick off summer in style at Wine Island, Canberra. From Friday, December 2, to Saturday, December 3, Queen Elizabeth II Island (previously known as Aspen Island) on Lake Burley Griffin will be transformed into a wine lover’s paradise. The island’s iconic Carillon will be surrounded by cellar door experiences presented by winemakers from the Hunter Valley, McLaren Vale, King Valley, Coonawarra, Alpine Valley, Clare Valley, Orange and Canowindra. Canberra winemakers will be well represented too, with Mount Majura Vineyard, Contentious C ..read more

Oxford Landing Shiraz is versatile with a whole range of dishes. One of the country’s most affordable wine brands, Oxford Landing, has been given a fresh new look reflecting its home on the Murray River. A logo depicting the sun over the water, along with colours inspired by the landscape, give a new face to a range that has been consistently delivering for 30+ years. Each of the six varietals in the range has a different coloured label inspired by the native vegetation, soil, sun, river, and sky surrounding Oxford Landing’s Riverland home. With a recommended price of $13 (and often found chea ..read more

Image courtesy of Pixabay. When in doubt, reach for a GSM. Such a likeable blend, it represents some of the best value for money drinking amongst Aussie reds. Made from Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvèdre (also known as Mataro), this classic blend is inspired by the medium-bodied reds of France’s Côtes du Rhône region. Each variety brings a different element to the blend, the Grenache delivering lovely sweet fruit, the Shiraz a little bit of pepper and spice, and the Mourvèdre depth and earthiness. These varieties do well in the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale, and both regions have some great old ..read more

Dan Murphy’s subscription service: an opportunity to explore wine varieties customers might not have tried. Retailer Dan Murphy’s has thrown its hat into the wine subscription ring with the introduction of a wine subscription service called Dan Picked, promising “expertly curated” boxes of whites, reds, or mixed, home-delivered every two months. Managing director, Alex Freudmann, says customers are looking to “drink better, slow down and uncover new styles and trends … what we have seen in the last two years is that Australian consumers expect more convenience than ever.” Drawing on 70 years o ..read more

Natalie Cleghorn, winemaker at Katnook Estate, relishes the challenge of making Cabernet Sauvignon. When Natalie Cleghorn took over as senior winemaker for Katnook Estate after Wayne Stehbens’ untimely passing in 2017, she had very big shoes to fill. Stehbens was one of Australia’s longest serving and highest regarded winemakers, having produced award-winning wines for Katnook ever since its first commercial vintage in 1980. As an experienced wine show judge, graduate of the world-renowned Len Evans Tutorial, and two-time finalist for Australian Women in Wine Awards’ Winemaker of the Year, Cle ..read more

Class Act, article on the Canberra wine region, Halliday magazine, February/March 2022. The 2020 bushfires followed by Covid lockdowns hit Canberra District wine producers hard, but this stellar region is once again welcoming visitors and there’s a palpable energy amongst local winemakers. The post Canberra Wine Region | Class Act appeared first on Food Wine Travel ..read more