Image by Vinotecarium from Pixabay. There’s something captivating about the idea of vineyards growing on the slopes of an active volcano, so when we were invited to a tasting of Mount Etna wines, how could we refuse? On the eastern coast of Sicily, Mount Etna is Europe’s tallest active volcano and one of the world’s most active. Shaped like an inverted C, or a crescent moon, its lower slopes are home to vineyards producing some of Italy’s most exciting wines. Some of those wines have made their way to Australia and the cellar of Sydney restaurant, Bottega Coco, which we recently had the pleasu ..read more

The Virgilius flies the flag for Yalumba Family Winemakers’ white portfolio. On the last Friday in April — International Viognier Day on the wine calendar – drink a toast to this flavoursome white. Sometimes described as the “red wine drinker’s white” because it is so generous and textural, Viognier is a very food-friendly wine. Defined by its perfumed aromas and alluring flavours, it pairs beautifully with a wide range of food, holding its head up high even alongside spicy Moroccan, Indian and Thai dishes. Australia’s oldest family-owned winery, Yalumba, has dedicated more than 40 years to Vi ..read more

Image courtesy of Pixabay. From budget-priced drops to special occasion wines and bubbles for conscious consumption, we’ve come up with a great list of sparkling wines to celebrate New Year’s Eve with. Atmata 2023 Organic Sparkling, $20 If your New Year’s resolution is to be kinder to yourself and to the planet, consider this 100% Australian-certified organic wine. Vivacious with a refreshing effervescence, it has green apple and citrus notes with a slight creaminess and a lively, crisp finish. One To One Brut Cuvée NV, $20 One To One is a new range from Hill-Smith Family Estates that punches ..read more

If you’re keen to elevate your sparkling wine game, who better to take advice from than Croser lead winemaker, Ella Hoban, who has shared her top spritz recipes. A rising star in the winemaking industry, Ella draws on quality Adelaide Hills fruit to craft Croser’s highly regarded sparkling wines. She loves whipping up refreshing spritzes using sparkling wine as the base. Simply mix a few ingredients, gently pop the cork, and let the bubbles flow. Easy peasy! Classic Spritz 30ml Aperol or Campari 120ml Croser NV Sparkling 60ml sparkling water Orange slice or twist for garnish Fill a wine glass ..read more

Grant Burge chief winemaker Craig Stansborough. The most luxurious expression of one of the Barossa Valley’s finest reds, Grant Burge Filsell 100 Shiraz 2021 would make the perfect gift for a wine collector or connoisseur. Released in a limited edition of just 6,000 bottles, it entices with a rich aroma of kirsch, hazelnut and nutmeg, along with tasting notes of dark cherries and plums, chocolate, coffee and spice – all the sort of festive characters that make it the perfect drop to enjoy during the festive season. Deliciously velvety and smooth, you could enjoy it with a big juicy rib-eye ste ..read more

Rosé is a new addition to Taylors Wines’ Promised Land range. Much like grapevines, seahorses are a vital “indicator species” that demonstrate early the impact of climate change. It is fitting then that Taylors Wines should choose not only to feature the seahorse on the label for its new-look Promised Land range but also to donate a percentage of every sale to the global marine conservation organisation, Project Seahorse. According to the folk at Project Seahorse, by getting it right for seahorses, such as setting up marine protected areas, reining in bad fishing practices, and regulating wild ..read more

You’ll often hear of a wine being referred to as ‘iconic’ but not many wines genuinely warrant such a description. Peter Lehmann Stonewell Shiraz is one that I think deserves such a label. It’s a wine that connoisseurs like to collect and cellar, it’s netted a string of awards over the years (including the prestigious Jimmy Watson trophy), and it was the creation of a visionary Barossa Valley winemaker, the late Peter Lehmann. This year marks the 30th vintage of Stonewell Shiraz and to celebrate, Peter Lehmann Wines is hosting a number of exclusive experiences at its cellar door in Tanunda. T ..read more

Evans & Tate 2018 Redbrook Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon: best in show at Decanter awards. What an honour for Evans & Tate 2018 Redbrook Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, awarded a best in show medal at this year’s Decanter World Wine Awards. The prestigious awards gave it 97 points, the highest score given at this year’s show. It was one of only three Cabernet Sauvignons to be awarded ‘best in show’, solidifying its place as one of the best Cabernets in the world. Evans & Tate senior winemaker, Matt Byrne, is not surprisingly, pretty chuffed. “Humbled and proud is what our small team at ‘E ..read more

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