While I have exactly zero time for grape days, today I present the grandest way to celebrate International Viognier Day with the seriously world-class Yalumba The Virgilius Viognier 2022. As I talked about on Viognier Day two years ago, Yalumba goes deeper on Viognier than nearly anyone. A labour of love? Maybe, but this, and the rest of the Yalumba Viognier range, has an extra level of detail that screams passion project, and the world is better for it. What I like about Virgilius is the width. It’s full-bodied, full-flavoured and proud to be a Viognier. Grapes are picked ripe, the juice spe ..read more

Will the wines of Juniper change now that Mark Messenger has left (after twenty-five years)? It’s too early to tell, really, but it is interesting to see how Andrew Bretherton (ex-Deep Woods) does at a winery that makes smart under-the-radar Margaret River wines. This Cornerstone Chardonnay is a beautiful wine, to get back to the task at hand, if maybe a little on the stern side. Grapefruit, whipped butter, nutty golden hints, and restrained power. I wonder if it would be even more convincing with a little more malolactic richness and riper fruit, but the sacrifice would likely be the pristin ..read more

I’m working through some Aldi-exclusive wines this month, with plenty of value highlights in the collection. This is a thickset Margaret River Cabernet from the Aldi lineup that feels plush and chunky. Lots of dark, dried blackberry flavour, a eucalyptus edge, a thick lacquer of oak and then minty, slightly short tannins. It’s a big wine and a round wine, but largely through the mid-palate rather than being long. That plushness is bound to be popular, even if it’s a bit diffuse. The post Blackstone Paddock Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 appeared first on Australian Wine and Drinks Rev ..read more

A Mesh Riesling that fulfils the label potential (side convo – why are the wines up and down? Is it because this super Riesling, made by the legendary Jeffrey Grosset and the Hill-Smith family, is overthought? Someone help me here). Super intense lime juice marks this Eden Valley Riesling in a mode that feels almost metallic in its pure green limey fruit freshness but with serious mid-palate intensity. Yes, yes, please. It is generous but not to the point of being anything but dry and a really enjoyable drink. The post Mesh Riesling 2023. Back to where it should always be (ie good to great) a ..read more

I was banging on just the other week about West Australian Pinot Noir struggles, and here’s a pleasurable Pinot to mess with my theories. From Denmark in WA, this Apricus Hill is a step in the right direction for the brand. Bright red fruit in the raspberry red cordial spectrum, there’s a sense of lightness to this red, with light extraction, minimal oak and a real red juiciness. You could argue that it’s a bit primal and raspberried, but it’s all done in a Pinoty way and inarguably attractive. The post A juicy WA Pinot: Apricus Hill Pinot Noir 2023 appeared first on Australian Wine and Drink ..read more

The Family Selection range is the fancy end of the Zema Estate range, although, at just $50, it’s not a fancy price. Indeed, it’s mad that a current release, six-year-old Coonawarra red, is $50, too. is even more remarkable when you think about it, given that, on average, it costs a few dollars per bottle per year just to store the stuff in bottle. A dense, old-school, powerful Coonawarra red it is, too, with proper dark dusty berries, some spearmint Cabernet charisma, coffee oak, caramel and leather. There’s a rough edge of tannin and alcohol and acidity, but that also jams rams home that th ..read more

There are many bargains on the Aldi Australia wine shelves; this is one of them. It’s an uncomplicated, ripe, raspberried Kiwi Pinot of smooth fruit, smooth lines and easy flow. It’s not complex or long, but it is very drinkable. Ripe, candied raspberry and cherry fruit with a little mushroomy Pinosity, even a Central Otago gloss through the middle. It’s perhaps a bit light on the finish, but cherried, varietal, and shitloads better than any other $15.99 Central Otago Pinot anywhere. The post A $15 Aldi Pinot no-brainer: Kaiora Bay Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021 appeared first on Australian Wi ..read more

This Jose Gil Rioja Vino de Pueblo San Vicente 2021 is a wonderful wine, but also one to remind that Rioja is a strange region. Here’s a famed Spanish area, with a storied winemaking history, where the whole idea of vineyard and regional expression is pretty much glossed over. In a world where even Champagne – for so long a viticultureal (and literal) wasteland – has crus and named vineyards, while Rioja just has famous brands and ginormous barrel halls. It’s even weirder when you think that Rioja is powered by the fruit from a patchwork of circa 14,000 growers – it’s more like Burgundy, yet ..read more

Life has been getting in the way of the whole reviewing thing this week, so this feels a bit belated. I did try a dozen local whiskies this week, though, which feels like feeding strawberries to a pig given I don’t drink the brown stuff (I just get handed a glass, taste it, then go back to beer/wine etc). I did like the interesting wine hints of the Morris Tokay Barrel whisky, regardless, and the masterful Lark Symphony No.1 with its perfect balance, plus the cask strength powerhouse Amber Lane Silk Road surprised with its evenness too. Meanwhile, let’s get back into the swing of more windy t ..read more

The preoccupation with glass bottles as the chosen wine vessel is tedious. Staid. In a world exploding with new cans, casks, and pouches (or even paper bottles), where we can do so much better (and with a smaller carbon footprint), the wine packaging mainstream feels so old-fashioned. Sure, for wines that are made to be consumed sometime in the future, glass (and screwcap) is the most practical choice. However, for the bulk of drinks that are made to be drunk immediately, a 650g-1.2kg 750ml bottle is just an inconvenience (especially when you just want a few sips of wine). Through my beer-ind ..read more