by Chris | 14 Jan 2013 | Australia, New South Wales, Red Wines, Shiraz
So what does velvet or silk actually taste like? Well a good place to start is by smelling and swallowing this wine. The bouquet is all sweet stewed plums and bright cherry fruit, with an overlay of rich vanillan oak, soft pepper spice and just a touch of beautiful...
by Chris | 10 Jan 2013 | Australia, New South Wales, Red Wines, Shiraz
What does ethereal mean? The dictionary describes it thus; extremely delicate or refined, exquisite, celestial or spiritual. I’m going to hang that well used tag on the 2009 Moppity Vineyards Hilltops Shiraz. This wine has a small percentage of Viognier ...
by Chris | 23 Oct 2012 | Australia, Cabernet, Italy, Other Reds, Red Wines, South Australia, Spain
Quality company, quality wines, quality food all adds up to a great night out, albeit accompanied by slight headache next day. Thanks to John and Frances, David and Janet for a most enjoyable night out, Alison and I had a ball and hope we can do it again soon. All the...
by Chris | 14 Aug 2012 | Cabernet, Chardonnay, Other Reds, Red Blends, Red Wines, Riesling, Shiraz, USA
A little off the beaten wine tracks of Napa, Sonoma, Russian River etc., this is the northernmost appellation in the Sonoma Valley. It is well worth a trip, however, as this is an area that produces some of the best PQR (Price Quality Ratio) wines in all of...
by Chris | 3 Aug 2012 | Cabernet, Other Reds, Pinot Noir, Red Blends, Red Wines, Sauvignon Blanc, USA, White Wines
Thanks to my Australian wool industry associate, David Nancarrow, we were introduced to his brother Bill, who is the executive winemaker at Duckhorn Vineyards. Founded by the Duckhorn family in 1976, this winery sources it’s fruit from 8 vineyard sites ranging...
by Chris | 26 Jul 2012 | Cabernet, Red Wines, USA
So fortunate to be spending some time helping to babysit the house while the Reids are away; just a look around the property and the house tells you that these people have a passion and a special touch in all that they do. Before they left Kirk and Karen showed us...
by Chris | 1 Jul 2012 | Australia, Cabernet, Red Wines, South Australia
Tasted 27/06/2012 Yes, yes, I know what you’re saying – Cab Sauv from McLaren Vale? Do we really care? Well, I can tell you if you get your taste buds into this little charmer, you will begin to care; what a revelation for a wine that can be had at south of $20....
by Chris | 3 Jun 2012 | New Zealand, Red Wines
Tasted May 2012 with hickory smoked leg of lamb and roast vegetables. This comes from that area in NZ north island called Gimblett Gravels, an astonishing breeding ground for outstanding red wines, mainly of the Bordeaux right bank mix, that is Merlot predominant....
by Chris | 26 Jul 2011 | Australia, New South Wales, Red Wines, Shiraz
The wine of the week in the Good Living section of the SMH this week is the Phillip Shaw The Idiot Shiraz, Orange 2009. Huon Hooke writes: Phillip Shaw’s second ranked shiraz turned heads earlier this year in the Sydney Royal Wine Show when it won three...
by Chris | 22 Apr 2011 | Australia, Other Reds, Red Wines, Western Australia
This was a birthday present from my wife ten years ago and we figured it was time to bring it from the cellar for my birthday dinner in 2011. We tasted it with a whole thick piece of farm-bought steak cooked over direct heat in the charcoal Weber, then thinly sliced...
