Quin Wines 2016 Barossa Shiraz… what a cracking way to celebrate mid-week. 60 minutes in the decanter and this Shiraz was absolutely signing! Of course it’s on the young side, but there’s trademark Barossa fruit concentration and tightly woven savoury / spicy notes that make it bloody good drinking now. It’s an impressive wine, no doubt about it, wish I had a few more for the cellar!

 Quin Wines 2016 Barossa Shiraz… what a cracking way to

Ever found a wine you’d forgotten about?! -

I’ve dug up a gem during a late night cellar tidy up! Langmeil Freedom Shiraz 2010, made from the oldest Shiraz vines in the world that’re a mere 176 years young. -

 Ever found a wine you’d forgotten about?! - I’ve dug up a

​⁠Now this is how you wrap up a Monday! Paradise IV, one of my favourite, semi-unknown, producers out there making seriously good wines. I heard the vineyard had been sold, if anyone knows let me know!⁠

The wine, Chaumont 2014 Bordeaux blend. Matured in barrels from Sirugue Cooperage, Nuits St George, has a stunning nose. Blackcurrant, cedar and leather, all underpinned with lovely subtle vanilla notes. ⁠It's complex on the palate. medium bodied at best with fine grained tannins and balanced acidity. The fruit, beginning to fade as the tertiary character comes to the fore, is still showing black fruits, hints of blue as it opens. It definitely needs a few hours in a decanter to fully express itself, once open it's a decent, classy drop. For my taste it's at the limit of its aging potential which is bloody great because I now have guilt free drinking ahead! Well worth trying, and I've heard the Dardel and Chardonnay are exceptional as well!⁠

 ​⁠Now this is how you wrap up a Monday! Paradise IV, one of

Ochota Barrels 186 Grenache and Home Pinot Noir. Two wines in the collection I can’t wait to try! If you’ve tried either please let me know what they’re like!?!? -

 Ochota Barrels 186 Grenache and Home Pinot Noir. Two wines

My first foray into the world of natural wine and it has to be said, I quite enjoyed it. Nova Vita’s Project K Rose (a blend of Gris, Traminer, and Riesling) is so easy to drink, it’s borderline ridiculous. The colour, orange, is striking and the flavours range from strawberries and cream to lychees and ripe apples. Sweet, but paired with a ruby murray it was bloody awesome.

 My first foray into the world of natural wine and it has to

Rob Dolan has gone into stealth mode with the launch of his new Signature Series and they look stunning!

Looking beyond the aesthetics, these wines are the result of 35 years of winemaking knowledge, made in tiny quantities and only in exceptional years. The perfect trifecta by all accounts! These are an exciting prospect and I can’t wait to taste them!

 Rob Dolan has gone into stealth mode with the launch of his

Seeing out Wednesday with Nova Vita’s Adelaide Hills Chardonnay. A super enjoyable and approachable expression of Chardonnay here! Showing zesty, stone fruit, sliced green apples, hints of funky struck match on the nose. A packed palate, slightly creamy, of natural citrus zest, apples, flint, and nuttiness combined with a little bit of toasty oak. I don’t think this bottle will last long!

 Seeing out Wednesday with Nova Vita’s Adelaide Hills

Treated myself to a cracking Adelaide Hills Chardonnay from Sanglier. Three different vineyards, Woodside, Lenswood and Piccadilly,  with an average age of 35 years combined produce a zingy, fresh, mineral bomb of a Chardy. Funky, flinty, full of stone-fruit flavor and impressive length. It’s bloody good! -

 Treated myself to a cracking Adelaide Hills Chardonnay from

Hmm, considering a Grenache in the middle of Winter? Well, if you find yourself in one of those "I fancy a Grenache" moods then do yourself a favour and grab few of these cheeky little Barossa beauts from

. This is a cracking example of a varietal that's having somewhat of a rebirth! What was once destined for fortified alone is now highly prized and rightly so! ⁠

Did you know, the Barossa is home to the oldest productive Grenache vines in the world? What an incredible part of the world!⁠

 Hmm, considering a Grenache in the middle of Winter? Well

Loving kicking-off Xmas Day with this Nova Vita Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir. A super cracking example from one of my favourite regions. If you stumble across it, give it a try. The producers in the Hills need a little support after the recent fires. Enjoy! Merry Xmas! 🍷🙏🙌

 Loving kicking-off Xmas Day with this Nova Vita Adelaide

BBQ bound and I’m taking this Pirathon Silver with me. I’ve reviewed it before and it’s one of those brilliant wines that manages to skew the cost / quality ratio massively in its favour. It’s total bargain by anyone’s standard! Also, unrelated....that tree! What a stunner! Sydney in November, you just can’t beat it. All in all, a bloody great combination!

 BBQ bound and I’m taking this Pirathon Silver with me. I’ve

​Wine on a school night? Absolutely, and this cheeky little number from

 is just the drop. Made from old vines, 58 years young, planted in the Barossa this Grenache is delicious. That’s honestly the best word. Lifted red berries, raspberry liquorice, slight bunchy characters on the nose. Balanced, springy, exciting on the palate. Strawberry lollies and Allen’s Frogs with savoury edges, zingy acidity and soft subtle tannins. It’s a bloody good drop, bit of a bargain really, great work!⁠

 ​Wine on a school night? Absolutely, and this cheeky little

Torbreck “The Pict ” Mataro, probably OTT for a harbour side picnic for the boat race but nonetheless I’ve a soft spot for Torbreck so it got the nod. Initial impressions, it’s big and robust yet lush with a fruitiness I don’t usually get with Mataro. Rich dark fruits, dried plums, and dried herbs on the palate, long finish. It’s a very smart wine, too smart for a picnic perhaps!

 Torbreck “The Pict ” Mataro, probably OTT for a harbour

Maclean Bay Pinot Noir 2017… what a great way to wrap up mid-week! An east-coast Tasmanian Pinot Noir of real quality in my book. On the nose there’s great balance of cherries, raspberries, and savoury, earthy notes. Beautifully medium bodied, very balanced and wide across the palate. It’s deceptively generous in flavour, cherries, plums, and blackberries all doing the dance. The fruit is complemented nicely by rounded savoury notes, fine tannins and low/mild acidity. In short, it’s a quality drop that I’d be more than happy to make a regular!

 Maclean Bay Pinot Noir 2017… what a great way to wrap up

Nova Vita’s Project K, Shiraz Pinot Noir (SPN), is a seriously smashable little number... and all natural. All red berry fruit, cherries, raspberries, pomegranate, and fresh black plums. All fruit on the palate, soft acidity, soft tannins and unbelievably morish. Chill it down, open, and enjoy. It’s summer in a bottle! -

 Nova Vita’s Project K, Shiraz Pinot Noir (SPN), is a

 delivered a few weeks back and all I can say is, why has it taken this long to find them?!

The Rosé comes from 47 year old, Goblet Grenache vines, in Blewitt Springs Mclaren Vale. Light and zippy with crunch and dryness. Roses and strawberries, nice acidity and fine tannin. Love it, would definitely buy again. -

A Light Dry Red, 70% whole bunch, which is a 50/50 blend of Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir & Clare Valley Shiraz that’s so tasty and satisfying I barely put the glass down. It has a lot going on, quite deceiving really. A spectrum of red fruit lovelies coupled with herbal edges. All in at 12.7% ABV, bit of a gem really.

 Two down, two left of the @sanglierwines  delivered a few

My recent poll had the Rockford as preferred (54%) in this ​old school vs new school battle. Surprised? I was. What do you think of these beauties? -

For me, I'm team Standish. No doubt the Rockford is a classy drop, and 14 was an incredible vintage for the basket Press, but... that Lamella is in a class of it's own. I've said it before about Standish Wines, you could spent a lot more and get a lot less. Get them while you can! -

 My recent poll had the Rockford as preferred (54%) in this

I don’t usually wax lyrically about GSM as it usually misses the mark and leaves me wanting more. That being said, this Saint Petri GSM is a different beast altogether. There’s a reason it’s the top dog of the Calabria Family Vineyards range. The reason? It’s a serious drop!

It boasts a perfectly balanced and enticing nose of fresh red cherries and strawberries that’s distinctly Grenache-like, with earthy, spice, leathery notes adding real depth. Medium-bodied on the palate and super balanced. Plums, cherries, cassis, savoury dried sage and thyme, and a peppery, earthy finish. Balance is the key to this wine. Complexity builds as it opens. This is a GSM that I could get very used to! -

 I don’t usually wax lyrically about GSM as it usually

Perhaps the best value wine find of the year! The Calabria Family make some awesome wines, Old Vine Shiraz and the Saint Petri selection (check them out) two name a few, but this Nero D’Avola for sheer drinkability is a quality find at a fraction of the cost. Red berry fruit, earthy and herbal aromatics, fine grain emery-board like tannins on the finish. Sub $15, unbelievable really. A fun, super enjoyable drop that’s well worth trying, end of.

 Perhaps the best value wine find of the year! The Calabria

Couldn’t resist this Sorrenberg Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2018 when I saw it. Magic in a bottle! Steely, tense and exciting. Gooseberry with hints of anise and leafy green herbs all backed up with a generous citrus tang. Greatness! Can’t think of a white blend this good in Australia or abroad and with a little cellar time it’ll only get better. Love it 🍷🙌🔥

 Couldn’t resist this Sorrenberg Sauvignon Blanc Semillon

Serrat Pinot Noir 2018, now tucked away, is always on my buy list. It’s such a beautiful expression of Yarra Valley Pinot and one I love to collect. If you’re not across this wine and you’re a fan of Aussie Pinot Noir, you should definitely give it a go.

The wine itself is MV6 Pinot Noir from a close planted vineyard in 2001 where one bottle is produced from an individual vine. 30% whole bunch giving a punchy, fragrant aroma, that evolves as the wine breaths. It spend 11 months on lees in 500 litre French oak puncheons, roughly 15% new.

 Serrat Pinot Noir 2018, now tucked away, is always on my

Rumour has it this Rockford Basket Press 2010 is one of the best the iconic winery has produced since the first release in 1984. So, this little gem's coming home with me. You can never have enough Shiraz... right?⁠

​Made from grapes sourced from 60 to 140-year-old dry-grown vineyards (most from independent growers) across a range of Barossa soils, altitudes and micro-climates, the wine represents a rare and important post-colonial Australian aesthetic. The fruit is hand picked then vinified using classic Barossa techniques including a 19th-century wooden Bagshaw crusher, open fermentation and basket pressing. Matured primarily in seasoned 300-litre French and American oak hogsheads and 2500-litre vats for two years resulting in wines that are classic, age worthy, examples of Barossa Shiraz. ⁠

 Rumour has it this Rockford Basket Press 2010 is one of the

When I'm in the heart of the Barossa I love a cheeky trip to Rockford. The 15 Basket Press Shiraz, classic Barossan Shiraz, has a tough time living up to the fantastic 14 as expected. That being said... it's a classic and puts a big smile on your face. What do you think is the best Basket Press vintage? ⁠🤔

 When I'm in the heart of the Barossa I love a cheeky trip

What would you choose for your Tuesday treat? My Choice? Enter St Hallett’s Old Block 2014. ⁣ 🍷 ⁣

A mixture of Barossa and Eden Valley fruit from vines⁣ averaging 88 years old spanning 9 vineyards. It’s a masterpiece and beyond elegant! Deep, dark blackberry, blueberry notes and fresh coffee on the nose. Medium⁣ bodied, powerful yet refined flavours of dark fruits, plums, blueberries, and savoury earth notes on the palate. Long, finish!

If you’ve not tried Barossa / Eden Valley blends this is⁣ right up there. Get it on your list. Enjoyment factor maxed!!⁣

 What would you choose for your Tuesday treat? My Choice?

The Eddies Old Vine Shiraz, Barossan gold if you ask me. Planted in 1912, ​1951 and 1975 the average age of the vines that make their way into this bottle is 70, unbelievable really. ⁠

It might just be, along with the Mewstone Pinot Noir, my favourite find so far this year. Beautifully aromatic. The glass barely able to contain the aromas. Rich, lush, exotic on the palate. Xmas cake fruit, sweet and savoury spice complexity ever evolving in the glass. Don't get me started on the length, insane. God bless those old vines! Simply put, it's bloody good!⁠

 The Eddies Old Vine Shiraz, Barossan gold if you ask me

There's one word that springs to mind every time I have an

 wine and that's consistency. This, the Max's Shiraz 2015, follows the famous house style to a tee. ​A red and dark fruit medley wrapped in oak and fine powdery tannins. It's solid and predictable, can't complain with that!⁠

 There's one word that springs to mind every time I have an

Made from vines 70 years or older, some of which are 150 years+ (The Orphans), the Langmeil Orphan Bank Shiraz is both a knockout and a bit of a bargain. 87% Barossa Valley, 13% Eden Valley, classic big Barossa flavours with elegance, balance and plushness. It beautifully balances texture, vibrancy, and complexity resulting in ridiculously enjoyable wine. Love it!! -

 Made from vines 70 years or older, some of which are 150

I’m a sucker for single vineyard, small batch, productions regardless of the variety and this

 Montepulciano, affectionately named “The Mob” is limited to 200 dozen and comes from a 1 hectare single vineyard in the Barossa. So with both boxes ticked, what’s it like? Black cherry in colour, impenetrable beginning to end. Sets the scene nicely for the dark cherry and red plum blast, twiggy herbals, and almost tarry edge all balanced nicely with chewy tannins and medium acidity. It’s a taste of Italy that’s had the Barossa treatment, and there’s nothing wrong with that!

 I’m a sucker for single vineyard, small batch, productions

Unblended Aussie Mataros are few and far between so I figured I should try this little turkey. First impressions are that it’s a super-rich and expressive representation of the variety, no doubt about it, and there’s plenty going on. It’s not a shy wine! Dark cherries and plums are mainstay of the fruit profile supported by savoury notes of mocha, anise, dried thyme and smoky wood chips. In summary, very enjoyable!

 Unblended Aussie Mataros are few and far between so I

Some wines are just too irresistible. Case in point, Vinteloper Odeon Pinot Noir from the Adelaide Hills. Only 1488, very heavy, bottles produced and artwork that’s possibly my favorite of the year. Screams quality from every angle, simply awesome! -

 Some wines are just too irresistible. Case in point

​⁠That nervous feeling when your boss says "order the wine" and this rocks up. It's easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission right? Especially when this beaut puts a smile the size of a house on your face. Highly recommended! ⁠

 ​⁠That nervous feeling when your boss says "order the wine"

From a small, 72 year old, single vineyard in the Blewitt Springs sub-region of the McLaren Vale this Grenache from Longline Wines has everything going for it. Combine that with 20% whole bunch, time in a concrete egg and seasoned French Oak puncheons and the end product is a wine you just want to savour. Lovely crunchy red berry fruits, red currants and raspberries with spices and earthy undertones. Crisp acidity and fine grained tannins wrap up this medium bodied package. It’s a gem of a wine with interest and complexly, and did I mention it’s only $26.....? You can’t buy better than that, end of. -