Expectations exceed, considerably! Curtis Family Vineyard’s Martins Vineyard Shiraz 2016 is a beaut... serious quality on show here. -

Blackberries and plums, hints of blueberry combined with anise and a touch of vanilla. Fresh, definitely in no way dense or jammy, there’s a real elegance here. The body is full, palate rich, texture perfect, and the fruit shines. Blackberry, plums, dark chocolate richness that’s silky and smooth. There’s oak, American, but it’s extremely well integrated giving the slightest vanilla notes, more complexity than expected, and super velvety tannins. What a ripper!

 Expectations exceed, considerably! Curtis Family Vineyard’s

If you’re like me and haven’t had the greatest experience then I can highly recommend Campbell’s The Barkley… this is a totally different proposition! It feels like a proper wine, if that makes sense at all. Super expressive nose of dark fruits and savoury spice, big but not “wow here comes a headache” big. On the palate it is rich, opulent, and elegant with a velvety texture. Plenty of ripe dark fruits, blackberries and black cherry, followed by graphite-like, leathery, liquorice savoury layers. One for the cellar, but also very fun now!

 What’re your thoughts on Durif? If you’re like me and

Hands down my favourite shiraz producer in Australia, and a Greenock Shiraz of supreme class. Inky, meaty, spicy, and savoury with incredible depth and length. Laced with stunning tannin and purity of Shiraz fruit it’s a total pleasure to drink. Enjoyed over 4 hours and every sip showed something new. Magic in a bottle! -

 Hands down my favourite shiraz producer in Australia, and a

If you’ve ever thought Durif just isn’t for you, give Scion Fortrose a go, it’s bloody great and incredibly smashable especially with this cheeky little Sicilian Pasta dish. It’s easily the best Durif I’ve had to date and from a producer who’s one of my best finds of the year. If you’ve not tasted any Scion Wines, you really should 🍷🙌🙏

 If you’ve ever thought Durif just isn’t for you, give Scion

What’s not to like about a cheeky drop to start the week! La Maline 2015, a Barossa Shiraz filled with fruit from the Eden Valley. Most of which is 75+ years old. Monumental blackcurrant and blackberry fruit. There’s a real depth here, awesome. Beyond the fruit it sappy, stalky, and herbal from the whole bunch. Complexity in buckets. A stunning Barossan! 🍷

Tech notes: All fruit was hand harvested and cooled overnight. Around 30-40% of bunches were retained; fermentation took place in small open stainless steel and wooden fermenters, with indigenous yeasts. Approximately 1 % pressed Viognier marc was added during fermentation. The wine was raised on light lees in a selection of thick staved 600 litre demi muids, and some barriques; unfined, and bottled without filtration. 🍷 ​

 What’s not to like about a cheeky drop to start the week!

I’ve now found the second hardest label to photograph after Giaconda, Jack West’s Western Barossa Shiraz. The 2017 is a quintessential Barossa Shiraz and all the better for it. Dark fruits and dried herbs on the nose. Medium to full bodied Shiraz character on the palate with plenty of plum, blackberry, spicy and slightly peppery notes going on. It’s a smart drop for the $$$, we’ll worth checking out 🙏👍🏽🍷

 I’ve now found the second hardest label to photograph after

If you could pick one to try, which would it be? Lamella, Relic, Schubert Theorum, or The Standish?

In my opinion these Standish Wine Co wines are amongst the best Australian examples of Shiraz I’ve been lucky enough to stumble across in recent years. With 4 different expressions covering Eden Valley / Marananga / Greenock and a Shiraz Viognier, the only challenge is picking which one to drink!

 If you could pick one to try, which would it be? Lamella

Found a great wine this year? Let me know, I’d love to check it out! -

These little beauties were my Xmas present and they’re one of my favourite finds this year. They’ll get a year or two to chill before they’re opened... if I can find them 😂

 Found a great wine this year? Let me know, I’d love to

Last post of the year and my Second NYE drop, Rusden Black Guts Shiraz, one of my favourites from the Barossa. All manner of dark fruits and spice on the nose with a cherry cola-esque richness. Powerful and elegant on the palate. Dark berries, violet, fizzy cola sweets backed by roasted coffee, a touch of oak and chewy tannins. It’s bloody great, and it’s only a baby. Give it a few years and it’ll be even better!

 Last post of the year and my Second NYE drop, Rusden Black

Rockford’s iconic Basket Press Shiraz, 375mls of pure Barossa class. I’m a big fan of the cheeky 375ml bottle. They’re the perfect size for a decent taste, mature slightly faster, and don’t (usually) leaving your head pounding the following day. What’s not to like! Especially when it’s a Rockford 🍷 thoughts? 🍷 ​

 Rockford’s iconic Basket Press Shiraz, 375mls of pure

At 171 years old, the vines that produce the Cirillo Estate 1850 Grenache are believed to be the oldest in the world, making this somewhat of a unicorn and a little too hard to resist! It’s going for a long sleep in the cellar... couldn’t help myself!

 At 171 years old, the vines that produce the Cirillo Estate

Four of the best, and my favorite, Australian producers out there. Side by side and enjoyed over a few days these wines highlight the breath, pedigree and class of Australian winemaking. 🍷

Langmeil Orphan Bank 2016... Pure, classic Barossa Shiraz. Face smilingly brilliant. 🍷

Sami-Odi Hoffman Dalwitz 2017... oh my you B.E.A.utiful thing you. Loved everything about it from the super cool bottle to the fruit battle royal in my mouth. Epic. 🍷

By Farr RP Pinot Noir 2016... basically Burgundy down under. Monumental Pinot from the Farr stable that evolved, continuously. Brain blown! 🍷

Standish Wine Co The Relic 2016... monsters do exist. Hailed as the new King of Barossa Shiraz, Dan Standish is making the sort of wines that make the world standstill and envelope you in the beauty of what’s before you. I could drink this forever. 🍷

 Four of the best, and my favorite, Australian producers out

One of the best! Patritti’s JPB Limited Release Single Vineyard McLaren Vale Shiraz is one of my favourite wines from the McLaren Vale. I haven’t tasted it for a little while now so I think this ones coming home tonight 🍷🙌🙏

 One of the best! Patritti’s JPB Limited Release Single

What’s the oldest wine in your collection?

The 1993 Eileen Hardy Shiraz is my oldest wine, the wine that started my collection and subsequent compulsion. Considering it’s now getting close to 3 decades old I really should find an excuse to open it! Fingers crossed it’s still in good shape!

 What’s the oldest wine in your collection? The 1993 Eileen

Rochford Premier Chardonnay 2018 is, by whatever measure, an exceptional Yarra Valley Chardonnay. Tasted on a recent visit to the cellar door it’s fair to say it’s one of those “I won’t forget you in a while” wines.

On the nose there’s complexity and power. White peaches, citrus grapefruit, toasty almond biscuit and oaky vanilla. Stunningly deep and irresistibly moreish, and that’s before you taste. On the palate it’s another level. An intense and full-throttle citrus core plays out with matchstick, mineral, chalky characters all supported by buttery, mouth coating texture and crystalline acidity. It’s epic, perhaps the best Aussie Chardonnay I’ve tried to date.

 Rochford Premier Chardonnay 2018 is, by whatever measure

Tuesday night tidy up time and I just found this. Château Ducru-Beaucaillou’s second wine, one of my favourite producers in St Julien, La Croix de Beaucaillou (52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot). I bought it at the Chateau 3 years ago and figured it’d would be worth a punt given the quality of the 2015 vintage and the vineyard sites. At 5 years old it’s still a baby so I think I’ll dig it out in another 5.

 Tuesday night tidy up time and I just found this. Château

Anyone else stocking up for Xmas? I’ve arrived home to find this trio from Dowie Doole behind the plant pot. Nothing better than wine deliveries! 🍷

 Anyone else stocking up for Xmas? I’ve arrived home to find

The age old question... to drink, or not to drink? 😂 The wine that got me into wine was an 80s vintage Mumm Champagne that’d been cellared for 20+ years. There was barely a bubble left but the texture and flavours were insane! Toffee, biscuits, oats, amazing. If there’s a wine that started it for you please let me know! -

 The age old question... to drink, or not to drink? 😂 The

I’m definitely getting my fill of Riesling this summer and that’s no bad thing. Poonawatta’ “The Eden” single vineyard Riesling light straw in colour with a subtle clean nose of mild citrus and minerals. Floral, highly mineral and bone dry on the palate with green apples and crisp refreshing acidity wrapping it up. Great length and a sense of purity coming through. Great drop!

 I’m definitely getting my fill of Riesling this summer and

Ochota Barrels Fugazi Grenache 2017.... welcome to funkytown! Having spent 2ish years in the cellar now it’s undergone quite an evolution from the super delicate, pretty, floral, and smashable summer drop I remembered it to be. I tasted it over 4 days and that’s rare for me! In summary;

Day 1 – The funkiest, savoury, twiggy, complex range of flavour that confused my brain. I definitely didn’t dislike it, but the there was a lot more complexity than I remembered. -

Day 2 – Fruit emerges from the funk. Ripe raspberries, macerated strawberries and rose petals all intermingling and rising above the dried herbs and twiggy notes.

Day 3 – Perfect balance, all flavours nicely integrated. It’s in a great spot. -

Overall, 1 day of questioning what on earth had happened, followed by 3 days of super interesting drinking. On reflection, my preference would be to drink on release, but I know plenty of people who would love the evolution! Can’t fault it for intrigue!!

 Ochota Barrels Fugazi Grenache 2017.... welcome to

I shouldn’t have, but I did, it’s Xmas after all and it’s a gold Super Tuscan! Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore L’Infinito is the limited release of the 2011 vintage. One bottle in every six gets the limited, artist designed, label so this was a little too hard to resist!

 I shouldn’t have, but I did, it’s Xmas after all and it’s a

Kick-starting the week with a Mclaren Vale Shiraz from Curtis Family Vineyards. The Cavaliere 2016 is a big, fruit forward Shiraz, with plenty of blackberry, plum, and anise on the nose. Full bodied, plush and rich on the palate. A dark fruit medley of blackberry and dark cherry, cocoa, and hot asphalt mix kicking in at the finish. All in all, a great way to start the week! Happy drinking all 🍷🙌

 Kick-starting the week with a Mclaren Vale Shiraz from

Here we have the Lifeblood Shiraz, Trent Burge’s homage to the region, the variety, and all things Barossa. Crafted to last a lifetime, and packaged to ensure it does. It’s impressive even before you open it! -

Crimson, verging on black, impenetrable, and light absorbing in the glass. Sets the scene… Bold aromas of blackberry, plum, roasted coffee and worn leather. There’s a crescendo of black fruit intensity on the palate which peaks into the assertive trademark Barossa Shiraz tannin. A seriously quality wine from Trent. It might be bit of a monster, but it’s bloody good!

 Barossa Blockbuster anyone? Here we have the Lifeblood

I find it very hard to resist a cheeky taste of any Rockford Basket Press... especially a new vintage! -

 I find it very hard to resist a cheeky taste of any

Whistler SMG 2108, Incredibly moreish and shockingly good value.... Now that’s a bloody good combination.

Biodynamic, Estate grown, Shiraz and Grenache deliver beautiful red and blue berry fruit flavours that’re crisp, racy and fresh with great depth. Mataro doing the business with an earthy and savoury backbone allowing the fruits to shine. It’s so incredibly drinkable and you can’t ask for more than that!

 Whistler SMG 2108, Incredibly moreish and shockingly good

Barossa Boy Wines, Trent Burge’s project label, turned up today and I have to say these are right up my street. A combination of a sixth generation Barossa winemaker’s know-how and legendary vines means one thing... Awesomeness in a bottle! Can’t wait to open these!!

 Barossa Boy Wines, Trent Burge’s project label, turned up

The big guns came out today for today’s Xmas day lunch. Hosted by the Italian in-laws there was only one option really. Super day, super Tuscan. -

 The big guns came out today for today’s Xmas day lunch

What was the last wine that surprised you? -

My nomination is this Barossa Boy Little Helper GSM which, despite not being a huge GSM fan, is absolutely smashable. It’s packed with a core red fruits, dark berries, and a touch of dried herbs on the nose. Super lush on the palate with plenty of texture as the fruit comes to the fore before the savoury earthy and oaky notes wrap it up. I’d happily wrap my chops around this any time!

 What was the last wine that surprised you? - My nomination

Who’s having a glass tonight? If so, let me know what you’re getting stuck into! I’m tucking into this Sons of Eden 2014 Romulus Shiraz, and it’s hitting the spot beautifully.

At 5 years old this old vine Barossa Shiraz is in a great place. Deep purple/ violet in the glass, with dark fruit, fruitcake spices, and liquorice on the nose. To taste, as expected, it’s super concentrated and luxuriously smooth. Dark plums, blackberries, prunes, incredibly elegant for a big wine with soft tannins and a nice amount of oak. It’s all coming together very very nicely. If you like Barossa Shiraz, this is cracker.

 Who’s having a glass tonight? If so, let me know what

Dr Edge North Pinot Noir, one of the many Tassie Pinot Noirs hiding away in the cellar. Considering I’ve not tried any of the Dr Edge range this one is living a charmed life at the moment! When to drink? that’s the constant dilemma of wine collecting!

 Dr Edge North Pinot Noir, one of the many Tassie Pinot

Pirathon Gold, perhaps the concentrated, lux, decadent wine of the year. The Barossa dialed up to 11/10 and from time to time, that’s bloody awesome! Love it!! -

 Pirathon Gold, perhaps the concentrated, lux, decadent wine

Friday eve Barossa Shiraz courtesy of Andrew Quin and Quin Wines. It opens with aromas of blackberries, blueberries, black plums, and dark chocolate. It’s dense and concentrated on the palate, fruit for days, and built for the long-term yet it’s balanced and super rounded. There’s an intriguing complexity intertwined between fruit and earthy savoriness. It’s starting to come together beautifully; trademark Barossa, and unapologetically so. If I had a hat I’d doff it🍷