 in the Barossa. Both regional blends from some serious top tier addresses in the region, Stonewell, Ebenezer, and Moppa to name a few. Can’t wait to get stuck into these! Cold weather = Big, bold, Barossa Shiraz and these ought to do the job nicely! -

 New arrivals from @pirathonwines  in the Barossa. Both

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

A wise man once said “I like it, I like it a lot”, and that’s exactly how I feel about the

 Brothers Shiraz, named after Malcolm and Colin Campbell, the top-shelf drop from the Rutherglen producers. What’s not to like…  big blackberry fruit flavours, subtle hints of vanilla, savoury, almost leatheriness going on that’s well balanced by the tannin and acidity. No shrinking violet here! It’s certainly at home in glass, or the cellar.

 A wise man once said “I like it, I like it a lot”, and

Things are starting to get a little serious... ⁣

Drink or cellar, that's the question?!⁣

 Things are starting to get a little serious... ⁣ Drink or

​Sorrenberg Chardonnay, you beaut! Easily one of my favourite producers out there using biodynamics to produce stunning wines. Fairly limited numbers made so I’m pretty happy to have grabbed a few for the cellar!⁣⠀

 ​Sorrenberg Chardonnay, you beaut! Easily one of my

Pretty decent line up for a Monday night! Thanks

Ochota Barrels Fugazi 09, 10 years young and still shining... just. Gorgeous deep plummy, stewed fruity, reduced balsamic goodness. If you still have some drink up!

Spring Vale Pinot 17, a stunner from Tassie. Stems and complexity in buckets. Herbal, spicy characteristics everywhere even a slight gunpowder note. 30 mins open and it was singing!!

Serrat Shiraz Viognier 17, a young one, but a star in the making. Orange blossom, white pepper, lifted florals. It’s about as addictive a nose as I’ve experienced. Insane acidity, structure and grippy tannins. This will be epic in 5-10 years!

 Pretty decent line up for a Monday night! Thanks

This is an interesting little number from Purple Hands Wines. ​Montepulciano from the Barossa Valley? You heard right! Not an Aussie varietal I'm that familiar with to be honest and I'm pretty impressed. Sweet black fruits introduce themselves up front before the herbal savoury notes come to the fore. The tannins are firm, the acidity is bang on giving it good length. For me, it's definitely worth looking out for next time you're searching the bottle shop.⁠

 This is an interesting little number from Purple Hands

What’s your go-to red for under $30? This might just be my newest addition.... Pikes Eastside Shiraz from the Clare Valley, more specifically from Polish Hill River, is such an easy wine to drink. Plums and black cherry aromas, verging on blueberries after time in the glass. The medium bodied palate shows layers of black cherry and plum, with earthy undertones adding a savoury edge and structure. It’s a really well put together wine at a great price-point. The perfect cellar staple!

 What’s your go-to red for under $30? This might just be my

. Sunday arvos don’t get much better than this! Not one, but two stunning Standish Wine Co wines from 2016. The Standish and Relic are mind-blowingly good… maybe the best Shiraz I’ve had this year. Is there a better producer of Shiraz? If so, please let me know!

 Oops… #thishappened . Sunday arvos don’t get much better

This International Grenache Day is looking awesome! 🙌

 Produce some of my favourite Grenache out there from some of the oldest vines in the Barossa. The Tri-Centenary vines are a mind blowing 130 years old! Epic. Now, where do I start!! -

 This International Grenache Day is looking awesome! 🙌

They don’t come more mysterious, cult-like, and iconic than this Wendouree Shiraz, 2012. Ancient vines planted by A.P. Birks in 1893 produce low yields and coupled with a more hands off approach to winemaking the results⁣

are mesmerising. These wines will go the distance but it’s always worth having a little look sooner rather than later! The 2012 is a beaut, fantastic concentration, dense deep fruit flavours, and awesome tannin and all signs that this will sing decades from now! Good job I have a few more tucked away!!⁣

 They don’t come more mysterious, cult-like, and iconic than

*MAGNUM ALERT* Rockford Basket Press 2012. 1.5Ls of iconic, truly Barossan goodness. Now... there are a lot of producers in the Barossa making stunner Syrah style wines which I love, LOVE, but there's always a place in my heart for a traditional blockbuster Barossa Shiraz. ⁠

The Rockford wineworks and apparatus on Krondorf Road at Tanunda date back to the 1850s. Parcels of the best dry grown old vine Shiraz, some of which were planted in the nineteenth century, from a select cabal of growers, operating vineyards in the Barossa, Kalimna and Ebenezer, Moppa Springs and the Eden Valley, are treated to an ancient basket press followed by vinfication in old fashioned open fermentation vessels.⁠

The batches are matured in a selection of mostly well-seasoned French and American oak barrels, before a rigorous selection to determine the final assemblage. Deeply coloured wine. A dense bouquet of aromatic dark fruits and berries with a twist of spice efore the most engaging palate of reductions, power and richness over⁠

 *MAGNUM ALERT* Rockford Basket Press 2012. 1.5Ls of iconic

Golden Autumn day complimented with the magical inky Spinifex Syrah 2018. Second bottle in week and this is rapidly becoming a firm favourite! Wouldn't mind laying a few down to see how they evolve but I think the temptation would get the better of me! ⁣

 Golden Autumn day complimented with the magical inky

Vine Vale Grenache, one of the Juniors in the Yalumba line-up but don’t let that put you off for a second. Sweet aromas of fresh wild strawberries, cherries, cola-like botanicals. Thirst-quenchingly moreish, light-medium bodied, on the palate with the red berry fruit profile blending with whole bunch savouriness effortlessly. This will disappear very quickly!

 Vine Vale Grenache, one of the Juniors in the Yalumba

My Italian odyssey continues with Biondi-Santi 'Greppo' Brunello Di Montalcino 2012. Another icon of Italian wine renowned for longevity, elegance and power added to the collection. 100% Sangiovese and considered by many to be the purest and most profound iteration of the Tuscan grape. Might pencil this on in for my 50th! ⁣

 My Italian odyssey continues with Biondi-Santi 'Greppo'

​I’m having American tonight, what’s in your glass?  This is my first foray into the New World wines of America and kicking off with a banger! (So I’m told) The blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot traditionally delivers superb full body wines. Structured, velvety  tannins with a long and intense finish. Sounds bloody great!⁠

The Ridge history begins in 1886, high in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the initial plantings of the Monte Bello estate vineyard were set out, and winery construction begun. The first vintage from the young vines followed in 1892. During Prohibition (1920-1933), the vineyard was not fully maintained; some vines survived into the late 30’s,⁠ but by the 1940s they were effectively abandoned. Eight acres of cabernet sauvignon were replanted in 1949. These were the source of the first Ridge Monte Bello (1962). Since then, the historic vineyards on the ridge have gradually been replanted.⁠ Fantastic history! -⁠

 ​I’m having American tonight, what’s in your glass?  This

Hard to beat a cheeky trip to Magill Estate when you’re in town. Bin 150, it's a pretty classy drop. ⠀

 Hard to beat a cheeky trip to Magill Estate when you’re in

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Rusden make stunning wines. Simple.

This, The Good Shepherd Malbec 2018, fits the typical stylishly beautiful Rusden form. Inky and glass staining with a super aromatic nose of blueberries, cherries and violets. An effortlessly smooth and opulent palate of blue fruits, redcurrants, and touches of spice. All gloriously wrapped in velvety tannins. Flavour for days!

 I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Rusden make

My Tasmanian odyssey continues with this absolute gem from Jonny and Matt Hughes of Mewstone under their Hughes and Hughes label. -

Firstly, the colour is a joke. Screams red fruits, cranberry freshness and twiggy goodness. All but confirmed by an enticing perfume which is barely contained by the glass. It’s as if it wants to escape, amazing really. Enjoyment factor increases with the first sip. There’s a sweet / tart balancing act going on as the red fruited and twiggy herbaceous notes mix with juicy acidity. Reminds me of a sour cherry lolly, just less sour and buckets of deliciousness. Add it to your list of Tassie gems to get your hands on!! ⁠

 My Tasmanian odyssey continues with this absolute gem from

 range with this 2017 Aglianico from the northern Adelaide Hills. Aglianico, late ripening, spends a few weeks on skins and sees a mixture of older oak and stainless steel. The result? Zippy, cherry, candy-cane on the nose. Slight touch of fresh greenery, yum. Excitable palate as the cherry, sweet sour combo of fruit goodness gets a boost of fine tannins. For a varietal I’m not that across this is a bloody tasty little number! ⠀

 ​Continuing my exploration of the @spinifexwines  range

That feeling when you definitely shouldn’t, but you do. My excuse, you don’t see these very often! Straight to the cellar! ⠀

 That feeling when you definitely shouldn’t, but you do. My

It’s hard to imagine that this wine is produced from 167 year old vines... planted in 1843. Putting it in perspective, in 1843 Charles Dickens published “A Christmas Carol”, Hong Kong was pronounced a British colony, and the typewriter was patented...

 Staggering to think that these very vines were planted that same year. Simply put, an Aussie icon and a total pleasure. It’s a must try 🙌🍷🔥 🍷

 It’s hard to imagine that this wine is produced from 167

The longer this lockdown goes on the better these look… 😬🍷

​⁠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

If you had to pick one, which would it be? I think the Farr is the front runner for me… luckily I don’t have to pick one...What a line up! 🙌🍷🙌

 If you had to pick one, which would it be? I think the Farr

What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon! Jean-François Ganevat Chardonnay "Les Chalasses" Vieilles Vignes Côtes du Jura, what a wine! Woody, apply, zesty scents unfurl and collect in the glass. The palate, oh my. Salty and lemony, with a stunning minerality late on. One problem... one bottles not enough!! -

 What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon! Jean-François

. The Vice is Rollick’s cracking Eden Valley Shiraz. First up, the colour is awesome; crimson, magenta, violet. Youthful intensity on the nose, dark cherries smashed with blueberries and hints of baking spices. A fresh, youthful, exciting palate of blackberries, blueberries, dark cherry and violets, with herbal touches and soft velvety tannins. It’s smile inducing and that, for me, is the sign of a quality wine. Well played Rollick! -

 Rocking a Rollick for a Sunday #sundowner . The Vice is

I’m getting my fill of hearty Barossan reds this winter and this Calabria Bros Old Vine Shiraz is such a find. Dark, inky purple with magenta hues. Medium to full bodied, fitting the traditional Barossa Shiraz style effortlessly. Lots of dark fruit. Less fresh, more stewed and rich. Great oaky characters, obvious but well balanced. Grippy tannins and persistent flavour. For under $30, it’s a classy and impressive Barossa Shiraz.

 I’m getting my fill of hearty Barossan reds this winter and

Beautiful, back and front. It’s hard to find a better “package” out there in my opinion. Year on year, they get prettier and prettier! Can’t wait to see what’s install for the next release. For now though, these will do VERY nicely! ⠀

 Beautiful, back and front. It’s hard to find a better

Here’s a bit of vertical love for your Thursday evening. If you could pick a vintage, which one would it be? 🍷 ​

 Here’s a bit of vertical love for your Thursday evening. If

If you’re a fan of Temprenillo then get your chops around this. From the Strathbogie Ranges near Bonnie Doon, ah the serenity,

 produce this Tempranillo and a Reserve. Firstly, this is a beaut of a wine. Ruby and garnet in colour, complex brambly, pomegranate and earthy aromas with hints of mushrooms... interesting. The Zalto captures it so well, smell, sip, wait, repeat and it evolves each time. The palate has powdery tannin, pomegranate again, spices and plums, with sherry notes adding complexity. It intrigues brilliantly. Can’t wait to try the reserve!