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

Cracker of a Riesling from Grosset. Springvale 2018, an awesomely dry mineral driven expression with intense citrus aromatics... bloody lovey! 🍷 ​

 Cracker of a Riesling from Grosset. Springvale 2018, an

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

Sometimes it’s good to treat yourself and the Standish Wine Co, The Standish 2016, does a phenomenal job. This Shiraz is made from fruit farmed by the Laycock family in the Greenock sub-region of the Barossa Valley. Dan has worked closely with this great vineyard since 2005, with previous releases of  Standish 'Andelmonde’ and ‘Borne Bollene’ coming from this site. Pure pedigree and coupled with his six generations of Barossan heritage means he certainly knows how to make exceptional wines. Thanks Dan! 🍷 🍷 🍷 ​

 Sometimes it’s good to treat yourself and the Standish Wine

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

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!

Standish Wine Co, the Relic, 2016... Monumental. Serious contender for Red of the year. ⁠

Firstly the colour ridiculous. The purplest of purple with a depth and vibrancy that's off the scale. Unashamedly full bodied, but fresh. Beautiful blueberries, spicy characters, in the smoothest of smooth packages with the tannins and acidity there holding it together. Awesomely made. Buy it, try to cellar if you can and if not rest assured either way you'll probably be smiling for a week.

 Standish Wine Co, the Relic, 2016... Monumental. Serious

Cracking way to start the week. Cheeky little

 Mataro / Grenache / Shiraz (​54/28/22% blend) providing heaps of pretty fruit and floral notes from the Grenache, deep richness from the Shiraz and a robustness from the Mataro. Loving the berry fruit acidity, supporting those pretty floral notes, raspberry creeping through early and the grippy ⁠tannins providing great texture to the finish. ⁠-

Also, just a little side note... considering the pedigree of the winemakers (ex-Grant Burge) and their experience with some true classic Barossa GMSs it's no surprise that this is a quality drop. You’d be hard pushed to find much better at this price point for sure. Save your time and give this a go it’s a real crowd pleaser!! -

 Cracking way to start the week. Cheeky little

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

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

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

Ticks every box! Stunning Barossan Syrah from

. So concentrated with beautiful length. What a perfect way to wrap up a week! Easily one of my favorite wines this year! 🍷 ​

 Ticks every box! Stunning Barossan Syrah from

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

I love a good nose around a quality bottle shop, especially when you find gems like this. Keller Frauenberg 2014 is certainly not a regular find in Sydney so this is coming home with me. Notes soon! 🍷 ​

 I love a good nose around a quality bottle shop, especially

What an absolute stunner! Mewstone Top Block Pinot Noir 2016, Magnum 12 of 25. Such depth of colour, and a nose that’s simply stunning. I could barely put the glass down! On the palate, it’s plush, no messing, awesome blue fruits and savoriness in a mouthwateringly beautiful package. I really think this is one of my favorite Pinots to date. In short, stunning. 🍷

 What an absolute stunner! Mewstone Top Block Pinot Noir

We're truly spoilt for choice when it comes to shiraz in Australia. Dare I say it... best place for it?!? ⠀

Either way, I'm loving the Shiraz now the colder months are coming in!⠀

 We're truly spoilt for choice when it comes to shiraz in

Standish Lamella Shiraz 2017 joining the 15 & 16 sleeping in the cellar. Arguably my most anticipated release of the year. What’s yours? 🍷

This is Eden Valley Shiraz in full flight.

Grown by the Angas family on Hutton Vale Farm, a place their family has tended for now seven generations, Dan Standish has taken their fruit to a new stratosphere.

The Lamella is a transcendent Shiraz. An imperious wine of incredible density and purity, a feeling of elegance maintained through careful and sensitive winemaking. If you have never had your mind blown by an Eden Valley Shiraz, this may be the wine to do it.

A wine that could stand toe-to-toe with any of the most iconic names in Australian Shiraz, this is about as good as Shiraz gets from this part of the world. 🍷 ​

 Standish Lamella Shiraz 2017 joining the 15 & 16 sleeping

Is there a wine you buy every vintage? In preparation for the

 releases I just couldn’t resist trying one of the 17s to get me more excited! 🍷

This wine is from the Shiraz block planted in 2003, with Viognier from the original 2001 plantings. There are two Shiraz clones in the block; Best’s Old Block sourced from the original 1868 plantings at Best’s Great Western and clone 1654, a Barossa selection. The Viognier is from cuttings at Yarra Yering, cut in 2000, that Dr Carrodus had personally taken them from Chateau Grillet in Condrieu in the 60’s. Highly illegal at the time…. 🍷

The nose? Highly fragrant. Red and blue fruits, violets, black pepper and spice... bloody good and very complex. The palate? Soft, super fine and silky tannins. Trademark blue and red fruits, gorgeous peppery notes. So beautifully structured, finishes long, oh so long. I can’t wait for my 17s to be 5+ years old and for the new release! Awesome wines and you’ll struggle to find better for the price anywhere! 🍷 ​

 Is there a wine you buy every vintage? In preparation for

Cooler days call for heart-warming wines... Enter Casella Cabernet Sauvignon 2012. Limestone Coast Cabernet doing the business with it's blackcurrant, plummy goodness, a very slight herby edge and fine tannin. All in all a decent drop for a Thursday! ⠀

 Cooler days call for heart-warming wines... Enter Casella

The perfect way to end the day. Simple satisfaction🍷

 The perfect way to end the day. Simple satisfaction🍷 ​​

​​Tiptoeing my way into the revered world of red Burgundy and Domaine Dujac. This Dujac Fils et Père, Nuits St. Georges “Les Damodes” ​2016, one of the négociant range, is treated much the same way as the Domaine wines just with younger vines. There are suggested likenesses to “Vosne” spices with this wine.  Light, long and elegant. It's off to the cellar for a few more years sleep before its debut. ⠀

 ​​Tiptoeing my way into the revered world of red Burgundy

Have you seen a wine this colourful before? If so, what was it? This is insane!

Beyond the colour this Atze’s Corner ‘The Giant’ Durif 2019 is a one way ticket to flavourtown, with a detour through the black forest of Gateauxville. This is to say it’s not a shy wine. Dark cherry, pomegranate, mulberry, liquorice, spicy vanilla, chary oak on the nose. The palate’s rich and robust, full, definitely full. It’s all dark fruit, cherries, blackberries, mulberries, with spice and woody layers. Vanilla is the common thread throughout. No bad thing. The richness is very impressive, second only to the colour. 🍷👏🏼🍷

 Have you seen a wine this colourful before? If so, what was

Penfolds have their displays down pat. Simple and stylish... wine rack goals! I’m gathering ideas for my home cellar, suggestions please! 🍷

 Penfolds have their displays down pat. Simple and

Les Amis 2015, arguably my favorite from the

It’s a complex beast. Don’t let the medium pale colour deceive you. Five spice, cherry bake, rose petals with a mystifying savoury edge. It’s a ripper. To taste, oh to taste. Berries. Red. Cherry Bakewell tart goodness with a solid pinch of fine emery board tannin to round it all off. It’s a stunner, quite possibly the best Barossa Grenache I’ve tried. 🍷

 Les Amis 2015, arguably my favorite from the

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

​​Stocking up for winter is so much fun! Yarra Valley goodness courtesy of

. Two of my go to wines for price and quality. Next on the list, Standish and Giaconda new releases! What's on your list?⠀

 ​​Stocking up for winter is so much fun! Yarra Valley

I thought it was about time this beaut from

made its debut. Closed, coiled, at first. But... 4 hours in the decanter and this was singing. Mega complex and substantial Shiraz with amazing structure. Beautiful fruit, so deep. Spicy, peppery goodness with soft luxurious tannins and awesome acidity. Exceptional! 🍷 ​

 I thought it was about time this beaut from

Fantastic little pit stop at Langmeil Winery today, even if it was swift. Loved everything about it, just beautiful and quality. The wines... awesome. These two clear favorites for me punching well above their price tags in my opinion. You could spend a lot more and get a lot less. Awesome stuff! Highly, highly, recommended! 🍷

 Fantastic little pit stop at Langmeil Winery today, even if

Warming up in the winter sun with a little help from this beaut and continuing my love affair with Spinifex Wines. Not much more to say really... cheers!

 Warming up in the winter sun with a little help from this

Erm... so this may just be my “want most” wine of 2019. The 10 acre

Astralis Vineyard is a source of "as good as you can get" Shiraz/Syrah in Australia, maybe even the world... big statement I know. The vines were first planted in 1920 with 19th century colonial vine-stock derived from Chateau Reynella. Greatness. This time, sadly, it stayed on the shelf. If you’ve tried it let me know what it’s like!! 🍷 ​

 Erm... so this may just be my “want most” wine of 2019. The

Standish The Standish 16. Wow... hats off here folks. Everything from grilled meats, herbaceous notes, and blue / black fruits. Ridiculous! -

 Oracle Shiraz 14. Could’ve swore it was Torbreck Descendant. Exotic spices and French oak coming through. Easily the most understated wine of the night, but it brimmed with complexity. Kept us guessing and fooled us all! -

The Struie 13. So much life left here. Shows the quality Torbreck have available as it held it’s place at this illustrious line up. Well played. 🍷 ​

 Shiraz night round up with @eamesco and

Epic find and rare as rocking horse sh*t down here in Aus. Domaine Macle Château Chalon 2010 cellared! Bloody love finding a rare one, especially a Grand Cru Jura beaut. Rumor has it these can easily get to the 40 year mark... who’s tried it? 🍷

Curnonsky, the famous 20th century Parisian “Prince of Gastronomes” included the wines of Château-Chalon among “the five great white wines of France,” along with Montrachet and Yquem. He postulated that you did not understand the white wines of France until you had tasted great Vin Jaune. 🍷 ​