 has to be one of the premier Pinot vineyards in Australia. With the top of the range retailing for about $800, this one is far more budget friendly. At mid $40, it is their entry level but does it live up to the brand or is it just a means to sell 1000’s of bottles?

The 17k is named after the vineyard (which has 17000 vines). I’ve seen it has had mixed reviews but I loved it. Strong, powerful and an interesting profile. This is not an entry level pinot or some quick grab to sell some bottles. It is a very good pinot for the price. The problem is that this $40 bottle will end up costing me a lot more, as I’ll have to try the reserve and premium one now…simple…

Needs a decanter and time to open up for the full experience.

 Bass Phillip Bin 17K Pinot Noir 2019 Rating: A- Price: $44

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

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

The secret revealed... The Perfect Swirl! 🤗

Head over to my reel to see in full detail. Thanks to IGs lovely formatting you can’t see all the steps but here they are;

Step 1 – Make sure you have “Live” photo turned on. Steps are for iPhone. Sorry androids.

Step 2 – Swirl as hard as your heart desires

Step 5 – Select the rings to the left of the edit settings

Step 6 – Drag the frame to choose the best swirl

Couldn’t be easier to get that perfect shot. Happy swirling people!

 The secret revealed... The Perfect Swirl! 🤗 Head over to my

I’ve been fortunate to taste some fantastically tasty, moreish, and great value wines lately. This is no exception. -

Purple Hands Aglianico 2017, medium bodied, vibrant and balanced on the nose. The palate shows plenty of upfront redcurrant and black cherries notes, liquorice and tar. Rustic, earthy tannins and fresh berry acidity round it off very nicely. It’s a quality drop, no doubt about it! -

 I’ve been fortunate to taste some fantastically tasty

Interview with Mike Dunn of Dunn Vineyards. We walked through four decades of Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 1984, 1994, 2004, and 2014.

 Interview with Mike Dunn of Dunn Vineyards. We walked

🍷🗝 Sometimes you just need the right tool for the right bottle. It is hot out, and I love aged German Riesling.

🇩🇪🍷 The lower alcohol levels make the wine a joy to drink. Also, there is something about long-term aging that somehow changes the perception of residual sugar on the palate. I realize the residual sugar is the exact same, but it just tastes "less sweet". If anyone knows the science behind this please let me know. Even a Spätlese can be aged beautifully for almost 50 years.

💪💪💪While some people prefer to leverage their corkscrew skills as a show of prowess, I prefer just to get the cork out as cleanly as possible, so I can get to enjoy those finely aged wine.

 🍷🗝 Sometimes you just need the right tool for the right

🇨🇱🍷💪 Prepping for today's Instagram Live with

 to take out just a glass each of 2005, 2016, and 2017 Don Melchor.

⚠️👷🏻‍♂️ While a live stream may technically be simple to do, but making them entertaining, educational, or whatever you are trying to accomplish takes a lot of preparation.

From negotiations on timing, building a conversation outline, sourcing wines, finding visual aids, creating posts, and story reminders are just some of the work involved. After all that, you get to have a friendly discussion with your guest, but fingers crossed the internet connection is stable to everyone. 🤞😓

 🇨🇱🍷💪 Prepping for today's Instagram Live with

🙏 A giant thank you to everyone that has interacted with me in the comments, sent encouraging feedback in DMs, liked my posts, watched my stories, and corrected me when I got something wrong. 🙏·

🍷 The wine community is flourishing on Instagram, and I am delighted to be a part of it. From the expert to the novice, we can all learn from each other, and that is what keeps me engaged everyday·

🥂 Cheers to more friends, more debates, and of course more wine 😍·

 🎉 30,000+ Followers 🙌· 🙏 A giant thank you to everyone that

🥰🍾Happy Global Champagne Day‼️·

 🥰🍾Happy Global Champagne Day‼️· 🥂What is in your glass❓·

No need for food or anything else with this wine. Just drink and enjoy…simple…

 Koonara Lucy and Alice 2020 Pinot Gris Rating: B Price: $23

A complex Chardonnay, which is a concert of flavours with the oak being the encore to what is a beautiful performance…simple…

 Port Phillip Estate 2018 Red Hill Chardonnay Rating: A-

There have been some very good decisions made in the winemaking industry. Planting Cabernet Sauvignon in the Coonawarra as an example or Max Schubert deciding his bosses were wrong and continuing to make a wine now known as Grange.

Another very good decision was for George and Jo to buy a vineyard and plant as they say “a little patch” of vines which includes

The photo reflects the taste and smell of the wine but what it doesn’t show is the gutsy decisions that were made to create this wine. The fact that George bought a

 on a whim and then they planted some still relatively unknown varieties to mainstream wine drinkers.

All of this has paid off with a beautiful wine. If I could have found some leather and tobacco, I would have added that in the glass as well.

To George, Jo and all those other winemakers and owners who make those brave decisions to make something different, plant something new, cheers.

 George’s Folly Unguarded Moment Nero d’Avola Rating: B

Option 2️⃣ for Mother’s Day. Peter Lehmann The Barossa Shiraz. $20 from most stores. Beautiful Shiraz from the Barossa. Big, bold and a true Barossa Shiraz. Add with 🌺💐🌻 and Mum will love it. 🍷 ...simple... 🍷

 Option 2️⃣ for Mother’s Day. Peter Lehmann The Barossa

The only way to end a long weekend....simple....

🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾

 The only way to end a long weekend....simple

Best thing I’ve done all day...simple...

 Best thing I’ve done all day...simple... #thatfeeling

Voluptuous and indulgent. Silky smooth with an old charm. 15% alcohol but it’s a treat.

This is up there with some great Barossa wines. Definitely a Wine of the Year contender...simple...

The Welland story began with the arrival of the Krieg family, from Germany in 1847.

Welland vineyard was planted in 1923. Situated on sand over red clay soils, this vineyard for many years supplied premium fruit to well-known Barossa wineries such as

in 2017, the last few hectares of this old vineyard were listed for sale as a ‘development site’. The vines were within a whisker of meeting the bulldozers when a group of friends led by Ben and Madeleine Chapman purchased the block. Together they are now in the process of resurrecting this historic old vineyard.

Brilliant stuff. Have a look at the last photo to explain how close this vineyard came to being lost.

 Welland Wines Old Hands Shiraz 2018 Rating: A- Price: $70

Region: Fleurieu Peninsula of South Australia

Firstly open this wine at least an hour before drinking or decanter (trust me, this wine deserves it)

The smell is really enticing, while the taste is full of dark fruits, but its the ending that I love. I savour every last drop in my mouth and squeeze every bit of flavour from my tongue. Its firm and dry but I'm already looking forward to the next sip. A very good wine. It has a level of flavour and a bite that I enjoy. Recommendation: Buy 3 (at least)

Have one now and keep the others for a few years, I think this wine will develop into greatness and I bet you wished you had bought 6 or even 12. 🍷

 Beklyn 2018 Currency Creek Shiraz Rating: B+ Price: $45 Buy

Let’s end bottle discrimination...simple...

 Let’s end bottle discrimination...simple... 🥂 v 🍺 #bottle

took this impressive photo of the pressing of the 2021 Pinot Noir at

 This is beautiful. @vicpug took this impressive photo of

Full flavour with a touch of sweetness that creates an overall luscious feel.

Completely different from most Rieslings. It feel luxurious with an impressive length.

A lot of reviews outline a lemon lime character but I tasted a focus of apricot with a creamy texture.

On a side note do you ever find it hard to pair a wine with spicier food, like a curry or even Italian sausage or even some spicier salamis?

Well this is it. Perfect for that Thai BYO.

This is built for a curry. I paired it with an spicy Italian sausage pizza and it was a brilliant combination.

💰 A very good wine and worth the price

You may have noticed I have added ‘in paid partnership’ above the post and photo. I did not get paid to post about this wine.

I have always outlined in my posts if the wine was complimentary, but some people are saying Instagram now requires the tagging of related partnerships whether it is free or a paid endorsement. IG now outlines getting free products is the same as being paid in their terms and conditions.

Receiving complimentary or free wine  does not impact my review. It is a requirement before I post about any wine that it must reach a score a minimum of C and most importantly want to recommend it to my audience.

 Hutton Vale Eden Valley Riesling 2019 Rating: A- Price: $35

Shiraz from Hunter Valley. “Will benefit from medium to long term cellaring” I think 17 years is long enough. I bought 6 of these back in the day and had one every couple of years. An iconic Hunter vineyard and recommend to anyone visiting the

 Old school tonight. 2002 @scarboroughwines Shiraz from

🍷 How long will it last? I really want it this weekend...simple... 🍷

The initials RWT stand for ‘Red Winemaking Trial’, the name given to the project internally when developmental work began in 1995. Naturally, now no longer a ‘Trial’ RWT Shiraz was launched in May 2000 with the 1997 vintage.

They have the precision, concentration, persistency and balance to age for many years.  The best vintages should last at least thirty years. 🍷

 Something for the Cellar Penfolds RWT BIN 798 2015 🍷 How

Chateau Yaldara Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2016

This wine is like sitting in an old leather wingback chair in front of an open fire 🔥 the smell, the taste, the feeling.

It’s warm tasting, comfortable but captivating just like looking at a fire. I could drink this and ponder into the fire all night. A very good wine. A classic in my opinion...simple...

 Wine of the Month: February Chateau Yaldara Reserve

Super juicy blend with both the Shiraz and Cab Sav working in balance to give the best of both varieties. The team

 have outlined they have made small changes to their wines. I never tasted their previous vintages but whatever small changes they have made its working. This wine is not trying too hard it is just a classic blend...simple...

 Small Changes Red 2018 Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

Rating: B (but would be higher if you love moscato)

Now I don’t like Moscato (but you should know that with my lack of moscato reviews) but this is actually not bad. Refreshing and not overly sweet. I like it. Would be very good cold on a summer day at the beach. Well make that first day of Autumn...simple...

 Pete’s Pure Moscato Euston, Murray River area of NSW

 Behind the scenes 🎬 It’s never too cold for #chardonnay

2019 Roxanne the Razor by Delinquent Wines

Recommendation: A nice soft way to start the night. 🍷

A light blend. You can taste the fruit but in a soft gentle way. I didn’t expect that after seeing the label. On that note how good is the label? 🍷

 2019 Roxanne the Razor by Delinquent Wines Negroamaro and

Shut the front door 🚪 I’d swear but I might get blocked (again 😂). This is beautiful. Fruit driven bomb 💣 One of those wines that I instantly buy again.

Bass Phillip Bin 17K Pinot Noir 2019 Rating: A- Price: $44

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

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

The secret revealed... The Perfect Swirl! 🤗 Head over to my

I’ve been fortunate to taste some fantastically tasty

Interview with Mike Dunn of Dunn Vineyards. We walked

🍷🗝 Sometimes you just need the right tool for the right

🇨🇱🍷💪 Prepping for today's Instagram Live with

🎉 30,000+ Followers 🙌· 🙏 A giant thank you to everyone that

🥰🍾Happy Global Champagne Day‼️· 🥂What is in your glass❓·

Koonara Lucy and Alice 2020 Pinot Gris Rating: B Price: $23

Port Phillip Estate 2018 Red Hill Chardonnay Rating: A-

George’s Folly Unguarded Moment Nero d’Avola Rating: B

Option 2️⃣ for Mother’s Day. Peter Lehmann The Barossa

The only way to end a long weekend....simple

Best thing I’ve done all day...simple... #thatfeeling

Welland Wines Old Hands Shiraz 2018 Rating: A- Price: $70

Beklyn 2018 Currency Creek Shiraz Rating: B+ Price: $45 Buy

Let’s end bottle discrimination...simple... 🥂 v 🍺 #bottle

This is beautiful. @vicpug took this impressive photo of

Hutton Vale Eden Valley Riesling 2019 Rating: A- Price: $35

Old school tonight. 2002 @scarboroughwines Shiraz from

Something for the Cellar Penfolds RWT BIN 798 2015 🍷 How

Wine of the Month: February Chateau Yaldara Reserve

Small Changes Red 2018 Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Blend

Pete’s Pure Moscato Euston, Murray River area of NSW

Behind the scenes 🎬 It’s never too cold for #chardonnay

2019 Roxanne the Razor by Delinquent Wines Negroamaro and

Crudo by Luke Lambert 2019 Yarra Valley Shiraz Rating: A-

Upcoming review @purplehandswines #wineaustralia

Koomilya Shiraz 2014 by S.C. Pannell Rating: A Price: $60

Still working it out...not so simple... 🍷 Credit to