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

I’ve tried some stunning Chardonnays this year; By Farr Three Oaks, Bass Philip Premium, Toolangi Block F, and recently Rochford Premier that are all exceptional in my book. Does it really get better? -

 Is this Australia’s best Chardonnay? - I’ve tried some

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

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

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

Dowie Doole BFG, Big Friendly Grenache perhaps, and big it certainly is. The nose shows the trademark aromas of raspberries, red candies, rich strawberry compote, not overly sweet with a dried herb note to finish. On the palate it’s lush and smooth with a big hit of red berries up front providing great texture and vibrancy. As the fruit fades there are lovely residual notes of earthy minerality coupled with fine tannin providing nice length. Elegant. Great for a Tuesday! -⁠

 Dowie Doole BFG, Big Friendly Grenache perhaps, and big it

I’m a fan from time to time and this is easily the best Rosé I’ve had in ages. Best’s Great Western Rosé is a blend of shiraz, pinot meunier and pinot noir resulting in all-out gluggability and deliciousness.  Everything from the super perfumed and elegant nose, to the stone fruit, cherry, mineral driven palate entices you to reload. This might just be my go to Rosé from now on, it’s that good! -

 Are you a Rosé fan? Any favourites? - I’m a fan from time

By Farr can do almost no wrong in my book and having recently visited the Mornington Peninsular I thought I should pick up a Farr from the region. Philippa Farr’s 2017 Pinot Noir ought to do the trick and with vintages completed at Bellvale, Bouzeron, Domaine Dujac, By Farr and Purple Hen I’m hoping for a great drop. If you’ve tried it let me know what you think. I’ll let you know either way 🤗🍷🙌

 By Farr can do almost no wrong in my book and having

Welcome the the cellar Sami Odi 2019. You’re in good company 👏🏼🍷🙏🏼

 Welcome the the cellar Sami Odi 2019. You’re in good

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

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

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

I love finding new producers and quality Pinot Noir to try. Hence trying the 2017 Santolin 'Gruyere' Pinot Noir which, at first impressions, is a very attractive Pinot! It has a nose of fine red berries, black cherry, and raspberries with a whole bunch, slight funk note going on. On the palate, fruit forward flavours of strawberry, raspberry Allen’s frogs and concentrated black cherry adding depth. With medium acidity and super fine tannins it’s very smooth, and incredibly moreish. If you open it, it will get drunk! -

 I love finding new producers and quality Pinot Noir to try

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

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

Expectations exceeded here with this Sherrah Single Vineyard Shiraz from the Mclaren Vale. It’s got it all going on, dark fruit cocktail, compote-like, verging on red berries and plenty of va-va-voom. Grippy, wavy, flowing tannins perfectly offset the fruit giving great balance. Gulgability of off the chart, great drop!

 Expectations exceeded here with this Sherrah Single

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

Here’s to my hat trick of Riesling posts and a gem of a producer I stumbled across in the Macedon Ranges… Lyons Will Estate.

To date I’ve tried the Gamay and Chardonnay, both beautiful wines, and today the Riesling had its time in the limelight. First off, this is unlike most young Rieslings here in Australia, it’s less racy more luscious, mouthy and perfumed than usual. Fruity, tangy, with a touch of old oak character. Bigger in body, wider in flavour than I was expecting and all the better for it. It’s a super interesting expression of the variety, one I’d love to see with a few years under its belt.

 Here’s to my hat trick of Riesling posts and a gem of a

This Sauvignon / Semillon blend is the business with Italian Sausage & fennel sauce and homemade pasta. Such a ripper wine from the Hunter Valley! -

 This Sauvignon / Semillon blend is the business with

Tasmania is rapidly becoming my go-to region for great Pinot Noir and this Glaetzer Dixon Reveur 2013 is a perfect example of why. After a few years in the cellar it is a rich and complex medley of dark plums, black cherries, and spices on the nose. The palate is a concentrated and beautifully integrated harmony of dark cherries, velvety tannins and oak infused spice. Stunning length and texture make every sip a treat. Pinot Noir magic on a Monday, it doesn’t get any better!

 Tasmania is rapidly becoming my go-to region for great

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

Sydney in November is simply stunning and it’s a very similar story with my recent find, Municipal Wines Home Vineyard Shiraz. This wine comes from the Strathbogie Ranges where Matt Froude, the Winemaker, applies a minimal intervention approach to managing the vineyard. The Shiraz vineyard is dry grown, unpruned but managed, and hasn’t seen a chemical for over 3 years. I absolutely love this approach to winemaking.

The wine itself is a 12.7% medium bodied ballet of flavour. Perhaps more Syrah in style than that of a traditional Aussie Shiraz, which is no bad thing at all. Dark plum fruit flavours intermingled with raspberry and hints of violets on the nose. The palate is medium bodied with bright acidity, dark fruit flavours, aromatic spices and soft woody notes. It’s a seriously enjoyable wine to drink with a real sense of purpose and place.  You can’t ask for more than that, It’s awesome!

 Sydney in November is simply stunning and it’s a very

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

This box tickingly banging Barossa Shiraz from

 that might be one of my new "go to" wines for under $25. Glass staining deep magenta, and violet on the swirl. Dark and brooding sitting in the glass. Very impressive nose, classic Barossa, of dark fruits and Xmas cake spices. Subtle oak too. Full bodied, rich, and luscious, smooth on the palate. Dark fruits give great volume and depth. The lovely oak and soft tannins adding balance perfectly. It's impressively long, took me by surprise to be honest, great drop!

 This box tickingly banging Barossa Shiraz from

Don’t let that light colour fool you, this is a flavour monster! Cherries, spices, feint gun smoke and rhubarb on the nose. The palate is full of red cherries and damsons, savoury oak edges, and baking spices. Clean acidity and chewy tannins wrap up proceedings. A gem of a Pinot Noir from Lyons Will in the Macedon Ranges, well played!! -

 Don’t let that light colour fool you, this is a flavour

It turns out Pikes, synonymous with stunning Clare Valley Riesling, are also pretty adept at the odd red too… who’d of thought it?! The Dogwalk is a savoury, earthy Clare Valley cabernet with a touch of mint leaf and spice in amongst the mulberries and blackcurrants. Tannins, soft and gentle, are present but nicely balanced. Everything’s in the right place to pop, pour and enjoy, no messing about and it’s all the better for it.

 It turns out Pikes, synonymous with stunning Clare Valley

On the scale of iconic vineyards and producers this Mount Pleasant 1880 Old Hill is in the Pantheon of great Australian wines. Despite this status it amazes me that between 1965 and 2013 this incredibly old vineyard was blended with other wines in the range. Utterly mind-boggling when you think about it. Either way, since 2013 this single site expression of Hunter Shiraz has been a must have of mine. There’s not much, in my opinion, that can top a top-notch Hunter Shiraz in full swing. It’s just a bit of me.

 On the scale of iconic vineyards and producers this Mount

 Nero D’Avola… couldn’t be more drinkable if it tried. Straight to the point, no messing, just quality dark fruits, berries, earthy notes and fine tannins. It’s a crowd pleaser, no doubt about it, and it has a gold medal under its belt to back it up! -

 @Sherrahwines  Nero D’Avola… couldn’t be more drinkable if

 wine? Personally it’s the Lamella for me, but this 2016 Relic is something special! I’m interested to see what you all pick! -

 Have you got a favorite @standishwineco  wine? Personally

Do I, don’t I? The age old question. This is why I should never go to the cellar on a Friday night...

 Do I, don’t I? The age old question. This is why I should

​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

After ten years as Chief Winemaker at Hentley Farm Andrew Quin, and wife Skye, have launched their own label... Quin Wines. Being a big Hentley Farm fan I’m pretty excited to try these! Is there a Beauty and a Beast in this line up?! If you’ve tried them let me know 🙌🍷