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

*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

​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

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

This has accelerated my love for Tasmanian wine, magnums, and Riesling. Insanely addictive acidity, as if your tucking into a perfectly ripe Granny Smith with flinty goodness chucked in for entertainment. It’s concentrated, powerful really. Mixed citrus fusion with a crispy finish. Total banger! Awesome

 This has accelerated my love for Tasmanian wine, magnums

​Dujac Fils & Pere Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru 'Aux Cras' 2016. It may not be one of Domaine Dujac’s first wines but it has all the DNA of it's bigger brothers. It’s also a fraction of the price and for that reason it’s a steal! After all, it is a Burgundy. Think this’ll have a few more years in the cellar before I dig it back out. -

 ​Dujac Fils & Pere Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru 'Aux Cras'

​Is there anything better than a glass of your favourite wine on a Friday night? Guilt free,total satisfaction without the fear of waking up on a workday feeling dusty headed...⁠

Paradise IV Chaumont 2014, such an interesting and elegant blend of cabernet sauvignon, shiraz and cabernet franc that delivers mulberry, plum and cherry notes which fade into more tertiary leather, earthy, tobacco characteristics. Dusty tannins and barely medium acid profile just about holding this 2014 together. Drink up if you have some! Have a great weekend!⁠

 ​Is there anything better than a glass of your favourite

Socks blown clean off! My white wine of the year, probably the best I’ve had to date. Pungent, masculine, insane focus and balance. Kaleidoscopic citrus fruit, floral gorgeousness and racy acidity. There’s minerality there, it’s not a “I’ve licked a limestone rock” type minerality but it’s doing the job in amongst the ridiculously long and zesty finish. Sadly this is wont be a regular but it’ll be a long time before this leaves my memory!! -

 Socks blown clean off! My white wine of the year, probably

It’s been a good year so far! Just past the halfway mark and this tabletop is coming together B.E.A.U.tifully! More than a handful of absolute stunners in there. Let me know if you can see any of your favorites!! 🍷

 It’s been a good year so far! Just past the halfway mark

 is bloody great! With Tasmania turning out some stunning wines these days this will do nicely!! Do you have a favorite wine from Tassie? Recommendations please! -

 Turns out the wine list @theoakshotel  is bloody great!

It's not everyday I add a Burgundy to the collection but today is one of those days and Domaine de la Pousse d'Or Caillerets Clos 60 Ouvrees Volnay Premier Cru 2015 is that wine. I must confess, my knowledge of Burgundy is somewhat limited but I'm familiar with this producer and Volnay. As for a drinking window, I’ve no idea... tips please?!⁠

About Volnay.... Volnay is an appellation in the Côte de Beaune between Meursault on the south side and Pommard on the north side.  The wines are distinctly different from those of Pommard, lighter in colour and more elegant.  They have always been known as delicate, fruity feminine and very fine wines, even a century ago the wines were described as "partridge-eye" pink in colour and the finest of all the wines of the Côte de Beaune.  Whilst often displaying great charm and fruit in their youth the best Volnay often have considerable power too and can be very age worthy.⁠

 It's not everyday I add a Burgundy to the collection but

Pretty glad I snagged a couple of these gems recently! Adding to the Chardonnay and Gamay  this Sorrenberg Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2018 is one of Australia’s best white wines you can get your hands on, shame there’s so little made! I’ll be tucking these away for 3-5 years to let them evolve before I see what all the fuss is about! -

This wine is a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon. Most of the Sauvignon Blanc fruit had 8 hours skin contact prior to pressing. The Semillon component is crushed and pressed immediately after picking. This wine was 100% barrel fermented with predominantly larger barrels used. All went through natural yeast fermentation. The extended lees contact helps fill out the middle palate and gives this wine the extra dimension it is known for.

 Pretty glad I snagged a couple of these gems recently!

By Farr RP Pinot Noir 2016... Aussie Pinot Noir doesn’t get much better than this. Blindfolded I’d find it hard to tell this from a Burgundy. Complexity is there in buckets. Insane  structure. It’s herbal and stemmy with whole bunch loveliness lending itself to the impressive perfume. So much going on here. Pour, smell, sip repeat and it’s different every time... stunning, simply stunning. -

 By Farr RP Pinot Noir 2016... Aussie Pinot Noir doesn’t get

There's a definite romance to opening a bottle of wine with a corkscrew. Opening a bottle becomes an event, the precursor to the experience. Just imagine how many bottles these old school screws have opened!

 There's a definite romance to opening a bottle of wine with

😭 A corked wine can derail even the best-planned wine tasting. This happened to me in a recent Instagram Live interview and virtual tasting·

🙋‍♂️ What was your last corked wine❓·

Cork taint is a whole family of haloanisoles, which are volatile chemical compounds responsible for contaminating wines resulting in off “musty” aromas. The most prevalent form of cork taint is TCA (technically: 2,4,6-trichloroanisole), but there others like TBA, TeCA, DCA, and PCA·

First off, TCA does not occur naturally. TCA is formed when airborne fungi interact with chlorinated phenolic compounds. Cork trees can absorb these chlorinated phenolic compounds from pesticides. Wood products (barrels, racks, etc.) treated with wood preservatives could absorb these compounds as well. Additionally, the compounds could be formed by using chlorine-based bleaching agents to sterilize corks or to clean barrels. However, wineries and cork producers no longer use chlorine-based cleaners·

👃 The descriptors that I use for cork taint are wet cardboard or wet newspaper. I hate the word ”musty” because other wines like Muscat can show an aroma that more relates to that descriptor, which is not a negative. The intensity of the aromas is based on two factors. One, how many parts per trillion (ppt) of TCA is present in the wine. And two, how sensitive the taster is to TCA at varying thresholds. Some people are sensitive at 1 or 2 ppt. Most people should be able to detect it at 6 to 10 ppt. There is also a factor of knowing that what you are smelling is an "off" aroma and connecting those dots·

🤷‍♂️In my tasting group, there is one taster who does not perceive cork taint aromas in wine. Is this some form of bizarre superpower🦸❓·

 😭 A corked wine can derail even the best-planned wine

Testing out my new wine cradle from Portae and using the Durand at the same time.

🇵🇹🍷 Maiden voyage is with an old (1980) bottle of Portuguese wine that I hand-carried back a few years ago.

 Testing out my new wine cradle from Portae and using the

🍷🗝 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

🙋‍♂️ What was the last wine that you had that was corked❓·

🔔 Such a shame, was really looking forward to trying this aged beauty. 😰😰😰·

 1992 Stony Hill - Chardonnay (NR) #winereview @stony

All fun and games until someone loses an eye…simple…

 All fun and games until someone loses an eye…simple… I

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

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

This was my Pinot of choice on the international day of Pinot Noir. What was yours?

_simple 🍷 So this wine is a William Downie Pinot Noir, Mornington Peninsula. Luxury at its best. One of the best labels in the 🌍...simple...

 This was my Pinot of choice on the international day of

This why I cellar wines. I originally bought 6 of these back in the day and been lucky enough to enjoy these over a decade. But it has now really hit a peak. Full, dark with a taste that I can only describe as sitting in a smooth vintage leather chair, open fire in one corner and a view to a mean but breathtakingly beautiful storm over the ocean.

Amazing development over the years. Nothing is out of place. Just loving

 🍷 I only have one more of this great vintage...simple...

 From the Cellar Grant Burge Filsell Old Vine Shiraz 2008

Rating: Special Buy 🍷  2015 Mitolo Cantiniere Shiraz from McLaren Vale. Named after the Master of the Cellar and selected from the some of the winemakers favourite barrels. This is just beautiful and worth the 💰. Well done

 Rating: Special Buy 🍷  2015 Mitolo Cantiniere Shiraz from

 Happy Friday....simple #wine #aussiewine #wines

 I want one...simple... 📸 @veuveclicquot #champagne

Rating: You can’t buy it (but if you find it please let me know) 🍷

2005 Setanta Wines Cuchulain Adelaide Hills Shiraz. Now this is 14 years old and from my cellar. I’m going to use a mates line to sum it up “it’s like an Angel crying on my tongue” Love it.

Hill of Grace. But this was only $30 not $500. This wine flew off the shelf and I was lucky enough to buy a few from

Amazing. The winery is no longer around but they still live on....😥.

 Rating: You can’t buy it (but if you find it please let me

Rating: Buy 🍷  2012 Reschke Vitulus Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon. I only bought this last week because it was a 2012 vintage and was less than $25. It worked out as $3.40 per year of specialist cellaring. Anyway needs air and loads of it. It then opens up and I really start to enjoy it. Decanter or open at 6 and it will be ready when the kids go to bed

(hopefully that’s at 7:30 🕢) I’m hilarious

 Rating: Buy 🍷  2012 Reschke Vitulus Coonawarra Cabernet

Rating: Strong Buy 🍷  To celebrate reaching 1000 followers I decided to have Chinese with a

 The Bogan Shiraz. Love a good local Chinese 🥠🍜🥡. ‘Bogan’ is classed as unsophisticated person with low economic status. No idea why this was named The Bogan but this is the complete opposite. This wine is big, bold and very sophisticated. Anyone know the history behind the name?

Love the name, love the wine. 🍷 ...To all my followers, thank you 😘...simple... 🍷

 Rating: Strong Buy 🍷  To celebrate reaching 1000 followers

 Any thoughts or ideas? I feel a project coming...simple

Located in the deeply conservative wine country of South Africa, Testalonga was founded back in 2008 by Craig and Carla Hawkings. Opposite to the rooted traditions of winemaking, the Hawkings are playing with hardcore organic and biodynamic  farming (even some vegan wines among), skin-contacted white wines - all procedures with as much intervention-free cellar practice as possible. Even though natural wine-producing is slowly growing in South Africa, Testalonga is still considered very radical.  Foudre and steel tank, a few days of maceration and no filtration. The wine looks bright golden and cloudy.

Expressive aromas of yellow apple, ginger, freshly baked bread, light honey and some slightly smoked and reductive notes.

The palate shows a medium-bodied structure with a tiny tannic level. Fresh pear, orange peel, pomelo, nuts and layers of warm herbs. It’s quite mineral and saline too. To sum up, this wine beautifully balance the contrasts of depth, warmth and freshness.

Pretty decent line up for a Monday night! Thanks

This is an interesting little number from Purple Hands

MAGNUM ALERT Rockford Basket Press 2012. 1.5Ls of iconic

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

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

This has accelerated my love for Tasmanian wine, magnums

Dujac Fils & Pere Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru 'Aux Cras'

Is there anything better than a glass of your favourite

Socks blown clean off! My white wine of the year, probably

It’s been a good year so far! Just past the halfway mark

Turns out the wine list @theoakshotel is bloody great!

It's not everyday I add a Burgundy to the collection but

Pretty glad I snagged a couple of these gems recently!

By Farr RP Pinot Noir 2016... Aussie Pinot Noir doesn’t get

There's a definite romance to opening a bottle of wine with

😭 A corked wine can derail even the best-planned wine

Testing out my new wine cradle from Portae and using the

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

1992 Stony Hill - Chardonnay (NR) #winereview @stony

All fun and games until someone loses an eye…simple… I

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

This was my Pinot of choice on the international day of

From the Cellar Grant Burge Filsell Old Vine Shiraz 2008

Rating: Special Buy 🍷 2015 Mitolo Cantiniere Shiraz from

Happy Friday....simple #wine #aussiewine #wines

I want one...simple... 📸 @veuveclicquot #champagne

Rating: You can’t buy it (but if you find it please let me

Rating: Buy 🍷 2012 Reschke Vitulus Coonawarra Cabernet

Rating: Strong Buy 🍷 To celebrate reaching 1000 followers

Any thoughts or ideas? I feel a project coming...simple

⭐️88/100⭐️ Testalonga El Bandito Cortez, 2015 📍Swartland