 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

To all Nebbiolo fans out there, keep your eyes peeled for this! Here’s a stunning example of an Aussie Nebbiolo by Virago in Beechworth that’s well worth tracking down. It’s the result of five different Nebbiolo clones grown by Karen and Prue, the Vignerons, and a little helping hand from none other than Rick Kinzbrunner. What a riddiculously good set-up!!

On the nose the 2015 shows beautifully lifted florals, cherries, anise, and undergrowth in what can only be described as a heavenly perfume. It steps up a gear on the palate as the dark cherry flavours and bright acidty intermingle with darker fruits and rustic, earthy, leathery notes. It’s  perhaps the best Aussie Neb I’ve had!!

 To all Nebbiolo fans out there, keep your eyes peeled for

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

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

Domain A Pinot Noir 2005 from the Cool River Valley in southern Tasmania...

It’s deep, layered, spicy and savoury all at once on the nose. Age has treated this very well. On the palate the primary fruit flavours of dark cherry, plum and rose petals have begun to integrate into the more savoury side with underbrush and dried herbs. Long, long finish to round things up. It’s a very classy wine. I wish I had a few more left! ⁣​

 Domain A Pinot Noir 2005 from the Cool River Valley in

Curtis Family Vineyards Limited Series 2016 Grenache 94 Points according to Halliday… Now that I’ve covered all that’s on the label, points and all (not a fan), this is a superb Grenache… very, very nice. Stunning nose of cherries, florals, thyme and oregano-like dried herbal notes. Medium to light bodied, fantastic blueberry and raspberry notes, Allen’s frog confectionary before a sweep of savoury spices and dried herbs. Fine tannin, crisp acidity and great length round off what is an unbelievably easy wine to drink.

 Curtis Family Vineyards Limited Series 2016 Grenache 94

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

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

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

​⁠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

. 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

Do you have a favorite producer that you stock up on each year? -

My top 5 in no particular order are; By Farr, Sami-Odi, Serrat, Standish Wine Co, and Sorrenberg. Clearly not everyday wines, but they’re my collection staples. Typically I buy a range from each, low to high in price, and open them both young and old. For me, nothing beats trying the same wine from the same producer, 3,5, even 10 years apart!

 Do you have a favorite producer that you stock up on each

Sipping a surprisingly good Sangiovese from Mt Wines in Heathcote. It’s fresh, slightly racy, with red berries, plums and good dose of savoury pepper, cloves and anise all tightly woven together. Very nicely balanced, medium bodied/ weighted on the palate. A super easy wine to drink and perfect for a midweek tipple. I’d drink it again, and again!

 Sipping a surprisingly good Sangiovese from Mt Wines in

​There are serious (and I mean serious) smile inducing qualities about this wine from

. For me, possibly the best characteristics any wine can have. What makes this such a beautiful wine? The vineyard for starters. The Pinot Noir is grown on a north-facing slope, as south as south can be in Tasmania, with maritime influences throughout the growing season. ⁠

The wine? Pinot with body. Pinot for Shiraz lovers⁠ who say they don’t drink Pinot. Lusciously deep. Hits all the dark fruits imaginable and oozes earthy complexity. Whole bunches used to add structure and a genius acid profile complemented by beautiful oak. It’s in my top two reds of the year for sure, might push top spot if I can save some for tomorrow. ⁠

Plus, it’s a magnum, hands down best format for a wine but⁠ enough about that.

 ​There are serious (and I mean serious) smile inducing

Burgundy glass is so thin and delicate that they boggle the brain with their springy flexibility. I can actually feel the stem bend when swirling... love them! 🍷🍇 Have you tried Zalto? Or can you name a better glass I should try? 🍷🍇 Designed for wines above 13% and great for Nebbiolo, Pinot Noir, Barbera and so on. I’ll drink anything from these! Especially looking forward to getting a champagne in there... it’s Pinot Noir after all. 🍷🍇 #zalto

 Simply the best stemware I can think of #zalto #zalto

When wines like Grange, Hill of Grace, Runrig and the like costing anywhere from 3 to 8 times the price of the Standish Wines you really have to ask yourself the question.... which would you rather have, 1 Grange or 6 Standish? I’m in the Standish camp, cost/quality ratio is insane. This, 'The Standish' Shiraz 2016 is stunning, in every sense a beautiful wine. Long live the king! 🍷🙌 -

The wine itself, the 'The Standish' Shiraz, is made from fruit farmed by the 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. I’ve tasted wines from different producer who produce using the same grapes. How he’s able to surpass those other wines is insane. Pure genius! -

 When wines like Grange, Hill of Grace, Runrig and the like

If you like your Pinot Gris lush, textural, and aromatic then the 2018 Cosa Nostra from the Yarra Valley would be right up your street. This barely lasted long enough to a) take a picture & b) taste. Melon, apricot, sweet baking spices, and florals on the nose. Medium bodied, nicely structured with great acidity and length with gorgeous preserved pears, mild citrus notes and green apples on the palate. In a word gulggable!

 If you like your Pinot Gris lush, textural, and aromatic

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

This I could drink for days! ​Prophet's Rock Pinot Noir 2014, the flagship Pinot Noir arguably the best Pinot of the year so far!⁣ What’s yours? ⁣

On the nose this is a fascinating wine. Tight, complex, savoury, a real wine lovers wine. On your palate the dark fruit depth is awesome, the savoury profile and fine tannins combine to make a truly enjoyable wine that keeps your focus and attention. Seriously well made!⁣ 🍷

 This I could drink for days! ​Prophet's Rock Pinot Noir

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

 Fugazi Grenache in a few months. Simply put, this is mouth-wateringly awesome! Do yourself a favour and go buy one (if you can), sit down, and get stuck in… Light bodied, raspberry, red fruitiness, fine grained tannin, and a beautiful finish make this wine a complete joy.⁣ ⁣

 This is my second bottle of the 2018 @ochotabarrels  Fugazi

Rollick’s Eden Valley Riesling is doing the business tonight. Zesty, crisp, and floral on the nose. Clean, steely, and crisp on the palate and packed with lemons, crisp green apples, fresh acidity and slight mineral notes. B E A U T iful! -

 Rollick’s Eden Valley Riesling is doing the business

This is the second vintage of the Fugazi (2018) by Ochota Barrels I’ve tried and it’s an awesome drop. Totally smashable concoction of juicy raspberry, ripe fruits and fine tannins that keep you reaching for more. B E A utiful... Great stuff

 This is the second vintage of the Fugazi (2018) by Ochota

Very impressive these whites from Campbells, and the Riesling follows suit perfectly. Fresh lemons, limes, green apples on the nose. Classic Rizza... tastebuds at the ready! The palate’s full of trademark Riesling lemon and lime, fresh acidity, fine tannin and steely minerality. Pretty much everything I ask for in a Riesling… Perfect!

 Very impressive these whites from Campbells, and the

​I’m a big fan of the wines produced by

_dixon and this is no exception. Pinot Nouveau 2018 is such a glugable flavour bomb perfect for those warm summer days. That being said, it certainly isn’t a one track wine showing simple fruits, but a delicate raspberry, red fruit, festival of flavour with a carbonic edge. Love it, want more, will get more!!⁣

glasses?? I’ve never had better stemware! 🍷 ​

 ​I’m a big fan of the wines produced by @glaezter _dixon

Whistler SMG 2108, Incredibly moreish and shockingly good value.... Now that’s a bloody good combination.

Biodynamic, Estate grown, Shiraz and Grenache deliver beautiful red and blue berry fruit flavours that’re crisp, racy and fresh with great depth. Mataro doing the business with an earthy and savoury backbone allowing the fruits to shine. It’s so incredibly drinkable and you can’t ask for more than that!

 Whistler SMG 2108, Incredibly moreish and shockingly good

It’s hard to beat a quality drop of Barossa Shiraz on a cold wet winter day and it gets even better when the winemaker is of Grant Burge pedigree. All those years crafting some of the Barossa’s most iconic wines have clearly⁠ paid off with this

 Barossa Shiraz. It’s big, but not huge, refined and classic. Rounded blackberries and plums at first, followed lingering earthy and herbal characteristics. It’s a Barossa Shiraz through and through, no surprises just big smiles. Oh, and it’s ridiculously easy to drink!⁠

 It’s hard to beat a quality drop of Barossa Shiraz on a

. The Black Label, first released in 1954, is made using the top 20-25% of Terra Rossa grown Cabernet Sauvignon each year. It’s a beautiful wine with a strong reputation for extended cellaring. I’ve enjoyed many over 15 years old and they’re fantastic. Have you tried it?  How do you rate it? ⁣

The 2012, still a baby, shows deep red / purple in the glass. On the nose it’s bright, intense, and deep, think cassis and dark fruits. Tasting is a pleasure, violets, dark fruits and a savory edge starting to emerge with firm tannins that’ll integrate well over time. Fantastic wine, buy while it’s still good value!! ⁣

New arrivals from @pirathonwines in the Barossa. Both

Quin Wines 2016 Barossa Shiraz… what a cracking way to

To all Nebbiolo fans out there, keep your eyes peeled for

Pretty decent line up for a Monday night! Thanks

This is an interesting little number from Purple Hands

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

Vine Vale Grenache, one of the Juniors in the Yalumba

Domain A Pinot Noir 2005 from the Cool River Valley in

Curtis Family Vineyards Limited Series 2016 Grenache 94

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

My Tasmanian odyssey continues with this absolute gem from

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

Cracking way to start the week. Cheeky little

⁠Now this is how you wrap up a Monday! Paradise IV, one of

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

Do you have a favorite producer that you stock up on each

Sipping a surprisingly good Sangiovese from Mt Wines in

There are serious (and I mean serious) smile inducing

Simply the best stemware I can think of #zalto #zalto

When wines like Grange, Hill of Grace, Runrig and the like

If you like your Pinot Gris lush, textural, and aromatic

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

This I could drink for days! Prophet's Rock Pinot Noir

This box tickingly banging Barossa Shiraz from

This is my second bottle of the 2018 @ochotabarrels Fugazi

Rollick’s Eden Valley Riesling is doing the business

This is the second vintage of the Fugazi (2018) by Ochota

Very impressive these whites from Campbells, and the

I’m a big fan of the wines produced by @glaezter _dixon

Whistler SMG 2108, Incredibly moreish and shockingly good

It’s hard to beat a quality drop of Barossa Shiraz on a

Quintessential #Aussie Cabernet Sauvignon from