How To Choose The Best Chardonnay
One of the truly noble white wine varieties, Chardonnay is a wonderful grape. The best wines of Chardonnay are without peer. It makes some of my favourite wines; be they … Read more
The Good Wines October 2017
The Good Wines October 2017. Drink as your wine guy does. At least until I get to know your palate. Then the 3 bottles per month are tailored to your … Read more
Last Morning In Europe… Booooooo!
I awoke early and spritely, ready for a day of lasts in Europe. Last use of hand shower without a shower screen. Thank Bacchus for that! Last Petit dejeunier. For … Read more
On The Rhone Again
I awoke excitedly on my creaky futon and well-worn pillow. Today was the day I visit Domaine Tempier. Glorious sunshine, not too hot and the promise of a breakfast facing … Read more
Halliday and the Chamber of 99 Point Wines.
Gliding into the NGV in my freshly dry cleaned Pin Stripe suit, I could not help but feel apprehensive. My mission was to pour the awarding wining wines from James Halliday’s … Read more
For Your Cellar – Bordeaux 2016 En Primeur
It is my favourite time of the year. Since Bordeaux En-Primeur is a fairly antiquated idea, every year I wonder if its time has come. But for my 15th En-Primeur campaign … Read more
King of Kings. To The Clare Valley
It is a beautifully warm night when we arrive at Sam Miranda Winery. Our treat is to be some of the best wines of the Clare Valley. Therefore the weather … Read more
Why The Wines Of Austria Are For You
Until my first wine making lecturer talked about drinking yourself sober with Austrian wine, I never thought about Austria in any sense. When she wrote the words ‘Grüner Veltliner’ on … Read more
My Great Quality Champagne Discovery
If you were to ask me about quality Champagne, I’d tell you I’m not a fan of Veuve Clicquot (or most of the big houses). I actively avoid Veuve because … Read more
Introduction to Greek Wine
For most people, the reputation of Greek wine precedes and possibly prevents the tasting of any of the product. I’m here to tell you that if you’re not drinking Greek … Read more
Bad Vintage. Go to time out.
Sitting warm and dry at Matteo’s on a miserable winters night. Outside it is pouring with rain, so much so that I begged to be driven instead of taking my … Read more
Wine & Food & Wine Matching
Food & Wine Matching is a conundrum for the ages. However, it is not as hard as it may seem at first glance. The basic premise is either: You have … Read more
Rhone Valley – There is more here than you know!
Firmly lodged in third place behind Burgundy and Bordeaux in the tier of quality red wine regions in France. Certainly The Rhone Valley is often underestimated. Most importantly it has … Read more
Fortifying yourself for Winter
You step outside to the faint whiff of wood smoke. The cold creeps down the where your shirt sits funny on the back your neck. You can’t see the houses three … Read more
Roussanne – You don’t have to turn to those red wines
We’ve just passed the winter solstice but I don’t think the cold weather is going to disappear completely. So on those nights when the chill creeps into your bones and … Read more
Bandol Bound
For those who don’t know, I love Bandol. I have a cat named Tempier, named after the most famous and my favourite Bandol producer. With that in my mind I … Read more
Sundering the fellowship of the vine
The time has come for us to part ways like grapes from a vine at harvest time. It is Italy via train for the Jarvies. Lyon and a night at … Read more
Embargo lifted – We visit Chablis.
The whole trip I’d been nudging forward the whites of the region because everyone knows how great the reds are. But subtly I had held back Chablis because I wanted … Read more
A Beautiful Day In Burgundy
After a short delay in blogging while sleep took priority I’m back to keep you up to date with the happenings of the wine family. In this episode we wake … Read more
Disaster – That Burgundy Frost
Some days you are witness to history, even if you don’t want to. We were there for that Burgundy frost. The sun was shining after yesterdays icy blast and the … Read more
Macon Visit – Bret Brothers amazing Chardonnays
It is not every day that this cynical wine guy learns something about wine. But today, at Macon, I did. And today I think I found my vinous man crush. … Read more
Questions, Confirmations and Tasting in Gevrey & Pommard
Today we started the really real part of the trip; Tasting In Gevrey Chambertin. That meant petit dejeuner. Any breaky that has croissants as lovely as those is OK with … Read more
Strawberry Epiphanies on The Routes de Grand Cru
Captains Log. Day 2. Today the wine family experienced the North part of the Routes de Grand Cru (pronounced Cruss according to Google maps). The funny thing was we were heading … Read more
First Day En Bourgogne – Safely In Burgundy
Hello Friends! After quite an enjoyable trek we have arrived safely in Burgundy. The Qantas flight from Melbourne to Singapore was quite exciting with good company keeping me going. 6 hours … Read more
