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#2023
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Enter the Meursault megastars
How do you make steely, just-bottled white Burgundy from a cool vintage look even more razor-sharp? Serve it in a Meursault shed just days after the end of winter. So it was when I rocked up to day six of this Grand Jours de Bourgogne adventure, walking into another tonnellerie (the Tonnellerie Damy if you're playing Google Maps spotto at home) with icy breath and jacket buttoned right up. It didn't hurt the wines, though. I don't think anything can. The post Enter the Meursault megastars appeared first on Australian Wine and Drinks Review .
by Andrew Graham3 viewswine20092015202220232024 - news
The quest for value in ‘Outer Burgundy’
Welcome to another instalment of 'these are all the Burgundies I've tasted recently', a collection of indulgent tasting highlights from my visit to the Grand Jours de Bourgogne 2026 (a week-long wine fair in this famed French wine region in early March). So far in this series, I've looked at how much Chablis I can taste in one session, been bedazzled by a smorgasbord of Vosne mega-wines, tasted many mercurial Mâconnais whites, worked through a challenging lineup from the Côte de Nuits, and topped it with some Volnay/Pommard seduction. Today, I'm tackling something important - Burgundy that nudges closer to being affordable. Sort of. For this quest, I'm turning to some lesser-known producers and wines from what Jancis Robinson calls 'Outer Burgundy' (the appellations beyond the famous Côte d'Or), with a particular focus on the cradle of Burgundian bargains, the Côte Chalonnaise. The post The quest for value in ‘Outer Burgundy’ appeared first on Australian Wine and Drinks Review .
by Andrew Graham2 viewswine202220232024aligoteburgundy - news
Longview Saturnus Nebbiolo Riserva 2023
Not their most expensvie, but arguably their best. Flagship Nebbiolo here from the Saturno family, the custodians of Longview. Featuring Saturn (Saturnus) etched onto the bottle, the move to screwcap […]
by vinonotebook2 viewswine-reviews2023adelaide-hillslongviewlongview-saturnus-nebbiolo-riserva-2023mark-saturno - news
Cooks Lot Allotment 1010 Shiraz 2023
Former Chef Duncan Cook is based on the slopes of Mount Canobolas in Orange. The ‘Allotment’ range is the starting point for the wines. Cooks Lot, Allotment 1010, Shiraz Orange, […]
by vinonotebook3 viewswine-reviews2023allotment-1010cook-s-lotcooks-lot-allotment-1010-shiraz-2023david-cumming - news
May 2026
A trio of obsessions to help me pass the time. . . Food . I’ve been mildly obsessed with home made pork buns. . . The recipe can be found here . The pictured image is attempt 2 of 3, and they were structurally deficient (dough was sloppy and over moist) with several falling apart when cooked. Still they are rewarding and evoke enough memory and joy for me to persist with my clumsy efforts. Words . Even clumsier, is my notebook (in the background) full of poorly composed Chinese characters. I still can’t get my stroke order correct, but as poor as my writing is, it is far more intelligible than my attempts to speak. . . I’ve been using the online resources to sleuth the origin and explanation behind each character. So many Easter eggs. . . It reminds me of my primary school self thumbing through a mini Oxford dictionary, trying to memorise insulting or unusual words. . . Wine. A pair of wine list bottles. Lyons Will Estate Pinot noir 2023 . Ma
by noreply@blogger.com (Edward)3 views2023beechworthchardonnaymacedonobsession - news
The Australian wines I admired in April (with plenty $50 or less)
I got deep in the negative hole on Tuesday, stuck in a doom loop about the future of Australian wine. It’s easy to get negative about wine at the moment, especially as every day there seems to be another bad […] The post The Australian wines I admired in April (with plenty $50 or less) appeared first on Australian Wine and Drinks Review .
by Andrew Graham4 viewswine20212022202320242025 - news
Michter’s 10-Year Rye Whiskey (2023) Scoresheet & Review
The whiskey industry has seen no shortage of brand reincarnations, particularly of previously legendary names like Kentucky Owl, Black Maple Hill, and even Michter’s. Although little remains of the original distillery, Michter’s (previously Shenk’s followed by Bomberger’s) was once a centerpiece of Pennsylvania whiskey. Now the brand exists as a premium Kentucky-based outfit nearing the […]
by Xenoraiser6 viewsuncategorized10-year2-value2-5-value2023b-grade - news
Enter the delicious 2023 Pommard & Volnay red wines (and more Côte de Beaune beauties)
Welcome to another instalment of ‘these are all the Burgundies I’ve tasted recently’, a collection of indulgent tasting highlights from the Grand Jours de Bourgogne 2026 (a week-long Burgundian wine fair in early March). So far in this series, I’ve […] The post Enter the delicious 2023 Pommard & Volnay red wines (and more Côte de Beaune beauties) appeared first on Australian Wine and Drinks Review .
by Andrew Graham4 viewswine2015202220232024aligote - news
Whether I’d buy the brilliant and slightly controversial Oakridge $300 mega Chardonnay
How much is too much for great Australian Chardonnay? Forgive my rhetoric, but please play along with me here. What’s your dollar boundary on Aussie Chardonnay? Is it different compared to something fancy and French? Obviously, any answer is couched […] The post Whether I’d buy the brilliant and slightly controversial Oakridge $300 mega Chardonnay appeared first on Australian Wine and Drinks Review .
by Andrew Graham4 viewswine2023chardonnaylongeryarra-valley - news
All the Mâconnais hits (and misses) from the Grand Jours de Bourgogne 2026
The Mâconnais may as well be on a different planet. Here in Australia, we consistently lose our shit over the best Chardonnay from Burgundy’s hotspots of Chablis and the Côte d’Or, with oceans of love for Meursault, Montrachet, etc. But […] The post All the Mâconnais hits (and misses) from the Grand Jours de Bourgogne 2026 appeared first on Australian Wine and Drinks Review .
by Andrew Graham4 viewswine202220232024burgundychardonnay - news
Doing the hard work in the Côte de Nuits (and saved by a bogan Aussie)
Rarely have I been so glad to hear an Aussie accent. There I was on day 2 of last month’s Grand Jours de Bourgogne 2026, feeling a little bogged down. It wasn’t meant to be this way. I’d spent the […] The post Doing the hard work in the Côte de Nuits (and saved by a bogan Aussie) appeared first on Australian Wine and Drinks Review .
by Andrew Graham4 viewswine20232024burgundychardonnaygrand-jours-de-bourgogne - news
Yalumba Galway Vintage Shiraz 2023
A classic representation of the Barossa’s patchwork of soils, vines and terroir. Winemaker is Alexey Alon Doumbouya Yalumba, Galway Vintage, Shiraz, Barossa, 2023 Could this be from anywhere but the […]
by vinonotebook4 viewswine-reviews2023alexey-alon-doumbouyabarossabarossa-valleyclaret - news
Smith & Hooper Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2023
From the ancient soils of Wrattonbully (just north of Coonawarra), the Smith & Hooper wines are produced from the family owned Hill-Smith Family Estates. 57% Cabernet Sauvignon and 43% Merlot. […]
by vinonotebook4 viewswine-reviews2023cabernet-sauvignonheather-fraserhill-smith-family-estateslimestone-coast - news
Qi
I’ve been practicing Hanzi , timidly, trying to memorise all those odd looking squiggles and lines, consistently messing up the stroke order and direction. It is curiously satisfying. Trying to understand what each character represents and how it has changed over time. Each character pregnant with meta data. Today I learnt the character for Qi. 气. On 3000 year old oracle bones it is represented by three horizontal lines, representing the three treasures. Essence, energy and body and mind. Three lines to capture the intangible. . . You could characterise a wine in these terms. . . Essence being what is imparted by the terroir and season and the hand of the maker. Qi is more about what is in the glass, is the wine alive, is there a spark of energy or is it fading and quiet? Qi is often equated to the life force, or vitality, or breath. It’s an elusive concept for the Western mind, which thinks of energy in terms of mitochondria and sleep, glucose and caffeine, swi
by noreply@blogger.com (Edward)4 views2023contextgreat-southernrieslingshirazwords-and-wine - news
December notes
A trio of Chardonnay to open. 2017 Flame Tree SRS Chardonnay . Mature and golden. Pineapple crunch, medium, starting to unknot. 2020 Vasse Felix Heytsbury . Tighter and more complex. Longer and quieter (and colder) initially. Essence like. Restraint and serious poise. Excellent . 2018 Leeuwin Art Series Chardonnay . 13.5%. Viscous and thick, essence like and powerful. Showy and bold. The nose is expressive, all peach and blossom. Even on day two it’s pretty and still well shaped. By a small fraction, I preferred the Heytsbury. A Pinot. Oakridge Aqueduct Block Henk Vineyard Pinot noir 2023. Yarra Valley . Medium red, bright and primary. Cherry and spice, relatively simple and direct, heavy. My rusty palate incorrectly called this a Tasmanian. For the bird fanciers. Chateau Lafite Rothschild 2009 . 13.5%. Pauillac. A suitcase wine, and the fanciest red bottle of the season. Tasted blind the early money consensus call proved mostly correct
by noreply@blogger.com (Edward)5 views199620092017201820202023 - news
Reed ‘Lessons’ Semillon 2023
A half time image of my Coq au semillion. . . I keep returning to old recipes and making adjustments based on necessity (what’s in the fridge / pantry) and experience. In this case, semillion instead riesling; a teaspoon of sambal belacan for a homeopathic hint of heat; a handful of dried (and rehydrated) chanterelles in addition to a small bag of fresh button mushrooms; and much more homemade tomato paste for depth and warmth (a 400g tin of diced tomatoes, simmered with 4 cloves of garlic for 15 minutes before blending). I used the finished stew as a base for a rich chicken noodle soup. I’ve developed an obsession with Shanxi pulled noodles (the store bought ones by Havista, I have no inclination to make my own). They are impressive - 3cm wide and extra long, like a super chewy pappardelle. Reed ‘Lessons’ Semillon 2023 . Spring Creek, Torquay, Victoria. 12%. An ectopic, but very interesting semillon. Barrel fermented in a blend of old and new oak. It’s pale, but with more
by noreply@blogger.com (Edward)4 views2023chickennoodlessemillonvictoria - news
December bottles
Dhillon Riesling 2024. A Bindi wine using non estate Macedon fruit from the Glenhope vineyard. The back label mentions - interesting grapes from interesting vineyards for, hopefully, interesting people. . . Wild yeast, old barrels, time of lees. A quieter than expected nose, pear as much as citrus, green bean. Different from the usual Oz Riesling - as well as the feel of pebbles and the taste of apricots - there’s more flesh and creaminess in the mouth . The Clare Valley 2021 Jim Barry ‘The Florita’ is much more typical - bath salts, a puff of lime; bone dry, phenolic ++, a slightly salty edge . Kumeu River Mate’s Vineyard Chardonnay 2022. 13%. Quite above and apart from most. A complex and compelling nose - pear and citrus, white florals, a hint of spice (ginger and soft oak), subtle layers. . . Rich and refined and long in the mouth - it’s tight, intense, pulsing with phenolic grip and citrus pith. . . I wrote - cf orange wine, but clean. . . Which is to say - the t
by noreply@blogger.com (Edward)5 views200120172021202220232024 - news
Tasting notes
A fortnight of travel related wine consumption. . . I’ve been like this cliff top echidna, enjoying the sights while using my nose to look for treasure. . . Riesling. Light and bright. Parish Vineyard Riesling 2023 (Coal River, Tasmania) - v. sharp wine, with a slightly unexpected fruit profile - tangarine and pink grapefruit in the mouth. Grippy and rewarding. The Kühling-Gillot Qvinterra Troken 2023 (Mosel) also excellent. Tight and sappy, all the usual suspects - slate and mineral in the mouth, a terpene nose, hardness with a trace of sweetness in the mouth . A pair of complex (and costly) chardonnay. As much as I love Chardonnay, budgetary constraints and poor access, have lead to a years (5) long hiatus between sips of Giaconda. Still - the Giaconda Chardonnay 2016 feels like an old friend. Familiar, idiosyncratic, seemingly unchanged. Terrific nose - smouldering and complex, at times a hint of toffee. Amazing acid structure and text
by noreply@blogger.com (Edward)6 views200920142016202020212023 - news
August 2024
Grosset G110 Riesling 2022 . Watervale, Clare Valley. 12.9%. Screw cap. Approx $A135. A super wine, though I’m not sure I’ll bite again. . . It’s very similar in character and quality to the cheaper Polish Hill (which is still around $A80). A single clone wine - the small berried Geisenheim 110. Very intense and pure; chalk and talc, bath salts and lime. Sharp, blade like acidity. A trio of Pinot noir couplets. . . Hochkirch Maximus Pinot noir 2021 . Pretty nose, delicate fruit and florals with woodsmoke. Muscular tannins, expansively fleshy palate. Needs time . The Pyramid Valley North Caterbury Pinot noir 2020 was fine and softer in structure, with Lovely mid palate zip and spice . The next two a contrast in tannins. The Castlerock Estate A&W 2022. Porongurup has more cedar and spice, it seems old school, Shiraz like in emphasis. . . The Bubb + Pooley 2022 Coal River finer and softer, but still with weight and depth. There’s more fi
by noreply@blogger.com (Edward)5 views2020202120222023claregreat-southern - news
2023 By the Numbers
The post 2023 By the Numbers appeared first on Allagash Brewing Company .
by Brett Willis5 viewsb-corporationinside-allagashphilanthropybeer-releases-and-brewery-newsblogyear-end-recap - news
Allagash Awarded at Great American Beer Festival 2023
The post Allagash Awarded at Great American Beer Festival 2023 appeared first on Allagash Brewing Company .
by Brett Willis5 viewsb-corporationinside-allagashquality-controlbeer-releases-and-brewery-newsbloggabf