There are many bargains on the Aldi Australia wine shelves; this is one of them. It’s an uncomplicated, ripe, raspberried Kiwi Pinot of smooth fruit, smooth lines and easy flow. It’s not complex or long, but it is very drinkable. Ripe, candied raspberry and cherry fruit with a little mushroomy Pinosity, even a Central Otago gloss through the middle. It’s perhaps a bit light on the finish, but cherried, varietal, and shitloads better than any other $15.99 Central Otago Pinot anywhere. The post A $15 Aldi Pinot no-brainer: Kaiora Bay Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021 appeared first on Australian Wi ..read more

This Jose Gil Rioja Vino de Pueblo San Vicente 2021 is a wonderful wine, but also one to remind that Rioja is a strange region. Here’s a famed Spanish area, with a storied winemaking history, where the whole idea of vineyard and regional expression is pretty much glossed over. In a world where even Champagne – for so long a viticultureal (and literal) wasteland – has crus and named vineyards, while Rioja just has famous brands and ginormous barrel halls. It’s even weirder when you think that Rioja is powered by the fruit from a patchwork of circa 14,000 growers – it’s more like Burgundy, yet ..read more

Life has been getting in the way of the whole reviewing thing this week, so this feels a bit belated. I did try a dozen local whiskies this week, though, which feels like feeding strawberries to a pig given I don’t drink the brown stuff (I just get handed a glass, taste it, then go back to beer/wine etc). I did like the interesting wine hints of the Morris Tokay Barrel whisky, regardless, and the masterful Lark Symphony No.1 with its perfect balance, plus the cask strength powerhouse Amber Lane Silk Road surprised with its evenness too. Meanwhile, let’s get back into the swing of more windy t ..read more

The preoccupation with glass bottles as the chosen wine vessel is tedious. Staid. In a world exploding with new cans, casks, and pouches (or even paper bottles), where we can do so much better (and with a smaller carbon footprint), the wine packaging mainstream feels so old-fashioned. Sure, for wines that are made to be consumed sometime in the future, glass (and screwcap) is the most practical choice. However, for the bulk of drinks that are made to be drunk immediately, a 650g-1.2kg 750ml bottle is just an inconvenience (especially when you just want a few sips of wine). Through my beer-ind ..read more

It’s that time again. Time to inspire me to spend more money on drinks, even though the WineArk cabinet can’t be closed properly and the Amex is maxed out. So, what wine, beer and other drinks have you been buying this month? I couldn’t resist adding some 2022 Coleraine to the cellar this month, even though I now need to sell/drink more things to make space. Might buy some of the Awatea, too. I’ve also now bought another top-up of the Range Purely Cosmetic West Coast IPA because it’s in my hop-glory wheelhouse (and it’s a very particular wheelhouse)… (more…) The post What have you been buying ..read more

If given the choice, I’d likely drink white wines over red. That’s essentially a refreshment thing because I’m treating what’s in my glass as a drink. But also a reminder that wine is a drink, and not only an intellectual/sensual exercise. Perhaps more importantly, I’d probably have a beer first. Then a glass of fizz (probably something rich and complex), then an aromatic white, a textural white, a light red, a full-bodied red, some luscious dessert wine, then a fortified, then a vodka soda and then a laydown. In an ideal world, dinner would be a multi-stage beverage affair featuring all the ..read more

Let’s get this out of the way first – yes, the new Coleraine is great. I had the pleasure of tasting the first Te Mata Coleraine a few years back amidst a vertical from that glorious 1982 to the 2016) that was chock full of consistent greatness. And now, after enjoying a glass or two of the Te Mata Coleraine 2022, I can confirm that the bloodline has delivered once again. For mine, Coleraine’s appeal is the careful balance between contained power and proper Cabernet flavour. This Hawke’s Bay red blend wears an ‘I’ve been to Bordeaux’ t-shirt but is 100% Kiwi (like Pavlova, right?). It smells ..read more

This Curly Flat Central Pinot Noir 2022 is an absolute delight. The OG Curly Flat Pinot Noir 2022 was superb, so I’m not really surprised. But still, this is such a seamless and delicious wine. Seamless is the right word. Sourced from the oldest vines on the estate, planted in 1992. All MV6 clone too. Opulent red fruit, juicy, ripe but not heavy, 13% alcohol perfection. It’s riper tasting than 13% actually, with sappy raspberry and glace cherry with a late savoury twist. It’s less tannic than the normal (let’s just call it that) Pinot, maybe too silken rather than structured, but perhaps even ..read more

Ignore the personalised label; this is definitely a 2023 Gris. On that point, There isn’t enough well-done, richer-style Pinot Gris in Australia and NZ. This Tarras white at least gives it a go. Single vineyard Pinot Gris from Central Otago. Plenty of textural volume – gently fleshy white pear and nectarine flavours and then a plush, warmish finish. It’s not rambunctious, sexy-time stuff ike the best Alsatian wines but nice fleshy fruit and plenty of expansive flavour. The post Review: Tarras Vineyard Pinot Gris 2023 appeared first on Australian Wine and Drinks Review ..read more

The good people at Yalumba often send a backup sample bottle of their cork-sealed premium wines. That was a usual practice for trade and media samples twenty years ago when screwcaps were treated with suspicion in premium Australian reds (and cork taint/oxidation was a huge issue). But these days, it just means I end up with an extra bottle of Yalumba reds. If they look like this Yalumba Signature Cabernet Shiraz 2019, I’m okay with that. There’s something wonderfully ageless about Signature. It feels so classically Australian – with acres of very ripe dark fruit, a layer of savoury dark choc ..read more