Wine – The Real Review

Emmanuelle Bekkers knighted by the French Government

Emmanuelle Bekkers, one half of the Bekkers family winery in McLaren Vale, has been knighted by the French Government—a rare honour for an Australian winemaker.

Hawke’s Bay chardonnay 2024s hit the sweet spot

The year after Cyclone Gabrielle tore through Hawke’s Bay, flooding vineyards and damaging wineries across the region, the vines answered back.

Winery mergers and acquisitions list published

Confused about winery takeovers? Who isn’t! There have been hundreds of sales and acquisitions and there’s no sign they are slowing.

Evil wine twins

Wine folk love a blind tasting. They pop up everywhere, in exams with WSET and The Court of Master Sommeliers.

The Australian Ark Foundation launches

A new project aiming to promote Australian wine throughout the world has been launched, which uses Australia’s unique heritage of old vineyards as its springboard.

Torbreck’s concentrated reds

At a recent event to launch the 2023 RunRig, Torbreck chief winemaker and managing director Ian Hongell showed three grenaches and talked of the evolution of the style.

O’Leary Walker’s real reserve shirazes

‘Reserve’ wines should be exactly that: wines of superior quality that are reserved for release only in the best vintages.

Forest Hill adjusts to change

“Happy vines make happy wines,” says Guy Lyons, of Forest Hill Vineyard. “As much as I’m a fan of the dry-grown philosophy, it’s no good if you don’t have happy, healthy vines.”

Waitaki: cool climate crafted confidence

It has been a year since we last featured this tiny but dynamic wine region at the edge of climatic viability in North Otago of New Zealand’s South Island, and more than two years since our deep-dive feature week into the region’s wines and climate.