Patience is a virtue with Balgownie reds
Big reds need time, so Balgownie holds some of their powerful Estate cabernet sauvignons and shirazes back for a few years of extra maturation, then re-releases them to their loyal clientele.
Wine Spotlights
The trail-blazing Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio
A wine that sells almost 2 million bottles a year in more than 90 countries can’t be much good, can it?
Come in spinner for multi-trophy winner
If chief winemaker Andrew Spinaze hadn’t chanced to go into the winery on a Sunday evening to check on a ferment during the 2013 vintage, we would never have had the trophy-winning 2013 Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon.
Grand Cru Bordeaux goes organic
Grand Cru Bordeaux are all about fancy châteaux and centuries of tradition. They don’t embrace change. Or do they?
Champagne Pommery’s stunning Céleste range
Beautifully designed gift boxes have become almost yawn-worthy for Champagne, but the new Céleste range from Pommery are stunning by any yardstick.
The new Krug Vintage 2008
Krug is renowned for holding ‘rough luxury’ tastings in obscure parts of the capital, but even by Krug’s standards, the venue at 2 Smugglers Yard in an unprepossessing corner of West London required all one’s navigational skills.
Kumeu’s Crémant
Kumeu River is well known internationally for producing cracking Chardonnay. Few would have been surprised when they released a sparkling wine.
Piper-Heidsieck’s 50-year-old new release
It’s not every day a 50-year-old Champagne is tasted. And certainly not a 50-year-old Champagne that is a new release.
Giles Cooke MW’s fatherly charity wine
Giles Cooke MW has a side-brand of his own named Our Fathers. The entire profits are donated to charities. Till now, the charities have been British. Giles had difficulty finding an Australian charity that would accept the cash.
“Bring a bottle” at Auckland’s Northern Club
Auckland’s Northern Club invited its members to bring a special bottle of wine for a blind-tasting and a light meal.