An auction of wines straight from the cellars of Masseto, the renowned single-vineyard Merlot from Bolgheri, brought in impressive numbers at Sotheby’s. The grand sum of just over $400,000 was almost double the pre-auction estimate of $220,000. Topping the 46 lots was a 15-liter bottle of the 2010 vintage (one of only 20 nebuchadnezzars the
Chicagoans can now get a taste of Napa Valley without leaving the city. The Oakville Grill & Cellar—a partnership between wine director Richard Hanauer, chef Maxwell Robbins and restaurant group Lettuce Entertain You—debuted April 24 in Chicago’s Fulton Market District. The restaurant’s menu revolves around the team’s partnerships with farms, ranches and wineries throughout California
You had me at the first sip. What a beauty! A Pinot for lovers of savoury goodness. A wine that strides out with confidence, it’s plentiful with highlights of briar, twiggy things and earthy notes. An attractive dried red petal perfume, dried strawberry and orange peel build more interest. What drags closer is the concentration
For many people, coffee is one of life’s greatest pleasures—not to mention an energy boost. Recent studies have linked coffee to longer life and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, among other potential health benefits. Yet for decades, conflicting research has suggested that coffee may lead to cardiovascular issues, particularly a type of dangerous irregular heartbeat
As I mentioned yesterday, the month of May on Australian Wine and Drinks Review will be focused on Chardonnay, with a large pile of wines on the bench ready to be opened over the next four weeks for Chardonnay May. To kick off the #ChardoMay proceedings, here are 10 smart Chardonnay opened to get my
International Viognier Day is one of the newer days on the international wine days calendar. It was started in 2021 by the team at Yalumba Wines who are synonymous with making Viognier in Australia. Viognier Day is celebrated on the last Friday in April every year, so make sure it’s in your calendar for next
Dam good Hunter Valley Shiraz you could say. From a tiny 0.8 hectare block that resides across the dam (funnily enough) from the famed Kiss block, this Dam Block 2021 is a dense red ready to add some snuggle factor to your chilly winter evenings. Absolutely age-worthy and delicious, it rides on an even keel
On Monday, it was a flood of reviews on wines that didn’t make the Australian Wine Review grade (which is a silver medal equivalent). But today, we have less snark, and more good times, with a swag of 23 wines that did make it over the past eight-odd weeks. Importantly, this collection has two sides
Bacchus is a grape that has come to my mind as one of England’s exciting white wine grapes. I first came across it in the early 2000’s when I started adding the occasional English wine to my repertoire. It wasn’t that hard to find by the mid 2000’s. There was at least one Bacchus wine
A new study by Spanish researchers has found fresh evidence that following the Mediterranean diet, including wine in moderation, can lead to better heart health. The research is notable because it examines how our bodies metabolize the polyphenols found in foods and wine in the diet, and how those polyphenols could be working to help
Don’t you love the world we live in? We don’t even have to leave our house, or even get up off the couch to have wine delivered directly to our doors. Having tried and tested a number of wine clubs and wine subscription boxes over the years, I thought it was about time I put
What started as a one-off make up blend many years ago of the Lips and Arseholes (L&A = Elenay), the Elenay has morphed into a considered and premium wine in the Thomas Wines range. So much so, it seems to strut with glitter and shiny stuff. Incredibly successful on the show circuit, it’s a victory
The number one role of wine is to be a delicious beverage. The end. Yet so often, fancy wine ends lost in itself, trying to be a serious intellectual pursuit when it should just be delicious first and interesting second. This new trio of Curly Flat Pinot Noir 2021 releases manages to do it –
Wine Spectator kicked off this year’s three-city Grand Tour at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., on April 15. More than 1,000 attendees swirled and tasted 230-plus outstanding wines, each one reviewed at 90 points or higher. Numerous winery owners and winemakers were on hand to pour for the thirsty crowd
There are now many excellent English sparkling wines to choose from! In your search for great bubbles, don’t miss out on the opportunity to taste some of the elegant English sparkling wines that are becoming easier to find. I have reviewed a number in the past – Bolney Bubbly Brut, Nyetimber Cuvee Cherie, Nyetimber Classic
There’s a new restaurant on the 24th floor of the Ritz-Carlton in Los Angeles. Actually, that’s an understatement: The floor has multiple new restaurants. Earlier this year, chef Kevin Luzande—formerly of Acre Restaurant in Los Cabos, Mexico—debuted Sendero, a project encompassing four culinary concepts. These join a global portfolio of impressive restaurants in the Ritz-Carlton
This is the first First Growth to see the hands of Ox Hardy. The difference is telling with the fruit picked a little earlier and certainly not as ripe as the 2018 vintage. There is a shape and prestige about its carry that is easy to admire. Pointed to a long future, stash this away
Right, let’s get back into the sample pile, hey? I have so much respect for what the Pooley family have done with their eponymous brand, taking it from a hobby plot to top flight Tassie label within two decades. This ripe, generously proportioned Pooley Pinot Noir 2021. It’s almost Tassie Shiraz-like in its volume of
Who makes it? Chapel Down Bacchus is a fruity fizz from the South of England. Chapel Down is one of the well known names of English Wine. It also has a cellar door that is an easy trip from London. And English Sparkling has already established itself as a desirable alternative amongst locals and is
Michel Reybier, the billionaire hotelier and owner of St.-Estèphe second-growth Château Cos-d’Estournel, has purchased neighboring winery Château Cos Labory. Reybier finalized a deal a few weeks ago, purchasing the fifth-growth from the Audoy family for an undisclosed sum. The deal expands Reybier’s growing wine empire and his presence in St.-Estèphe. Cos Labory, which has a
Please note there are some affiliate links within this post. Which means at no cost to you, if you click through and purchase, I may get a small amount of commission. We are just on our way home after staying at Freycinet Lodge and visiting Freycinet National Park and I really want to share our
For decades, researchers have tried to answer two seemingly simple questions: Is moderate alcohol consumption harmful? And does it provide any health benefits? A new study claims the answer to both questions is “No.” The researchers found that men who drank up to 45 grams of alcohol a day (around three glasses of wine) and
The 2021 release was an absolute belter and winemaker Adam Clay has levelled up with this 2022 GSM. A fabulous drink, the savoury appeal really stood out on this occasion. A 62/31/7 blend compared to the 56/39/5 of 2021, it’s great to see vintage variation at play with the subtle adjustments to the blend. The
Who makes it? Are You Game, Shiraz is just one of the quirky wines from Fowles, a family winery based in Victoria. It has the benefit of having a cellar door that is easy to reach on the highway between Melbourne and the NSW border. The range has grown and has some innovative twists added lately
From flat bottles to plastic-free packaging and lighter containers, companies across the globe are working on ways to reduce the wine industry’s ecological footprint. Recently, an Australian wine company has thrown its hat into the ring with label-free—meaning paper- and ink-free—bottles. This year, Fourth Wave Wine launched its new, sustainability-focused brand, Crate, created with branding
Burgundy’s legendary Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti joins the latest episode of Straight Talk for an exclusive rare interview covering his auction-darling Pinot Noirs, his first encounter with Robert Mondavi, and his role in the controversial 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting. Southern France wine star Gérard Bertrand, the subject of our May issue
What a great exercise it was to taste this Block 5 Riesling beside its sibling the Colmar Reserve Riesling. The two sites are 100 metres apart from one another but both wines are very different, and it must be said, both are excellent. The concentration of this Block 5 is clear. Dripping with lime juice,
Michael Mina has had a busy year so far. Fresh from revamping his Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence–winning Stripsteak in Las Vegas, the chef-restaurateur unveiled a new Italian restaurant, Sorelle, in Charleston, S.C., in February. A collaboration with Charleston’s Beemok Hospitality Collection, Sorelle is Mina’s first South Carolina establishment and joins an acclaimed
Did you notice something different when landing on the site this week? I’ve tweaked the name of this little site just before we hit the fifteenth birthday in May. Welcome to the new Australian Wine and Drinks Review. I’m doing this because 2023 will see more than just wine discussions on these pages. There’ll be
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