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		<title>All the new Lowestoft super Tassie wines vs some choice Burgundy</title>
		<link>https://ozwinereview.com/2026/09/all-the-new-lowestoft-super-tassie-wines-vs-some-choice-burgundy.html</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Andrew Graham]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:56:33 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Wine]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ozwinereview.com/?p=46660</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0862-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Lowestoft La Maison Pinot Noir 2024" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" /><p>All the new Lowenstoft wines vs a collection of Burgundies? I'm there. And this lineup showed why this label is a modern Tassie hero...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/09/all-the-new-lowestoft-super-tassie-wines-vs-some-choice-burgundy.html">All the new Lowestoft super Tassie wines vs some choice Burgundy</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0862-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Lowestoft La Maison Pinot Noir 2024" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" />
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It must be exciting to work for a company that has invested $100 million in Tasmanian wine acquisitions over the last six-odd years. Lowestoft winemaker Liam McElhinney has scored one of the best jobs in Australian wine.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">His tenure in Tassie started bumpily, though. Liam arrived from New Zealand in 2019 as a consultant, brought in by Peter Fogarty (of Fogarty Wine Group fame) after the purchase of the ailing &#8211; but crucially important &#8211; Winemaking Tasmania winemaking facility. That part is fine, but the timing was rubbish as McElhinney got entangled in COVID lockdowns and spent 8 months in Tassie without his family. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That feels like an eon ago though now, with Liam now living on the Lowestoft property with said family (that have apparently acquired an Aussie twang), and helming Peter Fogarty&#8217;s growing Tasmanian empire, which now includes a patchwork of properties, including the Ossa vineyards, Clover Hill (along with Taltarni), and even a thousand-hectare walnut farm on the east coast that is gradually being converted to vines.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">To be clear, no one is doing that in the industry at present. Such investment and ambition just doesn&#8217;t happen anymore &#8211; not in a world where most wineries are running on fumes/wet rebates. I&#8217;d want to work for Peter Fogarty too.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">And Lowestoft is a vineyard crown jewel too.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Literally across the road from the Mona museum (well, across the road from the pump track that&#8217;s next to Mona) in what is now Hobart suburbia, the Lowestoft vineyard has some history. Planted in 1986, with an unheard-of-at-the-time 8000 vines/hectare density, this vineyard has some of the oldest Pinot vines in Tassie, although the fruit has been sold off to the likes of Stefano Lubiana and Treasury, often for sparkling and absorbed into bigger blends (because it&#8217;s only 3 hectares), and only now bottling under the Lowestoft label. Just to underline the history, some of the surrounding property was sold off for housing years back, and the property is now surrounded by a network of roads called naf wine names like &#8216;Chardonnay Drive&#8217; and &#8216;Beaujolais Court&#8217;.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Lowestoft wines aren&#8217;t wholly from this block, but increasingly the rare top dog La Maison releases are. And the rarity has only levelled up since the Lowestoft La Maison Pinot Noir 2022 won the Jimmy (Watson trophy) in 2023.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">To be honest, I&#8217;ve barely seen these wines in the flesh, which is why I was extra interested to go along to a fancy lunch hosted by Liam to try them this week. It sounds like the most ridiculous first-world problem/cry me a river, etc., but the goal is to avoid wine lunches because the hours involved vs. the wines tasted typically don&#8217;t match up, and you just burn through your week. Give me a punchy 90-minute masterclass, and we&#8217;re good.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" width="1024" height="932" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/a6d48c37-a8c1-4609-9332-280355562511-1024x932.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-46726" srcset="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/a6d48c37-a8c1-4609-9332-280355562511-1024x932.jpg 1024w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/a6d48c37-a8c1-4609-9332-280355562511-600x546.jpg 600w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/a6d48c37-a8c1-4609-9332-280355562511-1536x1398.jpg 1536w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/a6d48c37-a8c1-4609-9332-280355562511-960x874.jpg 960w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/a6d48c37-a8c1-4609-9332-280355562511.jpg 2000w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">These Lowenstoft wines, though; I&#8217;d jostle for a taste. And the food at Sydney&#8217;s Eleven Barrack? Super. There were these Kurobuta pork tomahawks served on share plates and I was casually dropping a &#8216;are you going to have some more&#8217; type comments because I wasn&#8217;t going to waste that. I could have eaten a dozen of the superstar duck liver parfait choux with Banyuls jelly (pictured above) or the red velvet cake (below).</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Meanwhile, let&#8217;s look at a few wines?</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There was a collection of Burgundies for comparison&#8217;s sake in this lineup too, and they were both instructive and welcome. They served to remind that a) Burgundy is just Chardonnay and Pinot Noir b) Tasmanian wine is that good c) I can&#8217;t afford to drink the Burgundy I want to drink.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Wines tasted:</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Thalia Sparkling NV</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Lowestoft Estate Chardonnay 2024</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Lowestoft La Meilleure Chardonnay 2025</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Lowestoft Estate Pinot Noir 2023</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Lowestoft Jacoben Pinot Noir 2024</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Domaine Amiot et Fils Morey-Saint-Denis 2017</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Lowestoft La Maison Pinot Noir 2024</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Domaine d’Eugénie Vosne-Romanée Clos d’Eugénie 2018</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Anne Boisson Bourgogne Blanc 2022</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Domaine Latour-Giraud Cuvée Charles Maxime Meursault 2023</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Domaine Taupenot-Merme Gevrey-Chambertin 2023</strong></p>




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<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/09/all-the-new-lowestoft-super-tassie-wines-vs-some-choice-burgundy.html">All the new Lowestoft super Tassie wines vs some choice Burgundy</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">46660</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Hello LEAS Chardonnay 2023 + Oregonian Megastars + more</title>
		<link>https://ozwinereview.com/2026/09/hello-leas-chardonnay-2013-oregonian-megastars-more.html</link>
					<comments>https://ozwinereview.com/2026/09/hello-leas-chardonnay-2013-oregonian-megastars-more.html#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Andrew Graham]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Sep 2026 21:37:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Wine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2023]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2024]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2025]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chardonnay]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Longer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Margaret River]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Oregon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pinot Noir]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Riesling]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tasmania]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Top Wine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Waipara]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ozwinereview.com/?p=46638</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0855-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="00 Wines Chehalem Mountain Chardonnay 2024" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /><p>The wine industry can swallow you up if you let it. Taste all day, drink all night, rinse, repeat. Even in 2026, where selling wine has become a fraught exercise, there are always bottles open.</p>
<p>So it is that I found myself in the surrounds of the defence factory turned rum distillery that is the Sydney home of Red Mill Rum, tasting not just lots of the notably involving spirits, but an instructive comparison of world-class Chardonnay among other goodies.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/09/hello-leas-chardonnay-2013-oregonian-megastars-more.html">Hello LEAS Chardonnay 2023 + Oregonian Megastars + more</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0855-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="00 Wines Chehalem Mountain Chardonnay 2024" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" />
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The wine industry can swallow you up if you let it. Taste all day, drink all night, rinse, repeat. Even in 2026, where selling wine has become a fraught exercise, there are always bottles open.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">So it is that I found myself in the surrounds of the defence factory turned rum distillery that is the Sydney home of Red Mill Rum, tasting not just lots of the notably involving spirits, but an instructive comparison of world-class Chardonnay among other goodies.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The rum is delicious. Brown spirits aren&#8217;t my chosen drink, so even though I taste loads of them, I drink zero. Yet the energy/complexity/depth triangle of the Red Mill rums (and the amari. Oh, the amari) is something even a rum heathen like me can appreciate (the just-released <strong>Red Mill Rum Tom Thumb&#8217;s Reserve</strong> is wildly impressive).</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0854-1024x768.jpg" alt="Pegasus Bay Riesling 2025" class="wp-image-46683" srcset="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0854-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0854-600x450.jpg?crop=1 600w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0854-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0854-705x529.jpg?crop=1 705w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0854-960x720.jpg 960w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0854-350x264.jpg?crop=1 350w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0854.jpg 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Meanwhile, lobbing up as the entree to the wine lineup from blue-chip distributor Fesq was the <strong>Pegasus Bay Riesling 2025</strong>. Riesling remains an afterthought in Kiwi wine, but Peg Bay have gone long for a long time with great results. This &#8217;25 feels just-right too &#8211; there&#8217;s an Alsace-like orange rind fullness that makes this so inviting, without ever falling over into excess, with ripeness rather than sugar driving the drinkability. Delightful.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Chardonnay table is where the big guns sat, though, with the new <strong>Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay 2023</strong> sliding on in&#8230;</p>




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<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/09/hello-leas-chardonnay-2013-oregonian-megastars-more.html">Hello LEAS Chardonnay 2023 + Oregonian Megastars + more</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">46638</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>What have you been buying and drinking in September (and August) 2026</title>
		<link>https://ozwinereview.com/2026/09/what-have-you-been-buying-and-drinking-in-september-and-august-2026.html</link>
					<comments>https://ozwinereview.com/2026/09/what-have-you-been-buying-and-drinking-in-september-and-august-2026.html#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Andrew Graham]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 12 Sep 2026 00:03:41 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Wine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Longer]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ozwinereview.com/?p=46627</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0839-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Bracket Brewing Double Tap WCIPA" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /><p>Actually, it&#8217;s not just this month; I&#8217;m folding in August too, because another project got in the way over the last few weeks, which put a go-slow on any sort of Australian Wine Review work (and sleeping, for that matter). I&#8217;m back on the horse now though, so let&#8217;s go! Now normally, I like to [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/09/what-have-you-been-buying-and-drinking-in-september-and-august-2026.html">What have you been buying and drinking in September (and August) 2026</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0839-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Bracket Brewing Double Tap WCIPA" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" />
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Actually, it&#8217;s not just this month; I&#8217;m folding in August too, because another project got in the way over the last few weeks, which put a go-slow on any sort of Australian Wine Review work (and sleeping, for that matter). I&#8217;m back on the horse now though, so let&#8217;s go!</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Now normally, I like to kick off this monthly wrap with a few wines I&#8217;ve drunk lately, but there hasn&#8217;t been much of that either. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0630-1-1024x768.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-46605" srcset="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0630-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0630-1-600x450.jpg?crop=1 600w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0630-1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0630-1-705x529.jpg?crop=1 705w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0630-1-960x720.jpg 960w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0630-1-350x264.jpg?crop=1 350w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0630-1.jpg 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This <strong>Levantine Hill Levant Chardonnay 2024</strong> looked lovely on a bloody hot Singapore night, though, with just the right push/pull balance between delicacy and oak/fruit richness. Right up there with some of the Oakridge single-vineyard Chardies on the &#8216;Yarra Valley Chardonnay I want to drink&#8217; scale.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0770-1024x768.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-46600" srcset="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0770-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0770-600x450.jpg?crop=1 600w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0770-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0770-705x529.jpg?crop=1 705w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0770-960x720.jpg 960w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0770-350x264.jpg?crop=1 350w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0770.jpg 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Also high on the drinkability index, this <strong>Slipstream Brewing Billy Cart Mid Pale</strong> was much more impressive than expected. Typically I&#8217;d rather drink half a pint than a mid-strength, but this had a hop-forward fragrance and just the right amount of bitter shape for a beer that lands at 3.4%.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">What about you? What have you enjoyed drinking over the past month or so?</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">As for buying, well, for inspo I popped by the Negociants (prominent Australian wine distributor) spring tasting last week, and plenty lobbed into view that I&#8217;d buy.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">First through the door was the Ata Rangi table, and the freshly bottled <strong>Ata Rangi Pinot Noir 2024</strong> looked beautiful. There&#8217;s a silken flow and everything in its right place, and youthful joy right there. Delicious. Ata Rangi assistant winemaker Katie Cameron was pouring the wines and explained that after a few tough vintages, there was a sense of relief when this wine came out looking so good. I couldn&#8217;t warm to the <strong>Ata Rangi Crimson Pinot Noir 2025</strong>, though, which looked less pure and much more forward than I&#8217;d expect. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0803-1024x768.jpg" alt="Bekkers Syrah 2022" class="wp-image-46602" srcset="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0803-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0803-600x450.jpg?crop=1 600w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0803-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0803-705x529.jpg?crop=1 705w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0803-960x720.jpg 960w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0803-350x264.jpg?crop=1 350w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0803.jpg 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Alongside, Toby Bekkers poured his latest Bekkers releases, and yet again, these are such impressive things. In my McLaren Vale hierarchy, these are up there with the likes of Yangarra at the very pointy end. The <strong>Bekkers Syrah 2022</strong> is magnificent, with this line of dark olive and licorice phenolic savouriness that is irrepressible. There&#8217;s a sense of purity in that wine that Toby attributes to what he described as abysmal (I&#8217;m paraphrasing, but that was the sentiment) extraction rates, where he ends up with less than 550 litres of juice from a tonne of grapes (the Wine Australia average is 712). Extraction isn&#8217;t everything, but the consideration that goes into these Bekkers wines feels proper uncompromising, which shows in everything from the lively TOME blend, through the perfectly balanced Grenache and then the first-ever straight Cab release: the <strong>Bekkers Cabernet Sauvignon 2023</strong>. Sourced from the Bekkers&#8217; Clarendon vineyard, it&#8217;s a towering Cabernet in its Vale expression, yet doesn&#8217;t feel like an angular, alcoholic slap like some Vale Cabs. The Syrah is easily the king in the lineup, but hot dog, that Cab isn&#8217;t far behind. </p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0802-1024x768.jpg" alt="Château Pouilly-Fuisse Tête de Cuvee 2023" class="wp-image-46599" srcset="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0802-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0802-600x450.jpg?crop=1 600w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0802-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0802-705x529.jpg?crop=1 705w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0802-960x720.jpg 960w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0802-350x264.jpg?crop=1 350w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0802.jpg 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There were a lot more impressive wines at that tasting, but it was one white that almost slipped through that I most wanted to drink &#8211; a <strong>Château Pouilly-Fuisse Tête de Cuvee 2023</strong>. I really fell hard for Pouilly-Fuisse in Burgundy earlier in the year, and this classic expression has the white rock limestone stoniness, but also a joyful, nutty, golden, richer edge. We&#8217;re not at 1er Cru levels of density, but the effortlessness of this wine makes it such a fresh, satisfying drink. Would I buy it? Yes, and finish the bottle no probs.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Speaking of buying things, Michael Brajkovich MW from Kumeu River rolled into town for a masterclass at the end of August with a vertical of his Rays Road Chardonnay and some other back-vintage goodies in tow. That&#8217;s a whole different post that I&#8217;ll get to next week, but needless to say, I&#8217;m buying some of the new <strong>Kumeu River Maté&#8217;s Vineyard Chardonnay 2025</strong> because it&#8217;s superb.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0839-1024x768.jpg" alt="Bracket Brewing Double Tap WCIPA" class="wp-image-46624" srcset="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0839-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0839-600x450.jpg?crop=1 600w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0839-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0839-705x529.jpg?crop=1 705w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0839-960x720.jpg 960w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0839-350x264.jpg?crop=1 350w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/img_0839.jpg 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Also in the purchase pile lately is some&nbsp;<strong>Wanderer Upper Yarra Pinot Noir 2025</strong>, more&nbsp;<strong>Aeon Soleil Semillon 2025</strong>, and likely more of the delicious <strong>Bracket Brewing Double Tap WCIPA</strong>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">What about you? What have you been buying lately?</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/09/what-have-you-been-buying-and-drinking-in-september-and-august-2026.html">What have you been buying and drinking in September (and August) 2026</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">46627</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>The cool breeze of Ross Hill&#8217;s Pinnacle Series blows in</title>
		<link>https://ozwinereview.com/2026/08/the-cool-breeze-of-ross-hills-pinnacle-series-blows-in.html</link>
					<comments>https://ozwinereview.com/2026/08/the-cool-breeze-of-ross-hills-pinnacle-series-blows-in.html#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Andrew Graham]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 23 Aug 2026 21:30:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Wine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2024]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2025]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cabernet Franc + Blends]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cabernet Sauvignon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chardonnay]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Longer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Orange]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pinot Gris]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ozwinereview.com/?p=46358</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/img_0582-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Ross Hill Pinnacle Series Cabernet Franc 2024" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /><p>It will always be befuddling that Orange (the wine region) doesn&#8217;t have a larger profile. Yes, there is a distinct lack of significant volume halo producers, which sucks some energy out of the whole shebang. It is hardly a large region either &#8211; roughly half the size of the Yarra in hectares planted. Yet it [&#8230;]</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/08/the-cool-breeze-of-ross-hills-pinnacle-series-blows-in.html">The cool breeze of Ross Hill&#8217;s Pinnacle Series blows in</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/img_0582-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Ross Hill Pinnacle Series Cabernet Franc 2024" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" />
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It will always be befuddling that Orange (the wine region) doesn&#8217;t have a larger profile. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Yes, there is a distinct lack of significant volume halo producers, which sucks some energy out of the whole shebang. It is hardly a large region either &#8211; roughly half the size of the Yarra in hectares planted. Yet it still doesn&#8217;t explain why this region, with its altitude-defined charisma and varietal variety, sits a distance back in the Australian cool climate wine hierarchy (even within NSW, which is another puzzlement altogether).</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">When I cracked open the <strong>Ross Hill Pinnacle Series Cabernet Franc 2024</strong> below, it felt like a reminder of what lies on those NSW Central Ranges slopes. The Ross Hill apple-picking-shed-turned-winery (most Orange wineries are repurposed apple sheds; they&#8217;re affordable and well insulated) tends to produce lifted Franc, and this felt welcomingly bright and delineated. A breath of fresh air, straight off Mount Canobolas. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Indeed, Orange Cab Franc is an underrated beast, just to fit the narrative. The acid and tannin balance isn&#8217;t always there, but when it&#8217;s on, it&#8217;s bloody on. And Chardonnay! Orange Chardonnay deserves high status. More love for the appley finesse that shines even in the riper wines.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">As evidence for why I&#8217;m banging on about Orange, see the full Ross Hill Pinnacle range spelled out below, in all their delineated splendour.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This is a rather complete range expression from this OG carbon-neutral winery, even if a little patience would go a long way. Curiously, there is an oak character in these wines that is quite appley &#8211; a fine-grained mealiness that adds more coolness, although a reflection of how the refined fruit might suffer if the oak was overt at all. Notably fair pricing for a pinnacle range too.</p>




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<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/08/the-cool-breeze-of-ross-hills-pinnacle-series-blows-in.html">The cool breeze of Ross Hill&#8217;s Pinnacle Series blows in</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">46358</post-id>	</item>
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		<title>The promise of a new Casella project</title>
		<link>https://ozwinereview.com/2026/08/the-promise-of-a-new-casella-project.html</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Andrew Graham]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 18 Aug 2026 21:35:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Wine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2025]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chardonnay]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Longer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pinot Noir]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Shiraz Cabernet blends]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ozwinereview.com/?p=46294</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/img_0698-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="e’Stellar Legacy Sparkling (2025 disgorgement)" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /><p>Not just the [yellow tail] winemakers, the Casella family have become unlikely saviours in recent years, picking up a swag of underappreciated estates (like Morris and Baileys) and giving them some love.</p>
<p>e'Stellar Estate, the new Yarra Valley project, has a Casella name behind it too, but this time it's Joe Casella (rather than John, who drives the Casella Family Brands). Joe and Cathy Casella purchased Graeme Miller's Dixons Creek Estate in 2017, and then added the original Mandala Vineyard next door, creating e'Stellar from the merged estate.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/08/the-promise-of-a-new-casella-project.html">The promise of a new Casella project</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/img_0698-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="e’Stellar Legacy Sparkling (2025 disgorgement)" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" />
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Not just the [yellow tail] winemakers, the Casella family have become unlikely saviours in recent years, picking up a swag of underappreciated estates (like Morris and Baileys) and giving them some love.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"> e&#8217;Stellar Estate, the new Yarra Valley project, has a Casella name behind it too, but this time it&#8217;s Joe Casella (rather than John, who drives the Casella Family Brands). Joe and Cathy Casella purchased Graeme Miller&#8217;s Dixons Creek Estate in 2017, and then added the original Mandala Vineyard next door, creating e&#8217;Stellar from the merged estate.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Martin Siebert, the man behind the First Foot Forward brand (and who made Tokar Estate great), is GM of the new e&#8217;Stellar operation, which is even better news. Martin can deliver delicacy and deftly handled Yarra wines, let alone being a good human.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Put it all together, and you can see why, when the fancy textured labelled samples of this new name dropped at AWDR HQ, it came with promise.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Let&#8217;s see how they taste&#8230;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Wines reviewed:</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>e’Stellar Pinot Noir 2025</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>e’Stellar Syrah 2025</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>e’Stellar Legacy Sparkling (2025 disgorgement)</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>e’Stellar Cabernet Sauvignon 2025</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>e’Stellar Chardonnay 2025</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>e’Stellar Estate Cabernet Syrah 2025</strong></p>




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<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/08/the-promise-of-a-new-casella-project.html">The promise of a new Casella project</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
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		<title>Another day, another Endeavour outcast going great</title>
		<link>https://ozwinereview.com/2026/08/another-day-another-endeavour-outcast-going-great.html</link>
					<comments>https://ozwinereview.com/2026/08/another-day-another-endeavour-outcast-going-great.html#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Andrew Graham]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 09 Aug 2026 21:08:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Wine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2019]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[2025]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chardonnay]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ozwinereview.com/?p=46203</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/img_2527-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Oakridge Hyde Park Shiraz 2024" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /><p>Oakridge is (or was) David Bicknell.</p>
<p>As he pointed out in his goodbye message on Instagram, over 24 years, Bicknell has taken a 'broken winery to the top of the industry with an unwavering commitment to quality and plenty of hard graft'.</p>
<p>Yet the accolades didn't save him, and there's not shortage of evidence to show why this is a mad move...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/08/another-day-another-endeavour-outcast-going-great.html">Another day, another Endeavour outcast going great</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/img_2527-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Oakridge Hyde Park Shiraz 2024" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" />
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Oakridge is (or was) David Bicknell. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">As he pointed out in his goodbye message on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DarfHWIyD8u/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.instagram.com/p/DarfHWIyD8u/">Instagram</a>, over 24 years, Bicknell has taken a &#8216;broken winery to the top of the industry with an unwavering commitment to quality and plenty of hard graft&#8217;.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Yet the accolades didn&#8217;t save him, with Bicknell amongst a few winemakers caught up in the Endeavour sale-athon (and redundancy spree) that <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/08/vale-chapel-hill-heres-a-few-final-wines-to-see-you-off.html" data-type="link" data-id="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/08/vale-chapel-hill-heres-a-few-final-wines-to-see-you-off.html">we talked about last week</a>. I don&#8217;t understand why you&#8217;d sell off the brand without its talismanic winemaker asset, but then again the Endeavour winery clearout isn&#8217;t about emotions, it&#8217;s about pure corporate cost-cutting ( which remains the mortal enemy of capital-hungry wineries everywhere) from a brand <a href="https://insideretail.com.au/business/financial/profits-collapse-at-endeavour-group-after-restructure-202608" data-type="link" data-id="https://insideretail.com.au/business/financial/profits-collapse-at-endeavour-group-after-restructure-202608">desperate to turn around profitability</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Meanwhile, a cursory search on this site will reveal just how fine the Oakridge wines have been in recent years too, just to remind what&#8217;s on the chopping block. Please, let a new owner step in who will pick up the team and keep the Oakridge fire burning (could probably just rehire Dave and you&#8217;re good to go).</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Here are a few more quality wines to add to Bicknell&#8217;s liquid portfolio.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Wines reviewed below:</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Oakridge Blanc de Blancs 2019</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Oakridge Hazeldene Chardonnay 2024</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Oakridge Hazeldene Pinot Gris 2025</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Oakridge Hazeldene Pinot Noir 2024</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Oakridge Horst Riesling 2025</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Oakridge Hyde Park Shiraz 2024</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Oakridge Meunier 2025</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Oakridge Oakridge Vineyard Shiraz 2024</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Oakridge Willowlake Chardonnay 2024</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Oakridge Willowlake Pinot Noir 2024</strong></p>



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<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/08/another-day-another-endeavour-outcast-going-great.html">Another day, another Endeavour outcast going great</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
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		<title>Vale, Chapel Hill. Here&#8217;s a few final wines to see you off</title>
		<link>https://ozwinereview.com/2026/08/vale-chapel-hill-heres-a-few-final-wines-to-see-you-off.html</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Andrew Graham]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 06 Aug 2026 21:42:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Wine]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ozwinereview.com/?p=46125</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/img_0176-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /><p>As the saying goes, big business and wine rarely mix well, and Chapel Hill is exhibit #4065.</p>
<p>Luckily, I have a few of the Fragos-era Chapel Hill wines, in all their luscious, typically honest glory, to realise what has been left behind:</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/08/vale-chapel-hill-heres-a-few-final-wines-to-see-you-off.html">Vale, Chapel Hill. Here&#8217;s a few final wines to see you off</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/img_0176-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" />
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Michael Fragos, the most recent custodian of the proud Chapel Hill winery, was announced today as the new CEO and Chief Winemaker of Haselgrove Wines.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://wbmonline.com.au/winemaker-michael-fragos-joins-haselgrove/" data-type="link" data-id="https://wbmonline.com.au/winemaker-michael-fragos-joins-haselgrove/">This is very good news</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">What Endeavour has done to Chapel Hill, meanwhile, is less good. Actually, it&#8217;s wine-brand bastardy: they&#8217;ve decided to keep the brand but sell off the assets (or just shutter them), and made <a href="https://wbmonline.com.au/chapel-hill-winemaker-michael-fragos-departs/" data-type="link" data-id="https://wbmonline.com.au/chapel-hill-winemaker-michael-fragos-departs/">Michael redundant</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Sure, Chapel Hill isn&#8217;t dead, but separating the brand from the estate (complete with the distinctive chapel on a hill, which makes it Chapel Hill) just makes it another faceless label. They&#8217;ve also ditched the other asset, Fragos himself, who is far too considered for such a lack of brand foresight.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I can fondly remember when Fragos announced the launch of the Chapel Hill super wine, The Devil, a little while back. He seemed to be apologising about releasing a wine with such ambition. Michael is too humble for fancy wines.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">What&#8217;s surprising about this situation is that the recent treatment of the brands (or soon-to-be-ex-brands) in the Endeavour Brands portfolio has been really quite positive. As David Bicknell (ex-Oakridge chief, who also has <a href="https://wbmonline.com.au/oakridge-chief-winemaker-leaves-the-winery/" data-type="link" data-id="https://wbmonline.com.au/oakridge-chief-winemaker-leaves-the-winery/">been pushed out</a>) talks about in this <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2022/10/an-ode-to-growers-now-out-from-the-paywall.html" data-type="post" data-id="27211">interview</a>, Endeavour was actually a rather respectful owner.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Anyway, as the saying goes, big business and wine rarely mix well, and this is exhibit #4065.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Luckily, I have a few of the Fragos-era Chapel Hill wines, in all their luscious, typically honest glory, to realise what has been left behind:</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Chapel Hill The Devil Shiraz 2022</h3>



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<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/08/vale-chapel-hill-heres-a-few-final-wines-to-see-you-off.html">Vale, Chapel Hill. Here&#8217;s a few final wines to see you off</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
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		<title>Eisenstone&#8217;s gloriously un-Penfoldian 2023 Barossa reds</title>
		<link>https://ozwinereview.com/2026/08/eisenstones-gloriously-un-penfoldian-2023-barossa-reds.html</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Andrew Graham]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 01 Aug 2026 08:04:13 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Wine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2023]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Barossa]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Shiraz]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ozwinereview.com/?p=46044</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/img_0565-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /><p>As I sit with a thick bottle of the new Eisenstone SV902 Hoffmann DV Vineyard Ebenezer Shiraz 2023 in front of me, I keep thinking about how refreshing it is to see how Barossa Shiraz has evolved. The default setting hasn't changed; this wine, and the, style is still unashamedly lush, oaky, and warmi, but we're no longer stuck with the old-school four-square, American oak-heavy styles as the only way.</p>
<p>Close followers will know how much I like Stephen Cook's Eisenstone wines, and it was a pleasure to see Stephen on a brisk July day recently to see the ever-growing range of Barossan goodies.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/08/eisenstones-gloriously-un-penfoldian-2023-barossa-reds.html">Eisenstone&#8217;s gloriously un-Penfoldian 2023 Barossa reds</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/img_0565-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" />
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">As I sit with a thick bottle of the new <strong>Eisenstone SV902 Hoffmann DV Vineyard Ebenezer Shiraz 2023</strong> in front of me, I keep thinking about how refreshing it is to see how Barossa Shiraz has evolved. The default setting hasn&#8217;t changed; this wine, and the style is still unashamedly lush, oaky, and warm, but we&#8217;re no longer stuck with the old-school four-square, American oak-heavy styles as the only way.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Close followers will know how much I like Stephen Cook&#8217;s Eisenstone wines, and it was a pleasure to see Stephen on a brisk July day recently to see the ever-growing range of Barossan goodies.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Before we get stuck in, it&#8217;s worth spelling out again why (or skip ahead if you&#8217;ve heard this story) I like this range. All Barossa Shiraz (Eden Valley Chardonnay next), the Eisensstone wines made the same way across the whole range (maturation in 40-50% new French and American oak for 18 months to two years, with more wood for the SV wines), and all bottled in individual parish/vineyard bottlings.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">What also places these Eisenstone wines up high on the ladder is the fruit source, with Stephen uncoincidentally tapping into some ex Grange vineyard sources, and Adrian Hoffmann&#8217;s legendary Dallwitz Block at Ebenezer, </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">While very normal in the modern sense, in a world of single-vineyard hero wines, this terroir-driven approach is somewhat historically rare for the Barossa, where makers like Penfolds, St Hallett, Rockford, etc made a name for themselves on pure regional styles, rather than any notion of sub-regions or single vineyards. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It&#8217;s Champagne vs Burgundy, if you want an old world parallel. Or old school vs new school Barolo.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Of course, it was makers like Penfolds that first did the Barossa single-vineyard super-wine thing with Block 42 (or Henschke HoG). And muddying the waters is how attempts to make sub-regions within the Barossa are so politically fraught that they go nowhere (let&#8217;s not even talk about the bullshit around the naming of Kalimna). </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Interestingly, these 2023 vintage releases have a certain sleekness to them too, which Stephen sees as a vintage character. It also makes these 2023 wines a decant-for-best-results proposition (I had a glass from one bottle opened 24 hours and it was more complete). Some in this lineup look a little blunt, but the next-level flavour layers are what marks everything.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Let&#8217;s have a squizz! Note that SR is the parish (unofficial sub-region) wines, and SR is the single vineyard releases.</p>



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<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/08/eisenstones-gloriously-un-penfoldian-2023-barossa-reds.html">Eisenstone&#8217;s gloriously un-Penfoldian 2023 Barossa reds</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
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		<title>The Burgundy final drop &#8211; nothing but Grand Cru and heroes</title>
		<link>https://ozwinereview.com/2026/07/the-burgundy-final-drop-nothing-but-grand-cru-and-heroes.html</link>
					<comments>https://ozwinereview.com/2026/07/the-burgundy-final-drop-nothing-but-grand-cru-and-heroes.html#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Andrew Graham]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 26 Jul 2026 21:24:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Wine]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Burgundy]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/img_2771-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 2023" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /><p>Welcome to the final instalment of 'these are all the Burgundies I've tasted recently', a collection of 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). We've gone from endless Chablis through Vosne mega-wines, explored the value joys of Outer Burgundy, remembered why I love Volnay and Pommard, Meursault megastars and much more. For this post, I'm headed to the icon tier of the Burgundian wine cabinet with a collection of high-flying village and 1er Cru wines plus some ridiculous superstar Grand Cru heroes, interspersed with a few jaw-dropping disappointments.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/07/the-burgundy-final-drop-nothing-but-grand-cru-and-heroes.html">The Burgundy final drop &#8211; nothing but Grand Cru and heroes</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/img_2771-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 2023" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" />
<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><em>Welcome to the final instalment of &#8216;these are all the Burgundies I&#8217;ve tasted recently&#8217;, a collection of tasting highlights from my visit to the&nbsp;</em></span><em><span style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a href="https://ozwinereview.com/tag/grand-jours-de-bourgogne" target="_blank">Grand Jours de Bourgogne 2026</a>&nbsp;(a week-long wine fair in this famed French wine region in early March).</span> We&#8217;ve gone from <a type="link" href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/03/how-much-chablis-can-i-taste-in-one-day-at-grand-jours-de-bourgogne-2026.html" id="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/03/how-much-chablis-can-i-taste-in-one-day-at-grand-jours-de-bourgogne-2026.html">endless Chablis</a> through <a type="link" href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/03/burgundy-2026-a-clos-de-vogueot-2016-horizontal-and-the-cream-of-vosne-romanee.html" id="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/03/burgundy-2026-a-clos-de-vogueot-2016-horizontal-and-the-cream-of-vosne-romanee.html">Vosne mega-wines</a>, explored the value joys of <a type="post" href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/05/the-quest-for-value-in-outer-burgundy.html" id="43703">Outer Burgundy</a>, remembered why I love <a type="link" href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/04/enter-the-delicious-2023-pommard-volnay-red-wines-and-more-cote-de-beaune-beauties.html" id="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/04/enter-the-delicious-2023-pommard-volnay-red-wines-and-more-cote-de-beaune-beauties.html">Volnay and Pommard</a>, Meursault <a type="link" href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/06/enter-the-meursault-megastars.html" id="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/06/enter-the-meursault-megastars.html">megastars</a> and much more.</em></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>For this post, I&#8217;m headed to the icon tier of the Burgundian wine cabinet with a collection of high-flying village and 1er Cru wines&nbsp;plus&nbsp;some ridiculous superstar Grand Cru heroes,&nbsp;interspersed with a few jaw-dropping disappointments.</em></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The centrepiece dinner for the Grand Jours was a little grand. Not black-tie fancy, but with some emphasis on the optics. The calibre of the wines was certainly up there &#8211; strictly Grand Cru, typically amazing, and mostly poured by winemakers/producers themselves, served to a room heavy with Burgundian names (and the odd local politician). The setting was salubriously held in the depths of the redone Château de Saint-Aubin (the polished cellars are in the pic below), which had a noticeable sheen thanks to the money spent on it since the Piffaut family took over in 2015.</p>



<span id="more-45396"></span>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/img_2762-1024x768.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-45717" srcset="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/img_2762-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/img_2762-600x450.jpg?crop=1 600w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/img_2762-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/img_2762-705x529.jpg?crop=1 705w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/img_2762-960x720.jpg 960w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/img_2762-350x264.jpg?crop=1 350w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/img_2762.jpg 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">As a tie-less Aussie with token schoolboy French, I felt comfortably out of place here. Of course, that&#8217;s not a new feeling &#8211; when I first started in wine, some of the older Aussie wine critics called me &#8216;Junior&#8217; because I was so much younger than the rest of the room. More than two decades later, when I&#8217;m thrust back into those &#8216;who the fuck is that guy&#8217; situations, I like to tap into that vibe and catch people off guard with real chats.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Thankfully, Erwan Faiveley played along. We&#8217;re only two years apart, and although I don&#8217;t run one of the more important domaines in Burgundy, we talked about family, why he likes Australia, Erwan&#8217;s somewhat murky attitude to organic grape growing and my favourite question &#8211; what&#8217;s in your fridge.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Besides beer (it&#8217;s nearly always beer or tonic for gin), what Erwan let slip is that most of the wines he likes to drink each year are not Grand Cru at all. That&#8217;s blindingly obvious to anyone who actually drinks the stuff, but it was nice to hear. Erwan&#8217;s favourite parcels change most years too, and Faiveley has 120 hectares of vineyards and makes more than 50 wines, so there&#8217;s a bit of choice. But the sentiment is real &#8211; the old Burgundian boundaries between Grand Cru, Village, and Premier Cru plots make sense in many ways, but they&#8217;re not automatic guarantees of quality (or indeed the wines you want to drink).</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Erwan&#8217;s comment dovetails nicely with the first tranche of also-not-Grand-Cru wines below, which are drawn largely from an event hosted by the Femmes et Vins de Bourgogne association to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Heavy with some of the prominent Burgundian wine women, the selection was marked by each winemaker asked to bring their favourite cuvée. Almost universally, the wines they brought were very bloody good indeed.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">By contrast, in the second part of the reviews below, we&#8217;re going deep into a collection of Grand Cru megastars (with the mega price tags to match) from a walk-around tasting at said marquee dinner. Just don&#8217;t Google the prices.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/img_2820-1024x768.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-45730" srcset="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/img_2820-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/img_2820-600x450.jpg?crop=1 600w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/img_2820-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/img_2820-705x529.jpg?crop=1 705w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/img_2820-960x720.jpg 960w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/img_2820-350x264.jpg?crop=1 350w, https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/img_2820.jpg 2000w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Finally, the third part of this tasting note collection is from the tasting of Grand Jours, the wines of Corton. Held in the bucolic surroundings of the Château Corton-Grancy, it promised so much, especially with Bonneau du Martray (one of my OG favourite Burgundy producers) on the producer list. Yet when I rocked up to an empty table and a lonely Bonneau sign, it set the tone for what was a wildly frustrating tasting.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Corton <em>feels</em> special &#8211; it&#8217;s this big (150ha+), imposing, vineyard-decked, Grand Cru-only hill that you can see from all around Burgundy. You stand in Beaune and stare up at this prominent, round hill with its multi-directional aspect that just seems to scream &#8216;this is where the big-time wines are at&#8217;. Yet for all the power, there was an occasional clumsiness (especially in the reds) of ripeness and oak that is only apparent when you try a whole lineup of similar wines under one roof. A sentiment that felt less Grand Cru Burgundy and more like aspirational Californian Pinot Noir (as an example). Admittedly, the &#8217;23 vintage wines are heavyweights, so that&#8217;s just part of the vibe, but to see such blunt oak, simple flavours and inelegance in wines that are treated as the pinnacle of the region is both annoying and expensive.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Finally, thanks for joining me once again on this Burgundian journey; it was fun. This is a region where it&#8217;s hard enough to get appointments at the top estates unless you know who to ask, let alone have actual vignerons pour their wine (rather than some anonymous reps, as at the usual trade show). The cheese was bloody good too.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Now, let&#8217;s look at some tip-top wines!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">10 Mega Burgundies I loved:</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Domaine Cécile Tremblay Chambolle-Musigny Les Feusselottes 1er Cru 2023</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Domaine Clos de la Chapelle Corton-Bressandes Grand Cru 2023</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Grenouilles Grand Cru 2023</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Joseph Drouhin Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche Grand Cru 2023</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Domaine Julien Gros Corton-Charlemagne Cuvée de l&#8217;emprere Grand Cru 2023</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Louis Jadot Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2023</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 2023</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Domaine Michel Noellat Vosne Romanee Les Suchots 1er Cru 2023</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Domaine Parent Pommard Les Argilières 1er Cru 2023</strong></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Maison Simmonet-Febvre Chablis Préuses Grand Cru 2023</strong></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A few super 1er and village-level wines</h2>




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<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/07/the-burgundy-final-drop-nothing-but-grand-cru-and-heroes.html">The Burgundy final drop &#8211; nothing but Grand Cru and heroes</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
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		<title>What have you been buying and drinking in July 2026?</title>
		<link>https://ozwinereview.com/2026/07/what-have-you-been-buying-and-drinking-in-july-2026.html</link>
					<comments>https://ozwinereview.com/2026/07/what-have-you-been-buying-and-drinking-in-july-2026.html#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Andrew Graham]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2026 21:15:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Wine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2021]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2022]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Alsace]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Burgundy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chablis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chardonnay]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kumeu]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pinot Blanc]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Top Wine]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ozwinereview.com/?p=45606</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/img_0402-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /><p>t’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 looking scared.</p>
<p>So, what wine, beer, and other refreshing liquids have you been buying and drinking this month?</p>
<p>I bought a selection of Alisdair Tulloch's Aeon Wines this month, because I love the style so much - they're layered, interesting, non-conventional Hunter reds (and a lone worked Semillon) that have such a uniquely textural edge (big fan of the Aeon Terrosol Syrah 2024 in particular)...</p>
<p>Otherwise, there weren't many purchases in Australia as the month of July has been spent on a variety of Indonesian islands as we escape the worst of the Sydney winter.</p>
<p>Sadly, as I talked about a few years back, wine in Indo is wildly expensive, except for some of the local and 'locally-made' Balinese wine, and I largely end up drinking cocktails and beer (shout to the excellent Kura Kura IPA).</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/07/what-have-you-been-buying-and-drinking-in-july-2026.html">What have you been buying and drinking in July 2026?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/img_0402-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" />
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">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 looking scared.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">So, what wine, beer, and other refreshing liquids have you been buying and drinking this month?</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I bought a selection of Alisdair Tulloch&#8217;s Aeon Wines this month, because I love the style so much &#8211; they&#8217;re layered, interesting, non-conventional Hunter reds (and a lone worked Semillon) that have such a uniquely textural edge (big fan of the <strong>Aeon Terrosol Syrah 2024</strong> in particular)&#8230;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Otherwise, there weren&#8217;t many purchases in Australia as the month of July has been spent on a variety of Indonesian islands as we escape the worst of the Sydney winter.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Sadly, as <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2023/08/drinks-in-bali.html" data-type="link" data-id="https://ozwinereview.com/2023/08/drinks-in-bali.html">I talked about a few years back</a>, wine in Indo is wildly expensive, except for some of the local and &#8216;locally-made&#8217; Balinese wine, and I largely end up drinking cocktails and beer (shout to the excellent Kura Kura IPA).</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Happily, the Bali Wine and Spirits Festival was my opportunity to prove this wrong, and unquestionably, this <strong>Two Islands Fine Tawny</strong> was a surprise packet, even if my terrible photo does it no justice. </p>



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<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/07/what-have-you-been-buying-and-drinking-in-july-2026.html">What have you been buying and drinking in July 2026?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
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		<title>The challenge and the glory of the new Ceretto releases</title>
		<link>https://ozwinereview.com/2026/06/the-challenge-and-the-glory-of-the-new-ceretto-releases.html</link>
					<comments>https://ozwinereview.com/2026/06/the-challenge-and-the-glory-of-the-new-ceretto-releases.html#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Andrew Graham]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:55:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Wine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2021]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2022]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2024]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Arneis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Barbaresco]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Barbera]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Barolo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dolcetto]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Longer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mega Tasting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nebbiolo]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Piedmont]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Top Wine]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ozwinereview.com/?p=45403</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/img_0131-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Ceretto Barolo Brunate 2021" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /><p>When does a wine masterclass feel like a tale of two halves? When you loop in the 2024 vintage Ceretto Piemonte red wines with some of the stellar 2021 and 2022 releases. Part a) of this masterclass was a struggle for generosity, where I wrestled with whether acidity or freshness was the winner in the end, and varietal character/drinkability is challenged in the process. Part b) was simply about admiring the lines and not drinking the samples.</p>
<p>Isn't wine amazing?</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/06/the-challenge-and-the-glory-of-the-new-ceretto-releases.html">The challenge and the glory of the new Ceretto releases</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/img_0131-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="Ceretto Barolo Brunate 2021" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" />
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">At Vinitaly last year, I tasted a lineup of 2024-vintage Treviso reds that felt like a signpost.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Treviso, of course, is northern Italian Prosecco country, and not about full-bodied reds (<a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2023/09/the-10-wine-highlights-from-a-week-in-conegliano-valdobbiadene-and-not-just-prosecco.html" type="link" id="https://ozwinereview.com/2023/09/the-10-wine-highlights-from-a-week-in-conegliano-valdobbiadene-and-not-just-prosecco.html">with passito exceptions</a>) at all. Plus, the wines were 5 euro entry-level things. But still, the shape of how those wines cut differently from previous years. They were extra taut, fresh, but very lean &#8211; it was red wine from a different era of vintages. Like we&#8217;d stumbled into a cool vintage in the early 90s.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Then, at a Ceretto masterclass here in Sydney a few weeks back, I had that same feeling. Here, with an entrée of 2024-vintage red wines across Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo on the table, the flavour/palate shape memories came straight back. That same sense of angularity popped in, with sharp bits where you expect to see fruit.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The vintage had spoken.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Of course, such vintage comparisons are simplistic junk, just like they are in <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/03/burgundy-2026-a-clos-de-vogueot-2016-horizontal-and-the-cream-of-vosne-romanee.html" type="link" id="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/03/burgundy-2026-a-clos-de-vogueot-2016-horizontal-and-the-cream-of-vosne-romanee.html">Burgundy for the 2024 wines</a>. It&#8217;s not a bad vintage, just fresh, and not every northern Italian/western French winery will make tangtown red wines, etc., etc. But vintages do have signatures, and I saw it. </p>



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<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/06/the-challenge-and-the-glory-of-the-new-ceretto-releases.html">The challenge and the glory of the new Ceretto releases</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
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		<title>What have you been buying and drinking this June 2026?</title>
		<link>https://ozwinereview.com/2026/06/what-have-you-been-buying-and-drinking-this-june-2026.html</link>
					<comments>https://ozwinereview.com/2026/06/what-have-you-been-buying-and-drinking-this-june-2026.html#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Andrew Graham]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 21 Jun 2026 21:08:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Beer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2022]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2024]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cabernet Sauvignon]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Heathcote]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IPA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Longer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rueda]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Verdejo + blends]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://ozwinereview.com/?p=45414</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/img_0109-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="José Pariente Las Fincas de José Pariente Verdejo 2024" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" /><p>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 looking scared.</p>
<p>So, what wine, beer, and other refreshing liquids have you been buying and drinking this month?</p>
<p>June is wine list month in the Graham household, as I spend any extra moment judging Australia's Wine List of the Year and thoroughly neglecting this website. Sorry for the silence. After a decade of judging the awards, I'm still entertained (I also judge the Chinese version, which is a truly wild ride), and it's a constant reminder that we have world-class restaurants/lists here full of things I'd want to drink...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/06/what-have-you-been-buying-and-drinking-this-june-2026.html">What have you been buying and drinking this June 2026?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<img width="450" height="350" src="https://ozwinereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/img_0109-450x350.jpg?crop=1" class="webfeedsFeaturedVisual wp-post-image" alt="José Pariente Las Fincas de José Pariente Verdejo 2024" style="display: block; margin: auto; margin-bottom: 5px;max-width: 100%;" link_thumbnail="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" />
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">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 looking scared.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">So, what wine, beer, and other refreshing liquids have you been buying and drinking this month?</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">June is wine list month in the Graham household, as I spend any extra moment judging Australia&#8217;s Wine List of the Year and thoroughly neglecting this website. Sorry for the silence. After a decade of judging the awards, I&#8217;m still entertained (I also judge the Chinese version, which is a truly wild ride), and it&#8217;s a constant reminder that we have world-class restaurants/lists here full of things I&#8217;d want to drink&#8230;</p>



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<p>The post <a href="https://ozwinereview.com/2026/06/what-have-you-been-buying-and-drinking-this-june-2026.html">What have you been buying and drinking this June 2026?</a> appeared first on <a href="https://ozwinereview.com">Australian Wine and Drinks Review</a>.</p>
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