Tag: australia

I have been watching and tasting Yalumba‘s organic tier of wines for a few years.  This year, I noticed “GEN” on the label. From the 2022 vintage, all Yalumba GEN wines will be Sustainable Winegrowing Australia (SWA) certified. Yalumba GEN is 100% certified organic (by Australian Certified Organic) meaning they use no chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides in their vineyard…

Margaret River in Southwestern Australia is a geologically historic land that produces Chardonnay wines which have been compared to Burgundy in quality. I was fortunate to have a tasting in Vancouver with Vasse Felix‘s winemaker Virginia Willcock.  Vasse Felix has been making wine in the Margaret River area since 1967, since the winery’s established by Dr. Thomas Brendan Cullity.  Cabernet…

Penfolds Grange, often referred to simply as “Grange,” is an iconic Australian wine that has earned its esteemed reputation through a rich and storied history. The roots of Grange can be traced back to the early 1950s, and are a blend of red grapes (I’m not going to tell you which ones, as that is a quiz question). The result…

Do you collect wines?  Sometimes a few bottles get pushed to the bottom and you forget about them till one day, several years later, you are searching for a wine and you rediscover these aged bottles of wine.  That did not happen to me, but I do age my wines and sometimes try to save some for a special occasion. …

Cabernet Sauvignon is the King of single-varietal red wines.  The robust body, coupled with its signature notes of black currant, black cherries, plum, and cedar, creates a sensory journey that is both powerful and refined. Its ability to age with grace only adds to its majesty, as tannins soften and intricate layers unfurl, revealing the true artistry of winemaking. It…

Australian wines have soared in popularity over the years, captivating the palates of wine enthusiasts worldwide. Renowned for their exceptional quality, distinct flavours, and diverse varieties, Australian wines have carved a formidable place in the global wine market. From a rich and robust Shiraz to an elegant and refreshing Chardonnay, the country’s vineyards boast a wide spectrum of exceptional offerings….

While the term “Cru” is most often used for the French classification system, the “Cru” concept can apply to any vineyard or group of vineyards recognized for their superior quality. This seminar at the Vancouver International Wine Festival took us on a global journey to some of the wine world’s greatest vineyards to discover what makes their terroir and wines…

Have you ever heard of Top Drop Vancouver?  It is a festival where 40 hand-selected wineries from around the world come to Vancouver and pour their wines for you.  These wineries have to have a certain level of quality and status in order for them to be invited so that you know you are going to enjoy premium wines. Yes,…

Winemaking has been around for hundreds of years.  We are very familiar with wines coming from Europe, in particular France, where we talk about Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne.  We typically call Europe the “Old World” wine region, while wines made from the southern hemisphere, are known as the “New World“, plus North America.  But where did the grapes come from…

Do you look for vegan wines? They are becoming more common. I have two vegan-friendly wines for you from Yalumba in Australia. I tasted their Yalumba Organic Shiraz 2019 and Yalumba The Y Series Viognier 2020. Both are single varietal wines, but sometimes you do see these grapes co-fermented. The Shiraz, besides being vegan-friendly, is also organic. A year ago…