Chris Shanahan

Despite corporate turmoil winemaker David O’Leary returns the reds of BRL Hardy and Reynella to former glory

A visit to Coonawarra during January of a wet summer reveals vine disease pressure and vigneron anxiety plus a few bright spots

A potted history of Lindemans Wines inspired by a celebratory dinner at Dr Lindemans original homestead, Cawarra, on the Paterson River

A look at some interesting, aged Australian wine, including an apple wine from Peter Lehmann

A small, wet 1993 vintage won’t help wine quality in Australia or New Zealand — and disease pressures will reduce yields just as export demand booms. This can only mean higher prices.

Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon is an international blue chip in the making

Rothbury Estate in the Hunter Valley has become, over time, the centrepiece of multi-regional wine company led by Len Evans

Sydney Hamilton retired from retirement in what most of us would call a ripe old age. Having mastered the art of protective white winemaking a generation ahead of the rest of Australia, he bounced back in old age to establish a great Coonawarra estate making elegant reds from the Bordeaux varieties

A review of cartoonist Ralph Steadman’s unique wine book

Each year, Robert Hill-Smith, proprietor of Barossa based Yalumba wines indulges industry guests with a feast of wines from around the world. In 1993 the Sydney tasting took us back to 1845.

Comments on the 1993 vintage

A few thoughts on ‘Gerald Asher on Wine’

With wine, sometimes it’s best to let the fruit do the talking

The cool, wet 1993 vintage didn’t prove to be the disaster expected in Coonawarra and Padthaway. Whites in particular look good

Wine mercant David Farmer, with Dr Edgar Riek, Bill Moore and Ian McKenzie designed the Farmer Bros Trophy Class at Australia’s National Wine Show to encourage production of high quality, long lived chardonnay

Aussies make good wine. But we shouldn’t get too cocky. The old world is still the model for most great styles

Coonawarra’s boundary must be drawn to comply with our EC and US agreements. But where is the line to be drawn. It won’t be an easy task

Peter Rymill, a descendent of Coonawarra pioneer, John Riddoch, owns one of the plum sites in northern Coonawarra. Watch this estate. And a few myths debunked.

The Federal Government’s hike in wholesale tax is bigger than it seems at first glance and has the potential to undermine Australia’s wine industry and to hasten retail and producer consolidation

Grange and Bin 707 have been released. But it’s the 1990 Bin 707 that’s going to highlight just how undervalued ‘Grange Cabernet’ is

How Cowra got its broadacre vineyard developments

As other rural industries decline, grape growing and winemaking re-invigorate many regions across Australia

Leading grape growers in the Barossa and Coonawarra are branching out into winemaking. And they’re not using their worst grapes!

Led by the ‘Rhone Rangers’, a band of small winemakers, the Barossa is in full flight with its deep, rich reds made from shiraz, grenache and mourvedre

Just as the export boom encourage domestic price increases, Alambie Wine Company hit the scene offering everyday quaffers at the right price

A visionary decision by Colin Preece saw riesling planted at Mitchelton on Victoria’s Goulburn River, half a continent from the variety’s Aussie home in the Clare and Eden Valleys.

A little background on Japan’s traditional celebratory drink

All too often show judges make a hash of the sparkling classes

Rutherglen’s historic All Saints wineries stumbled and was almost revived by Mike Fallon. However, Fallon died suddenly. Fortunately, Brown Bros bought All Saints and completed the restoration.

Booming exports are driving up domestic wine prices. And because of distance and a weak Aussie dollar, we won’t be saved by imports. Just thinking about it gives me a hangover.