by Norris Waters | Oct 12, 2026
Bicknell FC is the label of Nicky Harris and David Bicknell, former chief winemaker at Oakridge. David Bicknell is one of Australia’s greatest winemakers and we have had many a superb cellared bottle contest between Oakridge and Bicknell FC. All the fruit is...
by Norris Waters | Sep 30, 2026
Choosing a wine from a wine list can be difficult and I’m not just talking about what to match with what you’re eating. Is there such a thing as good value from a wine list and, if so, how do you get it? Can house wines be trusted? Should I stick to the...
by Norris Waters | Sep 23, 2026
One of the great things about Australian wine is that it’s ours. Buy a bottle from a genuinely Australian producer and you’re supporting our growers, winemakers, families and regional communities – people who have skin in the game and a vested interest in the...
by Norris Waters | Sep 14, 2026
Most Australian sparkling is a blend of vineyards, many of which share no relation except to say that they are blended to create a wine. Even in Tasmania, home to many of the nation’s finest, almost all noteworthy sparkling wines are made from purchased grapes,...
by Norris Waters | Sep 1, 2026
Recently, as I was about to pour a glass of Scarborough Yellow Label Chardonnay, a friend gripped my hand and said “I don’t like Chardonnay”. No problem, I’ve got some Chablis in the fridge. Do you like Chablis? “I love Chablis”....
by Norris Waters | Aug 26, 2026
Sorrenberg is home to two of Australia’s greatest Bordeaux blends, a red and a white, and gamay. Three hectares of biodynamically farmed and dry grown vines sit at an altitude of 560m and are surrounded by native forest. There is simply not a better example in...
by Norris Waters | Aug 24, 2026
The evolution and growth of plantings of lesser-known varietals in Australia is gaining pace. McLaren Vale has been at the forefront, the original disruptor with plantings of southern French, Italian and Portuguese varieties and I’m sure in time, Greek. To think...
by Norris Waters | Aug 17, 2026
Remember the old Strongbow Cider advertisement, “sweet, dry, or draught. Get into it, anyway you can”? If you’re old enough, you will. Taking a little inspirational licence in 2026, one could come up with something like “Dr Edge, wood, concrete...
by Norris Waters | Aug 13, 2026
Sierra Reed’s wines are some of the most difficult I’ve ever had to write about, largely because I’ve never encountered anyone who gives so much of themselves to every bottle. Sierra is, without doubt, a prolific and deeply authentic communicator. It’s worth taking...
by Norris Waters | Aug 7, 2026
There was no escaping the scorching summer of 2025 in the Yarra Valley. It was a superb vintage for reds and a very good one for whites – provided producers embraced the season rather than trying to tame it. The best wines speak honestly of the vintage, and few...
by Norris Waters | Aug 1, 2026
Wines are not islands unto themselves, there is always a bigger story, such as a producer, region or cultural narrative. For anyone on the production line of beauty, such as artists, novelists and filmmakers, an individual piece can only exist in a body of work, and...
by Norris Waters | Jul 28, 2026
For those who don’t know Andrew Marks, or the wines of The Wanderer, they are one and the same. These are wines with a pulse – they tingle with energy and intent. The Chardonnay is intense and angular, driven by razor-sharp acidity and cool, high-toned citrus....
by Norris Waters | Jul 20, 2026
If you were to stand in the middle of town clutching a Beechworth winery map, facing north, holding a compass and a topographical map of the region, you will notice that the region’s elevation is relatively uneven, patchworked and hilly to the eye, but that in...
by Norris Waters | Jul 12, 2026
I must have some kind of unconscious bias towards Yarra Valley wine. To myself and in general terms, I almost never think of anything positive to say, but when I think of Australia’s finest wines relative to price I think of Dappled, Rob Hall and Gembrook Hill,...
by Norris Waters | Jul 6, 2026
Soave was trendy for a time, particularly when, for some pocket change, you could purchase a relatively bland but perfectly drinkable dry white wine. There was no need for tasting notes or serious critique. These supermarket wines were designed for serious economy...
by Norris Waters | Jul 1, 2026
How to Taste Wine There’s no shortage of books, courses and “systems” dedicated to teaching people how to taste wine. And while some of them are useful, it can all feel a little overcomplicated. After all, we don’t usually seek formal instruction for other sensory...
by Norris Waters | Jun 30, 2026
One of the most memorable wines I’ve ever tasted was a dry white Bordeaux – 2003 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc. It wasn’t even over a long lunch or shared among close friends. Just a brief tasting with a group of wine professionals. No theatre, no occasion –...
by Norris Waters | Jun 28, 2026
Don’t let the critics fool you. No, that’s not quite right. In a conversation with Nick Farr he referred to “the game” of knowing what wines to place with what critics. So disenchanted has he become, that if you are after multiple reviews, from...
by Norris Waters | Jun 23, 2026
It’s hard to think of many producers in Australia who have allowed their wines to be shaped so completely by the vineyard itself. No chasing trends. No bending to fashion. Just fruit, place, and time. Fads come and go – and let’s be honest, Hunter Valley...
by Norris Waters | Jun 17, 2026
Ageing wine has got to be the most boring and tedious aspect to winemaking. You feel as if you should be doing something, anything to soak up time or a task that will wave an imaginary wand and improve the wine beyond all hopes. But that’s not how it works. Time...
by Louise Waters | Jun 8, 2026
Hope Springs Eternal is a focused new chapter for Bondar – driven by a clear ambition: to craft elegant, age-worthy wines from vineyard sites they believe sit among the very best for each variety in South Australia. The 2024 vintage second release builds on that...
by Norris Waters | Jun 1, 2026
Whenever I have asked a wine professional the question; what’s your favourite wine, region or varietal, the answer is invariably in the realm of, Burgundy (never, ever would anyone admit to loving chardonnay or pinot noir, it’s Burgundy or nothing)...
by Norris Waters | May 31, 2026
Retasting a Farr wine is a great pleasure on at least two levels. Firstly, it’s a Farr, so if you’re choosing wine remember rule No.1, 2 and 3; producer, producer, producer. Every wine that I have tasted whether it be Farr Rising, By Farr, or Irrewarra is exceptional....
by Norris Waters | May 18, 2026
You cannot escape the spectre of Champagne in any discussion on sparkling wine, which is compared to and benchmarked by Champagne. And the highest possible praise you can ascribe to a sparkling wine is to reference your favourite Champagne. Tasting Eminence’s...
by Louise Waters | May 14, 2026
Make a lasting impression with thoughtfully chosen wine gifts that feel personal, considered, and a little unexpected. We specialise in distinctive, high-quality wines that speak of place and craftsmanship. Our collection brings together both revered producers and...
by Norris Waters | Apr 24, 2026
Does the Australian wine industry have a chip on its shoulder? Remember a time where Coonawarra Cabernet wasn’t compared to Bordeaux, and Australian Shiraz was still called Shiraz without the new French title of Syrah? I asked Brendan Kaczorowski of Pokolbin...
by Norris Waters | Apr 5, 2026
Mayford, from Victoria’s Porepunkah, is credited with creating Australia’s finest tempranillo, but their chardonnay and shiraz are equally as wonderful. It’s almost a shame that Porepunkah and surrounds are so beautiful, corresponding with very high...
by Norris Waters | Mar 23, 2026
If you are to look at a map of Tasmania and superimpose its wineries, you might be struck by the diversity of locations, locations that are essentially coastal, or near enough to it, or some other body of water, like a river, dam or estuary. Cool environs, and soils...
by Norris Waters | Feb 17, 2026
Drinking wines made by Sierra Reed is a uniquely emotional experience, amplified if Sierra is in the room with you, discoursing on the contents of your glass. Scribbling furiously when I taste and discuss wines with their maker is an old fashioned method, but with...
by Norris Waters | Dec 1, 2025
Incredible value and the Margaret River are not usually part of the same sentence, but the wines of Domaine Naturaliste are awesome and they are cheap. Not cheap as in two-buck-chuck cheap, but fine wine doesn’t get more accessible than this. With over 53 acres...
