Image designed by Freepik As restrictions ease in Victoria, cellar doors have been given the green light to open albeit under slightly different circumstances. With that in mind, I headed to the Yarra Valley to see how different things are, if at all. First stop was Giant Steps winery in the new pop-up cellar doorContinue reading “Yarra Valley cellar doors – what’s changed?”
Tag Archives: Yarra Valley
Spirito di Vino: Giant Steps, Yarra Valley
Written for Spirito di Vino Asia Issue #24. Image: Redfish Bluefish Photographic. Driving into Healesville, the town around which Australia’s Yarra Valley is centred, I am due for an early morning meeting with Steve Flamsteed, before his day starts to fill up with the duties of Head Winemaker and now part owner of Giant Steps.Continue reading “Spirito di Vino: Giant Steps, Yarra Valley”
A podcast debut with Wine for Normal People … Yarra Valley
During my WSET Diploma studying I was searching for as many ways possible to fill my head with the required wine knowledge and in doing so I came across Elizabeth Schneider’s podcast Wine for Normal People. I was hooked after the first episode and WFNP became a staple in my library of resources to stay updatedContinue reading “A podcast debut with Wine for Normal People … Yarra Valley”
The Drinks Business: The art of blending
Published The Drinks Business, 7 April 2016. Maurice O’Shea. Credit: Mount Pleasant Wines. The art of blending and the ability to assess individual parts, commit them to memory and create a vast library of aromas, flavours and structures from which to draw on at a point in the future is a unique talent. It is oneContinue reading “The Drinks Business: The art of blending”
What I’ve been drinking – Wild Run, Daytime Red and a Spring Pinot
Entrance to Yarra Valley Dairy Within a fortnight of relocating back to Australia we were in my happy place – the Yarra Valley. In the short time since my last visit a number of new businesses have popped up in Healesville including the new cellar door and distillery for Four Pillars Gin and an excellentContinue reading “What I’ve been drinking – Wild Run, Daytime Red and a Spring Pinot”
The Drinks Business: Side Projects
Published Wine Times Hong Kong, 21 December 2015. Chat with any winemaker and you are likely to find they have a barrel or two tucked away dedicated to that special project – a side project – representing their latest experiment and quite often, something rather special when it makes it to the glass. The notion ofContinue reading “The Drinks Business: Side Projects”
What’s new at Payten & Jones?
<<<UPDATE JANUARY 2018: Payten & Jones have just opened a cellar door! It’s open 7 days a week so check out their website for hours and be sure to visit. >>> Established in 2006, Payten & Jones are one of those small producers who have steadily built a reputation for producing wines of integrity and quality. TheContinue reading “What’s new at Payten & Jones?”
Wine Times Hong Kong: Quality red wine from Australia
First published Wine Times Hong Kong, September 2015 print edition. (Image credit: Kate Bisset Johnson Photography) As the weather in Hong Kong starts to cool and memories of basking in the sun whilst sipping refreshing white wine on the deck of a junk boat begin to fade, it’s time to turn your thoughts to wines deeper inContinue reading “Wine Times Hong Kong: Quality red wine from Australia”
Yarra Valley cellar doors – where to go
Yarra Valley. Credit: Rick Liston NOTE: This article was first written in March 2015 and a lot has been happening in ‘The Yarra’ since then. With this in mind, I have included a few updates on the goings-on with cellar doors and so forth. Enjoy! After several years living in Melbourne I’m often asked forContinue reading “Yarra Valley cellar doors – where to go”
The Drinks Business: Arfion Wines, Yarra Valley
Published The Drinks Business 3 February 2015 Wines Tasted Arfion, Yarra Valley, Field Blend, 2012 and 2013 Arfion, Yarra Valley, Pinot Rosé, 2013 Smokestack Lightning, Yarra Valley, Pinot Grigio, 2013 Recently I gave a tasting of wines from small producers in the Yarra Valley for the Hong Kong Wine Society. This is the stuff that get’sContinue reading “The Drinks Business: Arfion Wines, Yarra Valley”
Simone Madden-Grey : Happy Wine Woman 