Wine Code Breaker #393

2018 Frankland Estate Shiraz, Frankland River, Western Australia Frankland River as a wine region is the one closest to a Mediterranean climate in the Antipodes.  An inland area that experiences warm dry days and cooling nights.  The soils are a blanket of gravel ironstone above the mattress of hills and river valleys.  The beds dividedContinue reading “Wine Code Breaker #393”

Wine Code Breaker #388

2019 Fallen Giants Shiraz, Grampians, Victoria The Grampians dominates the township of Halls Gap in western Victoria. An imposing ancient sandstone mass with Dreamtime stories calling out the fallen giants that carved out the mountains, escarpments and ravines that the area is known for. And it is this landscape that provides a buffer to theContinue reading “Wine Code Breaker #388”

Wine Code Breaker #380

2020 Kalleske Greenock Shiraz, Barossa Valley, South Australia Greenock I recently discovered is a small village on the mouth of the Clyde River in Scotland. So small in fact that there is one road in and out. The road out of course sees very little use with most of the residents having never felt anContinue reading “Wine Code Breaker #380”

Wine Code Breaker #377

2019 Tobin Estate Max Shiraz Block Two, Granite Belt, Queensland If you come by someone who has a property in the Granite Belt area and innocently ask them what they grow, their response might be “granite”.  It is an area where the parent material pokes out through the soil as mounds that can be anywhereContinue reading “Wine Code Breaker #377”

Wine Code Breaker #374

2018 Shaw + Smith Shiraz, Adelaide Hills, South Australia National Shiraz Day is marked down as the 22nd of July and I hope you celebrated this day in style. This day provides us with an opportunity to reflect on how Australian Shiraz has evolved in becoming the sheep’s back of the wine industry. It providedContinue reading “Wine Code Breaker #374”

Wine Code Breaker #371

2019 Thomas Wines The Dam Block Shiraz, Hunter Valley, New South Wales The etymology of the word “yum” has been the subject of debate. One theory suggests it is derived from the Sanskrit “yum,” which is said during meditation to focus on love and pleasurable things. Another suggests it is derived from the African “nyam,”Continue reading “Wine Code Breaker #371”

Wine Code Breaker #365

2009 Castagna Sparkling Genesis Shiraz, Beechworth, Victoria Din Djarin is better known as the Mandalorian or Mando for short. A western styled hero who wears beskar armour never shows his face to anyone. He travels through a galaxy far far away in his space craft with occasional drop ins to his favourite wine region forContinue reading “Wine Code Breaker #365”

Wine Code Breaker #355

2019 Soumah Syrah, Yarra Valley, Victoria International Syrah Day appears to have got lost this year.  Celebrated on the 16th of February, it seems to have slipped most of us by.  Perhaps it was the hangover of the romance of the 14th or was it Global Drink Wine Day on the 18th. Perhaps it wasContinue reading “Wine Code Breaker #355”

Wine Code Breaker #351

2018 Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz, South Australia The greatest wines are out of the reach of most of us.  They are wines that fill your dreams.  Their costs far exceed your bank balances, or the consequences of an extravagant spend far exceed the perceived benefit to the palate experience.  Then there are wines thatContinue reading “Wine Code Breaker #351”

Wine Code Breaker #340

2019 Kalleske Greenock Shiraz, Barossa Valley, South Australia Perforce is a word not oft used.  A shame, as it is an elegant word that just by saying it, you understand its intent in expressing a necessity or even the inevitable.  It might even mean a glass of Kalleske.  Year in year out, the team teamContinue reading “Wine Code Breaker #340”