The past weekend saw the passing of two Australian wine industry luminaries, an occurrence all too common these days. Wayne Stehbens, the legendary winemaker at Katnook Estate in the Coonawarra, was the more well-known individual, recognized in both Australia and America. Ben Hammerschlag, the visionary behind Epicurean Wines and maybe not as well known, was … Continue reading RIP Ben Hammerschlag and the End of an Era
Tag: Australia
While these posts are about the mystery of the GinGin clone, a little background is probably helpful. The Wente Clone The first California chardonnay was made in 1936 by the Wente Brothers Winery in the Livermore Valley located some 45 minutes east of San Francisco. The wine was made from grapes that were planted … Continue reading The Mystery of the GinGin Clone: Part 2
It’s not often that someone with a background in wine retail finds themselves involved in a viticultural mystery of some significance. But things happen…. In no way would I consider myself a qualified viticulturalist or winemaker. My wine career has focused on retail, putting wine in people’s hands. To do a better job of that, … Continue reading The Mystery of the GinGin Clone: Part 1
For those with an interest and passion for Australian wine generally and shiraz from South Australia particularly, these are interesting and exciting times. Wineries are taking a deeper interest in the subtle differences that occur within the regions that represent the focus of their work. At the same time, a more focused understanding of the … Continue reading Wine Review: 2006 Rockford SVS Hoffmann Shiraz and 2006 Rockford SVS Flaxman Valley Shiraz
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