My self-imposed rule about ‘postcard’ length posts from my tour of South Australia is going to be sorely tested by Rockford Wines. I really dislike the modern use of ‘iconic’ of wines (and increasingly almost anything) but Rockford would deserve it and I could write at length about them. There really is so much to
Rocking Rockford (1) Read More »
Many wineries claim a unique point-of-difference, few do so as convincingly as Seppeltsfield, on the very edge of the Barossa Valley. As the peak of a large and inventive range of wines, each year since 1978 they have released a single-vintage, 100-year old Grenache-based tawny from their Centennial Cellar. To achieve this each vintage they
Seppeltsfield’s Centurions Read More »
Stepping out of a  café at 9:30 in the morning in Kapunda, Barossa Valley, you feel the heat. And here is why: So there is a difference if 31° C between Kapunda and home … Or even Tuscany.
It’s definitely hot here Read More »
We were greeted warmly at Taylors Wines, Clare Valley – sold in the UK as Wakefield – with a magnificent line-up of wines from the premium St Andrew’s range. A young 2015 Riesling and a fully developed 2007 with honey, mushroom and flinty notes and deep mid gold colour; a very ripe, tropical Chardonnay 2104;
Taylors, Clare Valley Read More »
Sevenhill Cellars, still part of a living Jesuit religious house, has a great history going back to 1851, just 15 years after the first Europeans arrived in South Australia. Pleasingly they continue the tradition of making the traditional fortified wines alongside Clare’s more recent Riesling and Shiraz table wines. Here pictures do tell a story:
Clare valley history: Sevenhill Read More »
Jeff Grosset has made a worldwide reputation for his Clare Valley Rieslings. There is nothing quite like sitting in the tasting room and looking at them side by side, a tribute to 35 vintages from this winery. All these wines are from the 2015 vintage: Polish Hill, 12.7%: slightly atypical for Clare, this is
Grosset’s Rieslings Read More »
We arrived in the Clare Valley at lunchtime and really enjoyed the food and ambience of the Terroir restaurant. Sadly it will be closed for the rest of our stay which means we can’t buy one of their rare bottles from Wendouree. Sunday afternoon is for visiting cellar doors so we popped into Mt Horrocks
Cellar door Clare Read More »
Today’s postcard will be very short indeed. More of an introduction to the pictures and to record what a fascinating day Janet and I had in the vibrant, foodie, Adelaide Central Market; buying some new suitcases (as one does on holiday); tasting wine at the amazing National Wine Centre (great building, excellent use of Enomatic
Postcard from Adelaide Read More »
After a 30 hour journey, however straightforward, where would you like to end up? How about the freshness of a South Australian morning, 8.30 am, and a nearly deserted beach? It is clearly going to be a hot day, at least for those arriving from an English winter. But at that hour, the sun gleams
Transit at Hong Kong … are we there yet? No, not quite … just 9 hours to Adelaide which will now seem like a hop, skip and a jump compared to the nearly 12 hours to get here from London.  The route was remarkable – keeping safely north over the Baltic countries, then the endless miles of northern
