Blog

We are all in this together, COVID-19 in Victoria

111 days of lockdown in Metro Melbourne Victorians living in the Melbourne CBD and the metro area were under 111 days of lockdown starting 9th July until and including 27th October until 23:59. Apparently this was the longest lockdown for any country worldwide. Although living through this was at times…

Stage 4 wines in Melbourne August to September

As a student I enjoyed studying history. I found learning about the wars, the evolution of language, and the establishment of modern democracy fascinating. Learning about peoples' liberties and how their freedom was challenged over the years was thought provoking especially as many of us take these for granted, or…

Melbourne back in lockdown

Raising a glass of wine and beer to all those on the front line These are such unparalleled and extraordinary times and I feel the weeks during the first lock down started to blur into one. Watching the news for the daily bulletin many times a day became a regular…

The world is changing hourly: COVID-19 at the beginning of April 2020

As of midnight on Monday 30th March, Victoria in Australia is now in Stage 3.  So playgrounds, beaches and gyms are closed and social distancing goes up another level, groups of more than 2 (apart from family) gathering is not allowed.  There are plenty more restrictions defined here. For the…

The world is changing: COVID-19

Having worked  in the wine trade since 2003 and passed the Diploma in Wines & Spirits, I have enjoyed analysing, tasting and assessing wines. I can spend hours reviewing the acidity, structure and flavour profiles of wine as well as visiting wineries. I would often attend consumer and trade wine…

Exploring the family-owned wineries and breweries in South Australia

There are so many wineries and breweries to visit in McLaren Vale. I love exploring them all and also seeing how passionate the owners are taking that step to build their business in a very competitive market. McCarthy's Orchard I recently visited McCarthy's Orchard which is just opposite Goodieson Brewery…

Pirate Life in Port Adelaide

Pirate Life moved into Port Adelaide, into a renovated old warehouse in March earlier this year.  This new brewery in the old Dalgety woolstores houses 24 taps, a Pirate Life merchandise shop, a barbershop (Robbie's Chop Shop) with space for a few games including the retro car driving games and…

Child friendly wineries in the Barossa

Loving visiting wineries on the weekend, when time allows, I have visited many in McLaren Vale along with hubby and son. The Barossa Valley is home to some fantastic wineries and great cellar doors which are child friendly I have discovered. Many have wonderful spacious  lawns, footballs, open space, toys…

What is a craft beer?

In the past, I had always found beer ‘heavy’ and very filling and would feel bloated post drink. But now with the huge range of interesting craft beers made with the different styles of hops, barley and infusions of fruit, I have been enjoying many a glass. What is craft…

Child friendly wineries in McLaren Vale

Child friendly wineries....children and wine tastings...do they or can they go together? Can you take your child/children to a winery and can both parties have an enjoyable day? Yes, they can....and on an afternoon with parents, adults and open spaces, a good time can be had by all. I have…

Cava in Barcelona

I headed to Barcelona for a few days back in July. It was wonderful to be in a busy city with the beach on the doorstep, being able to stroll around some of the famous sites and sample a selection of the tasty cavas on offer. I was only in…

Wineries to visit in the Luberon (and Châteauneuf-du-Pape)

If you head over to France and want to avoid the crowds, discover hidden gems and less crowded wineries, then head to the Luberon region which borders Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence and the town of Aix-en-Provence to the south. Being based here is perfect to explore local wineries, co-operatives and head further…

Exploring Tasmania

Back in February, I headed to Tasmania to see family. While I was there I had the opportunity to go to a few wineries and explore Hobart. Based in Launceston, we were ideally located to explore the beautiful landscapes as well as the wineries and restaurants. We had hired a Mitsubishi…

Cellar Door Fest in Adelaide

Earlier this month I went to Cellar Door Fest in Adelaide. Located over the weekend, at the Exhibition Centre, it was a great opportunity to meet winemakers as well as of course taste their wines. Talking to producers is so enlightening. You are able to speak to people who are…

Summer days and rosé wine from South Australia

South Australian Rosé I love rosé, the texture, the styles, the varieties, the varietals. But what I love most is the dry style plus discovering how different grape varieties can make these amazing wines. We all know that Provençal rosé is growing in popularity and people might refer to an…

Sundays chilling in McLaren Vale

I love Sundays, a time to chill and rest. With such great weather here, for me Sundays means trips to the beach, bike rides but being passionate about wine as much as I am, plus loving the boutique wineries, visits to the cellar doors can really top off a perfect…

Happy New Year

After Christmas I headed to Robe, a beautiful fishing town about 330 kilometres south east of Adelaide on the Limestone Coast. It is an old town, with all its colonial houses from the 1850s/1860s but with a young feel. Plus being here around New Year, there was a great vibe…

Rooftop and cocktail bars in Adelaide

With a population of just under 1.2 million, I was suprised to discover some cool bars in Adelaide. They all seem to be within walking distance and have some cool, different and great views. Here are my top so far....I've only been to these but they still would have been…

A trip to the Barossa

Yesterday I headed to the Barossa with some friends who love wine just as much as I do. It was almost surreal driving by vineyards I had tasted and studied, it was fantastic to be able to spend the day there. We headed over to Rockford Wines where my friend…

Young Gun of Wine Uncut in Adelaide

On Saturday I went to the Young Gun of Wine Uncut in Adelaide. It was held at Mothervine and East End Cellars from 12-3pm. 30 winemakers displaying 60 wines were there to talk, describe and explain about their styles, their businesses and their future aspirations. I really appreciated the opportunity…

Beer and Bubbles on Vardon Avenue

Wine and beer tasting in Adelaide On Saturday, I went to Beer and Bubbles on Vardon Avenue which started at 12 noon and ended at 5pm. I arrived at 12 sharp as I knew it would soon become crowded and I wanted to make sure I could easily talk to…

Visiting the Adelaide Hills

On Saturday I headed off to the Adelaide Hills for the very first time. I was really looking forward to it having only ever read about the wine region, starting when I did my WSET Advanced Certificate and Diploma. Then over the past 6 years while living in Perth, I’ve…

National Wine Centre Champagne Fest

Today I went to the National Wine Centre Champagne Fest hosted by the National Wine Centre of Australia. It was $30 for the ticket which included $6 worth of tokens to redeem on the day. I had also paid $35 for each of the two masterclasses on offer in order…

Ferment the Festival

Yesterday I headed to Ferment the Festival  on the last day of a weekend celebrating all things fermented. I’ve since read that the festival director, Kris Lloyd is very passionate about all things fermented.  Held in Rundle Park, in the city centre, it was focused on locally produced food, wine,…

1 2 3 5