Cobaw Ridge
Alan and Nelly Cooper set up Cobaw Ridge in 1985, having bought the land in 1981 as a place from where they could commute (quite lengthily) to Melbourne. Their original plan had been to sell the grapes, but they were smitten and decided to make wine before the first crop was off the vine, which was in 1989.
The future of English sparkling wine
English wine is the flavour du jour, but is it set up to capitalise on the recent awards and consumer demand?
Elgo Estate
Strathbogie Ranges is a wine growing region to watch, not least due to a mere handful of pioneering producers. Elgo Estate, owned by Grant and Suzanne Taresch is one such property on an upward trajectory.
The coolness of Australian wine
No-one seriously disputes that Tasmania is properly cool climate, but a slightly more confusing picture is emerging on the mainland. And with ‘cool climate’ wines being cool, trendy and of different flavour profile than ‘warm climate’, it’s too easy to let the moniker roll off the tongue without paying due regard to proper climatic data.
Orange – the new black?
The Orange region is the only geographical indication (GI) in Australia to be defined by altitude – contiguous land above 600m around the extinct volcano that dominates the skyline, Mount Canobolas, at 1,396m.
Minerality again
A follow-up report from that published in October 2009, this pursues the reality and myth of minerality in wine.
Tasmania sparkles
Tasmania is without doubt Australia’s coolest region, and as a result the state provides the fruit for many of the country’s bubblies. Indeed roughly a quarter of Tassie’s grape production ends up as sparklers.
Sonoma strikes for coolness
Sonoma, in California, made its cool climate case at a recent seminar in London, showing mostly pinot noirs with two chardonnays, a couple of classic grape varieties associated with cool climate viticulture.
Cool climate Australia
Australia is finding its cooler climate cool-spots. This piece explores the reality and busts some of the myths.
Winkler's climate regions
Amerine and Winkler classified five winemaking regions in California. Their classification still form the bedrock of viticultural climatic data, though various refinements have subsequently been made by others.
