Grape vines were planted in the Hunter Valley, just north of Sydney, almost 200 years ago. The infant industry was given a boost when James Busby sent 365 vine cuttings he had imported from France to his brother-in-law at Kirkton near Branxton in 183...

Widely discussed but often misunderstood, cork taint is a single, specific wine fault. Here’s how to identify corked wine – and what you can do about it. Without realizing it, you have probably tasted corked wine. You might have eaten cor...

There’s nothing like abusing the hallowed term ‘champagne’ to get its producers in a fizz. Frenchmen were frothing at the mouth in July when Russia decided to step up its protection of locally made products, declaring that only its ...

At a dinner many years ago I sat next to a woman who, when I said I worked as a wine writer, told me that her favorite wines were the ones with blackberries and plums. For a second I was perplexed, pondering how many wines actually had added fruit fl...

Tasmania is a cool, pristine island growing some of Australia’s most sought after wines. Sparkling wines lead the way with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay table wines likewise in high demand. Volumes are minuscule, the quality astonishingly high.

France has long been revered for cellaring classics. Yet as prices for Bordeaux and Burgundy soar, aficionados are looking beyond these benchmarks and Italian wines are ripe for the picking. Italy isn’t new to savvy collectors. The country brag...

As the years go by, I am continually reminded that the more I learn about wine, the regions, the history, and styles, the more there is to know. It’s a fascinating passion for many. Not only does it add to our enjoyment and understanding of win...

Are celebrity wines serious endeavors or merely cynical branding? The answer is both, and there are no shortage of examples to choose from. These days, it’s quicker to say which celebrities aren’t making wine. There are hundreds of celebr...

There are many myths about Spain: the rain doesn’t fall mainly on the plain, paella is not the national dish and when it comes to the Spanish climate, it’s not all scorchio. Yes, the costas are waiting for northern Europeans to arrive eac...