Everyday Reds for under $10!

BIRCHGROVE Hey guys, the wine guy here! I’ve recently gone through the latest vintages of the Birchgrove wines, and I am still amazed at the great value for money this winery produces - even though I can’t tell you who it is.  Here’s the facts: It’s an Australian-owned, 3rd generation winery, in the region of Murray Darling. It’s highly rated at 4.5 Stars (it’s not 5 stars, but it’s close because up until the last 5 years or so most of their wines were $15.00 and under). And what you probably don’t know is that this range of wines for...

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The Rise and Rise of the Alternatives

There's a growing buzz in the wine industry about wines made from so called alternative varieties. Australia alone makes wine from more than 150 different grape varieties.

You could say that history has predicted this trend, given that back in the late 1980s,Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay were all the rage. Shiraz was totally underrated and undervalued, with it generally being labelled 'Hermitage’. And Sauvignon Blanc was that slightly weird stuff Cloudy Bay made over in New Zealand.

However, Australian wine drinkers are generally a progressive mob and moving forward to the last few years, we have seen the likes of Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc become established varieties with a number of new exciting varieties snapping at their heals. Varieties such as Pinot Grigio have started to appear on the wine drinking radar of many Australians, so much so that it is no longer considered alternative.

 

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