The first half of 2015 has included some lovely wine highlights including Riesling DownUnder , Trait-d-Union, and Gambero Rosso’s Tre Bicchieri tastings (all February 2015), a visit to Australia from Alvaro Palacios – Decanter UK’s Wine Man of the Year 2015  and hosting a wine tour to the Yarra Valley (both April 2015), assisting two wineloving customers re-build their wine cellars, and drinking from the wonderful Zalto glasses.

By way of general observation, Australian wine appears to have benefitted from a string of strong vintages (2012, 2013 and 2014), Barolo from the 2010 vintage look to be very good to outstanding with many of the 2010s approachable and enjoyable in their youth (while still capable of being cellared for years to come), and all the current releases from Alvaro Palacios’ three wineries.

As usual there’s also been plenty of beautiful wines to taste and drink. Some of the many wine highlights so far include:

– tasting the Champagnes of Jacques Selosse and La Closerie;

– two cracking 2011 chardonnays from Margaret River (Leeuwin Estate Art Series and Voyager Estate);

– Beaujolais from the 2013 vintage (including Pierre Chermette (Vissoux) Vieilles Vignes Beaujolais 2013 and Janin’s Clos du Tremblay Moulin-a-Vent 2013);

Mac Forbes‘ rieslings notably the RS7 Riesling 2014 and from his experimental batch series, the EB10 Ginger Rizz Riesling 2014;

– Palacios Remondo Propiedad 2010, Alvaro Palacios L’Ermita 2012, and DJP La Faraona 2012; and

– the ‘tre bicchieiri’ Le Monde Friuli Pinot Bianco 2013.

As always, happy drinking!