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Wine & spirits

This Month

Martin Shaw and Michael Hill-Smith.

Tolpuddle’s new tasting room is another great reason to visit Tasmania

One of the island’s most revered vineyards is opening its doors to the public.

  • Max Allen

It turns out gin and tennis do mix

Four Pillars co-founder Matt Jones plays competition twice a week and believes there’s a parallel between the ways you can improve in sport and business.

  • Life & Leisure

You can’t buy it on the phone. You can’t find it on the internet

To get hold of the world’s best mezcal, you need to go to a private bar in Mexico City. It’s like taking a spiritual journey around the country.

  • Kate Hennessy

Is this Australia’s best shiraz?

These wine show judges certainly think so: the Great Australian Shiraz Challenge turns 30, and it’s needed now more than ever.

  • Max Allen

October

Fresh cocktail glass on glass table in night club restaurant.

Three Australian bars ranked in world’s top 50, led by ‘beloved spot’

Three Australian bars have been named in the world’s top 50, including Melbourne venue Caretaker’s Cottage, which jumped to No. 21 overall.

  • Gus McCubbing
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Soak up the Melbourne Cup atmosphere at these top wine bars

Settle in, order a glass, and watch the world go by at these five fabulous institutions.

  • Max Allen
Chef Ross Lusted at Flemington Racecourse, Ross is the guest chef at The Byerley restaurant in the Club Stand at Flemington Racecourse.

For those on the list, Melbourne Cup dining is first across the line

Ross Lusted will cater for members at Flemington Racecourse ahead of his first Melbourne restaurant opening, and Birdcage guests are in for some feasting, too.

  • Necia Wilden
Ed Carr.

This Australian winemaker has just won a global award for his sparkling

Ed Carr is more than happy to pick up the international awards and bring them home to a smaller, local wine company.

  • Max Allen
“great value” 1945 cognac from Old Master spirits

This World War II cognac could be yours for a ‘mere’ $1299 a bottle

Plus, how to join in celebrating a decade of rare 10-year-old Australian single malts.

  • Max Allen
Denver & Liely marlo wine glass

An Australian’s revolutionary wine glass has floored French experts

It looks intriguing and glassware designer Denver Cramer says it can “age” its contents by four to five years.

  • Paul Best
Asahi and its CUB business were forced into a hasty revamp of Hard Solo last year - with Hard Rated the No.1 in the light-coloured ready-to-drink spirits category, in part because of zero sugar versions.

Why young people are choosing this tipple over wine and beer

The No.1 brand in light-coloured RTD spirits is a canned drink called Hard Rated, which has succeeded in the ultra-competitive liquor market by being low-calorie and citrusy.

  • Simon Evans
Treasury Wines GM of sales and marketing, Sarah Parkes with new wine brand targeting female drinkers , Drop of Sunshine.

Treasury Wine teams up with US actor to woo female drinkers

Drop of Sunshine took two years to develop with actor and film producer Reese Witherspoon’s media company and is hitting shelves in the US and Australia first.

  • Simon Evans
Craig Garvin is returning as CEO of Australian Vintage, six months after being sacked by the previous board of the company which owns wine brands McGuigan, Tempus Two and Nepenthe.

Australian Vintage rehires CEO it sacked for ‘lack of judgment’

The ASX-listed wine producer behind McGuigan and Tempus Two has again appointed Craig Garvin as its chief executive, who says the “past is the past”.

  • Simon Evans
Yellowglen, Wolf Blass, Lindemans and Blossom Hill are all up for sale by owner Treasury Wine Estates. Almost $600m has been written off in goodwill and impairments by Aust’s big wine companies in the cheap end of the wine segment.

Almost $600m slashed from popular wine brands as drinkers steer clear

Documents filed with the regulator show the value of brands from Jacob’s Creek to Wolf Blass is shrinking as the industry battles to attract younger consumers.

  • Simon Evans
Kolonne/Null wines

Hands down the best non-alcoholic wine I’ve tried

Based in Berlin, Kolonne Null partners with wineries in Germany, France and Spain to source wine that is then de-alcoholised.

  • Max Allen
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Cash the dog helps find bush food botanicals on the Finniss River floodplains.

The perfect martini begins at the Top End

Embrace the outback spirit to become a distiller for a day, with no guarantee of success.

  • Rohan Sullivan

September

anthony pieri

Melbourne dining powerhouse wins award for country’s best wine list

Gimlet’s head sommelier says the key to success is paying the same level of attention to someone drinking by the glass as to a high-roller ordering a $12,000 bottle.

  • Gus McCubbing
Nikka Yoichi whisky distillery in Hokkaido, Japan.

Heading to Hokkaido? The Nikka distillery is a must

When Masataka Taketsuru returned to Japan from Scotland a century ago he brought the expertise to make great whisky, a love of all things Caledonian and a wife.

  • Max Allen
Steve Donohue.

Endeavour Group CEO’s last drinks a chance to reset

Steve Donohue knows booze and retail as well as anyone, but shareholder diplomacy was a challenge. Good luck to whoever takes over.

  • Anthony Macdonald

If you don’t know about fiano yet, it won’t be long

From growers to drinkers – this resilient and versatile grape variety is so popular that it’s on track to overtake pinot gris.

  • Max Allen

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/wine--spirits-hzi