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Wine & spirits

Yesterday

Wine for sale at a store in Shanghai. Chinese consumers have cut their spending on fine wines.

Fine wine market in the red as Chinese demand dries up

The falls mark a second consecutive tough year for the industry, which was hit in 2023 by higher interest rates and dwindling sales from Asia.

  • Laurence Fletcher

This Month

New York-listed soft drinks group The Coca-Cola Company has bought the ready-to-drink spirits business of Billson’s Beverages, which collapsed in late July.

Coca-Cola buys collapsed Billson’s ready-to-drink spirits unit

The NYSE-listed soft drink giant has acquired the business from the administrator, with the Cowan family to retain the smaller cordials and soda operations.

  • Simon Evans
  • Christmas Gift Guide 2024
  • eBooks
two pages from Great Women Sculptors, Phaidon I

Books to treasure or give this holiday season

Elevate your mood and mind with our selection of new coffee table editions, ranging from spectacular photography to quirky knowledge.

  • Updated
  • Stephen Clark

38-diamond phone case: gifts for when the price doesn’t matter

Gift options are wide open when money is practically no object. Something from this gold-standard selection is sure to delight.

  • Updated
  • Eugenie Kelly

Max Allen picks the best wine books to give

One Thousand Vines will change the way the reader thinks about – and enjoys – wine. Plus, three vintages to sip along the way.

  • Updated
  • Max Allen
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Chris Lucas’ new restaurant Maison Bâtard.

Hottest new places to dine around the country right now

These much-anticipated restaurants and bars have opened their doors just in time for summer.

  • Necia Wilden
Chardonnays for Christmas.

Max Allen’s 5 best chardonnays for summer drinking

The grape variety goes super well with seafood, and the quality coming out of Australia is equal to that of much pricier French whites.

  • Max Allen
Young Henry’s owner, Oscar McMahon, celebrates the festive season at a street party in Newtown on December 7.

How professional drinkers manage the silly season

Switching to mid-strength beers, adding water to your shiraz ... there are many tricks to achieving moderation.

  • Luke Benedictus

Max Allen’s guide to stocking a bar trolley

This selection of nine ingredients – all from Australian makers – will have your cocktail cabinet ready for Christmas action.

  • Max Allen
The top five of 2024, as selected by Max Allen.

A toast to the five best champagnes of 2024

The year may be nearly over, but there’s plenty left to celebrate. Pop a bottle of our drinks editor’s favourite bubbles to do it in style.

  • Max Allen

November

Sullivans Cove chief distiller Heather Tillott and managing director Adam Sable.

Cult Tasmanian whisky Sullivans Cove has a stately new home

After a $14m revamp, the Sullivans Cove distillery outside Hobart is worthy of its award as the world’s best whisky.

  • Luke Slattery
Someone’s gotta do it - our intrepid drinks editor Max Allen has chosen his top drops for the year.

Max Allen’s top 20 drinks of the year

After 12 months of tasting, our expert reveals his picks of 2024: a diverse bunch of white and red wines, and a couple of non-alcoholic stunners.

  • Max Allen
Dylan Grigg amid the vines of Vinya Vella.

How one man’s mission to save a rundown vineyard won him global renown

When viticultural expert Dylan Grigg bought his plot of old-vine grenache in the Barossa, it was a mess. Now it’s a destination for travelling winemakers.

  • Max Allen
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
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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

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

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