Today
This cocktail ‘omakase’ is the next best thing to visiting Tokyo
+81 Aizome Bar in Brisbane is an intimate, 10-seater bar serving peach sparkling sake and pink watermelon coladas in surrounds inspired by Japan.
This Month
One of Australia’s newest vineyards has been 150 years in the making
An epic comeback story has taken root in Geelong, where a collective of winemakers are finally savouring the fruits of their labours.
March
The other white burgundy is stepping out of chardonnay’s shadow
After years of neglect, both at home and abroad, it’s the little-known aligoté’s time to shine, owing to a warming climate and some determined winemakers.
Dark Emu beer with native grains at this destination brewery
A couple has built a farmhouse-style brewery in East Gippsland and intend to make it a destination.
How the Hawke’s Bay wine region weathered its most challenging year
AFR’s wine writer discovers a tale of two vineyards and a remarkable comeback story in the wake of the 2023 Cyclone Gabrielle floods.
Trump threatens 200pc tariff on champagne
Industry experts warned on Thursday that such steep tariffs would crush trade between Europe and the United States.
New Zealand pops its cork for one of the world’s great wine festivals
All things pinot noir were up for discussion at this three-day celebration of the crowd-pleasing varietal in Christchurch.
February
How AI is making moves on the wine industry
Will artificial intelligence change everything we love about our favourite drop?
Forget sauvignon blanc – 2025 is all about souvignier gris
Welcome to Utopia, where wines are produced from new, resilient grapes that are causing a stir.
How an ancient technique became a hot new wine trend
The use of terracotta and ceramic vessels in the winemaking process is making a comeback – and it’s producing some distinctively earthy drops.
The winemaker you need to know (though she doesn’t care if you don’t)
Former reality show contestant and TV presenter Sierra Reed got obsessed with wine while filming in New Zealand in 2011. She’s been doing it her way ever since.
Max Allen’s pick of wines to woo your Valentine
Champagne is all very well, but true love means giving something that will surprise and delight with its seductive depth and complexity.
January
The architect inspired by shearing sheds and tents
Mudgee-based Cameron Anderson honours the beauty of humble rural structures and rustic materials in his designs.
At $3000 a bottle, grenache is hitting new heights
The renaissance of this red variety is a worldwide phenomenon, including in France where it’s been firmly reappraised.
Harmony in a glass: How this venerable wine estate recognises Country
Connection to culture is crucial to the fifth-generation family custodians of this must-visit Victorian vineyard.
Six winemakers start a shiraz revolution with a tonne of grapes each
Once the king of Australian reds, the variety has lost its gloss in recent years. With the results of a bold experiment in, that could be about to change.
I quit drinking four years ago. I’m still confronting drinking culture.
People who stop drinking are constantly quizzed about why.
Why Chinese-made wine could be coming to a bar or restaurant near you
Top bars and restaurants in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide are selling Chinese wines produced by both major players and smaller independent outfits.
December 2024
There’s something special about Tasmanian sparkling, and they know it
Move over Champagne, the Apple Isle makes some of the best sparkling wines in the world. And the Effervescence festival is where it’s on display.
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.