Western Australia is the largest of Australia's eight administrative areas and territories. In 2020, it accounted for only 2% of the nation's wine production, but has already produced up to 20% of the country's fine wines. Covering the entire western third of the vast island-continent, "WA" (as it is commonly known) stretches 1,600 kilometres (1,000 miles) from east to west. This makes it the second largest administrative subdivision of any country in the world, larger than Alaska and Texas combined.
Western Australia's wine regions are clustered in the cooler, coastal Southwestern Part of the state. The northeastern two-thirds of Western Australia is too hot to support quality viticulture. The northwest corner is the hottest region in all of Australia, with summer temperatures exceeding even those of the country's famous semi-desert 'Red Centre'. In contrast, the Climate in southwest WA is relatively cool, tempered by the presence of the Indian Ocean to the west and the Antarctic Ocean to the south and east.
It’s no easy task to establish a super-premium wine in an entirely new region, particularly when inviting potential retail partners or distributors to the vineyard involves journeying to a distant corner of the Himalayas in the outer reaches of the Yunnan province, southwestern China. For my journey, after four flights from Bordeaux to Shanghai, Chengdu then Shangri-La, it was a four-hour drive up through stunning mountain passes to the foothills (here, that means 2,200m above sea level) of the ...
Thanksgiving is an excuse to indulge in the company of your family – and Thanksgiving 2021 will likely see even more indulgence than normal as people celebrate getting together again at this time of year. So pull out your best bottles and follow these top wine serving tips for a successful Thanksgiving. Serve red wines at 16-18°C (61-65°F) Your full-bodied California Cabernet or Brunello di Montalcino may be described as at the peak of its powers when served at ‘room temperature’. However, ...
Like many teenagers, I was obsessed with movies when I was growing up. When I see original posters today for films I enjoyed back then, the effect is immediate – a glance somehow conjures the story, the characters and the emotional impact all at once. Today, wine labels can have a similar effect. And what more iconic labels are there in the Rhône than Guigal’s single vineyard Côte-Rôties? When I see the red and gold label of La Mouline, it has the same effect as when I’m confronted with the post ...
