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Nicole Bilson

Nicole loves wine. So much so that she gave up a successful career in Pharmacy, perfected her spitting technique, and moved from sunny Queensland to the wine-drenched laneways of Melbourne. Stints in hospitality, wineries, retail, sales and marketing filled the next few years while Nicole built her knowledge and searched for the right path. She completed the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) Diploma in 2016 and became a certified WSET Educator the following year. She now juggles a number of roles including teaching people about wine, curating wines lists for restaurants and bars, judging in Australian wine shows and, of course, writing. In 2016 she won the Negociants Working With Wine writing award and has since contributed to Gourmet Traveller WINE, Halliday Wine Companion Magazine and Nourish Magazine.
Pavona Pinot Grigio NVS ()

Pizzini Pavona Pinot Grigio 2025

A relatively new entrant to the Pizzini Pinot Grigio range, Pavona is made from fruit grown from a vineyard situated...
Fiano () () ()

Pizzini Fiano 2025

After spending four months on lees post fermentation, this Fiano was fairly recently bottled at the time of tasting (early...
Pizzini Il Barone

Pizzini Il Barrone 2022

The Baron. A traditional Australian blend – Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz; with an Italian twist of Sangiovese and Nebbiolo. The...
Pizzini Il Soffio Prosecco ()

Pizzini Il Soffio Prosecco 2024

Pale gold, a fine bubble, subtly yeasty and textural – wait, is this really Prosecco?! Il Soffio means “the breath”...
Pizzini Lambrusco NVS ()

Pizzini Lambrusco 2024

You’ve been lied to – Lambrusco is not just a sweet, simple, aggressively fizzy red wine. Real Lambrusco is a...
Pizzini Nonna Gisella Sangiovese NVS ()

Pizzini Nonna Gisella Sangiovese 2024

Pizzini’s La Familia range is designed to be enjoyed with food, friends and family – this Sangiovese definitely hits the...
Pizzini Pietra Rossa Sangiovese NVS ()

Pizzini Pietra Rosso Sangiovese 2024

Pietra Rosso translates as “red stone”, referring to the iron-rich rocky soils that this Sangiovese thrives in. The aromas launch...
Pizzini L'Aquila Nebbiolo ()

Pizzini L’aquila Nebbiolo 2022

L’aquila is Italian for ‘the eagle’, a bird that exemplifies both elegance and power – a fitting namesake. The grapes...
La Volpe Nebbiolo no vintage

Pizzini La Volpe Nebbiolo 2024

A lighter, prettier style of Nebbiolo; the fruit is selected from a vineyard that allows for earlier drinking. Still distinctly...
Pizzini Verduzzo NVS ()

Pizzini Verduzzo 2024

Verduzzo is a grape variety that hails from Italy, best known in the northern Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto regions. Intensely...
Pizzini Attento Pinot Grigio ()

Pizzini Attento Pinot Grigio 2024

This is Pinot Grigio but not as you know it. The grapes were grown in volcanic soils, hailing from very...
Est PN Trans

Squitchy Lane Pinot Noir 2022

On pouring, I am immediately transported to a rose garden, surrounded by perfumed petals and subtly spicy/herbaceous leaves. Then the fruit...
LOTWchard

Land of Tomorrow Wrattonbully Chardonnay 2024 

This Chardonnay comes from the Nolan family’s original estate in Wrattonbully, farmed sustainably for over a century. It’s a juicy...
LOTChard

Land of Tomorrow Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2024 

The aromas open with a spritz of lemon juice, partnered with the sexy funk and minerality of preserved lemon. Spicy...
LOTTouriga

Land of Tomorrow McLaren Vale Touriga 2023

Touriga is a variety known for power and perfume – one of the key varieties grown for premium Port. McLaren...
LOTPinotNoir

Land of Tomorrow Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir 2024

I always get excited when I find expressive Pinot Noir at this price point. Bonus points for sustainably grown fruit....
Nebbiolo SV NV

Rowlee Single Vineyard Nebbiolo 2024

I make no secret that I am a Nebbiolo devotee. I am always thrilled to find an Australian example that...
Pinot Gris NV

Rowlee Pinot Gris 2025

I love it when a wine labelled as Pinot Gris actually tastes like the French ‘Gris’ style (in contrast to...
Chardonnay SV NV

Rowlee Single Vineyard Chardonnay 2024

On the first swirl of this cool climate beauty, the aromas leap from the glass – a spritz of lime,...
Chardonnay R Series

Rowlee R Series Chardonnay 2023

Rowlee’s R series represents their reserve wines – the finest parcels treated with the utmost care. Slow fermentation in French...
Pinot Noir NV

Rowlee Pinot Noir 2024

This was a delightful, exceptional value surprise. The winemaking began with a four day cold soak to extract colour and...
Pinot Noir R Series

Rowlee R Series Pinot Noir 2023

This is Rowlee’s Reserve Pinot Noir, using the best fruit they have from their exceptional high altitude vineyards. It smells...
Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc NV

Nautilus Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Imagine how mind blowing it must have been when the first punchy, but beautifully balanced, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc hit the...
The Paper Nautilus Heritage Block Sauvignon Blanc NV

The Paper Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc 2023

A very different Sauvignon Blanc, The Paper Nautilus spends 9 months in large format French oak. This gives the wine...

Stories

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One to One by Oxford Landing

I first encountered Oxford Landing in 2015. It was the affordably priced wine on the huge portfolio I was navigating...
OL Riverlife copy

Riverlife by Oxford Landing

Oxford Landing has a long reputation for good, affordable wines, well loved by the glass at the local pub. With...

Chalmers: Future-Proofing Wine

Like it or not, the traditional grape varieties that built Australia’s reputation as a great place to make wine are...

New Vine to Wine range from Mitchelton

There’s romance in a cellar door surrounded by vines and wines that tell the story of their place as Mitchelton...

What makes a wine great – it’s not what you’d think…

It was a bustling Saturday night in one of Melbourne’s hipster suburbs in a raved-about venue. Thick coats, moments before...

Eggstravagant Wines

I was standing in a queue at the checkout when a woman winked at me and said “There’s going to...
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