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Ray Jordan

Ray Jordan has been writing about wine for more than 40 years. His first articles were published in the early issues of national wine magazine Winestate in the late 1970s when he worked in Sydney as a newspaper correspondent. From 1989 Ray wrote more than 3000 columns as a regular newspaper wine columnist. He currently writes a regular column for the special business publication Business News and is one of the main contributors to national wine platform Wine Pilot. In 2017 Ray co-authored The Way it Was – A History of The Early Days of the Margaret River Wine Industry and previously wrote Wine in the Blood: Australia’s Family Wine Estates, published in Mandarin and English. In 2011 Ray was awarded WA Wine Press Club Jack Mann Memorial Medal for his contribution to the WA wine industry. His love of wine is as strong as his love of the blues and tasting the thousands of wines that cross his bench each year allows him to indulge in both.
Chalice

Chateau Yaldara Chalice Shiraz 2022

A soft and plush Barossa Shiraz which loads masses of ripe dark fruit into its frame. Full and generous with...
grand pappy

1847 Grand Pappy Shiraz 2021

What a powerhouse of opulence and concentration is this plush and super-saturated Barossa Shiraz from this very good year. Loaded...
BullTrader Pinot Noir

Reschke Bull Trader Pinot Noir 2024

A neatly crafted Pinot from a good season in Padthaway. Captivating aromas of raspberry and a little deeper dark cherry...
Antiqua Shiraz

Ulithorne Antiqua Shiraz 2022

Generous, supple and thoroughly delicious Shiraz from McLaren Vale. On the nose, you get a decent hit of black cherry...
Cape Barren TheVale Shiraz

Cape Barren The Vale Shiraz 2019

A smooth and polished McLaren Vale Shiraz captures the generosity of this McLaren Vale vintage. Layered blackberry and chocolatey plummy...
Three Springs Shiraz

Schild Estate Three Springs Shiraz 2019

Gosh, this is a good wine. You know that from the first aromas of perfumed dark fruits with a light...
Narrow Road Shiraz

Schild Estate Narrow Road Shiraz 2021

Bursts with all manner of dark ripe berry characters from the first take on the nose through to the opulent...
Sorby Adams Le Verrier Shiraz nv lowres

Sorby Adams Le Verrier Shiraz 2021

It’s hard to beat Barossa Shiraz in a good year. This displays all that was good, no, very good, in...
Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon

Leconfield Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

The elegant style and perfumes of Coonawarra all come into play in this very good Cabernet from a very good...
Angus Brae Shiraz

Schild Estate Angus Brae Shiraz 2022

An elegantly presented Barossa Shiraz. Oodles of ripe blackberry and dark plummy fruit characters reveal on the nose and then...
LVR PinotNoir

Stonehaven Limited Vineyard Release Pinot Noir 2024

Opens with a delightful mix of sour cherry and spicy florals that announce this as Pinot. It is medium to...
Leconfield Manor House MV Shiraz Bottle Mock CabMer (green) capsule

Leconfield Manor House Shiraz 2022

Such an elegantly presented McLaren Vale Shiraz pumping out plenty of power and intensity as it drives through a deeply...
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1847 170 Shiraz Cabernet 2021

This was a mighty good year in the Barossa and it’s been superbly captured by this concentrated blend of Shiraz...
Byrne Coghills Creek Myola Vineyard Pinot Noir()

Byrne Wines Coghills Creek Pinot Noir 2019

There’s a certain rustic charm about this Ballarat Pinot Noir. The aromas are a combination of ripe plum and dark...
Byrne Coghills Creek Myola Vineyard Pinot Noir()

Byrne Wines Coghills Creek Pinot Noir 2018

The intense spicy and slightly leather character on the nose suggests a little development. It’s starting to layer itself with...
Byrne Trawalla Shiraz

Byrne Wines Trawalla Shiraz 2017

 Medium-bodied Shiraz displays many of the virtues of the cool climate in Ballarat. There’s an earthy rustic and slightly ferruginous...
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Duke’s Magpie Hill Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

Interestingly this Cabernet is a Barossa clone which contrasts with the Houghton clone in another part of the vineyard. It...
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Duke’s The First Cab Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

The aromatic combination of bright red berry and oyster shell with a little bay leaf provides such a captivating and...
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Duke’s Magpie Hill Reserve Riesling 2024

The distinctive lime edge of this vineyard emerges immediately on the nose with other notes of limestone and sea spray....
Duke s Vineyard Single Vineyard Riesling with ground shadows

Duke’s Single Vineyard Riesling 2024

Another terrific and impressive Riesling from this small Great Southern vineyard. The colour is pale straw with a brilliant bright...
Duke s Vineyard Single Vineyard Rose with ground shadows

Duke’s Single Vineyard Dry Rosé 2024

This predominantly Shiraz and Cabernet with a small amount of Riesling adding a neat floral lift. Bright red berry notes...
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Duke’s The Whole Bunch Syrah 2022

Here is a wine with a hands-on and feet on approach creating a captivating and delicious medium-bodied Syrah. It was...
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Duke’s Shiraz Riesling 2023

Light and breezy young red with a clear message to drink through the next hot summer. Bright red berry characters...
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Duke’s Magpie Hill Reserve Shiraz 2022

This turned out to be a very good vintage in the Great Southern. The fruit comes from the highest point...

Stories

Hayes Family Wines

Hayes Family Wines is a relatively new name for the Barossa Valley, but its roots date back to the middle...

Elderton in Form

It’s one of those weird twists. The Barossa Valley is renowned for its shiraz and one of the best has...

A New Grenache Benchmark from the West

History may show that the Swinney Farvie Frankland River Grenache 2020 was the wine that redefined this variety in WA....
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