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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.
homestead shiraz

Burge Family Winemakers Homestead Shiraz 2021

Quite a stylish, elegant Barossa Shiraz from this good season. The nose shows some nice raspberry-dominant red and black fruits,...
Draycott Cab

Burge Family Winemakers Draycott Cabernet Sauvignon 2021

Stands to reason that a vintage like 2021 should be ideally suited to Barossa Cabernet, a variety that continually shows...
Riesling Deep Green

Burge Family Winemakers Eden Valley Riesling 2025

Riesling in a good season is one of the joys of summer drinking for me, and this one is going...
Draycott Reserve Shiraz bottleshot

Burge Family Winemakers Draycott Shiraz 2021

So here it is, Barossa Shiraz from a great year, strutting all that you expect from both the region and...
Parched Crow Wines“Early Dawn” Semillon

Parched Crow Early Dawn Semillon 2025

The racy, zippy character of a young Hunter Semillon is clearly on display in this rather delightful wine. The aromas...
Parched Crow Wines “McDonalds Flat” Bicentenary Semillon

Parched Crow McDonald’s Flat Bicentenary Semillon 2025

This is a thoroughly beautiful example of a young Hunter Semillon. It pays homage to one of the pioneers of...
Parched Crow Wines Chardonnay

Parched Crow Chardonnay 2023

Hunter Chardonnay can sometimes slip under the radar, yet when it does well, it’s a particularly fine wine. This is...
grenache NV

Paisley Velvet Grenache 2020

Here’s a wine that captures all that is good and thoroughly delicious with Barossa Grenache in a good season. It’s...
Maeve Shiraz NV

Paisley Maeve Shiraz 2021

In my experience, the 2021 vintage in the Barossa was one for the ages. Simply stunning wines have emerged, and...
NV Nine Popes

Charles Melton Nine Popes 2022

This iconic GSM blend put Australian GSM on the map. Primary fruit comes from nearly 100-year-old bush vine Grenache, balanced...
NV Grains of Paradise

Charles Melton Grains of Paradise 2022

A marvelous example of how the Barossa, with all its power and opulence, can be presented with poise and elegance....
NV Voices of Angles

Charles Melton Voices of Angels

Sourced from a cool climate site in the Adelaide Hills, a region that consistently produces the most stylish expressions of...
NV Father in Law Reserve

Charles Melton The Father-in-Law Single Vineyard Reserve Shiraz 2022

This fruit comes from Melton’s wife’s father’s vineyard, planted in 2000. This wine is exceptionally refined yet retains the fruit...
NV The Kirche

Charles Melton The Kirche 2022

A quintessential Barossa Valley blend of Shiraz and Cabernet, composed of 64/36. Matured in 75% French and 25% American oak,...
NV Cabernet

Charles Melton Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

While Melton is often celebrated for Shiraz and Grenache, its Cabernets deserve attention. Fruit comes from the Kirsch Vineyard in...
Paracombe Sauvignon Blanc

Paracombe Sauvignon Blanc 2024

Vibrant tropical passion fruit with subtle citrus. Palate shows crunchy white fruits with a racy and zesty finish.
Paracombe Plateau Blanc

Paracombe Plateau Blanc NV

Pinot Blanc base for a sparkling wine. Citrus lemon with subtle white florals on the nose. Palate is crunchy with...
Paracombe Pinot Noir Chardonnay

Paracombe Pinot Chardonnay 2023 Release

Sparkling wine from ’23 vintage blended with older vintages up to 30 years. Tremendous texture and complexity with fresh vibrancy....
Paracombe Pinot Noir NV

Paracombe Pinot Noir 2024

Light-bodied Adelaide Hills Pinot with funky wild characters. Dominated by strawberry and cherry. Smooth, integrated palate with silky tannins and...
Paracombe Somerville Shiraz NV

Paracombe Somerville Shiraz 2015

A 10-year-old Adelaide Hills Shiraz from vines transplanted from this 1903 vineyard. Medium-bodied, dark fruit, coffee grind, plummy blackberry, dark...
Red Path McLaren Vale shiraz cabernet

Red Path McLaren Vale Shiraz Cabernet 2022

A neatly structured and presented combination of these two excellent bedfellows from McLaren Vale, intense ripe red fruits with darker...
Red Path Barossa Valley cabernet sauvignon

Red Path Barossa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2022

The pure, varietal black currant of Barossa Cabernet is evident immediately on the nose and then there are other notes...
Red Path McLaren Vale shiraz

Red Path McLaren Vale Shiraz 2022  

A bold and purposeful Shiraz from McLaren Vale, displaying ripe, generous black fruits on the nose, underpinned by some nice...
Seppelt Mount Ida Shiraz

Seppelt Mount Ida Shiraz 2023

From Heathcote, distinctive ironstone, rusty nail and oxidised iron characters. A difficult year with high rainfall at all the wrong...

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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