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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.
WT Heirloom Vineyards King's Garden Barossa Valley Shiraz

Heirloom Vineyards King’s Garden Barossa Valley Shiraz 2021

This wine is sourced from some of the best vineyards in the Barossa from a superb year. It’s perfect for...
WT Bass Line Barossa Valley GSM

Base Line Barossa Valley GSM 2023

This is a perfectly poised, medium-bodied, and stylish example of Barossa GSM. It’s loaded with spicy fruit, including blackberry and...
WT Thorn Clarke William Randell Winemakers Selection Shiraz

Thorn Clark William Randell Winemakers Selection Shiraz 2019

Here is pure Barossa richness and power expressed with refined poise and a high degree of elegance. It’s a result...
Rock Ferry rd Rock MLB SB

Rock Ferry Third Rock Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2024

There’s Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, and then there’s Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. About a quarter of the wine was fermented and aged...
AC CO PN ()

Rock Ferry Aurora Creek Central Otago Pinot Noir 2022

The colour is a crimson ruby red, and is slightly translucent. This is a wine that has the Central Otago...
AC MB CH

Rock Ferry Aurora Creek Marlborough Chardonnay 2021

The fruit for this wine is sourced from Marlborough. As New Zealand Chardonnays go, it shows slightly less worked character...
Nautilus Chardonnay NV

Nautilus Chardonnay 2023

This is a rather delightful example of Marlborough Chardonnay. It’s somewhat understated but certainly displays some attractive characters. Opens with...
Nautilus SVPN NV

Nautilus Southern Valleys Pinot Noir 2020

It’s a wine that captures the Marlborough Pinot Noir style really well. Opens with a wave of dark cherry aroma...
Nautilus Pinot Noir Clay Hills Vineyard NV

Nautilus Clay Hills Vineyard Pinot Noir 2020

This is a single-site, limited release, which comes from the Clay Hills Vineyard in the Southern Valleys in Marlborough. A...
Nautilus NV Brut

Nautilus Cuvée Marlborough Brut NV

This is a Pinot-dominant blend with Chardonnay from the Marlborough region. The colour is a nice pale straw, and while...
Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc NV

Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc

This is the 40th vintage of this popular wine. No mistaking the origins of this Sauvignon Blanc. It’s from the...
The Paper Nautilus Heritage Block Sauvignon Blanc NV

The Paper Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc 2023

This is a small-batch Sauvignon Blanc from the Heritage Block Renwick Estate, only made in the best years. Unlike many...
Wirra Wirra Church Block Shiraz No Vintage

Wirra Wirra Church Block Shiraz 2023

Another perfectly presented Shiraz under this label. Shiraz has been an important part of the Church Block story, present in...
Wirra Wirra Church Block Grenache Shiraz No Vintage

Wirra Wirra Church Block Grenache Shiraz 2024

What a thoroughly beautiful wine this is from one of McLaren Vale’s finest wineries. It’s about 60% Grenache and the...
Wirra Wirra Church Block CSSM

Wirra Wirra Church Block Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Merlot 2023

Another excellent wine from this famous value-for-money brand. In the winery, each parcel is treated separately through fermentation and maturation...
PHI Gamay Noir NV

De Bortoli Phi Gamay Noir 2024

From the time I brought this one to smell the sweet scents of this variety, I thought it was something...
Riorret Lusatia Park Pinot Noir

De Bortoli Riorett Lusatia Park Pinot Noir 2019

This now has a little age and it’s starting to reveal some rather beautiful characters that comes with cellaring time...
PHI Grenache Amphora NV

De Bortoli Phi Grenache Amphora Freeman’s Bridge 2022

De Bortoli have been using amphora for some years now and here is a perfect example of what it can...
PHI Syrah Grenache NV

De Bortoli Phi Syrah Grenache 2022

De Bortoli have gone to Heathcote in Victoria to source the fruit for this wine. It’s a region that has...
PHI CHARDONNAY NV ()

De Bortoli Phi Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2022

This is sourced from the Lusatia Park vineyard in the Yarra that De Bortoli acquired a few years ago. It...
Love Symbol

Zonte’s Footstep Limited Release Love Symbol Grenache 2023

This is a mighty good Grenache sourced from McLaren Vale. The colour is immediately bright with red and crimson hues....
Excalibur

Zonte’s Footstep Excalibur Sauvignon Blanc 2025

This one comes from a very good season in the Adelaide Hills. Aromas of lemon, meringue, edgy lemon zest and...
Violet Beauregard

Zonte’s Footstep Violet Beauregard Malbec 2023

The wonderful region of Langhorne Creek provides the Malbec for this excellent wine. The region over decades has excelled in...
Butchers Block GSM

Turkey Flat Butcher’s Block Grenache Shiraz Mataro 2023

This is one of the oldest properties in the Barossa and this wine came from some of those original vines...

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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