Wine
From the vineyard to bottle: How location - or terroir - affects the taste of wine
Influencing factors include sunshine, temperature, rainfall, humidity, latitude and altitude, aspect, slope and soil fertility.
- Huon Hooke
Why some winemakers think filtering removes the ‘goodness’ of the wine
Unfiltered white wines may appear cloudy, but it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s worse than a clear wine.
- Huon Hooke
Sydney restaurants fail to pour NSW wine as Australia drowns in oversupply
Wine lists in many Sydney restaurants favour wines from overseas or other states at the expense of the local industry.
- Katie Spain
10 of Melbourne’s best budget-friendly BYO restaurants
Soften the financial blow that can come with dining out with these budget-friendly BYO restaurants.
- Moira Tirtha
Buyer beware: Should you trust the opinion of retail-staff wine reviews?
Some boutique wine shops may publish a trustworthy critique, but most liquor retailer reviews should be taken with a grain of salt.
- Huon Hooke
Variety is the spice (note) of life: Why are Australian winemakers all about shiraz?
There are about 160 grape types used for making wine in Australia, but the vast majority produce only small quantities.
- Huon Hooke
What’s the shelf life of wine in soft packs?
Not to be confused with cask wine, there appears to be a trend to package higher-quality wines in pouches.
- Huon Hooke
Sour grapes: Why don’t my dining companions praise my top-shelf wine?
These people are probably not real friends of the vine. Those who truly appreciate wine know when it’s good and they let their enthusiasm show.
- Huon Hooke
‘Huge decline’: Why Sydney diners have deserted dessert wine
Sales of sweet wine have hit new lows at hatted Sydney restaurants.
- Bianca Hrovat
Playing favourites: Wine critic Huon Hooke reveals his top six bottles of the moment
Wine writers shouldn’t really have favourites, but okay, I’ll lay my cards on the table.
- Huon Hooke