Australian Wine Review turns 4 (and a competition)
Crack out the DRC. Uncork the Krug. Decant the Giacomo Conterno. Butter the fairy bread (actually, skip the fairy bread. I’m not a fan) and generally get excited because, by my calculations at least, Australian Wine Review/ozwinereview (ie this blog) officially turns 4 this week (or somewhere thereabouts this week. It was four years ago). Hooray!
Amidst the fanfare I’d like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you that visit this blog. A thank you that exists regardless of whether you are a regular reader, an occasional lurker or just someone who landed here after a search for ‘Ben Folds plays Shiraz’ went completely awry. Thanks to all of you.
More particularly, I’d like to thank everyone who gives feedback, for you are the best sort of readers. Again it doesn’t matter whether that feedback be in the form of cheeky anonymous comments, emails picking up my grammatical errors or just general nice words, as all of it helps to not only shape this blog but makes the lonely, self absorbed pursuit that is wine blogging pursuit that little bit more enjoyable/worthwhile. Hugs for all, and if you haven’t commented before then use this post as a great opportunity to start. I love comments.
A big thank you also to all the wineries and suppliers and PR agencies (and the like) who send in samples of wines and products. Again, I couldn’t do it without you and I appreciate your patience when I’m a little tardy in tasting your wines. Thanks again.
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| A prized Shiraz |
Now sadly there is no massive casino party to celebrate this little anniversary, nor is there much in the way of showbags/sampler packs. What I do have however is plenty of wine (even beyond the aforementioned samples that clog my loungeroom). As a result I’m going to give away a bottle of wine, a quite simple wine (but a good one) that I like and think someone else would like too.
That wine is the 2009 Tyrrell’s Brokenback Hunter Shiraz, a lovely unforced Hunter red, from a very good vintage, that typifies all that I like in the ‘drinking’ (not trophy winning) style of Hunter Shiraz. It’s hardly an expensive wine, nor is it all that rare, but I have some purely because I enjoy drinking it.
The mechanism by which I’m giving away this wine is simple. All I need to know is what the highest scoring (my score out of 20. I always score out of 20 and sometimes out of 100 too) wine is on this website. First correct answer wins, one entry only, available to Australian residents 18+ only. Answer in the comments below. The judges decision (ie mine) is final.
Thanks everyone and bring on another 4 years!
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17 Comments
Congrats Andrew. Have always enjoyed visiting your site. I feel your writing has gone from strength to strength over the last few years I have been coming here.
As an aside I have probably been caught reading it at work too but have also probably been saved by the white background! (from a distance it looks like I'm still working on a document)
As for the comp I'm gonna have a stab and say the chateau-dyquem-sauternes-2003 at 19.5/98. Happy to be wrong though.
Good luck for the next 4 years!
davmarine
Happy Birthday AG, without blowing steam up your arse, I think you were one of the first blogs to inspire me to do the same. So respect where respect is due. And now we go on little blogging holidays together which is weird from my wife's point of view but all fine by me. Keep on being the grumpy points miser that you are, your writing get's better and better and your antipathy for rocket and mango knows no bounds!
I hope the highest pointed wine is the d"Yquem 03 as that's what we drank on our first date!
Keep on blogging on and I'll keep logging on,
The Pom
A very merry birthday to you and your blog.
Always happy to read those who share their opinions and intellect via their writing. I would say yours is a highly credible voice and that our palates are aligned, but we both know how much you like Mint Slice biscuits and that diminishes my respect for you considerably.
Not sure about the hightest pointed wine as I very rarely look at scores.
Best wishes for many more years of blogging.
Keira
Drinking wine is easy, having the discipline to write about it is difficult. So added congratulations from me. Enjoying the increased diversity of reviews + articles.
In your honour I'll have a nice glass of verdelho & cucumber salad for lunch.
cheers
Congrats on all your work over the four years.
Not easy to keep it up with such regularity we're sure.
We really enjoy your personal style and fresh take on the old wine review.
Looking forward to plenty more interaction over the years….
Cheers
Mitch & Johnno
Congratulations Andrew well done and may there be many more
I think "Unknown" and the Wining Pom hit the nail on the head with the d"Yquem 03
19.8 Chateau d'Yquem Sauternes 2003
Keep up the flow of information as it is always refreshing to get home and see a new entry.
Thanks everyone, really appreciate it. Hugs for all. Meanwhile nice pickup Dave, you're the winner. I really should have made it harder 🙂
Congrats on the milestone AG.
I envy your discipline in noting the fine (and the less than fine) beverages you imbibe.
Sam
Whoohoo!
Glad I couldn't sleep this morning. Andrew you should take it as a compliment that your site is one of the first I swing by when I turn on the computer 🙂
Dave (aka. davemarine)
Congratulations. I really enjoy your site and always look forward to your views regarding wine. Keep up the good work. Fernando D.
Andrew,
Well done and keep going!
Congrats Andrew. Have very much enjoyed reading.
Keep it up, and we will keep reading.
Congratulations Andrew!
I always find your blog to be great reading and informative. Your willingness to sacrifice your liver for the pleasure of others (I'm sure it's tough to do) should be commended!
Keep up the good work, thanks again.
Awesome effort Andrew, hope you have enjoyed it as much as we have!! Looking forward to having a drink in the barn again one day!!
Cheers James
Congratulations Andrew. Four years is a good stretch. I appreciate how you are prepared to be clear and sceptical about your own tastes, preferences & biases. That's a good thing.
Paul Starr
Thanks Paul. Four years is indeed a good stretch and I'm glad to hear that my own wine navel gazing is not always lost on me…