We do drink a wine with this episode - the Aphelion Affinity Grenache Mourvèdre. But it's not about the wine!

We are launching a new event called the Vinobozo Vinolympics that will be at the Noori Wine Bar on August 23 if we can get enough people to come along! This is the episode where we designed the event.

See you at the Vinolympics.

Warning - no wines were tasted in this episode. This week we get into wine beef about the Port region. Jacob is upset about the Beneficio system in the Duoro Valley and Darren cuts loose about the Port Wines he had to study for his Diploma.

Let us know which one of us is better at beefing (whinging) about Port.

Have fun!

In our third match up, two delicious wines, along with some of the usual shenanigans. Get some of this into you - Fiano is just getting more and more interesting.

Donna Paolina Fiano di Avellino DOCG 2024 (Campania, Southern Italy)

vs

Olivers Taranga Vineyards Fiano 2025 (100% McLaren Vale, 100% Fiano)

This week we do a profile of the Poco Vino brand by Australian Vinatage in 187.5mL glass that is on prominent display in most bottle shops at the moment. Normally we are looking at small producers; this week we are reviewing a high volume wine - see if you agree with us.

In this episode, we indulge - Heyson Blue Cheese from Udder delights, Golden North vanilla ice cream with four fortified wines. A Madiera Malvasia, two styles of fortified Muscat - one from McLaren Vale and another from Rutherglen and a Pedro Ximénez (PX) Sherry. Come along and see how it went 

In this episode Piquepoul v Picpoul de Pinet - our unique perspective on the French v McLaren Vale versions. Wines tasted were:

• Réserve Delsol Picpoul de Pinet 2023
• Coriole McLaren Vale Piquepoul 2025

Correction: in the podcast Darren spoke about spelling of Picpoul being restricted. Afterwards we looked it up and both Picpoul and Piquepoul are probably allowed spellings in Australia, although Piquepoul is less risky. Only France get to use de Pinet as the Appellation name but use both Piquepoul and Picpoul. Darren is blaming a masterclass presenter for the confusion.

This week, on the verge of winter we explore wines for deep conversation. This episode we range across the Souther Fleurieu peninsular in the search for the perfect conversational wine. Wines reviewed for this quarters Fleurieu living were:

• Saltfleet 2025 Sangiovese (McLaren Vale and Sellicks Hill in Kaurna Country)
• Oria Riff 2025 Grenache (McLaren Vale - Blewitt Springs, Fiona Wood's Vineyard)
• Bec Hardy Pertaringa 2024 Stege Left Merlot (McLaren Vale - Tatachilla, Martin's Vineyard)
• Aphelion 2024 Affiity Grenache Mourvèdre (single vineyard in each of McLaren Vale and Willunga)
• Paralian 2023 Shiraz Mataro (McLaren Vale - Blewitt Springs, Spring's Hill Vineyard)
• Bekkers 2023 Syrah Grenache (McLaren Vale)
• Lake Breeze 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon (Langhorne Creek - Bremer River Flood Plain, Follett Family Vineyard)
• Karrawatta The Meddler Malbec 2021 (Langhorne Creek, Christo's Paddock vineyard)

We conversed about what conversations we would pair these wines with. See if you agree.

We couldn't think of a better reason for a matchup episode than two French wines that have similar names - Jura and Jurancon. It didn't matter to us that they are from completely different parts of France, different climates, different elevations or different varietals. We just wanted you to know about them.

In addition, we have chosen styles that are represenattive of the regions, but not their most famous. In a region known for its sweet wines, we have reviewed the dry style - Jurancon Sec - and in the Jura region which is famous for oxidative, bready, nutty flor influenced styles of whites, we have tasted a reductive much more conventional style of Chardonnay.

Have fun!!

We taste three sparkling wines, but with a twist: every one of them comes with a little extra flavour and a lot more fun. Come along for a fizzy ride through sparkling wine, spritzes and a few deliciously questionable ideas that turn out to be very good ones.

We get stuck into sparkling wine with added flavour adn gone on about adding soda, ice, mint and cassis, and stir up a bit of wine beef along the way by asking the big question: why is fortified wine not more popular? It is a serious episode about wine, just with a healthy refusal to take wine too seriously.

In this episode, we taste MVD Limoncello with Brown Brothers Prosecco, Zoncello Lemon Spritz, and crème de cassis with Perrier-Jouët Champagne.

Three sparkling wines, a handful of twists, and just enough wine controversy to keep things interesting.

Join us as Darren tries his first ever boilermaker: whisky and beer side by side. It turns into a fun chat about flavour, surprising pairings, and which combos really work. We had a great time recording this one and were seriously impressed by some of the matches.

In this episode, we try Redbreast Irish Whiskey and Sazerac Rye Whisky with pilsner, then mix things up with an all-Australian brandy and cider boilermaker featuring St Agnes Bartender’s Cut and Willie Smith’s Cloudy Cider. We finish with a full South Australian combo: McLaren Vale Distillers MVD x Mr Riggs Single Malt with Coopers Dark Ale.