James Halliday’s articles
The making of The Islander Estate wines
How, when and why would a proud fifth generation member of one of Bordeaux's family wine dynasties, its roots dating back to the 17th century, and a Colorado-raised IBM executive who had created a wholesale travel business, Aussie Adventures, come...
It’s a vigneron’s lot
Talk to a farmer about the weather and it’s too wet, too dry, too hot, too cold. But if you were a grape grower (who’s a farmer) in Murrumbateman in the Canberra District a two-word description would be useless. On January 3 this year a tornado one...
Mount Mary’s way
All the wineries of Margaret River and Yarra Valley were established by families over a similar timeframe. The first 10 wineries ran from 1967 to 1975 in Margaret River, and 1962 to 1972 in the Yarra Valley. These dates come from the Halliday Wine...
Langhorne Creek: it’s a treasure
Langhorne Creek was for long a hidden jewel in the South Australian grape growing tapestry. Its cool climate is similar to that of Coonawarra; a grape growing history dating back 170-plus years; and three family-owned and run wineries whose wine...
The Birth of Margaret River Wines
The Australia Day elevation of Dr John Gladstones' recognition from Member of the Order of Australia (AM) to Officer (AO) was richly deserved. His 90-year-old body may show his age, but his quicksilver mind is as sharp as ever. The award recognises...
The making of Moss Wood wines
It was love at first sight when I travelled to Margaret River 40 years ago to research the region for a book published by University of Queensland Press. Elements of its unique landscape – giant marri, karri and blackbutt gums, ancient grass trees,...
The making of Salomon Estate wines
Bertold (Bert) Salomon is a remarkable man, with a philosophical “can do” attitude to life that is more Australian than Austrian. He could have had an enjoyable career as the eighth-generation custodian of the family’s 232-year-old winery at...
Want to taste the greatest pinot noirs of all from Burgundy’s Domaine de la Romanée-Conti? Book a table at Society restaurant in Melbourne.
Pinot noir is the red wine they drink in heaven, say those who have fallen under its spell. But it won’t come to you unbidden; you have to unravel its secrets and demands, helped by a credit card with a large limit. If you wish to taste the...
1999 J. Vidal-Fleury Côtes-du-Rhône
It's arguable that the best value red wines of France are those of the southern Rhône Valley's Côtes-du-Rhône. The colour is moving from youth towards maturity, the gently spicy/savoury aromas still leave plenty of room for the purple fruits to...
Full circle: the evolution of Paxton Wines
It’s fortunate that when I first met David Paxton in the 1980s we were on the same side of the virtual fence. His piercing gaze through steely blue eyes and his large frame (all muscle) intimidated those who came into contact with him and believed...
