Marcus Ellis

1 month ago | winecompanion.com.au | Marcus Ellis

Over the past two decades, give or take, grape varieties that once had drinkers stumbling with pronunciations are now recognisable even to those with a casual interest in wine. Grapes like fiano, tempranillo, vermentino, grüner veltliner, gamay and nero d’avola are permanently embedded in our vinous lexicon. So, are these so-called alternative varieties – largely selected for climate-apt properties – now mainstream? Or is our wine landscape simply more diverse?

Jan 19, 2025 | winecompanion.com.au | Marcus Ellis

Inkwell’s Hack the Future of Shiraz 2.0 is underway, with entries closing on January 28th, on the cusp of the 2025 harvest. Applicants can hail from any Australian region, with those successful tasked with making a wine from Inkwell fruit in any manner, so long as it charts a new path for shiraz. The winners are the recipients of the fruit, the resultant wines polemics for a new future, liquid essays to provoke thought and discourse.

Oct 23, 2024 | newshub.medianet.com.au | Marcus Ellis

Halliday Wine Companion is delighted to announce the Top 100 Wineries 2024, proudly presented by Sense of Taste. The Halliday Wine Companion Top 100 Wineries is a celebration of the best wineries in Australia, right now. The list of 100 spans producers from around the country and focuses on the complete portfolio of wines. Each name listed is a true champion of Australian wine. "These are wineries that excel in tough years and soar in great ones.

May 23, 2024 | winecompanion.com.au | Marcus Ellis

McLaren Vale has historically been a bastion of red wine, with the plantings of dark-skinned grapes still accounting for over 90 per cent of vineyard land. But the region is arguably the most progressive in the country, with makers collectively embracing thoughtful change. And climate-apt white grapes are a big part of that evolution, selected to suit the growing conditions from both a sustainability and quality standpoint, and, importantly, also to fit the lifestyle and produce of the region.

May 23, 2024 | winecompanion.com.au | Marcus Ellis

Mark Bulman loves grenache. That’s not such a controversial statement these days. But Mark loved grenache when it was largely unloved, forlorn, and with many of the wines hard to embrace. A relic of fortified production, knotty vines were an antique clutter in vineyards, getting in the way of shiraz – the hero of Australian wine, emboldened by extravagant accolades either side of the new millennium.