The New McLaren Vale: How Mediterranean Grape Varieties Are Redefining Australian Wine By Oliver Budack (c) 2025 This is a slightly edited version of an article published on the Hastwell & Lightfoot blog on 3 October 2025. When I arrived in Australia in 1995 and settled in Darwin, the wine scene was a far cry
Recently I came across an old friend, a bottle of 2012 12Volts from 4kilos Vinícola, Spain. The winery is located on Mallorca, a small island in the Mediterranean Sea. I was electrified when I saw this wine as I had visited its winery of origin a couple of times when living in Europe. Suffice to
So what does a dedicated hospitality worker and a faithful 'somm' do during a pandemic? With no customers to serve, no guests to pour for? What do you do with yourself? It's just not natural to not be running! What does the future hold? These are some of the thoughts that crossed my mind at
So it's been a while since I've had any time to write about my wine adventures, since moving to "God's country", the McLaren Vale wine region in South Australia, back in February 2018. I've been super-busy: moving countries (returning to live in Australia after 3 years in Berlin); exploring my new home and region (and
A visit to the historic Tahbilk Winery in Central Victoria, Australia, is a must for any wine lover. It’s a journey into the beginnings of Australian viticulture, and steeped in history. The winery was founded in 1860 and therefore - in Australian terms at least – it is ancient. The winery has been owned and
