Blog – Grove Estate Wines

March 1, 2020March 4, 2020

Smoke Taint In 2020 Makes for Difficult Times :(

Whilst it obviously doesn’t compare to the devastation experienced by so many during the recent bushfires, we were fully aware that the smoke haze that lingered through the Hilltops and neighbouring regions during the fires also posed a significant threat to our vineyards and our winemaking process this season. And unfortunately, we weren’t wrong!

For many local winemakers, such as ourselves, the smoke has had a devastating effect, penetrating our grapes and destroying 90% of our 2020 vintage. Yes they are our grapes in the photo, picked from the vine and lying useless on the ground.

How does smoke impact wine production?

Smoke from bushfires is made up of many chemical compounds and when the smoke sits on the skin of the grapes, the chemical compounds are absorbed by the grapes as they ripen. Then, when the grapes are crushed and begin to ferment, the smoke compounds are released into the wine.

January 5, 2020January 5, 2020

11 Interesting Wine Facts

Given it is one of the oldest beverages known to man there are so many interesting and different facts about wine. Some are very well known facts but here we will uncover some of the lesser known, but still interesting, facts about wine.

1. Wine Used For Medicinal Purposes Since Ancient Times

Records as far back as Hippocrates, an ancient Greek physician, show that he always included wine as a cure when writing out his prescriptions. Right up until today research still shows that wine, particularly red wine, has many health benefits.

2. Wine is Almost a Guilt Free Beverage

Wine contains zero fat and no cholesterol. Wine is lower in carbohydrates than beer and dry wine is lower in carbohydrates and calories than sweet wine. So if you are watching your waistline choose a dry red or white wine.

November 4, 2019January 5, 2020

Wine Headaches

Wine Headaches
What causes them and how to help prevent them

Christmas is near… the party season is upon us… the celebrations are beginning to take place… but no one wants the dreaded wine hangover…

Read on to find out what may cause wine headaches as well as some tips to help avoid them this festive season.

September 2, 2019January 5, 2020

Simple Tips for Pairing Wine with Food

There are many articles written about how to pair wine with food…. so what makes this article any different?

I don’t know about you but often after I read those articles, I am even more confused about which wine goes well with which food, then I was before I started reading. So here it is …. the most simple article for pairing wine with food. Print it out… keep it on your fridge… and you will never have to wonder again which wine goes with tonights dinner.

July 3, 2019August 4, 2019

The ABC of Wine Terms

School is in!

Think of this page as a Wine Dictionary for all the important wine terms.

‘Wine Speak’ can seem like a language of it’s own but once you get the hang of it and find a few words that work for you, we can all have better conversations about wine 🙂

So let’s get to class and start learning some of these wine terms that will help you understand why you like a certain wine or not. Plus, you will also become better at remembering the wines and styles of wine you prefer to taste, drink and buy.

Acidic: All wine has a certain amount of acidic which makes a wine feel fresh and gives it a lift. Too much acidic makes a wine taste sour and feel sharp and not enough will make a wine flat.