Opinions? Gourmet Traveller WINE

KMP · Post by **KMP** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 2:17 pm

Anyone read this?

I picked up a copy on our last trip back to Oz in December '03, and my wife bought me a subscription as a late Xmas present. Some of the articles seem little more than advertizing. But there is some interesting stuff in the latest issue like "New kids on the block" with Troy Kallleske of Kalleske, Tim Burvill of Rockbare and the Wilson sisters of Bremerton. And an article written by Andrew Jefford on a blind tasting of Aussie wines in London that makes interesting reading (his highest scores went to Clare valley rieslings). There is also a (short) piece on NZ riesling.

For someone who is pretty much restricted to Wine Spectator, WINE at least expands the horizons a little.

Anyone else have any comments on this mag?

Mike

Mike Hawkins · Post by **Mike Hawkins** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 6:13 pm

Its not a bad read - I get it each edition. The assessments (when they make them) to my way of thinking are a little more reliable than Winestate.

Unfortunately, I'm not a huge NZ wine fan, so I just hope this latest edition is not indicative of what is to come now that it is released over the ditch.

JamieBahrain · Post by **JamieBahrain** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 11:43 am

Mike

Initially, I found the magazine irrelevant to my wine likes. A good portion of the magazine filled with exotic foreign wine destinations and their wines which were unavailable in Australia!

I travel the wine regions of the world on occassion now, so I find the magazine quite useful and more interesting than years ago when this opportunity did not present.

I believe they should not forgot their bread and butter-more Aussie red content.

I think their sales would skyrocket in the current format, if every month they included three page articles and verticals on Australian icon reds eg a history of Rockford BPress with a vertical, the following month Howard Park etc.

Such content, reliably every month, would see me a subscriber as opposed to the occassional purchaser off the news stand.

Brucer · Post by **Brucer** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 3:03 pm

I read Wine Spectator, and find that the UK mags are the best read.
My favourite is Wine International, followed by Decanter.
They have interesting articles, and the poms seem to have a balanced view, and write well. Wine int also has the full reports o the International Wine Show each year.

DJ · Post by DJ » Sun Aug 08, 2004 5:29 pm

I think you learn more reading this wine forum.

I received a subscription of Christmas and enjoy browsing it but wouldn't pay for it myself - why use up wine buying money

David

GraemeG · Post by **GraemeG** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 8:48 am

Very much a curate's egg for me (owning all issues except No 1). The columns (Halliday, Robinson) are invariably worth reading, and the travel stories are quite well done. I always faintly annoyed by the 'promotions' or 'special features' which are nothing but advertising but bear an uncanny resemblance in style and layout to editorial content.

I've found it puzzling that apart from the 'Top 20' features, so many of the tasting notes and recommendations seem to focus on wines under $25, or even $20/$15. Or, perhaps I should rephrase that to say that for a magazine costing, what, $8, $10 (I subscribe) on the newsstand, it seems odd to devote so much space (relatively) to wines costing only twice the magazine! The recipes, for instance, invariable recommend a current release, sub-$20 bottle as accompaniment.

I see also that with very little fanfare, they've gone to a quarterly timetable - the current issue labelled 'Spring', where as the previous was 'June/July'. Perhaps they are aiming to become the Australian 'Spectator', albeit at much reduced frequency. I will certainly watch closely, and if 'lifestyle' takes over from wine too much, it will go from my shelves...

cheers,
Graeme

Mike Hawkins · Post by **Mike Hawkins** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 11:24 am

Graeme,

I agree about the price of the wines reviewed. If someone is going to spend $8 buying the magazine, there's a fairly high likelihood they are fair dinkum about their wines and wont have a cellar skewed heavily to the lower price brackets.

I also agree with Jamie's comments re vertical tastings. Hence the reason I subscribe to WFM.

Mike

simm · Post by **simm** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 11:55 am

IMO this latest editon is one of the first worth the price for some time. It didn't occur to me that they had become a quarterly release. Maybe now they can review a few more wines as in Winestate instead of all that advertising masquerading as winery reviews. So now the price for the mag has gone up by default. I'm sure I paid for a certain number of editons and will expect them to come to the party at the beginning of next year, before I pay for another subscription.

Conversely, Winestate seems to have dropped off on the quality articles.

cheers,