Authenticity is a popular buzzword globally right now, appearing everywhere from terroir in vineyards and flavours in wine to pop psychology and novels about friendship. It's also the name of a book about wine, written by Master of Wine Sam Harrop and wine writer Dr Jamie Goode and published in 2013.  It's timely to re-explore this book and the elusive concept of authenticity in wine because the natural wine movement has gained significant ground in the past eight years and here at Regional, we are often asked to recommend natural wines.  So, what is an authentic wine and is it more natural than...

Nervy, minerally, substantial and salty. These are just some of the descriptors used when talking about the indigenous Swiss grape, Petite Arvine, which is thought to have been introduced by the Romans to the Valais in Switzerland. Its name probably derived from the Latin word arvena, which means 'just arrived'. An apt description of a grape that came from elsewhere, although 'just' may not necessarily apply these days since it was first written about in 1602 under the name Arvena. Oh, and yes, there was a Grosse Arvine ('big Arvine') but it is no longer grown. So, onto the big beautiful wines...

Can you drink red wine on hot days?  Our wine theme of the month is chillable reds and if it sounds like an oxymoron, read on. This week's Regional wine blog offers practical tips on how to drink red wine cooler than usual, along with a bunch of the best suggestions from our staff picks of what we regard as the most delicious dry reds to drink chilled, which can actually taste even better when lightly cooled down.  Tips for drinking red wines when it's hot... Read on for our top tips   Tip 1 - Time is of the essence - less is...

It came as an extremely pleasant surprise to see sales of Palliser Estate dry Riesling come second only to Chardonnay during our winery of the month promotion in November last year.  Riesling is one of the oldest German grape varieties and one of the most misunderstood wines on Earth. It is thought to have originated in the Rheingau where early writing dates back to 1435 and in the late 1800s, Riesling was regarded as one of the great wines of the world, commanding even higher prices than many Bordeaux reds at the time. These days, Riesling has fallen from grace and lest we tempt fate, we're always...

Well, yes, reds to drink at cooler temperatures are a valid thing and here's why. Reds can taste more refreshing when they have lower levels of tannin, which is what happens when grapes are not overly extracted and given less time on their skins - the source of both colour and tannin. This is why Beaujolais, which is made from the low tannin Gamay grape, tastes so good when lightly chilled.    Refreshing reds to drink chilled on special this month 2021 Swift Gamay Hawke's Bay (RRP $35.99) Special $32.99 Buy here 2019 Il Fatalone Primitivo Teres Puglia (RRP $31.99)...