The Full Bottle
Do wine preservatives cause headaches (or did you just drink too much)?
Plus the easy and inexpensive fix to nullify sulphites in your glass of wine.
- Huon Hooke
Cap or cork: Which sealing method is better when ageing a wine
Putting a cap on the age-old conversation about a wine cork or screw cap.
- Huon Hooke
What’s the deal with deep-sea wine ageing?
Some winemakers are dunking grapes or maturing wines in seawater. But is it a gimmick or a game changer?
- Huon Hooke
What do the silver and gold medals on wine bottles mean, and how do show judges decide?
The factors that determine the difference between a silver medal (90-94 points) and a gold (95-plus) can be subjective.
- Huon Hooke
The best bottle of bubbles to buy when you truly need to impress
Dom, Cristal, Krug … top-shelf champagnes are regarded as the pinnacle of luxurious gifts.
- Huon Hooke
Expand your drinking horizons with these wines from surprising locations
Japan, Bali, Denmark, Hungary … the world of wine is continually expanding. Here are some excellent (and unexpected) varieties to try.
- Huon Hooke
How to tell if a red wine will age well
A quick guide to avoid ending up with a tired and stale old wine.
- Huon Hooke
Do you judge a wine bottle by its label? The origins of some Australian designs might surprise
Wine labels are like any other kind of label: they’re designed to sell the product. But what’s the story behind some of our popular brands?
- Huon Hooke
Is Australian red wine becoming more alcoholic because of climate change?
There has been a general increase in the alcoholic strength of red table wines over the past 20 to 30 years and debate continues as to why.
- Huon Hooke
Does the term ‘fine wine’ refer to a wine’s quality or its texture?
“Fine wine” and “noble” are rather outdated terms and not often heard today, probably because they have a slight whiff of elitism.
- Huon Hooke