The Wined Up

Send us Fan Mail Watch/listen to our latest episode to be released this Sunday, where we interview the 2025 Halliday Winemaker of the Year Liz Silkman! Liz shares her story and takes us through a flight of Silkman wines including the 2023 Blackberry Semillon, 2023 Gruner Veltliner, 2023 Reserve Chardonnay, and 2023 Reserve Shiraz Pinot Noir. Within the one to two hours that we spoke with Liz we re...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we explore Vins de Loire or previously known as Loire Valley wines. This is off the back of Jason and Trent attending the Loire masterclass at the 2024 Sydney Good Food & Wine Show 2024. This was quite an eye-opening tasting in that we travelled via the glass across swathes of France from the Atlantic in the west to the centre of France near Paris. We taste eve...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we find try to answer the question ‘how sexy is Savagnin’? The Wined Up Podcast try a Solero Method Wild Savagnin No. 2, Soumah, Yarra Valley, VIC ($88 @ Soumah cellar door) and a 2018 Frederic Lambert Cotes Du Jura Savagnin, Jura, FRANCE ($70 from iHeartWine.com.au). Trent explains what ‘baume’ means and Jason discusses why he prefers to spit rather than swallow....

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we provide a Japanese Wine 101 overview. We go over the history of wine in Japan, discuss the major wine regions of Yamanashi Prefecture and Nagano Prefecture, provide an overview of the Koshu white grape and Muscat Bailey A red grape, and we try a 2022 Koshu Toriibira Vineyard, Grace Wines, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan ($35) and a 2017 Hosaka Muscat Bailey A, Chate...

Send us Fan Mail Watch/listen to our latest episode to be released this Sunday, where we interview Trish Barry from Mastermind Consulting to learn about the role of marketing in wine. She also shares some world firsts with The Wined Up Podcast by letting us see and try the 2024 Offshoot Vermentino, Scarborough Wine, Hunter Valley, NSW and the 2023 Sangiovese, Redman, Limestone Coast, SA. Trish sha...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we try to pair wines with a Doner Kebab and a Halal Snack Pack (HSP). Trent tries a 2019 Sparkling Shiraz, Bests Great Western, Great Western, VIC and Jason tries a 2024 Half Dry Riesling Helm, Murrumbateman, NSW. Trent also explains what are ‘ripe tannins’ and Jason explains why some people experience headaches when drinking wine. Subscribe to @‌TheWinedUp and com...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we take a Masterclass from Marc Malouf on wine faults. He explains the different wine faults and taints including TCA, Oxidation, Volatile Acidity (VA), Brettanomyces, Mousiness, Cooked Wine, and Reductive Wine. He also answers The Wined Up’s icebreaker questions, shares his views on Vivino versus wine critics versus winemakers, the importance of blind tasting, and...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we find out if Etna Wines are worth the hype. The Wined Up Podcast try a white wine from Mount Etna (2022 Etna Bianco, Graci, Sicily, Italy ($58 Prince Wine Store)) and a red wine (2019 Etna Rosso, Eno Trio Calderara Nerello Mascalese, Sicily, Italy). Trent explains the concept of ‘minerality’ and Jason discusses the importance of knowing who makes your wine. Subsc...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we compare a Petit Chablis against a Chablis to try an understand what makes Chablis so special. We try a we see if Wendouree wines are worth the hype. We try a 2022 Petit Chablis, Domaine Christian Moreau ($65 from MS Cellars) and a 2020 Chablis, En Boucheran, Eleni & Edouard Vocoret (iheartwine - $95). Trent also shares the overlap between fashion and wine an...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we interview Jessica McLeish from McLeish Estate.  McLeish Estate is located at 462 DeBeyers Road, Polkolbin NSW 2320 and is part of the Hunter Valley wine region.  It was established in 1985 when her parents Robert and Maryanne planted Semillon & Chardonnay.  Jessica is the second generation in the McLeish family and is driving the future of McLeish Estate.  J...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we explore Sake, Japan’s National Beverage. The Wined Up Podcast compare a traditional sake (Suigei Junmai Ginjo Koiku No. 54) and a non-traditional sake (Turtle Spring Rice Ginjo Genshu) to see which they prefer. Jason explains 5 mind-blowing facts about sake and Trent explains who temperature changes wine. Subscribe to @‌TheWinedUp and comment below on your favou...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we explore Gamay to see if it is ‘gluggable'! We compare Gamay’s from France versus Australia. We compare a 2022 Domaine de colette, Beaujolais-Villages, France to a 2023 Gamay, Sorrenberg, Beechworth, VIC. Jason also sees if red wine makes you sleepier than white. Trent also explains what is ‘reductive’ winemaking. Subscribe to @‌TheWinedUp and comment below...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we look to answer the timeliness question of what wine to pair with the classic Australian Four’N Twenty meat pie. Jason puts forward his 5 hints and tips for better food and wine matching whilst Trent looks to demystify what exactly are primary, secondary and tertiary aromas. We deep dive into what exactly is a meat pie and also touch on the controversy on the rig...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we see if Wendouree wines are worth the hype. We try a 2017 Shiraz Malbec ($125) and a 2006 Shiraz ($240) from Wendouree, Clare Valley, South Australia. The results were surprising. Jason also explains the similarities between growing good grapes for wine and going through a break-up. Trent shares some Australian cult wines and questions whether cult wines are good...

Send us Fan Mail In this we interview Aaron Mercer from Mercer wines. We talk about how Aaron accidentally fell into the wine industry having thought his destiny was to follow in his father’s footsteps of being a coal-miner. Aaron talks about his vintages around the world and how fortunate he feels to have been on this journey to now put forward his legacy in Mercer wines. We talk about his focus...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we explore Madeira Wines from what they call are the Enchanted Isles. We compare different white wine varietals from a different vintage. The wines that we compare are 10 Years Old Henriques & Henriques Boal, Madeira ($70 from @‌the_winecollective) and a 10 Years Old Henriques & Henriques Boal, Madeira ($90 from @‌the_winecollective). Trent also looks into...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we interview the 2023 Hunter Valley Winemaker of the Year, Andrew (Thommo) Thomas. We learnt a lot from Andrew including the diversity of Semillon, why he fell in love with Hunter Valley Shiraz, why Semillon loves Hunter Valley’s sandy flats, and the opportunities for Sydney to support the Hunter Valley and local NSW wine regions. We also had the opportunity to tas...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we re-visit New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc to see if we still enjoy it as we did 10 - 15 years ago. We compare 3 different Savvy B’s at different price points. They are a Sauvignon Blanc, Oyster Bay, Marlborough, New Zealand ($18), a 2023 Sauvignon Blanc, Central Otago, Amisfield, New Zealand ($25), and a 2021 Te Koko Sauvignon Blanc, Cloudy Bay, New Zealand ($90 from...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we catch up with Chris Tyrrell, the 5th generation winemaker of Tyrrell's Wines. We talk about the evolution of Hunter Valley wines and how we need to embrace the uniqueness of Semillon in particular. We travel through a flight of wines representative of the Tyrrell’s story. 2006 Vat1 Semillon, 2017 Vat 1 Semillon, 2022 Vat47 Chardonnay, Vat 6 Pinot Noir, Vat...

Send us Fan Mail Watch/listen to our latest episode, where we interview our friends Dom and Cathy who help us determine if a $12 Aldi Malbec (2023 Pedra Negra Reserve Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina) is as good as a $90 Malbec (2018 Catena Alta Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina). To do the comparison we conduct a blind tasting. The results are surprising. Subscribe to @‌TheWinedUp and comment below if you thi...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we interview Dan Eggleton the winemaker and co-owner of Ben Murray Wines in Barossa Valley, South Australia. This was a fantastic conversation about the joy wine brings to both consumers and winemakers, the importance of supporting Australia’s independent and boutique wineries, and Dan’s wine journey including a few tips of the trade that he has picked up. In this...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we try to pair wines with an Australian classic Vegemite! We try to pair Vegemite on toast with a 2021 Rosato Chalmers, Heathcote, VIC ($27 from Dan Murphy’s) and a Nyetimber English Sparkling Classic Cuvee ($95 from Dan Murphy’s). Jason also pitches the concept of using emoji’s as wine descriptors to breakdown the language barriers of wine and Trent explains what...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we explore wines from Yarra Valley. We compare wines that represent the past and future of Yarra Valley with a 2021 Pinot Noir Block E Deer Farm Vineyard, Coldstream Hills, Yarra Valley, VIC (@coldstreamhillswine4558) and a 2019 Nebbiolo, Soumah, Yarra Valley, VIC. Trent and Jason also reflect on a great behind the scenes tour of Soumah and Giant Steps provided by...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we interview John Retsas, the owner and winemaker at First Drop Wines in Barossa Valley, South Australia. John has a clear passion for wine, Australian wine, being brave, trying new things, and doing so with fun and enthusiasm. First Drop Wines has won many accolades including being part of the Wine Spectator Top 100 most exciting wines and the inaugural Young Gun...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we celebrate The Wined Up Podcast reaching the 1 year milestone! We celebrate with a fantastic champagne recommended by Marc Malouf from iheartwine.com.au . He recommended a 2012 Bruno Paillard Brut Millesime Assemblage Champagne ($200) - what a great recommendation. We reflect on the year that’s passed, some of our favourite wines, favourite wine regions, and thou...