It's a busy time of year!

Time off from daily grind of 7am-3pm tastings for the Wine Companion, last night (Monday) with a wonderful dinner hosted by Jacques Thienpont and wife Fiona Morrison MW featuring the wines of Vieux Chateau Certan and the legendary Le Pin from ‘06, $3000 a bottle, and one was corked! Jacques Reymond (normally closed Monday night) opened specially for the dinner, the dishes showing – yet again – why this is Australia’s best French-based (with a strong fusion accent) restaurant. Off to an assignation with one of the three specialist dentist attending to various teeth this afternoon, then direct to Tullamarine on the way to Adelaide, thence tomorrow to the Riverland for an in-depth (forgive the pun) look at alternative varieties. An unplanned but fortuitous insight into the trials and tribulations of the rain-sodden Riverland will also be interesting. Return Thursday night to resume tasting Friday, then a one-day dash to Sydney as keynote speaker at Warren Mason’s Sydney International Winemaker’s Gala Lunch, returning tastings Sunday, then non-stop for the next 9 days.