Wine with Meg + Mel

• JUST IN! We taste the seriously amazing Sydney Royal Wine Show Winners

  Send us a textEver wondered what $27 worth of Cabernet Sauvignon can get you? How about the prestigious Wine of Show trophy at one of Australia's most respected wine competitions?We're in studio with crystal clear audio this week, tasting our way through the top winners from the Sydney Royal Wine Show – and the results are truly eye-opening. Among 1,500 wines entered by 261 exhibitors, we sample four standout bottles that captured the judges' attention and took home multiple trophies.First up is Jim Barry's 2025 Clare Valley Riesling, claiming Best Value Wine at $25. This quintessential Australian style showcases the searing acidity, minerality and lime-driven character that makes our Rieslings distinctive on the world stage. We dive into why Australian Riesling consistently overdelivers at modest price points and how it ages beautifully for those patient enough to cellar it.We're absolutely blown away by Tyrell's 2013 Vat One Semillon, which swept three major trophies: Best Semillon, Best NSW Wine, and Best Mature Wine. This iconic Hunter Valley style begins life as a delicate, low-alcohol white before developing remarkable complexity with age – honey, nougat, toast, and creamy textures while maintaining incredible freshness. At around $165 for this vintage, it represents Australia's white wine heritage as powerfully as Penfolds Grange does for reds.The alternative varieties category brings us De Bortoli's One Line Sangiovese from Rutherglen ($24), demonstrating how warm regions are successfully diversifying beyond traditional offerings. But the most stunning revelation comes with the Wine of Show – Abbeyvale's 2023 Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon. Priced at just $27, this wine outperformed entries from prestigious producers across all categories, showing beautiful complexity, fine dusty tannins, and distinctive regional character.Want to taste these wines yourself? Follow our Instagram for a chance to win tickets to the Grape, Grain and Graze Festival on September 20th or a collection of these award-winning bottles! And don't miss next week's episode where we interview Angus Barnes, Chair of the Sydney Royal Wine Show, answering all your questions about wine competitions and judging.Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel

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• Grape Identity Crisis: Shiraz v Syrah

  Send us a textProducer Austin joins Meg for a spirited exploration of Shiraz/Syrah variations from different regions, discovering how labeling influences expectations and uncovering surprising stylistic differences.• Syrah and Shiraz are the same grape variety, with different names indicating stylistic differences• The French Crozes-Hermitage exhibits lighter body, higher acidity, and fresh spicy character with crunchy red fruits• Spinifex Barossa Syrah surprises with its true Syrah style despite coming from a warm region traditionally known for bold Shiraz• McLaren Vale "Syrah" disappoints by presenting classic Shiraz characteristics despite its French naming• Classic Barossa Shiraz from Greenock Creek delivers on all expectations with rich jammy fruit, oak influence, and aging potential• Serving temperature significantly impacts how these wines present, with cooler temperatures helping manage alcohol perceptionIf you enjoy exploring regional wine variations, try our recommended Spinifex Syrah from Barossa Valley ($30) for an exceptional value wine that delivers true Syrah character with Australian flair.Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel

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• Sugar-Free Wine: Exposing the Marketing Myth

  Send us a textMeg and Mel tackle misleading wine marketing claims, exposing a company that touts "zero-sugar wine" as revolutionary when most dry wines already contain negligible sugar levels. They investigate a suspicious endorsement from a non-existent Master of Wine and taste-test the underwhelming products.• Most dry wines already contain minimal sugar (around 0.5g per litre or less)• The fermentation process naturally converts grape sugars into alcohol• Laboratory testing confirmed the "zero-sugar" wines contained typical residual sugar levels• The company's advertisements quote "Judith Smalls," a Master of Wine who doesn't exist• The hosts found the wines extremely acidic and unpleasant despite premium pricing• When questioned on social media about their claims, the company deleted comments• Low-alcohol wines achieve their status through earlier grape picking, often sacrificing flavour• Marketing terms like "clean," "natural," and "zero-sugar" are often misleading in the wine industry• Higher quality wines focus on balance and flavour, not dubious health claimsFind out who Judith is! If you've encountered similar misleading wine marketing, we'd love to hear about it.Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel

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• The Art of Dessert Wines

  Send us a textSweet wines are often purchased during tastings but rarely opened at home due to our psychological tendency to prefer sweeter options in small quantities rather than full glasses.• Four different styles of dessert wine explained - late harvest, cane cut, muscat, and botrytised Sauternes• Dessert wines need sugar levels above 50 grams per litre to be classified as sweet• The psychology of purchasing dessert wines mirrors the Pepsi-Coke taste test experiment• Late harvest wines concentrate natural sugars through raisining without botrytis influence• Cane cut is a uniquely Australian technique where the cane is cut from the trunk to trigger raisining• Botrytised wines like Sauternes require specific climate conditions with morning fog• Dessert wines are often best paired with salty, fatty foods rather than desserts• Blue cheese, terrine, and prosciutto create excellent contrasting pairings with sweet wines• Most dessert wines don't require extended aging and should be enjoyed within a decade• Opening a special bottle can make an ordinary day feel like a special occasionDon't wait for a special occasion to open that dessert wine you've been saving. Get a nice cheese board, invite some friends over, and make opening the bottle the occasion itself.Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel

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• Is it time to give Sauvignon Blanc another chance?

  Send us a textRemember when you swore you'd never wear barrel-leg jeans again? That's how many wine lovers feel about Sauvignon Blanc – but just like those jeans eventually won you back, this misunderstood grape variety deserves a second chance.We're diving deep into Sauvignon Blanc's remarkable diversity, exploring expressions that go far beyond the familiar Marlborough style that flooded wine shelves worldwide. From an astonishingly good $8 Aldi find to a textural, oak-influenced Fumé Blanc and the mineral-driven elegance of Loire Valley classics like Pouilly-Fumé, we're rediscovering what makes this grape special.The differences between these styles reveal fascinating insights about winemaking approaches around the world. Learn how New Zealand winemakers revolutionized Sauvignon Blanc production through strategic harvesting and protective techniques, creating that signature tropical-meets-grassy profile that conquered global markets. Discover why French producers, who traditionally didn't even mention "Sauvignon Blanc" on their labels, are now adopting some Kiwi innovations while maintaining their distinctive terroir expression.Whether you're an avowed Sauvignon skeptic or simply looking to expand your palate beyond one familiar style, this episode demonstrates that quality and character exist at every price point. From machine harvesting debates to the cultural significance of French sugar regulations, we explore the technical and historical factors that shape these wines.Join us in our mission to rehabilitate Sauvignon Blanc's reputation. After all, as Meg wisely observes, "We don't want a 30-year lag on it coming back" like we experienced with Chardonnay. Your next favorite white wine might just be a style of Sauvignon Blanc you've never considered before.Follow us on instagram @winewithmegandmel

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