Follow along with Kat & Mike- the novice and wine enthusiast's journey to ensure you just love wine!
Kat and Mike talk Sparkling Shiraz, Aussie traditions and family traditions. * Rockcliffe Rivage Sparkling Shiraz. Denmark, Western Australia * Cat Amongst The Pigeons Sparkling Shiraz. South Australia * McGuigan Black Label, Sparkling Shiraz. Australia This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justlovewine.substack.com
We chat again with the lovely Tracey Whooley from Great Southern Sip - someone who is as passionate and strongly advocating for our great Great Southern wine regions as we are. Mike brings out some special wines that celebrate the regions wonderful creativity, collaboration and courage to produce the best wines at 35 degrees South. Alkoomi Riesling. 2023. Frankland River, Western Australia Kerrigan & Berry Shiraz. 2023. Frankland River, Western Australia West Cape Howe Nebbiolo. 2023. Frankland River, Western Australia This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justlovewine.substack.com
We chat again with the lovely Tracey Whooley from Great Southern Sip - someone who is as passionate and strongly advocating for our great Great Southern wine regions as we are. Mike brings out some special wines that celebrate the regions wonderful creativity, collaboration and courage to produce the best wines at 35 degrees South. Alkoomi Riesling. 2023. Frankland River, Western Australia Kerrigan & Berry Shiraz. 2023. Frankland River, Western Australia West Cape Howe Nebbiolo. 2023. Frankland River, Western Australia This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justlovewine.substack.com
We were so lucky to have the amazing Tracey Whooley from the Great Southern of Western Australia hang with us in the winepod today. Holding a WSET Diploma, she is not only a fabulous wine communicator but a captivating story-teller of wine. Kat and Mike could have talked with Tracey for ever- we had to cut out a lot of dialogue! Tracey Whooley brings her love of flowers and aromas into her latest wine business venture Great Southern Sip (greatsouthernsip.com) and will be showcasing her expertise on the 3rd of Oct 2026 at the Great Southern Bloom Festival (www.bloomfestival.com.au). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justlovewine.substack.com
Well, we get a full Pet Nat experience in the winepod today. Just as fun to open as they are as fun on the palate. PS. No other wine bottles were harmed in this episode! Shady Lane. Pet Nat Pinit. Victoria, Australia. Yilgarnia. Peggy’s Pet Nat. Denmark, Western Australia. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justlovewine.substack.com
Mike literally dashed to Coles for this episode. Happy to report, that you can make a guest-worthy cheese board from the local supermarket! Before getting off the sparkling wheel we thought we would see what cheeses go best with an Australian Sparkling and Prosecco- also from the supermarket chain liquor store! Brown Brothers King Valley Prosecco (Victoria, Australia) Jacobs Creek Trilogy Cuvée NV (Australia) Maggie Beer Triple Brie Cracker Barrel Vintage Cheddar Meredith Dairy Chevre Ash Armadeus Blue Vein This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justlovewine.substack.com
There’s a reason Prosecco is popular, and now Mike agrees. We have luck with all three bottles today. Crisp, delicious and moreish. You may not be impressed with our italian pronunciation, but you will with the level of freshness, fizz and flavour prosecco brings! Corte Carista (Aldi): Prosecco Brut (DOC). (Italia) Maschio Dei Cavalieri: Prosecco (DOC) Extra Dry. (Treviso, Italia) Alejandro: Prosecco 2025 (Tasmania, Australia) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justlovewine.substack.com
Kat & Mike give you a snapshot into the world of making sparkling wines. A wine category that turns out to be more complex the deeper you dive! To lead you in gently they taste three Australian sparkling wines under $30: Yellow Tail Sparkling Cuvee (Riverina, NSW) Jacobs Creek Reserve Chardonnay/Pinot Noir (South Australia) Jansz Premium Cuvee (Tasmania) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justlovewine.substack.com
From the taste of strawberries and cream to the hues of onion skin, we have covered all you need to know to enter the world of tasty Rosé. Kat cant hide her expensive taste when it comes to a drop of pink, nor her feelings of acidity :p Mandoon Rosé, 2025, Western Australia (Swan Valley). Marlborough Sounds Pinot Rosé, 2025, New Zealand (Marlborough). Ferngrove Rosé, 2025, Western Australia (Frankland River). This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justlovewine.substack.com
Kat’s ‘bang-for-buck’ faith is restored in the boxed wine genre as Mike sets her on a blind taste between the bottle, bagnum and box. Bottle: Forester Estate Lifestyle Cabernet Sauvignon Blanc 2024. Western Australia (Margaret River) Bagnum: St Hallett Faith Shiraz 2025. South Australia (Barossa) Cask/box wine: Willow Brook Soft Dry Red. Australia This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justlovewine.substack.com
We take Mike back to his early Uni days and uncork the boxed wine phenomenon…Today we sip on three whites, challenge our preconceptions and unpack some pros and cons of wine in a cask or ‘bagnum’. Bottle: Xanadu Semillon Sauvignon Blanc (SBS) 2023. Western Australia (Margaret River) Bagnum 1.5 Litre: Once + Well Frankie’s Garden Chardonnay 2025. Western Australia (Margaret River) Box/cask Wine 5 Litre: Willow Brook Fresh Dry White. Australia This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justlovewine.substack.com
Mike and Kat discuss the basics in Chardonnay and crack open 3 different styles: unwooded, wooded, and buttery . Can Kat find a Chardy that will convert her from “Nah” to “Yeah”?! Goundrey Homestead: Unwooded Chardonnay 2024. (Mt Barker) Western Australia Krandorf Winemakers: Wooded Chardonnay 2025. (Barossa) South Australia Franklin Tate Estate: Buttery Chardonnay 2024. (Margaret River) Western Australia Poco Vino: Chardonnay (187mls). Victoria This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justlovewine.substack.com
We continue on from last weeks episode… making the most of enjoying our very first guest Mark Forrest from the Great Southern Wine Producers Association. We taste what the Great Southern of Western Australia has to offer and compare to other regions: Gold Turtle: Riesling 2025. Western Australia Kirri Hill: Riesling 2025. South Australia Grant Burge: Shiraz (Barossa Ink) 2025. South Australia Omrah: Shiraz 2020. Western Australia Alkoomi: Cabernet Sauvignon 2017. Western Australia St Hugo: Cabernet Sauvignon (Coonawarra) 2021. South Australia This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justlovewine.substack.com
Mark Forrest, the Executive Officer for Great Southern Wine Producers Association joins us as our very first guest! We discuss the sub regions (Albany, Mt Barker, Denmark, Franklin River and Porongorups), and why this somewhat underrated region is unique for grape growing and wine making. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justlovewine.substack.com
Mike takes us back to where his wine journey began. We taste wine aged 17 years apart and what that means for taste and cellaring: Plantagenet Wines: Three Lions Riesling 2025. Western Australia Plantagenet Wines: Riesling 2008. Western Australia This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justlovewine.substack.com
This episode Mike gives a basic overview of white wine. We taste 3 different whites under $15 to see if we really can get bang for buck- we find a good deal and make some silly faces and sounds along the way. Secret Stone: Sauvignon Blanc 2025. Malborough NZ West Cape Howe: (SSB) Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2025. Western Australia Annie's Lane: Riesling 2025. South Australia This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justlovewine.substack.com
Mike gets back to basics with ‘what is a red wine’ and some quick tasting tips. We taste three reds under $15 to see if we really can get bang for buck, with a very encouraging result: Taylors: Discoveries Shiraz 2021. South Australia Ferngrove: Cabernet Merlot 2023. Western Australia Houghtons: Classic Red (Cabernet, Shiraz & Merlot). Western Australia This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justlovewine.substack.com
Welcome to Just Love Wine! Where long-time friends Mike (wine enthusiast) & Kat (keen novice) get together, discuss, taste and strip back the BS to ensure you too just love wine. Find out what wine means to us and where our journeys into wine began, and today Kat brings in a bottle that started her journey as a young 20-something year old. Wine tasted: Brown Brothers Cienna (chilled), Victoria, Australia This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit justlovewine.substack.com