WINE > Burguet, Gevrey-Chambertin “Symphonie”, 2019 (18/20)

There are Gevrey-Chambertin producers who chase power for its own sake, and there are those who chase precision instead. Jean-Luc & Eric Burguet belong unmistakably to the second camp. The "Symphonie" is the domaine's village-level flagship, a blend drawn from several small parcels — including En Billard and La Justice — planted on clay-limestone soils…

ByCrispin3 days ago0Comments

DRINK > WINE DRINK > WINE > Pinot Noir

WINE > Decades, Pinot Noir, 2024, Coal River Tasmania (18/20)

There are new labels that feel engineered for the market, and then there are those that arrive with the conviction of a long-held idea finally finding its vineyard. Decades is firmly the latter. The 2024 Pinot Noir is a remarkably assured second release from Steve Flamsteed and Brad Rogers: fragrant, sinewy and distinctly Tasmanian, with…

ByCrispinSeptember 5, 20260Comments

EAT > AUSTRALIA EAT > QLD EAT > WHITSUNDAYS WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > Pebble Beach, Qualia Hamilton Island QLD (18/20)

Set right on the sand at the northern tip of Hamilton Island, Pebble Beach is qualia’s beachfront dining room, and it remains the most relaxed serious meal in the Whitsundays. In our opinion, Pebble Beach is the best lunch (and probably the best meal) on Hamilton Island, full stop. There’s a specific pleasure in…

ByCrispinJuly 25, 20260Comments

EAT > AUSTRALIA EAT > MELBOURNE EAT > VICTORIA WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > Marmelo, Melbourne (18/20)

Marmelo is a suave, wood‑fired love letter to Portugal that feels purpose‑built for Melbourne: ambitious but relaxed, visually dramatic yet quietly comforting, and already one of the CBD’s most compelling hotel dining rooms. In our opinion Marmelo is the best Portuguese restaurant (in Australia) There is something about Portugal that I find incredibly appealing,…

ByCrispinJune 14, 20260Comments

STAY > JAPAN STAY > TOKYO WHERE TO STAY >

STAY > Fairmont Hotel, Tokyo (18/20)

Fairmont Tokyo is a polished new arrival on Tokyo Bay: a vertical, glass‑wrapped refuge that delivers classic Fairmont theatre with a distinctly Japanese sense of restraint and ritual. It is also the brand’s long‑anticipated debut in Japan, perched high above Shibaura with big‑screen views of Tokyo Tower, Rainbow Bridge and the working harbour below. Tokyo…

ByCrispinMay 25, 20260Comments

STAY > JAPAN STAY > KYOTO WHERE TO STAY >

STAY > Luxury Hotel Sowaka, Kyoto (18/20)

Luxury Hotel Sowaka is Kyoto distilled: a quietly opulent machiya hideaway that feels more like a cultivated private residence than a hotel, yet sits steps from Yasaka Shrine and the lantern-lit lanes of Gion Luxury Hotel Sowaka in Gion is just the place to relax in Kyoto AMBIENCE > Slip through the noren at Sowaka…

ByCrispinMay 3, 20260Comments

STAY > FIJI WHERE TO STAY >

STAY > Six Senses, Fiji (18/20)

Tropical Paradise the Six Senses Resort, Malolo Fiji Six Senses Fiji is a polished, design‑forward barefoot luxury outpost on Malolo Island that wraps high‑touch service and serious sustainability credentials in an easy, island‑club mood. It feels more like a private Vunabaka beach enclave with a Six Senses overlay than a conventional resort, which is precisely…

ByCrispinApril 5, 20260Comments

STAY > BURGUNDY STAY > FRANCE WHERE TO STAY >

STAY > Le Relais Bernard Loiseau, Burgundy (18/20)

Le Relais Bernard Loiseau is a destination hotel where serious gastronomy, deep spa-soothing and old‑world Burgundy village charm intersect. Perhaps more famed as the home of restaurant 'La Côte d’Or' which has held as many as 3 Michelin stars in its famous history. It is a place where you come for the meal…

ByCrispinMarch 29, 20260Comments

DRINK > WINE DRINK > WINE > Pinot Noir

WINE > Bannockburn Pinot Noir, 2024 (18/20)

There are a few wines that are always in my wine cellar and regular and reliable choices when out for dinner with friends and it is found on the wine list. The Bannockburn Pinot Noir is a crowd pleaser, delightfully pretty but retaining enough structure and elegance to appeal to the wine snob…

ByCrispinMarch 21, 20260Comments

EAT > AUSTRALIA EAT > MELBOURNE EAT > VICTORIA WHERE TO EAT >

EAT > Scopri, Carlton (18/20)

There are places that stay forever on your most reliable list. It takes a special mix of reliably fine food a warm and comfortable room, good acoustics and genuine service. Scopri remains one of those establishments that remains on our favourite list and is one of Melbourne’s most quietly assured Italian dining rooms: a…

ByCrispinMarch 21, 20260Comments