Time to confess. I’m a European nationalist (if such a thing is possible), if I could afford it I would buy Paul Smith over Ralph Lauren, Citroen over Chrysler, Bordeaux over Napa Valley, Cornas over Barossa.

I have been rather neglectful of Australia in recent months so this week I want to focus on one of the great icon estates of Australian wine as a way of showing that there is more to this country than big blowsy Shiraz and Chardonnay.

As the Obamas and Britain’s Queen Elizabeth can all testify, Irish people are still considered to be among the friendliest in the world.

REMOVING plants (or people) from their native soil and transplanting them to far off climes is not always successful but sometimes they thrive.