02/13/2026
Driving along C317 today, the wide yellow fields and expansive sky reminded me of Saskatchewan — the “Land of Living Skies.” Then the tall trees and gentle rolling hills started feeling almost Tuscan. A surprisingly beautiful blend of landscapes in western Victoria. Here in Australia it can echo places half a world apart.
We ended up at a small winery, Passing Clouds. Bern Barry welcomed us before we even reached the door — relaxed, unpretentious tasting, beautiful wines, and no attempt to lecture us into appreciating them. As the last two customers, we had a great conversation with Bern, who doesn’t only pour — he paints too.
Honestly, to me wine is simple: there are the ones I like and the ones I don’t. Every wine I tasted today landed firmly in the first category.
Maybe we ourselves are just passing clouds to the winery, but we did come back to Melbourne with one bottle — a classic Australian Shiraz–Cabernet blend they’ve been producing since the 1980s. Looking forward to opening it at the right moment.
Wishing a great success with his Distraction by Abstraction exhibition in March.