| Why buy wine? | | | | when to pick the fruit for particular effect. The fruit's |
| In Australia, wine has become the new beverage of | | | | flavour at the time of picking is a major character of |
| choice for people in all walks of life. Moreover, | | | | the residual flavours of the wine. After initial |
| Australia has developed an enviable reputation | | | | fermentation, some winemakers choose to ferment in |
| amongst wine drinkers and appreciators the world | | | | oak, others not to. Using oak affects the reduction of |
| over. au can help you make the right selection of wine | | | | tannins in the wine. Different types of oak-English, |
| for any occasion and to suit any taste. Listed on our | | | | American, old-affect the flavour and character of the |
| website, you will find some of the most celebrated | | | | wine as it matures to its nominal alcohol level. It is in the |
| labels and award winning wines and you can make a | | | | barrel that a lot of transformations in flavours and |
| selection based on reviews, price and supplier, | | | | character occur, and a great deal of skill is required to |
| regardless of why you want to purchase wine. | | | | know exactly when to bottle the wine. |
| Wine | | | | Different winemakers have different techniques and, |
| There are essentially three reasons that we can think | | | | while a good wine can't be made from bad grapes, it is |
| of why you might want to buy wine: to drink in some | | | | largely the winemaker's skill that produces a good |
| social occasion, to give as a gift, or as an investment | | | | wine. |
| with a realisable future. | | | | Taste |
| Buying wine to drink | | | | One of the ways we can tell the quality of wine as |
| Winemaker Greg Gallagher at the Charles Sturt | | | | judged by its taste, is whether it has had successes in |
| University, South Australia, says judging a good wine is | | | | any of a number of wine shows held around the |
| simple. "It starts with asking, 'do you like it?' " he says, | | | | country. Experts from the wine industry judge wines |
| "and finishes with 'did you like it?'" When you have a list | | | | on their quality and medal winners enjoy the benefits |
| of favourite wines, all you need to do is find them on | | | | of being recognised and written about in the main |
| au, and you will find out where it's sold for the best | | | | media. |
| price. | | | | While not every medal winner is a wine that suits our |
| But, because it's not always easy remembering the | | | | taste, it is as a direct result of the shows and |
| name, style and vintage of the wine you enjoy, it's a | | | | competitions that Australian wines have grown in |
| good idea to keep a record of wines you drink that | | | | popularity and quality. At au you can compare many |
| you really like (and those that you'd prefer to avoid), | | | | award winning wines. |
| for future reference. | | | | What's your taste? |
| When you're buying wine to drink, there are a number | | | | Regions and style |
| of considerations you might like to bear in mind, the first | | | | When you are shopping for wine, one of the first |
| being: what is the occasion? It stands to reason that a | | | | questions to answer is whether you are choosing a |
| wine for an intimate dinner with a partner might be a | | | | red wine or a white wine. Once you have decided this, |
| different choice than one for a footy night with the | | | | you can then start to narrow down the different |
| boys. Sharing a wine with someone is a lot more than | | | | styles. Begin with the question of whether you are |
| simply sharing the drink. It's also sharing your taste, your | | | | seeking a dry wine or a sweet wine. |
| values and your standards, so it pays to think carefully | | | | Styles of wine are named after the region from which |
| about the occasion and the company with whom you | | | | the grape originated. In the popular dark reds you have |
| are sharing the wine. | | | | the Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot styles that |
| A second consideration might be, what is | | | | tend to be drier wines. Lighter reds feature Beaujolais, |
| accompanying the wine? Wine is often enjoyed with a | | | | Pinot Noir and Rose styles and these tend toward |
| meal, but you might like to consider also how the | | | | sweeter wines. |
| occasion (or meal) will develop. Matching the perfect | | | | Popular white wines include the Chablis, Riesling, |
| wine with the perfect food and mood is an exhilarating | | | | Semillon, Chenin, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay |
| experience, and is often at the heart of great | | | | styles in dry wines, with Traminer Riesling, Moselle and |
| memories. | | | | late picked Verdelho in the sweeter styles. Aperitifs |
| You may also want to consider the ambience of the | | | | include sweet and dry sherry and Marsala. Dessert |
| occasion. A wine for enjoying at an evening symphony | | | | wines include Sauternes, Muscats and Ports. |
| concert will have a different character to that enjoyed | | | | Many wines are now presented as blended wines, a |
| at a beach picnic. | | | | way to offer wider variety in taste and a way to use |
| Buying wine as a gift | | | | up less popular grapes and thereby minimise waste in |
| Wine makes an excellent gift for many reasons. It's an | | | | the industry. |
| easy purchase; you can buy a wine to suit practically | | | | Australia has more than a dozen identified wine |
| any budget. And it is a demonstration of your taste | | | | growing regions that produce distinctive wines of the |
| and standards, subtly imparted to someone whom you | | | | main styles. The Barossa Valley in South Australia is |
| may care for. | | | | possibly the most famous region with the richest |
| However, as well as meeting your taste standards, | | | | heritage, and features many labels from subregions |
| you also need to choose a wine that will meet the | | | | such as Claire Valley, McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek |
| tastes of the receiver. It pays to find out what sort of | | | | and the Adelaide Hills. These regions produce some of |
| wine that person enjoys, and buy within that person's | | | | the most spectacular Riesling wines, and Shiraz styles |
| style or region preferences. A person who enjoys | | | | in the country. East of this region, near the border with |
| sweet white wines will appreciate a gift that matches | | | | Victoria lies the Coonawarra district (also known as |
| that personality. | | | | Riverland), famous for its Cabernet Sauvignon. In |
| Buying wine as an investment | | | | Victoria lie the Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsular |
| Some wines make a good investment because they | | | | districts. The Goulbourn Valley lies on the border with |
| are rare and have an established reputation causing | | | | New South Wales. The Hunter Valley in New South |
| them to appreciate in value. Possibly the most famous | | | | Wales produces some of Australia's finest wines, while |
| of these in Australia is Penfolds' Grange Hermitage, a | | | | in the West, Margaret River, t4he Swan Valley and the |
| Shiraz style Claret that has been made since 1951 (a | | | | Plantagenet districts all produce fine wines. |
| bottle of that vintage now might set you back $50,000 | | | | Trends |
| or more if you can find one). Although young in terms | | | | Recent economic conditions and consecutive years of |
| of wine heritage, Australia has some notable wines | | | | oversupply have changed much of Australia's wine |
| that do and will appreciate in value. | | | | market. There are many small boutique wineries |
| A good investment wine is not necessarily a | | | | whose products can be bought direct from the cellar |
| guarantee of a high quality drinking wine. The | | | | door. Many of these wines are featured on au by |
| investment values are arrived at by reputation. A | | | | style and region. |
| particular vintage may have enjoyed popularity for any | | | | The wine industry is encouraging the buying of wines |
| number of reasons and become scarce because only | | | | and cellaring them (storing them in a cool place) for a |
| a limited number of bottles were produced. What | | | | period of time and enjoying them at a later time. To |
| results is a collectors market and wine changes hands | | | | cellar your wine, store it somewhere cool, dark, airy, |
| through auctions, private sales, estate dissolutions and | | | | and free from vibration and dampness. Temperature |
| wine club memberships. | | | | stability is the most important factor in preserving wine |
| What makes a good investment wine however, is the | | | | in the cellar. Storing wine in an environment where the |
| fact that you are able to sell the wine at some future | | | | temperature varies gradually with the seasons is |
| date for a sum greater than what you paid. Therefore | | | | better than in a room that varies with the day and |
| the condition of the wine-or more importantly, the | | | | night. |
| bottle-is of paramount consideration. The provenance | | | | For long-term storage, the ideal cellar temperature is 18 |
| of an investment wine is important. Before buying, you | | | | degrees Celsius and a relative humidity of 60-75%. |
| need to establish its history of origin and previous | | | | Warmer conditions accelerate the development of |
| ownership. Satisfied that the bottle is in good condition, | | | | wines, which could mean a reduction in the pleasure of |
| once in your possession it needs to be cellared | | | | drinking them. |
| correctly in the absence of heat, light and movement. | | | | The second phenomenon to occur through oversupply |
| You should document your ownership and the | | | | is the introduction of cleanskins, a method of selling |
| conditions of its cellaring before selling it to a new | | | | wine without a brand label. This is presented as being |
| buyer. | | | | 'money saving' because of a reduction in marketing |
| What makes good wine? | | | | expense, however the real cost saving per bottle is |
| The winemaking process | | | | around 3-5 cents (the cost of printing and applying a |
| The quality of a wine is affected by a wide variety of | | | | label). |
| factors that occur in and as a result of the | | | | Cleanskins enable a wine producer to present a lower |
| winemaking, cellaring and handling processes. One of | | | | cost bottle, but this is mostly achieved by not having to |
| the key factors is the terrain and climate, commonly | | | | identify the origins of the grape, or the varietal blends |
| referred to as a 'region', where the grapes are grown. | | | | that make up the wine. And while it is true that some |
| Different conditions affect different varieties differently. | | | | cleanskins are eminently drinkable wines, evidence |
| A Shiraz style from McLaren Vale in South Australia, | | | | suggests that they are generally of a far poorer quality |
| for example, is a heavier and darker wine than the | | | | than branded label products. It is suggested that you |
| same style from the Swan Valley in Western | | | | taste the wine before purchasing any cleanskins. |
| Australia, which tends to be lighter and more peppery. | | | | Wine is a high fashion product, and wine trends |
| A Chardonnay from the Hunter Valley is more | | | | emerge on a regular basis. The best way to follow |
| full-bodied than one from Margaret River. | | | | these trends is to shop using au -- comparing prices |
| While knowing which vines are best suited to a soil | | | | and suppliers, and following medal winning labels. |
| type and climate is one aspect, another is knowing | | | | |