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