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