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