History of Australian wine - how it all began

Outback Australia – a wine region!?  Yep, that’s what Europeans probably thought when they were first introduced to wine from Down Under almost 200 years ago.  You see, we’re a baron, desolated island full of convicts. Surely you can’t produce wine in the outback!  A far cry from Bordeaux and Burgundy, Australia’s earliest settlers had a tough hill to climb in order to convince the world’s wine elite we could mix it with the big boys.

Our first vines were planted in 1788, right next door to where the Sydney Harbour Bridge is today.  The vines were picked up by the First Fleet en-route to Australia in South Africa. Unfortunately the unsuitability of the vines and the heat and humidity of the Farm Cove site meant the vineyard never flourished.  Plus the people behind the maintenance of the vineyard didn’t have a clue.  Cest la vie!

The next person to give winemaking a stab was John Macarthur at his Camden Park property, 50km South West of Sydney.  This property was considered Australia’s first commercial vineyard and winery.  Built in the early 1800’s, the principal varieties grown were Pinot Gris, Frontignac, Gouais, Verdelho and Cabernet Sauvignon.

While Macarthur had the first commercial production, it was the explorer Gregory Blaxland who produced the first wines of note, winning several international awards.  The year was 1816 when Blaxland planted his vines at Brush Farm in Sydney’s North West.  When he wasn’t trailblazing as an explorer, Blaxland became Australia’s trailblazing exporter of wine when in 1822 he sent a barrel of red wine fortified with brandy to England.  How did he fair? The Royal Society of Arts in London awarded him a Silver Medal in 1823 and a Gold Medal in 1828. Not too shabby for an outback wine.

The father of Australia’s wine industry however is none other than James Busby, who arrived on our shores in 1824 as a 23 year old.  Busby came to Australia fresh out of school in France where he studied viticulture and winemaking.  Fortunately for us, he immediately put his skills to good use, teaching viticulture at a school in Sydney’s Liverpool.  Once his time as a teacher was up, the Governor granted him land, which he gladly settled on the Hunter Valley.  Hey presto; our first noted wine region.  In 1828 Busby briefly returned to Europe where he travelled through Spain and France, where he picked up some very important vine cuttings that contributed to the birth of The Hunter.

By 1850 our sun burnt country began to thrive with the wine regions we know today as knowledge was shared and passion grew.  The production and quality of our wines were lifted thanks to the arrival of free settlers from Europe’s most famous wine regions.

We’ve come a long way since these humble beginnings. The Australian Wine Industry is now the fourth largest exporter of wine around the world, with 760 million litres a year to a large international export market and contributes $5.5 billion per annum to the nation's economy.

What is organic wine and why does it taste like crap?

Don't get me wrong. I love nothing better than when a tomato tastes like an actual tomato.  Usually these are organic and they’re grown with love and always harvested during tomato season.  Outside of this time, I may as well be tossing cardboard through my salad!  That's how bad everyday tomatoes have become in Australia.  Surely organic tomatoes taste better, organic wine should be equally packed with good, honest flavours straight from the vine.  Unfortunately in most cases, you’d be wrong.

Why do people choose organic. Besides the flavour improvement, they also rejoice in the fact they aren’t adding unnecessary chemicals to their body. And by doing so, they’re likely to grow to a ripe old age. Which is great and very virtuous, but in the world of wine, you have to sacrifice quite a lot of pleasure for your principle.

For a wine to be organic, all herbicides, insecticides and most fungicides are banned in the growing of the grapes and making of the wine. If chemicals are to be used, they must be naturally occurring and not poisonous.

Yet here’s the rub; to be truly organic, a wine cannot be made with any sulphites. And as far as I'm concerned, that’s a major deal breaker. Sulphites are oxygen scavengers and are used at numerous times during the winemaking process. Sulfur dioxide protects wine from not only oxidation, but also bacteria. Put simply, without sulfites, grape juice would turn to vinegar. While organic winemakers take extra special care to ward off oxidation, I can’t recall any organic wines that have set my world on fire.

If you love your wine tasting fresh as a daisy, crisp, delicious, alive and bright; you can thank sulphites for allowing these aromas to shine. Most asthmatics won’t have a problem with the levels of sulphites used in modern winemaking. And people who blame sulphites for their headaches are probably just drinking really rough wine or even too much! Poor sulphur dioxide; everyone’s favourite scapegoat.

Which brings us to the term, ‘practising organic’! These guys carry out organic winemaking to the best of their ability but stop short of not using sulphites. A much better solution, and I have tasted some fairly decent examples. Other buzz words to look out for on wine labels include kosher, vegan, carbon neutral, sustainable and my favourite, bio dynamic - think of the earth as one giant living being; it breathes in, and it breathes out. High and low tides are the most obvious examples where the moon influences the earth’s rhythms.  The winemaker actually harvests and produces the wine according to these rhythms.  Don't laugh, because some of the world’s most expensive wines are made this way, including one of my favourite Orange NSW wines, Lowe.

Which brings me to my beef. Are wineries actually employing these methods because they actually make a difference to the flavour of the wine or are they merely selling points that also paint a romantic picture for the back of wine labels? Wine is so subjective, I challenge you to taste these wines and let me know your thoughts.

How does yeast affect the flavour of a wine

When I tell you today’s topic is all about culture and wine, you're probably thinking a) concerts under the stars b) a natural amphitheatre set amongst the vines and c) drinking truly fabulous wine with the partner of your dreams. While that all sounds pretty darn good, if it wasn’t for real culture, you wouldn’t be drinking wine in the first place. What on earth am I talking about? Science people!

When grapes are crushed, they produce sweet juice; mix this sugary liquid with yeast and voila, alcohol is the result. Yeast, is the magic ingredient. There are however, two conflicting views on what type of yeast should be used. On one side of the fence is cultured yeast (get the pun?) and on the other is wild yeast (also called indigenous or ambient yeast). By understanding the difference, not only will you be able to decipher the back of wine labels, you may even be able to taste the difference!

Just like wild barramundi is preferred by purists, so too are wild yeasts, which are favoured by the old world winemakers (like France and Italy). These guys love the romance of winemaking and continue to do so just as their ancestors did before them. The wild yeasts they use live naturally on the grape skins, in the vineyard and inside the winery.

Many modern winemakers scoff at this. They say there is too much at stake and you cannot leave your entire wine production to chance. They argue wild yeasts are unpredictable and can introduce less desirable flavours to the wine and can even lead to spoilage if the wrong yeast takes up residence.

The modern winemaker loves science and loves control; they purchase cultured yeast just like we might buy ingredients from the supermarket for a recipe. Certain yeasts will impart certain flavours and textures to the wine. They also have the ability of working at higher temperatures. And this is essential for countries such as Australia and America where it is not uncommon for some wines to reach more than 15% a/v. If the fermentation gets ‘stuck’, the wine will have a residual sweetness and nobody wants that in a dry wine! Cultured yeasts also have a higher tolerance to sulphur dioxide, the essential preservative used in winemaking to ensure the grapes arrive in tip top condition to the winery and no spoiling takes place. Without SO2, wine would taste pretty rank.

This wouldn't be a fight if there wasn't a detractor, and it’s the old school winemakers dead against the use of cultured yeast who worry about the standardization of wines. ‘They all taste the same’ is their common argument.

Well, the 'old world' French would say that, wouldn't they.

What wine should I bring to a dinner party?

Whether you're hosting a dinner party or have been invited to one, there are certain rules to follow. These are the rules I live by.

When you’re the guest
You’re best mates, Glenn and Lisa have invited you over for a swish dinner party. Lisa has just returned from a cook’s tour of Italy and you know the food will be totally orgasmic. Adding to your nervousness, Glenn happens is a stickler for playing by the rules. Are you allowed to turn up with any old wine?

Long gone are the days when you would expect your host to supply all the wines for the evening. If you have a friend who still practices this rare art form – cherish them dearly! Remember: never arrive empty handed, bring flowers or an interesting book on a subject they love. This will ensure you get invited back again.

For all other times, what win to bring when you don’t know what they’re serving! It’s quite acceptable to phone your host and explain how you want to match their food with the perfect wine. That way you are assured of bringing the right wine.

If you feel it is inappropriate to call your hosts (maybe you’re running late or too embarrassed to do so), simply bring a bottle of something you would like to drink yourself. Then comes the next conundrum of modern etiquette. If you bring a bottle of wine to a dinner party, should the host serve it that night? Or is it a present for his or her cellar?

Do what I do when I bring a bottle to a friend’s place for dinner. Hand it to your host and express excitedly, “this wine is going to be great, I just can’t wait to taste it!”

Your host will soon get the hint! It is social death to take back the bottle of wine if it doesn’t get drunk that night. If the host offers it to you before you leave, politely decline, and say something thoughtful like, “after that fantastic meal, I think you should be rewarded!” You’ll get brownie points for the smarmiest compliment of the evening and your hosts will love you.

When you’re the host
If you’re the host, here are the rules to follow when organising your next soiree.
· Don’t forget to be a responsible host and always have water on the table. Not everyone’s a wine guzzler like you!
· If you are serving more than one wine at a dinner party, here are my recommendations on the order you should serve wines
· White before red
· Light before heavy
· Dry before sweet
· Simple before more complex flavoured wines
· Or even a very light red before a rich, full-bodied white wine will work.

What are the best wines to drink at Christmas

I used to love receiving Christmas presents, but I’ve become so difficult to buy for; it’s the moment I dread the most! Yes, I'm one of those people. Ungrateful!

Christmas is now all about sharing time with my friends and family; and this always involves amazing food that would clog your arteries and sensational wines to match!
Christmas is a ceremony, and my wine selection is orchestrated according to the time of day and the food I'm eating. And because it’s just one day every year, I’l always insist of the very best, which is why I recommend speaking to the expert at your bottle shop to steer you in the right direction.

On Christmas morning: it’s socially acceptable to start drinking the second you wake up! And for me the perfect breakfast wine is Italian – Moscato d‘Asti. This wine is characterised by its fragrant grapey aroma (reminiscent of raisins), low alcohol (6.5%) and slight spritzig mouthfeel (i.e. – it’s almost fizzy). Amazing with fruit and a joy with smoked salmon bagels or Eggs Benedict.

Mid morning: it’s time to crack open a bottle of decent French Champagne (Lanson and Veuve Clicquot are always good staples). Champagne is the only thing that will help you through the present opening. ‘Gee, more socks, thanks!’

Ah, did someone say lunch: If you’re like me, this is when truckloads of prawns are wheeled out. Sing Joy To the World and praise the lord chilled Rose was invented. A perfect prawn match. Most wine regions do these well – I love Roses made from Grenache or Pinot Noir.
Moving on to main course. If you lean towards a turkey, you’ll definitely want a fabulous full bodied oak matured Chardonnay. This is where you can spend some serious coin – so don't be shy. Margaret River, Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills or Tasmania are all excellent regions for high end Chardonnay.

Roast lamb: Shiraz or Cabernet Shiraz blend (McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Great Southern WA, Clare Valley)
Roast beef: Cabernet Sauvignon (Coonawarra, Margaret River, Hilltops)
Roast Duck: Sparkling Shiraz (McLaren Vale, Coonawarra, Barossa Valley) or Pinot Noir (Tasmania, Yarra Valley, Adelaide Hills)
Roast Pork: Aged Riesling (Clare Valley), Pinot Gris (New Zealand), Chardonnay (as above), Aged Semillon (Hunter Valley)

Are you exhausted yet? Because we still have to get through cheese and dessert!
Chocolate based desserts need the heaviest of all sweet wine. I recommend a Liqueur Muscat or Tokay, so long as they are both from Rutherglen. All other desserts should go nicely with a botrytis Semillon from the Riverina region in NSW.
And finally cheese. Quite often red wine is not the best partner for cheese. You can continue with your botrytis Semillon or do what I do, find an amazing bottle of Vintage Port (not Tawny) as it is more reminiscent of berry fruits. Best regions; Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, McLaren Vale or Rutherglen. Merry Christmas and don't blame for your Boxing Day hangover!

Champagne buying guide

As far as I'm concerned, there is no better drink then Champagne, especially at Christmas. But with so many to choose from, what are the label clues that will reveal what the wine may taste like?

Making regular wine is dead easy in comparison to sparkling, which is why you’ll notice it’s a little bit pricier. Most quality sparkling wines we see in Australia take their cues from real Champagne (i.e., from France), and by that I mean the grapes they’re made from, the cool regions they’re grown in and how the wines are produced and aged.  The terms you should be looking out for on labels are Methode Tradionelle or bottle fermented.  Find these, and you’re on to a winner.

It may come as a surprise, but two of the three principal grape varieties used in Methode Tradionelle production are red grapes; Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, with Chardonnay being the third. Although Pinot Meunier is rarely used in Australia.

Chardonnay adds lightness and refinement with flavours such as citrus, green apple, peach and nectarine; while Pinot Noir is responsible for adding richness with delicate flavours of cherry, strawberry and currents. Look for label clues to help you better understand what the wine’s final flavour. 

From here, the cuvee (a blend of the base wines) is placed into a strong champagne bottle, along with a mixture known as Liqueur de tirage (made up of reserve wine, sugar and yeast) before being sealed up.  A secondary fermentation begins when the yeast gobbles up the sugar, which in turn releases carbon dioxide into the wine. Unable to evaporate into the air, the gas gets captured inside the wine causing it to sparkle (but only when the cork is popped).  But that’s not all; those dead yeast cells actually impart a lovely, creamy, biscuit-like character to the wine.  The longer the wine stays in contact with the dead yeast cells (called yeast autolysis), the more pronounced will be the flavour and the tinier the bubbles will become. Science and magic all captured in a bottle! Most quality wines will spend a minimum of 18 months maturing, with French Champagne averaging three years. Once again, look out for label clues.

What are the world's most expensive Champagnes

Don't get me wrong, I love a bargain and when it comes to sparkling wine, you really can’t beat a bottle of Omni Classic Sparkling; I believe it is the best value $12 wine in Australia. But when you’re talking luxury, you cannot compare Australia’s cheap sparkling wines to the real deal, French Champagne; that stuff that heralds from the region north east of Paris.

As you would expect; there is luxury, and then there is real luxury! And that’s what brings us to today’s story where we separate the haves from the have nots.

Stock-standard French Champagne is termed ‘non vintage’. This means the cuvee that makes up the base wine blend is a mixture of several different vintages. The winemaker does this to iron out any variation from year to year with the aim to make a consistent house style year in year out. Quite a lot of these wines are heavily reliant on the early ripening Pinot Meunier grape variety. The problem here, this grape variety doesn't have the same elegance and richness as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (the other two varieties permitted to make Méthode Champenoise). Which takes us to the next level of luxury… Vintage Champagne.

When the growing season has been perfect, most Champagne Houses will release a ‘vintage’ wine (where all the grapes used to make the wine were harvested in the one year). And because the weather has been so kind, less of the workhorse Pinot Meunier is used, giving way to more premium tasting Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The label clue to look out; a year will be placed on the bottle as opposed to the word ‘non vintage’.

If you think a Vintage Champagne is the cream of the crop, think again. Leave it to the Champenoise to ramp up the quality one more notch, and charge accordingly. Moet et Chandon started the trend back in 1937 when it released its inaugural vintage of Dom Perignon. The practice saw the winemaker cream off the best grapes, from the best vineyards, from the best vintage to make one ultimate party wine. So successful was this Prestige (or De Luxe) Cuvée that most of the big name houses jumped on the bandwagon and release their own version. Bollinger released Grande Annee, Krug released Clos de Mesnil, Perrier-Jouët released Belle Epoque, Pol Roger released the Sir Winston Churchill (I kid you not!), Louis Roederer released Cristal, and Veuve Clicquot released La Grande Dame. Most of these wines will set you back a cool $200-300. Start saving!

What is a Flying Winemaker?

There comes a time in every budding winemaker’s career when text books are thrown to one side and they venture forth from their familiar regions to head west for an outback adventure. Don’t be alarmed, they’re not trying to establish a vineyard in the shadow of Uluru. For any young Aussie winemaker, their rite of passage occurs in the world’s most noble wine regions, where centuries of local lore is passed on by ancient story telling. The winemaker’s Nirvana is working a vintage in the wineries that placed these famed regions on the map.
When temperatures drop during Australia’s winter and the last job in the winery is all but completed, a mass exodus sees our intrepid winemakers heading for France, Italy and Spain. Here they will learn forgotten winemaking techniques and skills, revel in wine styles and varieties Australia has yet to discover, and in the process, harness the passion that will shape the wines they produce for the rest of their life.
I talked to a few of our winemakers and got the low down on what they learnt during their overseas sabbatical.

"Nothing makes you a winemaker, other than being lumped into a French village ‘Chablis’ with the intention of living, working and learning. The only place in the world where you can drink wine with you coffee at 9 in the morning. Make wine from the best Chardonnay in the world and be a part of a unique culture, where everything ‘new world’ is forbidden. In Chablis I learnt that winemaking should be kept simple, to be enjoyable."
Anthony D'Onise, Windowrie Winemaker (Cowra)

"In 2007 I went to Spain’s Iberian Peninsula and worked for Telmo Rodriguez. Telmo is passionate about preserving the heritage of indigenous Spanish varieties and produces wines from many different Spanish regions, so although I was based in Rueda making Verdejo, I got a great insight into some of these other areas. Spending time in the incredible terraced vineyards in Galicia was a highlight, as was the opportunity to work with varieties such as Godello, Mencia and Verdejo which are not currently planted in Australia. What else did I learn? Of course a hefty amount of Spanish and a much greater appreciation of Jamon Iberico!"
Samantha Connew Winemaker, Tower Estate (Hunter Valley)

"For some, it was an opportunity to showcase Australia’s own knowhow. David Lowe repaid his Bordeaux hosts for lessons learnt by taking them out of a quality slump that was the norm for so many local wineries.
The changes we made to their wines were built on the proposition that in every cow there is fillet steak, and in every vineyard there is superior material. With our Australian background, our job was to hunt down the superior grapes then vinify according to the textbooks we studied at college.
This delighted the co-operators but put us in conflict with the quality winemakers who were rightfully threatened."
David Lowe (Lowe Wines, Mudgee)

Langhorne Creek - why flooding is good for wine

Torrential rain that leads to flooding would normally raise alarm bells for any grape grower, especially if the rain fell just as the grapes were ripening and due for harvest. An absolute disaster. When this happens, the berry literally sucks up the water, diluting the grapey flavours. And that in turn makes for a weaker, less intense wine.

There are always exceptions however, and South Australia’s Langhorne Creek is unique as far as wine regions are concerned. Located on the Fleurieu Peninsula just south of Adelaide, the wine region actually sits on top of a natural floodplain. For the past 150 years, winemakers have purposely flooded their vineyards during winter by diverting the water through a series of floodgates.

It doesn't take too much of a winter deluge flowing down from the Adelaide Hills for the Bremer and Angas Rivers to break their banks and cause the natural flooding. This sees a rich source of nutrients carried downstream, which strategically deposits on the grapevines. The debris from eucalyptus trees and other vegetation gets makes up the silt rich in eucalyptus oil that enriches vineyard soils. Many locals believe this contributes to the intense eucalypt/mint characteristics the region’s reds are renowned for.

This is all well and good; however six years of drought has taken its toll with local grapegrowers unable to rely on the annual floods for this unique irrigation.
With an average winter rainfall of just 380 mm per year, the winter flooding has been the region’s saving grace by supplying just enough moisture to the rich deep soils of the flood plain to carry vines through the dry summer months.
In 2010 the winter flooding returned after a six year absence. Understandably the locals went nuts! While the floodwaters gave the vines a much needed drink, so too were the massive River Red Gums throughout the area (which help contribute to the distinctive flavours of the region’s wines).

To aid the years when the flooding doesn't occur naturally, most vineyards in the area use modern drip irrigation to keep the vines healthy.
All in all, Langhorne Creek is one of Australia’s truly unique wine regions. Check it out for its full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and red blends. With a surprisingly cool climate thanks to the cooling breezes of Lake Alexandrina, the region also produces some decent white wines and fortifieds too.

Leeuwin Estate Concerts Series and the power of its marketing

Let’s talk marketing. In the wine industry, we live for it. Without it, we’d just be selling fermented grape juice that makes you warm and fuzzy when drunk in copious amounts. You see, wine marketers are selling you a dream. Sure, you need the right ingredients inside the bottle to begin with; such as grape variety, a good vintage, highly regarded wine region, expensive winemaking processes and a winemaker who knows how to mix these ingredients together. It’s how the winery presents these ingredients in the mind of the consumer that can add $$ to their bank balance, and increase your actual enjoyment of the wine.

Wine has an intrinsic ability to transport you to a beautiful place in the world; away from the hustle and bustle of your armpit existence. The start of this romantic journey is most often communicated via the label, a window into the winery’s world. And for the small price of a bottle of wine, that’s where your heart will fly during the time it takes you to empty the wine of its contents.

If you're a tourist to the winery, it’s also communicated via the cellar door experience. And let’s not forget the kind of sponsorships a winery aligns itself with. If it’s artsy and cultural, a winery would be nuts not to align itself. Ballet, opera, symphony, art prizes, jazz, blues, soul and music festivals – the list is exhaustive. You don't have to be a fan of high art or opera, but the mere knowledge this wine supports the arts will conjure up all types of expensive flavours in the glass you previously never tasted before.

One Australian winery that mixes art and culture better than anyone else is also, thankfully, one of the country’s better producers of wine, Leeuwin Estate in Margaret River.
Top of the tree is Leeuwin’s ‘Art Series’. Not only is the Chardonnay in the series revered as one of the best white wines in Australia, the series of wines are considered to be the pinnacle of label design in Australia. The design borrow heavily from the much lauded labels of Bordeaux winery, Château Mouton Rothschild, by utilising the works of leading contemporary Australian artists. Each label and vintage is different

The collection now comprises over one hundred paintings and artworks from artists including John Olsen, Arthur Boyd, Sir Sidney Nolan, Lloyd Rees, Albert Tucker, Fred Williams, Robert Juniper, Clifton Pugh and Immants Tiller.

Label design aside, the famed Leeuwin Concert Series has set the benchmark in Australia for any winery concert held amongst the vines. Held in the natural amphitheatre of the winery’s grounds, the rollcall artists who have graced the hallowed stage are who’s who of entertainment; Ray Charles, Diana Ross, Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones, Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, k.d lang, Simply Red and Sting.

Described as the most extraordinary concerts ever held in Australia, if you want to catch the 2012 concert, best you make inquiries now as the concert ALWAYS sells out.

What are 'new wine varieties'

‘If I have to drink another Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, I may kill someone!’

Of course, 10 years ago I was saying exactly the same thing about Chardonnay. And I wasn't alone; there was even a movement called ABC – Anything But Chardonnay. You see, every decade or so, a wine becomes so popular it seems to be the ONLY drink people are throwing back. Like sheep, people seem to lose their adventurous streaks and drink wine like its Coke.
Around Australia, the tide may be turning; a slew of pocket sized wine bars are taking our palates by the hand as they replicate the famed smaller bars of Melbourne and Adelaide.
And while Australia’s small boutique wine labels are getting a well deserved guernsey, it’s the more unusual varieties and a flood inexpensive Spanish, French and Italian wines that are peeking people’s interest like never before.

Over the past five years, French, Spanish and Italian wine imports have been blooming like never before.

The blossoming wine bar scene has become the perfect setting for people to try a plethora of different wines, wherever they be from Canada, Portugal, Argentina, Chile, Austria or the usual suspects of France, Italy and Spain. Our mighty dollar has made importing these wine cheaper than ever.

Another controversial reason why small wine bars have begun to favour obscure wines is because they cannot be easily found in bottle shops. So when you see the price tag of $45, you can’t scream blue murder knowing it was purchased by the bar owner for $13! Yep – we’re talking about obscene mark ups here Who said being fashionable and adventurous would be cheap.

My recommendation, buy the wine by the glass or ask for a taste before you fork out hard earned cash for a whole bottle. Just because it’s unusual, doesn't mean it’s always a quality experience.

Being food friendly also helps these wines. Many of these wine bars aren’t in the business of selling big hearty meals, rather, small tapas style sharing plates which lend themselves to the wines of Italy and Spain. Tasting these wines on their own, they tend to have a tighter acid structure and sport less fruit flavours than Australian wines. When they teamed with European foods however, they come to life and often leave Australian wines for dead. And with so many young Australians travelling the globe as frugal backpackers drinking the affordable local wines, they’re seeking out the same wines back home that help them reminisce.

So the next time you’re about reach to reach for another Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, remind yourself, life’s too short to drink exactly the same wine, time after time. Be adventurous.

Why do winemakers add acid to wine?

Australia’s a funny place to make wine. You see, it’s so darn hot in some wine regions, it beggars belief that anything drinkable can be made at all. Did you know there’s even a vineyard and winery in Alice Springs. ALICE SPRINGS!!

While we have our fair share of cooler climate regions that mimic Europe’s most famous; for those regions that are classified as ‘hot’, the winemaker has to throw an array of tricks to make the resulting wine taste decent.

You see, without these tricks, hot climate/outback wines can be as subtle as a brick. Full flavoured, big, fruity, ripe, overblown and rich are all common descriptors. When the weather is hot, grapes grow fast, sugar levels are high and the natural acid levels are low. And while the flavours may be big, they can also fall short.

Obtaining the perfect balance of acids, sugars and tannins is the winemaker’s goal. When a wine comes from a hot climate – these elements can be out of whack, so careful intervention is needed. And this can be achieved in the vineyard through canopy management or in the winery.

This can be partially achieved in the vineyard by limiting the amount of sun exposure; through selective pruning to provide shade for the grapes or planting the vineyard on a hill away from the sun. The aim is to preserve the natural acids in the wine. It’s these acids that make the wine taste fresh, zippy and alive. You can usually taste this sensation on the sides of your tongue.

Vineyard intervention is usually not enough, so the winemaker now steps in. Did you know the winemaker is legally allowed to add acid to wine! But don't worry, this acid wont make you think the walls are melting around you. No, this acid is the spritzy tasting additive called tartaric acid. This levels out the fruity flavours in the wine to bring about a harmonious balance between sugar and acid. Without this process hotter climate wines will taste dull and lifeless in the mouth.

While acidification is common practice in Australian wineries, in Europe the opposite problem exists. The regions are cooler and sometimes the grapes have trouble ripening to full maturity. Failing to reach full maturity results in grapes with low sugar levels and this in turn results in a wine with low alcohol levels. To combat this some European winemakers physically add sugar (in the form of grape extract) to the grape juice. This additional sugar boosts the alcohol level and also gives the wine more ‘weight’ (ie. so it doesn’t taste thin in the mouth).

Why you should drink Matilda Bay Bohemian Pilsner

For those of you who don't know, the original pale lager was a pilsner and it heralds from the Czech Republic. It's noted for its zingy hop bitterness and floral aroma. The floral aroma is courtesy of the Saaz hops and also has a malty backbone which I find delicious. If you're looking for a beer with a little bit more flavour than your average lager - this could be the one you love.

This beer heralds from the Victoria's Dandenong Ranges. As this is a lighter beer (but still more interesting and floral than your average lager) I recommend teaming it with a wonderful pasta, especially herb based pastas with lots of basil, garlic and or rocket.

What type of wine glass should I buy?

If you're gonna drop a bomb on wine glasses you may as well get all warm and fuzzy knowing you're supporting Aussie jobs. Now you have the opportunity to do both.
You see - the right glassware shape introduces the wine to the right spot on the palate - thereby heightening the whole experience. If you taste the same wine out of a thick rimmed average wine glass and compare it to one of the 'Rolls Royce' wine glasses the experience is out of this world. It's the difference between listening to your favourite song on AM and FM radio. The flavours are amplified - it can make a $12 wine taste like $20.

Plumm is a new Australian company that uses quality European crystal to make its wine glasses locally. Wine glass maker Dana Morris, formerly of specialist wine glass maker Reidel (read between the lines – very expensive), has done oodles of research at the world's best regions to determine you really don't need a wine glass for each grape variety. Unlike Reidel’s philosophy, Dana thinks that's over kill. You only need two shapes for white (light - Sav Blancs/Rieslings and heavier - Chardonnays etc). And in the red there's a similar story (light - Pinot Noir and heavy - Shiraz and Cabernet).

Believe it or not - choosing the right glassware can make or break your wine enjoying experience.

By following a few simple rules even a quaffing wine can be raised to another level.
Let’s say you’re not rolling in coin, but still want to live like a rich man. What are the rules to follow when buying a wine glass to heighten your drinking experience?

1. Make sure your glass is completely plain (no colours and no etchings) so you can view the colour perfectly. A Thin glass will allow a better introduction of the wine to your mouth (chunky glasses should be relegated to the 5 cent table at your next church fete).
2. You’ll need a stem on your glass to hold the wine. Two reasons why, a) it enables you to swoosh to release the aroma and b) it stops the heat from your fingers warming up the wine
3. The ideal glass will taper in towards the top. Once again for two reasons, a) when you swirl, the wine won’t go everywhere, and b) so the wine’s aroma is directed to the one spot where you smell.
4. Try to avoid small glasses, bigger is usually better as it allows you to swoosh the contents around more and release the wine’s aroma.
5. For sparkling wine glasses, always use tall flutes, as these will preserve the bubbles for a greater length of time.
6. An average serve of wine should be around 150mls and never so full that you can’t swirl your wine around to release its aroma. About half full looks ideal.
Plumm.com Hand blown range $70-90/stem. Vintage range $25/stem (approx prices)

[taken from the March 2011 issue of Out There magazine - inflight publication for REX (Regional Express), Airlink, Airnorth and Skywest airlines - written by yours truly]

What is the best iPhone App for drinking

Those crazy people at Cascade have gone an made an amazing iPhone app that has to be seen to be believed. Consider this - there are so many beers in this world - how the hell are you supposed to know what they taste like!

Well, Cascade has set out to change all of this. The Cascade Brewer’s Nose is the world’s first beer app to use barcode scanning technology, allowing users to easily scan their beer using the iPhone camera. It has 500 beers committed to its memory, so even the most obscure beer is in its repertoire. Once the app registers your beer you can view videos about that beer, read and submit tasting notes and keep a log of the brews you've tasted. It even gives you food and beer matching advice.

The best part - it's FREE - search for it in the Apple App store.

How do wine grapes grow? How does the climate affect wine flavour?

It’s the start of the year; time to get your life in order and map out your next 12 months. For the vigneron (the vineyard manager), such flexible luxuries never exist. Instead, they’re tied to a routine where the successful conclusion (i.e. the final grape harvest) is only the last of many steps they must navigate through the year. This growing cycle encompasses three main stages; fruiting, dormancy and regeneration. And while this may seem very boring, understanding this cycle will help you decipher wine labels in bottle shops, so you know what the wine will eventually taste like!

The logical place to start is directly after harvest, at this point all attention is winery focussed; the grapes are crushed, pressed and then turned into wine. In the vineyard as the weather cools, leaves drop to the ground and the shoots of the vines turn into wood. At this point, pruning occurs. This cutting back of the woody growth from the previous season sets up the vine for the upcoming cycle. Doing this correctly will affect the following year’s harvest.

By limiting the amount of new shoots (and therefore grape bunches), the fruit that does grow will be super concentrated with flavour. Too many shoots and the resultant wine will be less concentrated.

After winter, when the weather warms, foliage springs to life from the pruned canes. After about two months of continuous vine growth, shoot growth slows down and flowering occurs.

This is a very important stage and has serious implications of the harvest quality and yields for the upcoming season. If the weather is fine and mild, there will be an even and healthy setting of fruit (fruit set). If excessively high wind, rain or hail bears down on the vineyard, fruit set will be reduced and bunches can form unevenly throughout the vineyard.

Now comes the fun part, tiny bunches of grapes start to form and the berries grow in size as the weather heats up. This period has the greatest effect on the final flavour of the wine. If it’s a very hot season, riper fruit flavours will occur in the wine. If it’s a cooler season, greener, spicier flavours will occur. The warmth and sunshine (or lack of it) has a direct effect on flavour and aroma development. Essential wine elements such as sugar, tannin and acidity are formed during this time.

If it rains heavily during this period, the grapes will suck up the water and the berry’s flavour will become diluted. Similarly if rainfall is minimal, small berries that are super concentrate with flavour will be produced.

Around this time of berry development, the vigneron has a final opportunity to thin the crop out to ensure the right balance of vine canopy and fruit load. This ensures everything ripens on time, before the season ends.

Towards the very end when fruit is almost ready to pick, the vigneron and winemaker monitor the grapes on a weekly or daily basis, tasting the grapes and picking at precisely the right time. And that’s it for another season.

January's taste test

Oyster Bay 2010 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
It's getting to a point now that you can pick up Marlborough Savignon Blancs dirt cheap. 2 litre casks for 20 bucks - no proble. The problem is - you do get what you pay for. ANd the cheaper the wines the more insipid they become. This used to be one of the better value examples, but even now it is being gazumped at $20.

This wine has an intensity the cheaper plonks will never have. Its textural on the palate, tasting of fresh passionfruit, ripped open red capsicum and sweet gooseberry. Still great for the dollars.
Quality: 3.75 stars. Value: 3.75 stars. $20
http://www.oysterbaywines.com/

Swinging Bridge 2010 Orange Sauvignon Blanc
I love that Orange is giving the Adelaide Hills a run for its money by produncing great Sav Blanc. This is zesty, racy and smart. Passionfruit pulp, apple, pineapple and a touch of rosemary! Delish!
Quality: 3.75 stars. Value: 3.75 stars. $18

Clover Hill 2006 Methode Traditionelle
This would have to be one of the best sparkling wines in Australia you can currently buy. With its golden hue, vintage nuances and fine persistent bead, this shold defintely be on your shopping list even if you're looking for French. Think orange marmalde and toasty brioche, creamy hougat and a tinge of lemmon.
Quality: 4.5 stars. Value: 3.75 stars. $48
http://www.cloverhillwines.com/

December's best wines

Yellow Tail ‘Bubbles’ Sparkling Rose
How can you not like something that is called ‘bubbles’ on the label. It’s fun, inoffensive and does what ten dollars rarely does these days. With an element strawberry fruitiness that envelops the whole palate and some lovely bready undertones, the soft finish will make this an easy choice for a party full of people.
Quality 3.5 stars Value 3.75 stars $10
www.yellowtailwine.com

Martini Rose (sparkling)
This Italian producer is renowned for its vermouths that are a staple for any bar. They’ve now branched out by stocking sparkling wines in Australia. This Rose is slightly less alcoholic than we’re used to, with a slightly fruit disposition. The colour is a soft lolly pink and the flavours are jumping out of the glass; think musk, strawberry, elderflower and lemon. Delightful.
Quality 3.75 stars Value 3.75 stars $15

Cape Mentelle 2010 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon
This stunner from Margaret River has all the hallmarks of a fabulous WA Classic Dry White. Oodles of fresh gooseberry and freshly sliced tropical fruits play against this fresh zippy backbone. A pleasure to drink.
Quality: 4.25 stars / Value: 3.75 stars / $28
www.capemetelle.com.au

Evans and Tate Gnangara 2009 Unwooded Chardonnay
This WA wine is a joy to drink with oodles of sweet succulent nectarine and rock melon shining through. A biting lick of lemon acidity and this is good to go. Excellent mouth feel – you know you’re drinking this wine when it’s in your mouth!
Quality: 3.75 stars / Value: 4 stars / $14
www.evansandtate.com.au

Scarborough Yellow Label 2007 Hunter Valley Chardonnay
Long considered a big boy's Chardonnay, this wine has managed to reel back its big-ness in recent years to become slightly more refined. With delicious chunks of succulent rockmelon, orange, cashew and butterscotch squares, this wine rarely disappoints. Vanillin overtones and sexy oak maturation means you will love this too!
Quality: 4.25 stars / Value: 4.5 stars / $21
www.scarboroughwine.com.au

Brands Laira 2008 Coonawarra Chardonnay
A scrumptious wine smacking of green apple, honey dew melon and nectarine. Added to this is some crazy flavours of marshmallow and lanolin alongside Brazil nut.
Quality: 4.25 stars / Value: 3.75 stars / $22
www.mcwilliams wines.com.au

Evans and Tate Redbrook Margaret River 2008 Chardonnay
A sexy piquant tasting chardonnay with element of pink grapefruit, nectarine and white melon. This has got such a scintillating citrus backbone it would be a crime not to match it with some delicious line caught wild barramundi. That sounds a tad wankish – but I am in love with this wine, that much!
Quality: 4.5 stars / Value: 4 stars / $40
www.evansandtate.com.au

James Oatley Tik Tok Mudgee and Pemberton 2008 Chardonnay
There are some lovely charred honeycomb aspects to this wonderful wine bouncing with lots of zippitty fresh lemon, melon and peach like flavours. A fabulous mid priced wine.
Quality: 4.5 stars / Value: 4 stars / $18

Cape Mentelle Margaret River 2007 Zinfandel
This truly is a special occasion wine. Dried raisins and mixed fruit play against fabulous ripe plum nuances. There is a very sophisticated element to this wine that stems from the piercing depth of flavour. Deft handling of oak that marries well against the fruit complexity. Truly one of Australia’s best Zins.
Quality: 4.75 stars / Value: 4 stars / $55

Deep River Central Ranges 2008 Shiraz
Such a complete wine for such little money. Lashings plum, mulberry and blueberry with hints of cigar box from deft handling of wood. I don't know how they do it – but just done stop!
www.windowrie.com.au
Quality: 3.75 stars / Value: 4 stars / $12

Barwang Hilltops 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
A wine of integrity with scrumptious blackberry and plum nuances. This wine is the complete package with deft oak handling and depth of flavour that keeps on keeping on.
Quality: 4.25 stars / Value: 4.25 stars / $20

Best Beers: Vale Ale

I think Ive found my Aussie beer of choice. Vale Ale comes from the famous wine region of McLarren Vale in South Australia. The guys behind the label believe good beer is made by small companies with a passion for brilliance. Not unlike the small boutique wineries that have put the region on the map.

These guys go so far as to even proudly tell you how the beer is made;

Malt:
Pale - sweet malty flavour
Wheat - Mouth feel and ‘palate fullness’
Crystal - Caramalised flavour and imparts golden colour.

Hops:
Super Alpha - soft bitterness
Amarillo - passionfruit grapefruit
Cascade - spicy, citrusy.

As it is an ale - it is cloudy in colour and the flavour exhibits a fruitiness - almost tropical inspired with confectionery aromas. The hoppy flavour marries with a wonderful bitterness and toasted.

I'm also a major fan of the packaging. Very cool. Bring on Summer.
cost - $77 case of 24, delivered
www.mvbeer.com

November's tastiest

Barwang Tumbarumba 2009 Pinot Gris
If you love crisp and crunchy nashi pear and zippy fresh granny smith apples, then you're in for a treat with this delicious Pinot Gris from the snowy mountain vineyards of Tumbarumba. Excellent acidity and a great mouth feel means this wine will be very hard to resist.
Quality: 4 stars / Value: 4 stars / $20

Essenze Central Otago (New Zealand) 2008 Pinot Noir
Its very hard to fault Pinots that come from the Otago region of New Zealand (close to Queenstown). Oh, yes you can - the price! They aint cheap, but good pinot never is! the tannins of this baby are so silky and the flavours are dark Christmas cherries and fragrant strawberry. The fabulously long finish just proves its pedigree.
Quality: 4.75 stars / Value: 4 stars / $45

Kingston Echelon 2007 Shiraz
As the name implies, only the best grapes get the best attention in this wine. And you can look at the price in two ways. Bloody expensive considering the region it comes from (think where $10 wines come from)or brilliant value when you consider the flavour that is leaping out of the bottle. I'm going to concentrate on the latter. A truly delicious Shiraz made up of intensely flavoured plum and anise with peppery hints to balance out the vanilla oak nuances.
Quality: 4.5 stars / Value: 4 stars / $25
www.kingstonestatewines.com

Banana Bread Beer and Double Chocolate Stout - WHAT THE!

I was immediately intrigued and very concerned about tasting these beers. Expecting them to be sweetly flavoured beers only a complete beer novice could enjoy.

Well I was wrong. While not my cup of tea, if you love drinking dark beers, you may have found your nirvana.

For a start - the overriding aroma of the banana bread beer is in fact savoury, almost bacon like. Once you dive in for a mouthful, the silkiness of the beer becomes apparent. Full flavoured with malt and barley and a very dry finish. The banana flavour is not sweet nor overriding; it's merely an element that plays along nicely with all other components.

Next we move on to Yong's Double Chocolate Stout. Now this stout does have a very prominent dark chocolate cocoa aroma rising from the heady top. The makers explain the recipe; "Pale Ale and Crystal malt, Chocolate Malt, a special blend of sugars, Fuggle and Golding hops, real dark chocolate and chocolate essence are combined to deliver a stout of with real credentials."
Now that's what I call a recipe. It's not sweet at all and dare I say it - this could be the ultimate dessert beer!

both $7.50-8.00 per 500ml bottle

Australian stockist enquiries...
http://www.internationalbeershop.com.au/

Tried and tasted - September

Rosnay Cowra Region 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon - Organic
Here's a decent wine that followers of organic wine can rest assured that It tastes just as good, if not better than most regular wines at this price point. The flavour is real inky/intense blackberry with voluptuous tannins and a juicy mouthfeel.
Quality: 4 stars / Value: 4 stars / $20
www.rosnaywines.com.au

Gardners Ground Canowindra 2008 Merlot - Organic
Hints of tobacco and plummy red fruits abound in this little organic wonder. Light tannins support this wine's herb and spice finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars / Value: 3 stars / $20
www.gardners ground.com.au

Evans and Tate Classic Pink Moscato 2008
Here's a whimsical wine overflowing with cherries, strawberries and elements of pink grapefruit – very refreshing fruit sweetness with a whiff of summer breeze
Quality: 4 stars / Value: 3.75 stars / $18

Taylors Promised Land 2007 Shiraz Cabernet
Powerful ripe juicy plum with lots of chocolate and coconut tantalising favours. Very soft and cuddly with chewy tannins. Winner of 2 golds already at the San Francisco International Wine Show
Quality: 4 stars / Value: 4.5 stars / $14

tasted - Weihenstephaner Hefe

So here we have a MARVELOUS beer from Bavaria. This one is unfiltered, so don't be alarmed when you rip the top off and it's all cloudy-like. The murky bits just add to the flavour. If you're wondering what are the label cues that tell you're drinking unfltered Bavarian beer - look for 'hefe', this basically means - yeast. Or beer with the yeast still in it.

Weihenstephaner is considered the world's oldest commercial brewery, having been in operation since 1040 when the local monks were given permission to start brewing. This fruity, creamy banana flavour beer with a smooth hoppy/malted flavoured palate comes from the brewery that also houses the worlds most famous brewing university; so you would expect the beer to be pretty good. The yeast is drawn from the world's most comprehensive yeast library (where else!). No books here, just an array of different yeasts that will impart exactly the right flavour you desire in your beer.

$6 per 500ml bottle
www.internationalbeershop.com.au

Why are wines blended together?

In the wine industry there is no greater love story than when two wine styles meet, fall in love, and the union of the two is greater than the sum of the two as single varieties. And nowhere is this love story more apparent than the pairing of the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot; the Brangelina of the wine world.

Cabernet Sauvignon is highly regarded as the king of the wine world. It claims it can satisfy every wine drinker's desire, but I'm here to tell you often it can't. It suffers from a form of impotence, unable to truly satisfy its drinker.

I ask you to taste a 100 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon. Let it wash over your tongue and see if your tongue sighs with dissatisfaction. If it does, blame the ‘doughnut effect’. This strange phenomena is common when you taste 100 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon; the middle of your tongue (or middle palate) misses out on any of the gorgeous blackberry/cassis flavour. It's difficult to explain why, just accept it as one of life's little mysteries.

As in all scenarios like this, there is a heroine that saves the day, and her name is Merlot. We'll call Ms Merlot a whole filler! You see, when you taste Merlot on its own, it will have an abundance of flavour on the middle palate.

Wine writers in all their wisdom liken grape varieties to the masculine and feminine form. Cabernet Sauvignon is considered a masculine grape variety whilst Merlot is considered feminine. And when you put the two together a perfect and natural match is attained.

But why is one considered masculine and the other feminine? Cabernet Sauvignon is powerful and tannic (having a grippy mouth feel). It feels and tastes very structural in your mouth, like a skeleton. Merlot is fleshy, smooth and fruity. When the two are put together it’s like putting flesh onto a skeleton to form one complete person.

A Cabernet Merlot blend is often referred to as the Bordeaux Blend, after the French region that popularised the pairing. But Cabernet and Merlot aren’t the only ingredients to this magical blend. The French have also included several other lesser know components to the recipe.
• Cabernet Franc. feminine: aromatic, fragrant
• Malbec. Masculine: tannic, can taste quite vegetative
• and Petit Verdot. Quite acidic and not often used. Saved for very warm years when the other components are quite ripe and fleshy; this wine balances out the fleshiness with much needed acidity).

Of course Australia has its own version of the Bordeaux Blend; the Cabernet Shiraz. Just as the flavour of Cabernet starts to fall away, Shiraz jumps up and takes over. A blend from heaven and if you’re ever buying red wine under $12 a bottle, I always recommend a Cabernet Shiraz as a failsafe bet.

Pear Cider - dont you mean Perry?

I'm in love with a new drink, and it is called Pear Cider.

In the UK, Pear cider has been know as Perry for a very long time. The only problem; it's naff! The style was popularise in the 1960s and 70s via the very uncool drink Babycham. Perry was the drink you bought the missus when you went to the pub to stop her complaining about there being nothing to drink (this was before wine was served in pubs).

When wine did eventually start to infiltrate pub culture, Perry was left behind. Dowdy, uncool and considered a lady's drink, sales plummeted.

That was until 1995. The makers of Perry decided it was time for an image overhaul. Perry was out and Pear Cider was in. The makers relaunch Pear Cider with a big push at the legendary music festival Glastonbury and sales went through the roof over the next two years.

Australia has only recently caught on. This month Bulmers releases what i feel is one of the most exciting drinks I've tasted this year. If you already love cider - you will love Pear Cider. Gently sparkling with a soft pear like essence, this drinks is going to be my drink of choice over summer. Pour it over ice and you'll see why.

The pears used to make Pear Cider are quite different from regular eating pears; they are more tannic and more acidic. Together these two elements translate to a better fermenting base to work with.

pint sized bottle of Bulmers Pear Cider can be bought for $5,

How do you cellar wine?

Are you a lover of wine that’s soft and smooth with subtle complex flavours dancing over your tongue? Do you get frustrated at tasting wine that’s high in acid and so tannic it feels more like your sucking on a wooden plank? Chances are you’re drinking wines far too young which means you have an expensive habit to adopt. You must start cellaring your wine.
If you’re strapped for space and can’t offer the perfect space for cellaring wines, there are ways to cut corners.
The checklist to follow

• keep your wine in a very dark place,
• it must be relatively cool place away from vibrations
• there must be no fluctuations in temperature.

Probably the biggest killer of wines is the fluctuations in the seasons we experience. Corks expand in the hot weather (pushing the wine out) and contract in the cooler weather (pulling air in). For the first year or two the corks life this shouldn’t be much of a problem as the elasticity in the cork will remain in contact, springing back into shape. Then after the next couple of years it loses its resilience, failing to expand back to its original shape. The resulting wine can start leaking out of the bottle because the seal has been weakened. You can tell if a wine has been affected by temperature fluctuations. Look for the tell tale sign of a leaking, sticky red wine substance around the cork.

If you store a wine in direct sunlight you’re also liable to get a poor outcome. Sunlight and ultra violet light over a long period of time will give the wine flat, lifeless flavours.

And what about temperature? We already know that temperature fluctuations will screw up your wine but excessive short periods of heat will literally ‘cook’ your wine too. So don’t store your wine is the boot of you car – your wine will result in flavours that when you put in your mouth will taste fat and jammy.

Whatever method you chose just remember, it will never be as perfect as a damp, musty, cool and dark hole in the ground. When you read on the back of a label; “this wine will be a joy to behold after eight years of properly stored conditions,” this is what they’re talking about. When you cut corners as above you can expect the wines to mature much more quickly so don’t try and cellar the wines for more than five years.
If you do have a few bottles of Grange kicking around however, you may want to invest in professional storage options. Places such as Millers or Kennards Storage in most capital cities have special wine sections that are perfect for your gems.

Or you can buy the wines pre-aged at auction houses like http://www.langtons.com.au/ or specialty wine sellers like http://www.unitedcellars.com.au/. You’ll be surprised to learn they are not too much more expensive than current vintage wines.

What beer goes with Japanese food?

When in Rome... You guessed it, a Japanese beer, and Asahi Super Dry is just the beer you should be looking in to. And just like many things that herald from the land of the rising sun, Asahi has been designed, researched and test marketed within an inch of its life to ensure it meets customer expectations.

You see, Asahi was a relatively late comer to the world's beer market. Having only been released in 1987, it was developed during a period in the 80's when Japanese beer was extremely heavy and bitter. The kind of beer you KNOW you're drinking. Subtlety - what's that.

So when you consider Japanese cuisine is extremely delicate in flavour, these beers totally swamped the flavours of foods such as sashimi. After researching 5000 beer drinking folk across Japan, an enormous ground swell of opinion convinced the brewers of Asahi to produce a very clean, crisp beer that was 'super dry'. They were to produce the world's first Karakuchi beer.

This lager beer is made using malted barley and rice and uses a special yeast (No. 318 to be precise) which ferments the wort (the sweet liquid that eventually turns into beer) to complete dryness. The resultant beer was an instant hit amongst the Japanese. Finally a beer made specifically with them and their food in mind. And withing 3 years the company was producing more than 100 million cases per annum!

I seriously love this beer, especially with uncomplicated simple foods. It's delicate yet rich hoppy flavours with feint hints of sake mesh together in a refreshing crisp taste.

Another winemaker jumping on the green bandwagon?

OK - call me a cynic, I like my wine in a glass bottle. I like the feel, the weight and I love smashing them when I throw them into the glass recycling; I cant wait for the opportunity to launch a boat! But what are your thoughts on drinking quality wines from tetra packs? You know, the type of containers that cheap orange juice and long life milk gets sold in.

Well stand back, your perception of how quality wine is sold is about to be tested.

One Planet has just released a 2008 McLaren Vale Shiraz and 2009 Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc - all for $15 (750 mls).

Why is this important - consider these facts

1 - Op Winepak uses 92% less packaging to deliver the same amount of wine
2 - Op Winepak produces 80% less greenhouse gas emissions
3 - Op Winepak produces 54% less energy throughout it’s entire life cycle
4 - Bottled wine weighs approx. 18 kgs per doz, Op Winepaks weigh just 10kgs per doz
5 - To transport 1 million empty glass wine bottles, 26 semi-trailers are required, BUT to transport 1 million empty Op Winepaks just 1 semi-trailer is required!

So this will be a boon for people who want to travel light (like airlines) or want to really make a difference to the world. I think it's a great venture and will definitely recommend anyone buy the Shiraz.

And the final verdict..
One Planet McLaren Vale Shiraz 2008
Some lovely ripe plum, black current and licorice flavour gallop off the palate here alongside dark chocolate, tobacco and vanillin elements. A cracker wine you will love drinking.
Quality: 3.5 stars / Value: 3.75 stars / $14

One Planet Adelaide Hills Sauvignon BLanc 2009
While you can definitely taste the more expensive regional characters you would expect from the Adelaide Hills, the overall flavour is a bit underwhelming, almost diluted. Good crisp gooseberry, green apple and lime zest characters, I just wish it was a bit more intense. Still, this is only 14 dollars, so maybe I'm being a bit harsh.
Quality: 3 stars / Value: 3 stars / $14

www.oneplanetwine.com

Beer O CLock - Wicked Elf Witbier

This Aussie beer from the Little Brewing Company at NSW's Port Macquarie is trying to emulate the very successful Belgium Witbiers, popularised by my favourite - Hoegaarden.

Witbier, or White Beer, is made using a lot of wheat, but this blend is made also with 50% malted barley. The colour is cloudy and unfiltered, usually due to the type of yeast used to produce the ale.

And just like its Belgium counterparts, the Wicked Elf also uses coriander and orange peel to flavour the ale. This addition is called the 'gruit', and is said to not only act as a preserver of the beer, but also assist in additional fermentation once bottled. As such expect malt, citrus and corriander on the palate.

If you want a refreshing beer, one that will sing when teamed with food and one that is more interesting than any other - look no further.

Do old vines make better wine?

Young upstarts – they’re brash, in your face, show a lot of promise but often fall short of your expectations.

There’s a lot to be said for age and when the topic turns to wine you’ll usually pay a premium for the pleasure. We all know an aged red wine will usually smooth off the edges and give the wine additional bottle aged flavours, but did you know the age of the grape vine can also influence flavour.

I’m not talking about just any old vines – I’m talking about ancient vines and wine marketers love nothing more than to proclaim this proudly on a label. Grape vines can easily grow for more 100 years. After about 20 years the vines start to produce smaller crops. Average yields may decrease but this in turn leads to more concentrated, intense wines. Think about this; with smaller berries, smaller grape bunches and fewer bunches per vine, yet the same amount of nutrients coming from the ground, these grapes become turbo charged with flavour! Well that’s the romantic theory anyway.

Recently I visited California’s Napa valley and tasted the super expensive Cabernet Sauvignons where US$50 a bottle was average. Surely wines commanding such a price come from ancient vines, no? And the answer is NO!

During the 1980’s and early 90’s much of California’s wine regions were wiped out thanks to the vine killing louse, phylloxera. The vineyards that were killed (approx 80 percent) had to be replanted on the louse resistant rootstocks the rest of the world had been using for some time. And here’s the argument, these wines were still super intense and arguably worth the price, but did not come from vines that were 100 years plus.

So that brings me to the point – while vine age is important, it’s not the be all and end all. Once the vine hits 20 years of age, it’s working at optimum. What this youngish vine doesn’t have is a romantic history, a back story you can regale to your drinking buddies that I believe is often just as important.

Australia proudly proclaims some of the oldest grape vines still in commercial production in the world. The Brothers in Arms Cabernet Sauvignon (Langehorne Creek, SA $50 rrp) contains grapes from the oldest Cabernet vines in Australia, if not the world, planted way back in 1891.

The most celebrated ancient vineyard in Australia produces the fabled Henschke Hill of Grace Shiraz –a steal at $500 (exponentially more if it was a good year). Hidden away from prying eyes in a forgotten part of South Australia’s Eden Valley, the oldest block of the vineyard is aptly called ‘The Grandfathers’. Planted sometime during the 1860s, it is renowned for being one of the world’s oldest living vineyards still being used for commercial production of wine.

Wine school 101

Don’t you hate wine wankers! Whilst novices duck for cover at any unsuspecting dinner party, the wanker will spew out comments such as;
"Janice, the nose on this wine is so complex. Just taste those gorgeous malolactic nuances, the mouth filling generosity and its superb length. It's a true expression of the Margaret River's Terroir."
What!!!
These ‘know-it-alls’ are no better than you or I, they merely know a few select wine terms. So if you want to be handed the right ammunition for next dinner party battle, try these throwing a few of these hand grenades into your next conversation!

Acid:
That fresh, zippy, alive flavour your tongue feels when tasting wine (usually on its sides). Try it yourself, suck on a lemon!

Angular:
When tart flavours tend to dominate the wine you are drinking. This is the opposite to 'round' wines.

Astringency:
That mouth puckering sensation you experience with young wines. This comes from the tannins found in seeds, skins and oak barrels. The sensation dissipates as the wine gets older.

Closed or Dumb:
A wine that has yet to develop obvious aromas and flavours. Young Hunter Valley Semillon can smell closed in its youth. After a few years maturing however, the aromas turn into magic!

Cloying:
A wine that does not have enough acid to balance out its sweetness. This sweetness dominates and leaves your tastebuds feeling out of sync.

Complex:
A wine that has many levels of flavours and aromas. The wine's elements do not overpower one another. They do tend to lead to the other, as one subsides, another may start up.

Corked:
When a wine is contaminated by a 'bad' cork. The cork is tainted with a type of mould that can make the wine smell like wet cardboard (in the most severe cases). A slightly corked wine will merely lessen the wine's fruit aromas. Thank god for screwcaps!

Flinty:
A wine that tastes like you've just licked a stone!

Length:
Swallow the wine, then count how long the wine's flavour lasts in your mouth. Anything over 20 seconds is long and brilliant. You can also describe this as a 'brilliant finish'.

Malolactic fermentation:
A fermentation process where the yeast converts malic acid (which is quite tart and harsh) into lactic acid (which has a creamy flavour). This is used quite a lot in cold climate wines where the wines need to be 'softened'

Mouth filling:
The ability for the wine to touch and satisfy every corner of your mouth and tongue. No part is to feel 'untouched'.

Nose:
The smell of the wine.

Oxidised:
When a wine has been exposed to air for too long. It will turn slightly brown and taste flat or sherry like.

Round:
When all flavours and mouth feeling sensations feel complete. Nothing dominates - not tannins, sweetness, acidity or glycerol. These elements are noticeable but not obvious.

SO2
Sulphur dioxide or preservative 220, is an essential preservative used in most stages of the wine's production

Terroir:
A French term that describes the effect the wine's growing environment has on the wine's flavour. It includes the soil, climate, grape variety, hill aspect, sun shine hours etc

Big:
A full flavoured, gutsy wine. Often high in alcohol, fruitiness and tannins.

Tried and tasted - May

Majella Coonawarra 2007 Cabernet Savignon
Blackberry flavours play alongside spicy pepper and tobacco. A deliciois wine showcasing lots of Coonawarra pedigree. Sexy French oak overtones with good fruit balance makes this wine a keeper for a good 10 years plus.
Quality: 4.25 Value 3.75 $33
www.majellawines.com.au

Brands Laira Coonawarra Vintage No 40, 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
Its amazing how an an extra couple of years really helps a wine shine. Super ripe casis and mulberry flavours sit comfortably next to coffee essence and tobacco. The fruit flavours are beginning to soften out to reveal a wine with true beuty. Drink now!
Quality: 4 Value 3.5 $45

Kirrihill Clare Valley 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
Rich and ripe plum and blacberry candy with oodles of spicy ladened cream. God this is exotic - i can see this being teemed with complex indian curries. Magnificent!
Quality: 4.25 Value 4.5 $15

Yellow Tail 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon
For 10 bucks i dont expect much - but when the fruit is ripe and tastes even marginally like the grape variety it's suppsed to, i get excited! Here you get that and more, blackberry flavours and cedar rock this bottle well and truly!
Quality: 3.7 alue 4.25 $10