In 1738 poet John Gay wrote in The Squire and His Cure: From wine what sudden friendship springs!  Wine has a long history that dates back to at least 4000 BC.  Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics in tombs include pictures of royalty drinking wine.  In fact, the oldest known bottle of wine is dated from 325 AD and was found in 1867 in a Roman sarcophagus unearthed in Germany.

Men and women have been collecting wine for centuries, because of the stunning qualities of wine.  The nuances in taste, quality, and aromas dependent on vintner techniques and grape selection make the collection of wine an art form similar to collecting oil paintings or sculptures.  But wine also has the ability to become a social centrepiece at a meal, a means of promoting friendship (as pointed out by poet Gay), and even a commercial enterprise for those who like to buy, sell, and trade bottles of wine. Read More

With the growing interest in organic food, it is no surprise there is also a growing demand for organic wine.  Generally organic wines cost more as there is limited production and there are lower yields in the organic vineyards than in vineyards maintained with non-organic pesticides and fertilizers.

What is the exact definition of an organic wine?  An organic wine is defined in most countries as a wine produced from grapes grown organically and that has no, or a limited amount of, sulphites.  Many people prefer to buy organic wine because they are interested in reducing their carbon footprint, appreciate the flavour of organically produced wine and are seeking the health benefits of organic produce. Read More

Like most things in life, there is a right way and a wrong way to store wine.  Wine is an unusual item, because unlike many other food items, it can improve with age; vastly so.  That means wine storage has two goals.  First, the way the wine is stored should protect all of its qualities including flavour and colour and other important features.  Second, wine storage should help the wine age gracefully.

You do not have to be a wine connoisseur, investor or collector to care about wine storage.  Every bottle of wine you purchase costs money and you expect to get a certain level of enjoyment from drinking the wine.  It is very disappointing to open a bottle of stored wine to discover it has been ruined due to exposure to too much light or the wrong temperature. Read More

There are numerous benefits to drinking wine every day, in moderation.  When the medical studies first came out with this news, not surprisingly people were somewhat sceptical.  Drinking alcohol everyday was not something that was normally recommended by doctors or health care providers.  However, when drunk in moderation wine can provide benefits to the heart in addition to many other health advantages.

Flavonoids Love Your Circulatory System Read More

There are plenty of vintners in Australia making some of the finest wine in the world as evidenced by the increasing numbers of mainland sales and worldwide exports.  Australian wine producers are making over a billion litres of wine every year in all six states.  The various vineyards in the different states produce wines with interesting and unique qualities which are determined by climate, soil type and the wine making process itself.

Making wine is part science and part art.  Anyone can grow grapes, but knowing when to pick them and how to convert them into a high quality wine requires experience, judgment and finesse.  The commercial wine making process is complex for this reason even though the steps themselves may seem simple. Read More

There are some basic wine terms that everyone should know before choosing wine to buy or drink. Like most industries, there are certain words which are used as a matter of standard practice. It is important to understand the terms so you know exactly what the wine description is telling your or so you can describe the wine appropriately.

Speaking the Language of Wine Read More