Becoming A Wine Collector…An Interesting Art Form
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.
An Amazing Array
Australians appreciate wine and in 2006 the country was the sixth largest producer of the world’s wine. Wine is produced in all the states and the variety of growing conditions has led to the creation of wines from every categories including red wine, white wine, sparking wine, fortified wine, and dessert wine. Even more fascinating is the fact that the various categories of wine include variations depending on which Australian state grapes and production methods were used.
Keeping it Natural With Organic Wines
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.
Organic wine is wine made from grapes grown organically and is then produced in a process that does not use preservatives or uses the absolute minimum required to protect the wine quality. The process begins with the farming techniques used to produce the high quality grapes and ends with the method used for fermentation.
A Light Carbon Footstep in the Vineyard
Storing Wine The Right Way Protects And Enhances The Quality
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.
Pamper Your Wine
You can think of wine storage as a chance to pamper your wine. Pampering your wine will make sure it retains its excellent flavour when you are ready to open the bottle. The basic aging of the wine needed before the wine is drinkable has been done at the winery. However, your wine will continue to age after purchase which is another reason why you need to pay close attention to how you store it. This is especially true for red wines.
The Health Benefits of Drinking Wine…Loving Your Body
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
The wine that provides the most health benefits is red wine or wines made with dark grapes. Dark grapes contain a high amount of flavonoids. Flavonoids can prevent the platelets in your blood from clumping. This means you are much less likely to experience blood clotting, which can lead to strokes or heart attacks.
Flavonoids decrease the rate of circulatory system aging and also slow down the decline of immune system functioning that normally comes with aging. Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. Antioxidants slow down aging in the body by preventing free radical damage to arteries and organs.
Making Wine is Part Science and Art
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.
Variety is the Wine Spice of Life
Australian wines are produced using a variety of grapes to create everything from Chardonnay to Merlot. Australia’s Shiraz wine has achieved global recognition and accolades for possessing unique and interesting qualities.
Getting Down to Basics with Basic Wine Terms
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
Every industry has its own language. The language has developed over many years and each word has a very distinct meaning. In the world of wine, only certain words can accurately describe a wine or an impression after drinking a wine.
Acidity
Acidity refers to the acid taste the wine has which is in reference to the sharpness of the wine taste.
Awarding Wines…Encore! Encore!
Vintners often submit their wines to judging in competitions held in Australia and around the world. Judges consider the various qualities of the types of wines when making their decisions. They consider the appearance, aroma, flavour and body of the wine. When you consider that wine exports of Australian made wine is a multi-billion dollar business, you can get a better understanding of how seriously wine competitions are taken by vintners.
Wine competitions are held in cities, at regional levels, nationally and internationally. There are many different kinds of wine categories including, but not limited to, the following most popular Australian wine types.
- Shiraz
- Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc
- Merlot
- Riesling
- Rosé wines
- Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris
- Grenache
- Chardonnay
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Sparking wines
- Fortified wines such as Muscat and Tawny
This is not intended to be a complete list, but only to give you an idea of the interesting and complete selection of Australian wines presented at competitions around the world. Australian wines only continue to grow in popularity and winemakers have earned many awards in recognition of their talents.
How to Judge High Quality Wine…A Sensory Experience
There is wine….and then there is good wine. Everyone has heard the jokes about drinking “cheap wine”, but what they don’t realize is that cheap wine can be cheap in a lot more ways than just price.
Wine has many different characteristics and there are a number of excellent medium quality wines which make ideal wines for daily use; quaffers! These wines have excellent flavours and aromas that heighten the wine drinking experience. You don’t have to buy bad wine when so many wonderful, good quality wines are available here in Australia.
Of course there are also high quality wines and that is where you can truly enjoy a sensory experience. High quality does not necessarily mean high price though you can literally pay as much as you want for a bottle of wine. Private stock wine possessing unique qualities, properly stored, available only in limited quantities can command thousands of dollars.
Australian Quality Around the World
Perfect Pairings… How to Match Wine to any Meal or Occasion
In Australia and in countries all around the world, wine is an integral component of many dining experiences. Wine sales in Australia have grown steadily over the last 10 years with over 430 million litres consumed in a typical year. When dining, don’t reach for just any wine and hope it fits the meal, as wine is like food in this manner…particular choices go better together when it comes down to taste or blending flavours.
Wine is a drink that is meant to complement a meal which means it should complete it. You don’t want to savour the flavours of your food and then overwhelm the experience with the wrong wine choice. Equally, you don’t want to mix flavours that are confusing to the palate. For example, a sweet dessert wine would not be served with a steak or pasta.
Blending Individual Tastes With Wine
Of course, every one has preferences so the traditional wine and food pairings are not etched in stone. However, there are certain guidelines you should learn before you begin to experiment while seeking your own serving style.