The Australian Wine Guide targets the upper middle Australian audience with a taste for and appreciative of fine wines. The guide covers various types and styles of wines produced; the production, storage and service. It tells how to match and combine wines with different foods, how to develop the palate and learn how to interpret a wine label. Essentially, it covers various facets of the wine industry in Australia. Australia has emerged as the seventh largest wine producing nation. Its largest market is the UK. The wines range from the basement reds and whites to the premium red wines like ‘Grange’ and ‘Armagh’.
Amazingly however, wines have been a forte of Australia for centuries and not just decades, as is mistaken. The wine styles in Australia are well established and in certain regions, sparkling red is a highly popular style where the Semillon grape is extensively used. The ‘Shiraz’ and the ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ are other red wines. The vineyards in Australia are concentrated in the south east regions, Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia. West Australia in the region of Margaret River, where the climate is cool and vineyards are plenty.
The big names in the wine industry are Lindemans, Penfolds, Southcorp, Seppelt, Seaview, Rosemount and Wynns. Penfolds is one of the most significant names and Rosemount commands a major market in the UK. The French, German and the Italians were some of the early migrants into Australia. They introduced their cuisines and food traditions along with their taste of wines. These wines are affordable and have an Australian blend that is full of flavor.
Inexpensive Wines
These are great bargains that one must know about when sourcing the ‘how and where’ of buying good wines.
Avoid the Better-known Brands
Known brands are available at cheaper rates in supermarkets, but with a compromise on the quality.
Locating the Lesser Known Brands
The lesser-known brands are not necessarily inferior in quality, but are certainly inexpensive. You would get more information on this through friends and the net.
How To Match the Right Wine with the Right Food
The taste of the food is enhanced by the wine accompanying it. Generally, red wines go best with red meats, and white wines are best with white meats like fish and poultry. The taste of the one compliments the taste of the other. Wine does not compliment the taste of fruits, sweet corn, artichokes and peppers, vinegar, ketchup, and barbeque sauce. If, however, you must serve wine with any of these then a rose like the Gamay or the Zinfandel are good accompaniments.
FISH
Wines like Chablis, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Gamay, Gewurztraminer, Dry Riesling, white Burgundy, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre, Muscadet, Sauvignon Blanc, Soave and white Zinfande are good with fish items.
BEEF, PORK and VEAL
The wines that best accompany these meats are Beaujolais, Chardonnay, Dolcetto, Merlot, white Rhône wine, Riesling and Zinfandel.
LAMB
Lamb is best accompanied by Bordeaux reds, Cabernet, Châteaunefu-du-Pape, Côtes-du-Rhone, Gigondas Merlot, Sauvignon and Zinfandel.
POULTRY
The different kinds of poultry are had with wines such as Beaujolais, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Côtes-du-Rhône, Dolcetto, Merlot, white Rhône wine and Riesling.
Knowing the different tastes of wines with different foods helps enjoy both, the food and the wine.
photo credit: Shoshanah
