The 2009 Australian wine-lover's guide by Nick Stock
The Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide 2009 - Nick Stock
Sara Schwarz
Renowned Australian wine expert, Nick Stock
A wine guide that includes a Bloody Mary recipe, I think we’re friends already!
50ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
250ml tomato juice
15 ml Worcestershire sauce
a good pinch each of salt, celery salt, sweet and smoked paprika
2 teaspoons horseradish . . . .
Nick Stock is the fourth editor of the annual Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide, and would be the first to admit the challenge putting such a book together can present – albeit an enjoyable one. With over 3000 wineries now producing a range of wines in Australia, short of tasting each wine individually (a tempting challenge your doctor, bank manager and dentist would probably each frown upon - unless invited to participate), a respectable wine guide has become an essential investment for any wine lover’s bookcase.
This year’s Wine Guide, I am happy to report, lives up to its reputation as a quality reference and guide. As always, its usefulness becomes most apparent when planning a trip to your local wine mega store. It's a common dilemma we’ve all faced at one time or another – how to find our way through the walls of wine, each beckoning us to take them home. The Penguin Wine Guide takes us past the packaging and advises us as to the quality and flavours within. Scoring of wines is based upon on a 100-point system that is easy to follow and a useful guide.
For those of us with a keen interest and short attention span, a summary of the award winning wineries, winemakers and wines are listed towards the front of the book, followed by a summary of the five star wines (96-100 points) to tempt the palate and perhaps the wallet. For the record, the only 100 point wine in this edition is the Salon Cuvees Blanc de Blancs 1996 at A$500 per bottle – stimulus package, anyone?
For those amongst us with more refined budgets, the ‘best-value wines A$25 and under’ is a great starting place.
In addition to the thousands of Australian wines Nick Stock and team reviewed for this edition, they have also included a few useful extras, reflecting the evolution of Australia’s modern wine consumer. The sheer popularity of sauvignon blanc and pinot noir from New Zealand has seen the inclusion of a New Zealand wine section in this edition, focusing upon the best of these two tasty varieties.
Champagne, even in these difficult economic times, will always have its place and interestingly, 150 million bottles of champagne are now exported around the world each year, threefold the amount exported in the hedonistic 1980s. In this edition, Nick Stock guides you through a few old favourites as well as some newcomers and lesser-known names.
Thirdly, a small selection of imported wines has been included. It is interesting to note that France, Italy and Spain combined, produce fifteen times the total volume of wine that Australia does each year. As such, the two small chapters of imported wines included in this edition merely brush the surface of international wines available, however perhaps they will assist in guiding people to discover something new and flavoursome.
Also noted are wines and wineries that use organic (reduced or no chemicals used) and biodynamic (Rudolph Steiner based teachings involving cow horns and lunar cycles) methods in their vineyards and wineries. This is a welcome addition, as it is wonderful to see this section of the industry being recognized and rewarded for their efforts.
The regional guide is a final new useful addition to this years’ Wine Guide, listing a few of the best wineries, pubs, cafes, places to eat and where to stay in a selection of Australia’s premier wine regions. A great introduction to assist you when planning your next wine adventure – although only the Hunter gets a mention in NSW and Margaret River in WA, and it only has addresses and contact details, so we suggest you follow through with further research on VisitVineyards.com!
The Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide by Nick Stock is published by Penguin Books (Australia; 2009). RRP A$32.95
VisitVineyards.com and Winepros Archive subscribers and Members can purchase The Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide at 12.5% discount off RRP (postage extra) from our book partners Seekbooks »
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