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Lots of people believe that which glass you drink a wine from doesn’t matter. They will always taste the same right? Well, it is becoming increasingly popular to have a number of sets of glasses especially for different types of wine.The grandfather of Mr Riedel (The well known wine glass brand) was the pioneer of the different shaped wine glasses and was the first to produce special designs for different wines.Lots of people have since agreed with the thinking of Riedel’s grandfather and are convinced that differences can be highlighted. One of the most passionate being Shaun Green, a buyer for K & L Wine Merchants in San Francisco who says “It really does make a difference”.  Riedel now have over 40 different types of wine glass but if you can’t afford, or haven’t got space for these glasses in your wine cabinethow many are vital to own?

Red Wine glasses – You really need a big-bowled smooth and basic glass for the drinking of red wine. This enhances the ability to swish the wine in the glass and liberate its full flavours. The nose is also easily let into the body of the glass which maximises the ability to inhale the sweet aromas

White Wine glasses– The smaller-bowled glass with a higher rim is needed for drinking white wine. This prevents any of the precious aroma from lifting over the edge of the glass and keeps the flavours tightly wrapped up before they enter the mouth.

Champagne Flutes – The long thin iconic flute shape of the Champagne glass is needed to drink this luxury product. The narrow circumference stops any of the powerful aromas from overpowering the sinuses whilst drinking and the long body preserves the bubbles best.

All other wines basically fit into these three categories and the three styles of wine glasses will compliment each one well. So if your missing any of these, your missing out on the best taste.

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If you’re serious about your wine, then you’ll want to make sure you preserve it correctly. This is why specific refrigerators are manufactured and sold that have this one single purpose; to chill wines.

One such example is the Summit swc530lbi, which has a total wine capacity of 46 bottles. The swc530lbi comes in either black or stainless steel, and both types have some really excellent features.

First and foremost, it is what’s called a “dual zone” cooler. And what this allows you to do is keep wines at different temperatures. Say you have a collection of both white and red wines. You’ll probably want the red to be preserved at a slightly warmer heat. And this dual zone technology makes it all incredibly easy to achieve this effect.

Another important fact about the summit swc530lbi is that it is “front breathing”.

So what does this mean?

Well, despite the fact that it looks superb as a freestanding wine cooler, some only have space for an under-counter refrigerator. Fully understanding this need, the designers at Summit have installed front venting into the swc530lbi so it can cope just fine in areas with minimal ventilation at the rear.

In the meantime, the cooler has wooden shelves which slide out completely, and calm interior lighting that make it easy to find and access any bottle you’re searching for. Not only that, but an evaporator is built into the rear wall of the wine cooler too, helping keep the inside environment drier and cleaner.

Turning our attention to the door, this is manufactured from double plane tempered glass which has been lined with a stainless steel rim, adding to the level of insulation and durability. And the inclusion of front lock is a handy security feature for this particular model.

Of course, auto-defrost is a standard feature with the swc530lbi too, as you’ll find in all summit wine coolers. Furthermore, they don’t emit any CFCs either, making them better for the environment.

All things considered, the Summit SWC530LBI is hard to beat when it comes to taking care of wine.

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The small towns around Mount Macedon such as Woodend or Kyneton, which are located an hour North-West of Melbourne, and you can’t fail to miss the faintly Northern European feel of the place. Perhaps it is the crisp bite of a cool Spring day, the historical streetscapes or the patches of greenery from the recent winter rains but this is a unique and beautiful landscape.

Unsurprisingly within this cool environment, which encompasses a multitude of hills and valleys, are pockets of vineyards that are creating exquisite, modern styles of Australian wine. Yet, despite the obvious potential and some brilliant wines, for many the Macedon, surprisingly, remains an unknown.

The lack of any one strong brand driving the region’s fortunes certainly doesn’t help. And if the truth be told, no big company would even consider large-scale plantings here – the challenges are just too great and the yields low. But for those vignerons that identify the right site and then put their heart and soul into grafting a quality product, there are tremendous rewards. To date, the best known wines of the Macedon have been the local pinot noirs and chardonnays from the likes of Curly Flat and Bindi, with others such as Lanes End and Paramoor also showing promise. There is an Aladdin’s cave of potential sites yet to be explored; it seems more than likely that the quality of product in the Macedon is destined to go from strength to strength over the next ten to twenty years.

Recently at the Macedon Show I was again reminded that, while pinot noir and chardonnay have driven the region’s fortunes to date, the region also has a knack of consistently turning out some of Australia’s greatest Sparkling wines. In the old days that may not have meant so much but from cool mainland regions, today lead by the Macedon, as well as Tasmania, more and more locally produced wines are really challenging the quality of fine French Champagne. The Macedon in particular instils in its best wines a delicacy and purity of acidity that is remarkably reminiscent of fine French bubbly. It’s no surprise in that vineyards in both the Macedon and Champagne are some of the coolest. The resulting wines their much-praised elegance while keeping intact a rigid core of acidity.

At the 2009 Macedon show, two sparkling wines, in particular, really impressed, and both from the same producer. The first was the Mount William Blanc de Blanc from 2001, a sparkling chardonnay that is still remarkably fresh and alive. And the second is the Mount William ‘Jorja Alexis’ Pinot Noir Rosé from 2003, a very pretty and subtle wine with multiple layers of red berry fruit with subtle earthy nuances in a supremely balanced and silky package.

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There are few if any Australian wine regions that can quite match the majestic beauty and splendour of Western Australia’s Margaret River. First there are the pristine white beaches that stretch up and down the coast. Behind the sand dunes lie rolling hills. It is a place that draws people from around the world, such is the mix of natural beauty, attractions and the enviable lifestyle.

But the sailing in Margaret River has not always been so smooth. In the 1960’s when the first ideas were floated of grapes being grown here, the whole area was heading towards a downturn. The once popular timber industry had almost disappeared and the locals were looking for something to help bring them out of the economic depression they had fallen in to. And along came Dr John Gladstones, whom after a little study reckoned that Margaret River might be a special place to grow grapes. Soon plantings began and the area would be changed forever.

First Tom Cullity at Vasse Felix, then Di and Kevin Cullen at Cullen and finally Bill Pannell at Moss Wood put experimental vineyards in the ground, wines from which quickly proved the areas potential. The Margaret River now has over 120 producers and is one of our greatest Australian fine wine areas. Local names such as Moss Wood, Cullen and Leeuwin Estate sit comfortably among the greatest Australian producers, with their wines highly sought both here and overseas.

One of the region’s most enduring qualities is the vitality of the local people. There is a great belief in what Margaret River has to offer. The winemakers aspire to not only make wines that match up to the best from Australia but stand up as great wines of the world. You see it in the eyes of producers such as Keith Mugford from Moss Wood, Mike Peterkin of Pierro and Vanya Cullen of Cullen. There is a great sence of certainty that never seems arrogant. And they back it up with brilliance in each and every bottle.

In terms of quality, while the old firm of Leeuwin Estate, Moss Wood, Vasse Felix, Cullen, Cape Mentelle, Howard Park and Pierro still are generally responsible for the region’s greatest wines, underneath there is a growing band of producers knocking on the door. Woodlands and the revitalised Xanadu come to mind as two wineries with great potential. Perhaps the most exciting of such ventures, and one that is quickly rising to be among Margaret River’s best, is Voyager Estate.

The original vines of Voyager Estate were first planted in 1978, under the name of Freycinet Estate. These vineyards, in 1991, were bought and significantly expanded on.. This was a masterstroke because the area has since become known as ‘Golden triangle of Chardonnay’.
When in Margaret River, it is impossible to miss Voyager Estate. South of the township and closely located to Leeuwin Estate, it is marked by the biggest flagpole you are ever likely to see as well as the monumental Cape Dutch style building which is surrounded by some truly magnificent gardens. While the built environment is stylish, it is what’s in the local vineyards and winery that impresses most of all. What is patently clear here is that in all facets of the Voyager Estate operation everything is done to perfection. And no one better exemplifies this than winemaker Cliff Royle

I first met Cliff before a tasting of some barrels that would end up in his Cabernet Merlot blend from the highly acclaimed 2007 vintage, and he was a little nervous. He wasn’t quite ready to let his young wines out into the big, wide world. Well he needn’t have worried because they were well recieved, although the 2007 vintage won’t be released for at least another couple of years.

The current releases from Voyager Estate include three absolute knockouts. The first is their renowned Chardonnay from the icy Margaret River vintage of 2006. While reds have been difficult for some in 2006, the whites are superb with intense fruit and acidity. The Voyager Chardonnay 2006 ($35) has powerful white peach and citrus fruit on a taut and youthful palate with a little creamy leesy complexity and brilliant length. It is one of the greatest 2006 Margaret River Chardonnays. My favourite for drinking now is the 2005 Shiraz ($35). The Margaret River, not normally known for producing standout Shiraz, but this is a wonderful example of dense cool climate Shiraz with clove and blackberry fruit lifted by hints of violets and licorice. In the mouth there is such a youthful feel and plenty of vitality that it will only get better with time. Best known of the wines from Voyager Estate is their Cabernet Merlot ($60), with the 2004 release one of their best to date. This wine is built for the long term with gravelly cassis and blackberry fruit rounded out nicely with subtle notes of olive and oak. In the mouth there is great generosity of fruit that is currently bound up in its significant structure. But in ten to fifteen years it will be a wonderful drink.

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