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Review
reviewed by Caroline Colton |
Australian Wine Guide 5th ed by Clive Hartley
When a book gets to the 5th edition you know that it is pleasing and informing perople across time and taste. This guide covers a myriad of wine topics including a piece on climate change and a brief overview of other wine countries focusing on Europe and the Americas. Author Clive Hartley is head of school at the Sydney Wine Academy and has many years in the wine industry. As an educator he knows what we need to know to fully appreciate and enjoy the wine story. Throughout the book he introduces some of the big names in Australian wine, and an excellent introduction to all the key facets of wine from appreciation to winemaking. My only real criticism is that no women winemakers are included even though many of the country’s great wines are made by women – Vanya Cullen immediately comes to mind.
For the wine lover, Clive Hartley’s The Australian Wine Guide is a solid guide to trends in Australian wine culture with over 3,000 wines tasted for this edition.
If you are a enthusiast of wine appreciation or embarking on a professional career in wine and hospitality this is an excellent reference text providing you with a good start to complement your wine studies.
Paperback, 272 pp, $49.95. Buy
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This month’s great read – Wine
Riesling in Australia by Ken Helm, Trish Burgess
The authors Ken Helm and Trish Burgess have written the first book on any single grape variety in Australia. They follow Riesling’s journey from its arrival in New South Wales just after the arrival of the First Fleet to where it is grown in the wine regions today, the winemaking legends who nurtured it and the producers who make it. The book is full of useful facts and figures and includes a list of worldwide Riesling events and a chapter on viticulture and flavour. An excellent book.
Paperback, 152 pp, $53.95. Buy
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This month’s great read – Food
Shannon Bennett’s Paris by Shannon Bennett
Shannon Bennett, chef and owner of internationally renowned Melbourne restaurant Vue de monde, takes you on a personal tour of his beloved city down the streets and lanes to his favourite café and restaurant haunts.This unique guidebook includes reviews of Shannon’s favourite three-star restaurants, bistros, bars and hotels, and his pick of the best places to buy macaroons, bread, wine, chocolate, truffles and caviar. He also provides recipes for classic French dishes such as Tarte Tatin and Duck-leg Confit. Lavishly illustrated, this is the book you’ll want for planning and dreaming en route to the most romantic city in the world.
Hardback, 196 pp, $44.99. Buy
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The Diva’s Choice
Jane Hunter by Tessa Anderson
From Marlborough to Manhattan, from Rapaura Road to the Ritz – the inspiring story of a quiet, unassuming woman who took her wines to the world. Jane Hunter had no romantic illusions about life among the vines. Growing up in South Australia, she always knew it was a business. When she met Ernie Hunter, a passionate, larger-than-life Irishman with a fledgling vineyard, they were the perfect team. Their complementary talents – his for dreaming large and her knowledge and experience – clearly belonged together. Ernie’s genius for promotion saw their wines win international acclaim and their future seemed clear. It would be hard, but they had the right terroir and their wines were world class. When Ernie died tragically in a road accident, Jane
, $39.99. Buy
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For Beer Lovers
Drinking with George by George Wendt
A homage to beer by Cheers actor and beer connoisseur George Wendt, better known as Norm Peterson.
, 256 pp, $39.99. Buy
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Getting started
The Basic Basics Wine Handbook by Richard Kitowski and Jocelyn Klemm
Helps you learn how wine is made, where it’s made, what it should taste like, and which wines go with which food. This handbook takes you step by step through the essentials using a system of icons, and also helps you decide what wine to buy and how to keep it
Paperback, 200 pp, $16.99. Buy
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Wine science and viticulture
Vinodiversity – The Book New Grapes Varieties and Wines in Australia by Darby Higgs
Description of 130 wine grape varieties used in Australia, the wines made from them cross referenced to Australian wineries and regions. As Australian wine consumers tastes change they are demanding new wine experiences. innovative Australian grape growers and wine makers are turning to new varieties and reviving older ones to significantly increase the range of wine varieties available. At the same time consumers are seeking more information about the new varieties. This book provides a guide to the varieties now being used. It is aimed at the adventurous wine lover but will provide a useful reference for students and all those in the Australian wine Trade. 130+ wine varieties are described and over 1600 winers are listed, along with the 6
Paperback, 200 pp, $46.95. Buy
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Wine Guide 2011
Australian Wine Vintages 2011 – The Gold Book by Rob Geddes
Australian Wine Vintages 2011 popularly known as the Gold Book includes over two thousand wines tasted and rated and a guide to the best restaurants and accommodation services in the wine regions. This wine guide is packed with solid performers but also includes new wines to keep wine buffs on their toes. There is good representation across the grape varieties and Australian spirits, liqueurs and fortified wines. New to this year’s edition is a newly devised classification for fortified wines, designed to help wine lovers select from the wide range available in Australia. Tasting notes include vintage quality, cellaring time, alcohol levels and indicative price. It is a nice compact size, perfect for taking shopping and travelling.
Hardback, 538 pp, $34.99. Buy
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Wine Guide 2011
James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2011 by James Halliday
James Halliday’s Australian Wine Companion is the No.1 bestselling guide to wineries and wine in Australia. Keenly anticipated by winemakers, faithful collectors and wine lovers alike, the 2011 edition has been completely revised and updated to bring you up-to-the-minute information. Halliday shares his extensive knowledge of wine via detailed tasting notes, each of which includes vintage-specific ratings, advice on optimal drinking, alcohol content, price and value rating. He provides important details on wineries and winemakers. An indispensable reference for all enthusiasts of Australian wine, the Australian Wine Companion is a must-have for anyone planning to visit a wine-growing region or to replenish their cellar or wine rack.
Paperback, 768 pp, $34.95. Buy
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Gift Ideas
A Vineyard in Tuscany by Ferenc Mate
“A sun-drenched memoir with a fairy-tale ending.”–“Kirkus Reviews”. In this laugh-out-loud tale, two adventurers discover that rare combination: joy and success. Candace, a painter, and Ferenc, a writer, begin a new life near the hill town of Montalcino. They restore a thirteenth-century friary, plant fifteen acres of vines, build a winery, tame a runaway tractor, excavate an Etruscan village, and battle volcanic fermenting vats, while learning from famous vintner neighbor Angelo Gaja the secrets of growing the best grapes and making superb, award-winning wine. This extraordinary tale will enrich the lives of travellers and wine lovers alike.
Paperback, 250 pp, $22.95. Buy
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Gift Ideas
Cravat-A-Licious by Matt Preston
Here are MasterChef judge Matt Preston’s best stories and columns. This book will take you from the best restaurants in the world to grungy hole in the walls on the wrong side of town; from the ritual of a traditional pig annual kill to lunch at a Sikh temple in the suburbs; basically wherever the world’s best food can be found.
Paperback, $34.95. Buy
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Yum!
Cupcake Heaven by Susannah Blake
Cute, colourful, and endlessly diverse, cupcakes never fail to please. Susannah Blake brings together more than 50 simple recipes, as well as giving the lowdown on baking equipment, ingredients, decorating and embellishments and serving suggestions. Simple Cupcakes show how easy it is to rustle up a plateful of orange and poppyseed,or apple and cinnamon cupcakes. From weddings and christenings, to Christmas and Halloween, Celebrations Cupcakes have perfect ideas to cater for all events. For a dose of decadence, try an Indulgent Cupcake like lemon meringue or strawberry cheesecake. Cupcakes for Special Diets allow you to give in to your cupcake cravings even if you follow a dairy-free, nut-free, gluten-free or low-fat diet. Involve the littl
Paperback, 160 pp, $29.95. Buy
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Wine guide
Bordeaux Chateaux by Franck Ferrand and Hugh Johnson
This book takes you on a historical tour of the wine chateaux that established Bordeaux as the worlds benchmark for red wine. The greatest red wines in the world are produced in the Medoc region within Bordeauxs wine country. Their peerless quality was awarded official recognition through the 1855 classification, which marked the birth of a noble heritage celebrating the glory of outstanding wines. This is a voyage of discovery to these exceptional estates, richly illustrated with photographs specially commissioned for the book. Old charterhouses, quaint follies, and emblematic castles are scattered throughout this huge expanse of vineyards. Their oft-overlooked wineries stand to the side or behind these stunning properties, and belie the m
Paperback, 320 pp, $70.00. Buy
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Wine region
The Wine Map of Victoria by Max Allen
Features a listing of Victorias 800-plus cellar doors, wineries and vineyards, evocative descriptions of Victorias wine regions and subregions, and informative maps of Victorias topography, climate, and most widely-planted grape varieties.
Sheet Map – Folded, 2 pp, $14.95. Buy
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Cocktails
Organic, Shaken and Stirred by Paul Abercrombie
Organic is everywhere these days, including the cocktail scene. Trendsetting bars and bartenders across the country are adding organic drinks to their menus, and now it’s possible to make these cutting edge creations at home with this collection of 100 eco-friendly, organic cocktails featuring cutting edge flavors and fresh ingredients. In five chapters, Paul Abercrombie offers such innovative recipes as the Saffron Margarita, Blackberry Mojito, and Lavender Lemon Drop, accompanied by stunning four-color photos throughout.
, 176 pp, $31.95. Buy
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Gift Ideas
The Songs of Sapa by Luke Nguyen
Luke Nguyen, of Secrets of the Red Lantern fame, is going home. Travelling on a personal and culinary tour through Vietnam, Luke visits his family and friends, and is invited into the homes of local Vietnamese food experts and cooks, to learn more about one of the richest, most diverse cuisines in the world. Be tempted by more than 100 regional and family recipes and vibrant, stunning photographs bursting with colour and texture, capturing the beauty of Vietnam, her people and their deep connection to food
, 344 pp, $69.95. Buy
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