We've added 1001 tasting notes into the Wine Companion database showcasing the best wines available in Australia, under $20. These tasting notes are available through search or to add to your virtual cellar.
First is an explanation of the rationale (there is more than one) for these tasting notes. While there are 123 tasting notes that have appeared in the 2012 Wine Companion, more than 500 would, in the normal course, not appear in print, going instead to www.winecompanion.com.au. Each year this cohort will become more numerous as the number of wineries competing for space in the Wine Companion intensifies. In this year’s book and on the website 1477 appear, while another 1225 are only featured on the website. By definition, none of the wines of the latter wineries appears in the Wine Companion.
This is not an orchestrated move to create a demand for this content. The 2012 Wine Companion has 776 pages, the same as that for the 2011 and 2010 editions. But I have significantly compressed the content since 2010 by only giving full tasting notes for the best wines of each winery. That compression is destined to increase as the years go by.
The second rationale is that there are 323 new vintage notes for wines not released at the time the manuscript of the Wine Companion was finished. Thus there are 88 notes for 2011 vintage wines, and 235 notes for follow-on releases, variously from 2010 and 2009, and a handful older still.
I should also explain the way prices have been treated. Wines sold through retail will almost all fi nish with 99 cents, whereas cellar door (whether online or physically) usually quote whole dollars. All this comes into special focus with wines selling for $20. If retail they will be shown as $19.99, and thus optically satisfying the under $20 starting post for this book. There was no way I was going to deny a wine with a $20-even price tag a place in this book. But from there on, the prices shown are those given by the winery. I don’t knowwhether this is an already discounted price, or a starting point. If you shop around,you may well find far lower prices than those quoted in these notes.
Start your journey through 1001 Wines Under $20 by reading about James Busby's Vinous Ark
Links to the rationale for wine selection for 1001 Wines Under $20, by variety.
Riesling
Semillon
Sauvignon Blanc
Semillon Sauvignon Blanc Blends
Chardonnay
Pinot Gris & Pinot Grigio
Other Whites & Blends
Rose
Pinot Noir
Shiraz
Shiraz Blends
Grenache & Rhône-style Blends
Merlot & Blends
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Blends
Tempranillo
Other Reds & Blends
Sparkling Wines
Sweet Wines
Fortified Wines
Click here to buy 1001 wines under $20 from Readings.com.au, published November 2011.