Newbie Wine Q

Hi Phil,

I suggest you buy "the only wine book one really needs", i.e. Hugh Johnsons Wine Companion. Small enough to fit into your pocket while you go "label surfing" in you wine shop. It is most probably the most compact, yet quite complete book ever published about the world of wine. As there is a new edition every year, you should try to get the 2011 edition which should be in the shelves by now. Browse through the book, and find out from Johnson's descriptions if this is the kind of wine you would like to try.

Can't really help you with the wine outlets in the UK, but remember that taxes on wines(especially on the cheaper end of the market) tend to be higher in Britain than in France or the Benelux countries, so if you get the bug, it might be worthwile to take you car to mainland Europe and fill your trunk!

All the best,

Yves

Sticking with Aussie wines the following come to my mind: Penfolds Kalimna bin 28 Shiraz Brown Brothers Shiraz Both are marginally expensiver and probably better, especially the Kalimna.

Anders

"TheScullster" skrev i melding news: snipped-for-privacy@eclipse.net.uk...

I'll not make recs, as I'm in US and what's available will be different. But my best advice is to try a wineshop with a good staff. Tell them what you've like, try their suggestions, and then report back your reactions. There'll be some early misses, but eventually a good shop will zero in on your preferences.