James Hallidays' Wine Companion 2008

Order the 2009 Wine Companion here! Delivered by secure mail order.

All lovers of Australian wines look forward to the publication of this book.

It is an indispensable addition to any wine bookshelf and a well thumbed tool of trade to just about everyone associated with the Australian wine industry.

As usual the book is released in late July, making sure that it gets into the bookshops well before Fathers Day.

As happens every year there are changes forced onto the author and publisher by the growth of the Australian wine industry. This year over 660 wineries, 27% of potential entries, have been dropped.

See a summary of these changes, including a listing of wineries who have been included for the first time.

By concentrating only on the higher scoring wines the companion overlooks many of the newer varieties and wines which are works in progress. However among the 5836 wines with tasting notes there are plenty of alternative varieties. Winemakers and others are commenting on these alternative varietal wines on this special page

Publisher's Synopsis

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 2008 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 and advice on optimal drinking, as well as each wine's closure, alcohol content and price. He provides important details on wineries – including opening times, contact details and web addresses – in addition to biographies on each, and information about the 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. It is the most authoritative and entertaining guide to Australian wine.

Contents

• Australian Vintage 2007: A snapshot
• Winery of the year
• Best of the best of Australian Wine 2008
• Ten of the best new wineries
• Ten dark horses
• Best wineries of the regions
• Best of the Best by variety
• Special value wines
• Australia's Geographical Indicators
• Australian vintage chart
• Grape variety plantings
• Wine and food or food and wine?
• Australian wineries (1740 wineries listed )

Each winery listing includes the physical address, region, telephone, fax, internet address, details of the cellar door opening (or not), winemakers name, date of establishment, production, and a description of the winery. Tasting notes are included for wines scoring above 87 points with noteworthy wines being printed in red.

The 2008 Wine Companion is published by Hardie Grant, who also published James's Wine Atlas of Australia.

Order your copy here You can order it at a discount to the recommended retail price and get it mailed to you for a modest charge, under $7.00 in Australia, and second and subsequent books are post free. This may be the most convenient way to secure your copy. International readers please note: In the past the wine Companion was not released to overseas booksellers for many months. Your best bet may be to buy the book via the following link and pay the modest shipping charges. Order the Wine Companion here! More Wine Books