A shorter edition of Vinodiversity News, because I'm sure you are busy at this time of the year. However the links at the bottom of this newsletter will provide plenty of reading if you have some spare time for browsing about your favourite topic... Wine.

In this issue

New varieties described
A wine book
A wine Table
The Blog news updates
Links to articles mentioned in this newsletter.

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New Pages

I have added some new pages to Vinodiversity. The pages mostly deal with some varietals Chenin blanc, Grenache, Mourvedre, Tempranillo. Each page includes some background information about the variety and a listing if the Australian producers.

The first three of these varietals have been grown in Australia for many decades. They all filled a role as workhorse varieties, in other words they were grown as much for their yield potential rather than their inherent qualities. Nowadays a new breed of growers and winemakers are taking them a lot more seriously.

Part of the web hosting package that I use for the Vinodiversity Site is a statistics function allowing mw to track which pages are most popular. For some reason the Tempranillo page is the most popular page on the site, so there seems to be some sort of interest in the variety.

The addition of these pages brings the total of the varieties with their own page to over a dozen. The full list is Aleatico Arneis Barbera Chenin blanc Durif Grenache Marsanne Mourvedre Nebbiolo Petit verdot Pinot grigio Sangiovese Tempranillo Viognier . They can be accessed from the Alternative varietals page. Some other varieties are described in the rare wines page. A fuller list and brief description of over a hundred different grape varieties is found in the a2zwine guide.

Wine Humour

A new book of wine humour has been published in the US. It’s called Waiter, There’s a Horse in My Wine. It is written by Jennifer Rosen who is an opinionated and feisty writer as well as very knowledgeable about the fruit of the vine. See below to get some details of the book.

Wine Table

If you would like something interesting to hang up in your cellar or study then you should check out the Wine Grape Varietal Table. This not just a chart of varietals but a first class reference. It includes an index book allowing you find the varietal composition of all major wine appellations.

Vinodiversity Blog

The Vinodiversity blog is a separate website which contains more frequently updated information than this Newsletter. (A blog is just a specially structured website that is very suitable for use as a sort of public, online journal or diary) If you haven’t seen it yet then check it out. You can even comment on the articles if you have some feedback.

Next month I will provide some more information about an exciting new technology that will enable you to stay right up to date with the alternative varietals scene.

Thanks to all of those readers who gave feedback about the Yendah Vale Sangiovese offer in the last newsletter. I am glad I was able to point you in the direction of a bargain. You may find the offer is still open check out the Sangiovese page to find out.

Links to items mentioned in this issue

• The new pages for varietal wines are at
  Chenin blanc, Grenache, Mourvedre, Tempranillo
• Rare varietal wines are discussed on this page
• Details about Jennifer Rosen's book, Waiter, There's a Horse in My Wine can be found at the December 18 post to Vinodiversity Blog
• I have put some details about the Wine Varietal Table and Index on the Vinodiversity Website.
• I would love to receive comments from my readers!