Happy New Year. I hope you can make it even happier by trying some new wines this year. I am looking forward to a busy year promoting all of the exciting new grape varieties that are coming onto the market.

----------------

IN THIS ISSUE

Emerging Varietal Wines of Australia is now available.

What's new at Vinodiversity

This newsletter now has a sponsor

That Yendah Vale Sangiovese keeps coming back!

Next issue soon

----------------

After a long gestation and a few hiccups Emerging Varietal Wines of Australia is now available. You can buy it as a paperback US$14.99 or as a non-printable digital file for US$7.99.

The order site is http://www.darbyhiggs.com

What is in the book?

The book has descriptions of more than a hundred alternative wine varieties used in Australia. For each variety there is also a listing of Australian wineries using the variety. Nearly a thousand Australian wineries who use these varieties are listed. The book is completed with a survey of Australian wine regions from the point of view of alternative varietal wines.

Why do I need this guide?

If you are serious about leaning about new wine styles then this book is for you.

• You can find out background info about unusual and rare wine varieties
• You will be able to find who is using what variety
• You will see at a glance who are the innovators in Australian wine regions
• No longer will you need to feel humilated by your snooty wine friends
• You will be the first person in your circle of friends to have a Print-on-Demand book

Why is the price in US dollars?

The book is published by BookSurge, an American based company who specialise in Print-on Demand services. While you order and pay for the book in the US, your copy will be printed at a printworks near you. Mine was printed in North Melbourne. The advantage is that you get the book quicker and for less freight. The price of the book is kept low because there is less inventory and handling costs, which normally make printing of small runs uneconomic. Another plus is that print-on-demand is forest friendly. No stocks of unwanted books need be printed. So it costs US$14.99, about AU$20, CAN$17.50, EUR12.5 NZ$22, GBP 8.50. About the price of a good bottle of wine, but it will last longer.

Where can I get my copy?

As a first time author I will find it difficult to get bookshops to stock the hundreds of copies that they will need. So the quickest way to get your copy is to order online at http://www.darbyhiggs.com or you can even get a copy from Amazon.com. If you hurry you can get your copy before the official launch!

Official launch?

I am working on the details of this at the moment. It will be in early February, at a bottleshop so we can do some tasting as well. I will send out some details this week.

----------------

What's new at Vinodiversity?

This new page at vinodiversity at https://www.vinodiversity.com/new will point you to new and recently updated pages Some of the more recent updates have been to pages on albarino, alicante bouschet, gewurztraminer, vermentino, and a new listing of alternative varieties. There is also a page of links to some wine articles that I have written. ----------------

Welcome to our newsletter sponsor backdoorwine Signup for exclusive special offers on case lots direct from the vineyard to your door...check it out at backdoorwine.com.au Current specials include Vermentino and Tempranillo as well as some mainstream varieties.

----------------

Those who have been on the mailing list for some time know that I am a great fan of Sangiovese. My wine distributor friends have got a special on Yendah Vale Sangiovese 2003. See the Vinodiversity Blog

----------------