Where passion and tradition meet a few thousand grape varieties

As a vino superpower second only to France, Italy produces 20 per cent of the world’s wine. It boasts a winemaking lineage that goes back to the time of Christ and the country is home to an estimated 2,000 grape varieties. Italians are passionate about their wine, grapes, technique and tradition, and even their wine-making regulations are steeped in the sort of controversy only 2,000 years of legacy can create. And, if you’ve ever been caught cheering for the wrong team at a soccer game — you know, Italians love expressing themselves!

The super power from Down Under continues to deliver consumer-friendly wines with good value — and sexy accents!

Most of us remember Australia exploding onto the wine scene sometime between the fall of Knight Rider and the rise of Baywatch. Australia brought us big, bold and boozy wines at pretty reasonable prices. The Aussie invasion empowered us, unlocking Pandora’s box and globally re-igniting a dozy passion for wine. All of a sudden we understood the labels and identified with the reliable flavours. For a while, wherever a little black dress went, a bottle of Wolf Blass Yellow Label was sure to follow.

An easy-to-use guide for selecting a French wine that suits your taste.

So, you think you’re hot stuff eh? Popping into your local wine shop and picking up a couple of bottles of Shiraz, a litre of Chardonnay and then feeling a pang of disappointment to find your favourite Californian cab is out of stock.

The relative ease of navigating through new world wines (basically from anywhere other than Europe) has made wine accessible to the masses. If you know what grape varietals you like you can browse through selections from Australia, Chile, South Africa, the U.S., and of course Canada, to find what you’re looking for — a big Cabernet Sauvignon to go with your steak dinner or a refreshing Riesling to sip on the patio on a hot summer afternoon.