5 key Differences Between Old and New World Wines

Wines are being made for several centuries now and as time passes there has been a lot of advancements in the wine world, offering best bottles one could hope for. During this period, a lot has changed in terms of winemaking, regions and taste. But do we really know the difference between old vs new world wines? Today, we’re going to distinguish between the two.


1. Origin: The first difference is based on the region from where old world wines originated. These regions or countries are France, Spain, Italy, Germany and Portugal. Whereas new world wines are the countries or regions where grapes were imported. It involves Australia, New Zealand, the US, South Africa, Argentina, Chile and many countries in Asia as well.

2. Label: Wines were named after their region from where they were being produced. For example, wines from Bordeaux are blends of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon along with other red grape varieties. Similarly, Tempranillo wines were from the Rioja region. The grape variety was never printed on the label. It’s not the case today, you’ll find names of wine varietals along with the region on the label.

3. Laws: There were stringent laws for producing grapes and labelling wines in the old world. For example, Red Burgundy wine could only be made from Pinot Noir grapes. In the modern world, there are no such laws restricting winemakers.

4. Taste: On the palate, there are vast differences between the old and new based on how these taste. Old world wines had less alcohol content, higher acidity and often tasted less fruity. New world wines are characterised as less acidic, fruit-forward and have high alcohol content.

5. Terroir: Tradition has been an integral part of the winemakers in the old world. For generations, winemaking methods have been passed onto them. Therefore, they value their tradition as well terroir while winemakers in the present time do value terroir but they are open to experimenting with the latest technologies.

Australian Rose Wine Brands

Rosé wines are produced by macerating red grapes skins in their juices for a period of time, which could vary from a few hours to few days. The juice is then strained from the skins and the skins are then discarded. It is known as rosado in Portuguese and Spanish speaking countries. In Italy, its known as rosato.

Rosé wines are pink in colour. The colour of a rosé wine can vary a lot, depending upon the contact time with the grape skins. Shorter the contact time, lighter the colour of the wine. Left for an extended period of time you will get a darker shade of pink. They can be made from a wide variety of red grapes. These varieties often used are Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Sangiovese and Malbec. These varieties can also be used in a blend. The major rosé wine producing countries are France, Italy, Spain, USA and Australia.

Rosés come in different styles ranging from sweet, off-dry to bone dry styles. These can be quite refreshing in the summer and spring season. Most rosés display citrus, melon and floral notes. They are well paired with light salads, rice dishes and seafood such as lobster, seared salmon and tuna.

The popularity and demand of Australian rosé wine has grown a lot over the years. It often comes across as a sophisticated wine. There are many established Australian rosé wine brands. The major Australian rosé wine producing regions are:

Barossa Valley
With large number of Grenache plantings, this variety has made its place in Barossa Valley. Rosés from Barossa Valley are light pink in colour with berry fruit flavours.

Yarra Valley
It is one of the few regions in Australia that is quite proficient in producing both still and Sparkling Rosé. Exciting rose wines from Yarra valley are a must try. The region is also renowned for producing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines.

Western Australian Rosé
Rosé wines from Western Australia are majorly produced from Cabernet Sauvignon and tend to be slightly sweeter and lighter.

Adelaide Hills Rosé
Rosés from Adelaide Hills are drier in style due to its cool climate. Most of the rosés are made from Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Although, rosé wines were originally produced in countries like France, Spain and Italy. It has gained quite a traction in Australia too. Many of the Australian rosé wine brands are worldwide renowned.

Best Australian Red Wine Under $20

It can be quite confusing to choose a wine with so many options available in the market. You have to think about the occasion, your budget, taste, your guests (if planning for a party)and whatnot. So to help you out, we have sorted some of the best Australian red wines under $20 that you can buy.

From Pinot Noir, Merlot to Cabernet Sauvignon, we have got it covered. Here’s our list of top Australian red wines under $20.

McWilliams JJ McWilliam Shiraz Cabernet 2014 
It’s a full-bodied medium ruby red coloured wine filled with blackberries, liquorice and cassis flavours. It goes perfectly well with steaks stews and BBQ. You can totally think of getting this one for your next Barbeque.

Talking about the winemakers, the McWilliam family has been supporting Aussie wine industry for six generations and has taken the marked its name in the global marketplace.

Tyrrells Shiraz 2016 Hunter Valley

The Shiraz grapes are sourced from a small section of Shiraz blocks. Matured in large French oak casks this medium-bodied wine is a perfect blend of soft savoury tannins and acid, creating a well-balanced wine. It is well-paired with roast lamb and beef.

Peter Lehmann Art n Soul Shiraz 2015 
An appealing and vibrant deep red colour wine that emanates dark forest fruit aromas with a hint of chocolate. It has a very velvety mouthfeel and a long finish. Coming to food choices, it goes well with sausages, steaks and Cheddar cheese.

The Peter Lehmann Wines company has crafted varieties of ranges and this range is called Art n Soul made for immediate enjoyment. Other options include Peter Lehmann Clancy's Red Blend 2013 Barossa Valley, its a blend of Merlot, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, flaunting a deep cherry red colour.

Rosemount Diamond Label Merlot  
Rosemount wines are made to enjoy on all occasions and full of luscious flavours. Rosemount wines Diamond Merlot flaunts cherry colour with plum red hues. On the nose, it emanates red cherries, blackberries and milk chocolate aromas. This refreshing wine is well-paired with lamb, beef or veal dishes.

Established in 1974, Rosemount Estate has a national and international reputation for its high-quality wines. Their wines are fresh and vibrant, something they promise their consumers in every bottle. They offer many wines under the labels - flagship collection, district release, meal matcher, diamond labels and my collection.

These are some exceptional choices to look for if you want to buy the best Australian red wine under $20. We would sort the best white wines under your budget soon. Tune in for our next blog.

Must-try Red & White Wine Aperitif

To start with, it is important for us to know what does an aperitif mean. An aperitif is a drink (alcoholic) that is consumed before having a meal in order to stimulate your appetite. This French word, aperitif, comes from aperire (a verb in Latin) which means to open. It is more likely to be dry and not sweet beverage, thus a light and dry white makes for a perfect aperitif. Here in this blog post, we’ve compiled a list of some common red & white wine aperitif that you can serve in your upcoming house party.

Dubonnet

A French aperitif that originated almost 150 years ago, this drink is available in both red and white wine styles. The red Dubonnet is a bit sweet with added flavours of quinine and spices. On the other hand is a dry white wine flavoured with herbs. 

Lillet

Another one that is both a red and white wine aperitif. As luxurious and stylish as the name sounds, Lillet is a drink that originated in a small town of southern Bordeaux. The recipe till date is a secret, and the drink seems infused with roots, herbs and fruits while revealing notes of orange and mint. The natives serve this drink in a classic way, with a twist of orange. 

Vermouth

A very popular wine style, vermouth comes in both sweet and dry forms. It is commonly used in making Manhattan, although the Europeans prefer to have it before a meal as an aperitif. Italian and French Vermouth namely Noilly Prat, Cinzano and Martini & Rossi are consumed world wide. The Italians are especially known for ‘Punt e Mes’ (meaning point and a half), a delicacy created using vermouth. They have an old custom as per which bitter component is added in ‘points’ and added to the drink.   

Some other common red and white wine based aperitif choices are dry sherry, champagne, gin, pastis and fino. Order now for a huge collection of wines available at Just Wines - Australia’s 2nd largest online wine store.

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Exploring the Best Low Alcohol Red Wines in Australia

While Australia is witnessing a growing trend for high alcohol wines, the ones containing low alcohol still enjoy a fair share of audience. These are always a choice when it comes to opening a bottle with coworkers, family or even with friends. In this blog post, we’ll be exploring some of the best low alcohol red wines in Australia. But before that, going with the basics, one should know how to determine the amount of alcohol content in your wine.

Determining Alcohol Content of your Wine

A wine connoisseur might often describe a bottle as light, medium or full bodied. But do you know what does this stands for? The body of a wine refers to its alcohol content. So going back, light-bodied is a term used for wines containing low alcohol while full-bodied means a wine with high alcohol and the medium-bodied wines lie in between these two. 

Generally, a wine with less than 12.5% ABV falls in the category of light-bodied. Wine with an alcohol content between 12.5-13.5% are medium-bodied while the ones with 13.5% and above ABV are full-bodied.

Best Low Alcohol Red Wines of Australia

If you are planning for buying one to enjoy with a co-worker or family, and still are confused about which one to pick then don’t worry. This list will make your work easy. Here are some of the highly-acclaimed light-bodied Australian wines which have been recognized by famous wine critics like James Halliday.

Name	ABV
Deep Wood Estate Rose 2017 Margaret River	12.5%
Hewitson Belle Ville 2017 Barossa Valley	12.5%
Two Rivers Belle Sparkling NV Hunter Valley	8.3%

You may also browse from a range of low alcohol wines available at Just Wines - Australia’s 2nd largest online wine store. Order your favourite bottle of premium wine at discounted prices and coupled with a 100% Money Back guarantee, you’ll never regret!

All you Need to Know About White Wine Blends

White wines always find their way into the genre easy-drinking wines and are great to enjoy with coworkers or friends. Sparkling or still, they are generally preferred for the cool and refreshing profile showcasing mouth-watering flavours of lush, ripen fruits along with flower aromas. However, some of the most popular whites are generally varietal but its blends are equally loved and have an audience of their own. Some of the famous white wine blends are:

Semillon Sauvignon Blanc
One of the most popular and Australia’s favourite white wine blend it generally appears in the classic dry style. Some of the major regions producing SSB blends are Western Australia, Margaret River, Adelaide Hills and Orange.

White Bordeaux Blend
The blend is composed of three grape varieties - Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle. A lightly hued and zesty white blend, it reveals flavours of melon and gooseberry. Sometimes, the winemaker may age it in oak to add a creamy texture.

Champagne
The beautiful Champagne region of France over the years has conquered the wine industry with sparkling wine. A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, it showcases high acidity along with lemon, apple, honeycomb and almonds notes.

Soave 
This Italian white wine style is a combination of Garganega (about 70%), Chardonnay, Trebbiano and Pinot Blanc. It is a medium-bodied blend with lemon and almonds notes. It may also show creaminess which is a result of oak ageing.

Cava 
A very popular drink similar to Champagne in the winemaking process, it is a Spanish white wine blend which uses a combination of Macabeu, Xarello, Parellada and Chardonnay grape varieties. This classic drink reveals notes of lemon, white peach and granite making for a perfect alternative to your favourite Champagne.

Apart from the list, there are many other white blends available in markets. Explore a range of white wine blends available on Australia’s 2nd largest online wine store - Just Wines.

How Many Calories Does Your Glass of Wine has?

Stepping into a grocery store, we would always look out for low calorie food but is that what we do while choosing our wines as well? Probably not. In Fact, even the label of your might not tell you about the calories. It has never been a big matter of concern for most people but if you love to open a bottle of your favourite red wine quite often, then it is important for you to check for calories.

From where does a wine gets calories? There are mainly two sources of calories in red wines- sugar and alcohol. So even if you are consuming a dry wine doesn't makes it free from calories. Surprisingly, it is the alcohol which counts for more calories (7 per gram) than the residual sugar (4 per gram). Putting it in a simpler way, dry wines with less alcohol will have less calories, and a sweet wine🍷 with high alcohol will have a lot of it. Since we know that residual sugar adds low calories, a sweet and low-alcohol wine will always be better than a dry and high-alcohol wine.
Let's have a look on the amount of calories in red wines of Australia. The red wines may range from very light to full bodied. Said that, a it is generally medium or full bodied. The below chart would help you identify the alcohol and calories in red wines of Australia.

ABV%	Calories- Dry Wine (Serving= 150 ml)	Calories- Sweet Wine (Serv
12	91	125
13	103	133
14	111	141
15	119	149

 The sweet wines are measured at residual sugar of 150 g/L which is equal to around 2-3 tsp sugar. While many research might show the benefits of red wines but it is good to be consumed in a limited amount, i.e., 1 or 2 servings a day.