Month 1
My all time personal favorite wine is Menage a Trois Red by the Folie A Deux Winery in California. The name comes from the French term for blending of three, which blends the Zinfandel, Merlot, & Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. A juicy wine that bursts with cherry and blackberry and a smooth finish. Menage Red is oak aged in both French & American, with 13.4% alcohol content. This is a favorite by both the beginnier and advanced wine drinker. A great buy for only about $10! Visit Folie A Deux Winery
Month 2
I absolutely love sparkling wines and red wines, so my choice this week...a sparkling red wine! Wyndham Estate's Bin 555 Sparkling Shiraz is a sparkling RED wine! This medium bodied sparkling wine is quite a treat with aromas of rich berry fruit and light vanilla oak, pairs great with your favorite chocolate dessert! Another great buy for only about $15. Visit Whyndam Estates Winery
Australian Wine Facts
Wine was brought to Australia by the early European settlers in the late 18th century. James Busby, known as the father of the Australian Wine Industry, is credited for bringing vine stock from France and Spain to Australia.
Australia has almost 2,000 wineries and about 60 wine regions, the most widely grown grape is Shiraz aka Syrah, followed by Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Australia's landmass is almost 3 million square miles making it almost as large as the continential United States!
Australia exports nearly $3 billion worth of wine to more than 100 countries, with the United Kingdom purchasing 43% followed by the United States taking 40% in 2004-2005, making them the 4th largest wine exporter after France, Italy and Spain.
1,781,668 tonnes of grapes were crushed for winemaking purposes in 2005-06, with red grapes representing more than half of the total grapes harvested.
Month 3
Valley of the Moon Pinot Noir
This is a wonderful wine I first tried on my honeymoon! The wine is from California (see pictures of winery under honeymoon photos). It is 100% Pinot Noir, with 86% from Carnerous and 14% from Russian River Valley spending ten months in French Oak. This fabulous wine is a deep ruby color with ripe red cherry aromas and a hint of spice. The soft velvety tannins support complex flavors of cherry, cranberry, white fig with a touch of French oak. A definate must try for about $20!