"In 2001, the National Trust of South Australia made the remarkable gesture of listing Penfolds Grange as a Heritage Icon. As recently as 2004, a single bottle of 1951 Grange Hermitage sold at auction for over $50,000. In the world of wine, Penfolds is synonymous with excellence, innovation, and even a little magic. The tale behind the winery's foundation, its controversial methods of operation, and the characters who were determined to break with tradition and produce something unique is a truly inspiring one. But much more than just a history, this is also a practical working guide to enjoying your own collection of Penfolds wines at their drinking peak. Through the senses of an independent international panel, the fortunes of over fifty years of Penfolds wines were painstakingly tracked and assessed over a special five-day tasting. Complete with tasting notes and personal commentaries, the results of this event form a central focus of the narrative."--Provided by publisher.

"Barossa Shiraz: Discovering the tastes of the Barossa?s regions is the first book in Australia to systematically investigate the relationship between the flavour of a wine and its origin. This book is based on author Thomas Girgensohn's extensive knowledge of Australian wines and his personal research over nearly 30 years. He focuses on the Barossa, Australias best-known wine region, and explores Shiraz, Australia's most popular wine. Barossa Shiraz explains the concept of terroir - the contribution of the vineyard's site to the quality of the grapes and wine produced from it - in easy to understand terms. Barossa Shiraz divides the Barossa into eleven sub-regions, each with its own terroir. Major differences between terroirs are identified, and a tasting profile for each sub-region is provided. Thomas Girgensohn examines major wineries and benchmark vineyards - those whose wines display the sub-regional characteristics best. Their locations are shown on detailed maps, and the book includes profiles of leading Barossa winemakers. This is the first time an author has set out to characterise the sub-regions of a famous district according to the flavour and qualities of the wines produced rather than simply climatic or geological factors. Reading Barossa Shiraz will enable enthusiasts to appreciate the differences in flavour and structure of Shiraz - and to enjoy their wine even more!Barossa Shiraz: Discovering the tastes of the Barossa?s regions is the first book in Australia to systematically investigate the relationship between the flavour of a wine and its origin. This book is based on author Thomas Girgensohn's extensive knowledge of Australian wines and his personal research over nearly 30 years. He focuses on the Barossa, Australias best-known wine region, and explores Shiraz, Australia's most popular wine. Barossa Shiraz explains the concept of terroir - the contribution of the vineyard's site to the quality of the grapes and wine produced from it - in easy to understand terms. Barossa Shiraz divides the Barossa into eleven sub-regions, each with its own terroir. Major differences between terroirs are identified, and a tasting profile for each sub-region is provided. Thomas Girgensohn examines major wineries and benchmark vineyards - those whose wines display the sub-regional characteristics best. Their locations are shown on detailed maps, and the book includes profiles of leading Barossa winemakers. This is the first time an author has set out to characterise the sub-regions of a famous district according to the flavour and qualities of the wines produced rather than simply climatic or geological factors. Reading Barossa Shiraz will enable enthusiasts to appreciate the differences in flavour and structure of Shiraz - and to enjoy their wine even more!" --Publisher.