The Australian wine industry has a major share in the Australian economy. Australia is the fourth largest producer of wine in the world with an international export market of over 400 million liters annually, in addition to an equivalent domestic market. The total numbers of wine producers in Australia have increased from 1625 to 2299 between 2003 and 2011.

The beginnings of the Australian wine industry go as far back 1788 when vine cuttings from South Africa were brought to Australia by Governor Phillip. A first attempt failed, but with determination, other settlers managed to successfully cultivate vines. As a result, Australian wine was available for sale domestically by the 1820s, and began to be exported from 1822. The production and quality of Australian wine was much improved by the arrival of free settlers from various parts of Europe, who used their skills and knowledge to establish some of Australia’s premier wine regions. Cleanskin wines were introduced into Australia during the early 2000s. Intake of wine in Australia has greatly increased since the introduction of cleanskins and many cleanskin varieties are now sold as cheaply as beer. In recent years organic and biodynamic wines have been increasing in popularity, following a worldwide trend.

www.curtisfamilyvineyards.com Being one of the top wine producers in the world, Australia’s wine industry has become a massive help to country’s economy. Because of the trend, Australian wines are no longer confined to bars and wineries in the country. These wines have made its way to the European market and can even be found in famous restaurants across Europe and other parts of the world. With this, the Australian wine trend will surely continue in years to come.

Grapes: The main grape varieties in Australia are Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Riesling. Vitis vinifera varieties came from Europe and South Africa in the late 18th and early 19th century. Some varieties like Cienna and Tarrango have been cultivated by Australian viticulturalists. Commercial winemakers in Australia use about 130 different grape varieties. Of late many winemakers have begun using varieties from France, Italy and Spain like Petit Verdot, Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese, Tempranillo and Viognier. Australians have innovated in canopy management and other viticultural techniques for wine-making.

Producer Groups: The top 5 wine making groups according to the latest surveys include: The Foster’s Group, Hardy Wine Company (now Constellation Wines Australia), Casella Wines, Orlando Wines (Pernod Picard Pacific) & McGuigan Simoen Wines. A list of the major wine companies in Australia and their associated wineries with ranking can be found below:

1. Foster’s Wine Estates: Wolf Blass,

2. Constellation Brands: Hardy Wine Company, Houghton Wine Company.

3. Pernod Ricard Pacific: Orlando Wines, Richmond Grove Wines, Wyndham Estate

4. Casella Wine, Yellow Tail

“Wakefield Wines” in the US and UK)

5. McGuigan Simeon Wines

6. De Bortoli Winery

7. Yalumba Wine Company

Lion

wine

1. Penfolds Grange has become Australia’s most famous wine .Wine critic Hugh Johnson has called Grange the ‘only first growth of the southern hemisphere’. The influential Robert M. Parker, Jr., wine critic, well known for his love of Bordeaux wines, has declared that Grange “has replaced Bordeaux’s Ptrus as the world’s most exotic and concentrated wine”. Penfolds have produced wines of remarkable quality for over a century and a half. They are recognized leaders in the development of modern Australian fine wine. Penfolds Grange Hermitage in 1951 brought changes in the scene of Australian fine wine. Since then, Penfolds have come out with a series of standout wines; both red and white. Two versions of Grange came out in 1953, one 87% Shiraz and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, the other 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The quantity of Penfolds Grange produced is a carefully guarded secret. The first vintage of Penfolds Grange was made by winemaker Max Schubert in 1951 after learning wine-making techniques in Bordeaux. He then created a red wine equal to the finest Bordeaux wines in quality and ageing potential. Bottles of the 1951 vintage are sold at auctions as much as A$ 50,000. Australia’s 850 or so wineries produce only a third of what is produced in California. The reasonably priced, excellent wines are appreciated across the whole world. Chardonnay is now the third most popular wine after Shiraz. Cabernet Shiraz the Australian counterpart of the French Syrah grape from the northern Rhne Valley has also received good reviews.

2. Wolf Blass , established in 1966 , is a leading winemaker of the Foster’s group .They are , based in South Australia’s Barossa Valley. Their winery, the largest winery in the Barossa Valley ,has won many awards and it has substantial exports to the United Kingdom.

3. Lindemans, also from The Foster’s Group was founded in 1843 by Henry Lindeman, who planted its first vines in New South Wales. This winery now has vineyards in Padthawayand at Karadoc ,South Australia. Bin 65 chardonnay of Lindemans is Australia’s top white-wine export .Its five consecutive vintages have been named “best buys” by The Wine Spectator, a consumer magazine.In his newsletter The Wine Advocate.Robert M. Parker, Jr. has called it “one of the three or four finest chardonnay values in the world”

3. Lindemans, also from The Foster’s Group was founded in 1843 by Henry Lindeman, who planted its first vines in New 4. Rosemount is based in Hunter Valley and South Australia. Started in 1969 by Bob Oatley , it was Australia’s largest family owned winery. In 2005 it was bought out by the Foster’s Group. Rosemount’s first product was a Chardonnay-Smillon labeled as Pinot Riesling.

5. Hardy Wine Co is the world’s largest individual wine making firm. It was founded by Thomas Hardy in 1850s South Australia. Wine making became so successful for him, that he was selling wines both locally and in England, and so was able to purchase the Tintara Vineyard Company in 1876. In 1992 Thomas Hardy & Sons and Berri Renmano Limited merged to become Australia’s second largest wine group, BRL Hardy Limited. In 2003, the brands of BRL Hardy and those of Constellation Brands were merged to create the world’s largest international wine business, and BRL Hardy Limited became the Hardy Wine Company.

6. Jacob’s Creek is exported to over 60 countries. It is owned and produced by Orlando Wines in the Barossa Valley. In 1847 Johann Gramp, the founder of Orlando Wines, planted some of the first grape vines in the Barossa Valley along the banks of Jacob’s Creek. The 1973 vintage Shiraz Cabernet Malbec was the first wine released with the Jacob’s Creek label in 1976. Its high quality is very popular in Australia, and around the world. Jacob’s Creek fruit is sourced from different regions within South East Australia, to avoid seasonal variations and improve the quality of the wine.

7. De Bortoli Wines is one of the larger privately owned companies in Australia. De Bortoli makes a wide range of wines including the world acclaimed sweet white Noble One. De Bortoli Wines was established in 1928 by Vittorio and Giuseppina De Bortoli and rapidly expanded under the direction of their son, the late Deen De Bortoli. Today the company is in the hands of the third generation. De Bortoli Wines owns three wineries in three diverse wine growing regions: Bilbul near Griffith in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Near Cessnock in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales, and Dixons Creek near Yarra Glen in the Yarra Valley in Victoria. The company has vineyards in the same regions as its wineries, as well as in King Valley in Victoria.

8. Yalumba is Australia’s oldest family owned winery, and is located near Angaston, South Australia in the Barossa Valley. It was founded by British brewer, Samuel Smith, who immigrated to Australia with his family from Wareham, Dorset in August 1847. Six generations and more than 150 years later Yalumba, has grown in size and stature, embodying all that has made the Australian wine success story the envy of winemakers the world over.

9. Yellowglen is Australia’s #1 sparkling wine brand, or as they say down-under, “champers”. Yellow was launched in 1996, and Pink splashed on the scene in 2003. Today they are Australia’s favorite sparkling wines. They are loved as they look fabulous and they taste delicious.

10. Berri Estates Winery was established in 1924, when a group of grape growers formed a Co-operative Distillery to manage surplus grape production. Berri Estates Winery is situated at Glossop in the heart of South Australia’s Riverland between Berri and Barmera.The majestic River Murray nourishes premium grapes for the wine, together with the Mediterranean climate. The Berri Estates winery is Australia’s largest single winery and distillery complex, processing 70,000 tons of grapes annually. It is well equipped with modern drainage, pressing, clarifying and chilling facilities to guarantee the quality of all its products.

Australian Wine Regions:

The highest production of wine comes from grapes grown in the warm Murray-Darling Basin zones of Lower Murray, North Western Victoria , Big Rivers Fleurieu, and Limestone Coast. The higher-value premium wines are often made in cooler regions.

Australian wines often win gold medals against French, Spanish, and Italian wineries. Australian wine history is rich as and exciting as the millions of people who populate the country today.

Australian Grape Varieties:

The Riesling class of wines has a tremendous fan following. The Clare and Eden valleys are famous for this variety. They have zippy acidity, fresh lime and lemon flavours, and a re often laden with blossom fragrance which makes them a perfect choice for the hot summer twilights .As of 2004, Riesling is the world’s 20th most grown variety at 48,700 hectares (120,000 acres), with an increasing trend. Importantly for a quality wine, it is in the “top three” white wine varieties together with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc

Called “crisp, elegant, and fresh” by wine experts, the Sauvignon blanc and blends are vibrant, full of tropical and citrus fruit flavours, and sometimes with a faint dash of a herbal and grassy character. They are mostly Adelaide Hills labels. Sauvignon blanc is a green-skinned grape variety originally from the Bordeaux region of France, now widely cultivated in Australia. The flavor ranges from aggressively grassy to sweetly tropical depending on climate.

Semillon grapes whose aged styles are popular the world over are grown in the Hunter Valley.It is a popular varietal wine of Australia. Its flavors can range from honey to flowers to spice. As it ages it becomes more full-bodied and opulent. Semillion originates from Bordeaux, where it is blended with Sauvignon Blanc to make the dry white wine of the region.

It is said that Viognier was introduced, along with Syrah, to the Rhone Valley during the Roman occupation. The white grape variety faced near extinction just a few decades ago .It was discovered in a small area in Rhone and some enthusiasts using modern viticulture techniques made it one of the most popular varieties especially for those who don’t like the aggressive characters in Sauvignon blanc. Viognier is now planted in France, Italy, California and Australia and goes well with aromatic or mildly spiced dishes.

For people wanting to try wine in and around Australia, LateRooms provide a wide variety of accommodation… In particular some great Sydney hotels – which can used as a starting point for trips to the Hunter Valley.

Looking to find the best deal on McLaren Vale Wines, then visit www.curtisfamilyvineyards.com to find the best advice on McLaren Vale Red Wine for you.

Dining tables are considered as one of the main and essential pieces of furniture found within any home. They can be used for their functionality purpose or for simple decorative purposes. They are of sheer importance in dining especially in bringing the members of families together at mealtimes which are considered as luxuries for many especially after a tiring and stressful day at work or in school. Many homes consider family meals very important that they take time to carefully choose and set up their dining tables before eating.

The table is a furniture that has flat and horizontal upper surface which is used to support and hold different things. It came from the Latin word “tabula” which literally means a board, plank, or a flat piece. These tables, in order to be support things have either columnar “base” or at least three “stands” which on the other hand serves as the tables’ own support. Today, tables which used for different purposes such as for family meals, school works, and paper works are available in different sizes, shapes, and designs and are being sold in the market.

Among the most popular type of table is the dining table. It is placed and used in the dining are for formal dining as well as for family meals. This table is often placed adjacent to the kitchen to allow serving of food easier. Originally, the dining tables which are rectangular in shape and have two end chairs and side chairs that are even in number are used by the upper class Britons and other European nobility. These long trestle tables with benches are seen on meals conducted in the Great Hall. Over the years meals usually done on Great Halls were migrated to the parlor or known today as dining room which made the use of dining table popular.

There are different shapes of dining tables that are offered on the market and among these are the round, square, rectangular, as well as oval. Aside from this, different styles of tables are also available. One of the popular styles of dining table is the traditional. The traditional tables have a uniform style that has dominant straight lines. Modern dining sets are also popular because of their bold colors and clean lines that are very much appealing to customers. On the other hand, country style dining tables that are made from softer woods that have a natural feel as well as the formal sets have more elaborate and intricate designs are also among the popular dining table styles.

In choosing the dining table that will perfectly blend with your dining area, one of the few things to remember is to choose the one that will surely and comfortably fit in the area you want to place it. Make sure that the size of your table is proportional to the size of your dining room which means that you cannot place a small table when you have enough space to fit a large dining table which goes the same for placing a large table when you only have a limited space. Also, consider the number of your family and this will help you decide which table to purchase that will be able to accommodate all of your family members when eating. On the other hand, the shape of your table depends on your preference. Finally, make sure that if you’re dining table will blend and match with the theme of your dining room.

The dining table is an important part of any dining room. It does not only helps in making ones dining area look beautiful but it is also important when eating and gathering the family for a meal time. Hence, having a good meal won’t be complete without owning the best dining set.

Michael Bloom, an architect from Germany, considers family meals as one of the most important part of his daily living. While around their “Esstisch” (dining table in German) in the dining room, Michael and his family shares and recollects everything that happened with their day.

Many people are fearful when they are asked to cook for crowd. But it is not an impossible task if you have the right equipments and enough preparation to do so. The main thing you must remember is to be relaxed, safe, prepared and organized while cooking for a crowd, no matter what is the number of the people.

Play It Safe

The first and most important thing is to be careful about the health risk related with cooking meals for the crowd. If to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cool before serving them. If the food is not cooked or cooled in the exact way there is great chance of growth and reproduction of bacteria. Obviously it is very bad and devastating for health.

While cooking for a crowd it would be a wise task to use an instant read thermometer to observe the temperatures of your dishes. This will help you ensuring that no one will get sick for unhygienic food. If you need to make hot soup cold, use several containers to hold the soup. It will help you not only to make the soup cool quickly but also ensure you that they are free from bacteria.

The Rules of Ten:

At large dinners and potlucks, it seems like there’s way too much food, or not enough food. Try to have just enough food by planning quantities carefully.

While cooking for crowds you need to measure whether to double, triple or quadruple the recipe. The best suggestion is to follow the catering rule of ten. During the time of cooking food for ten adults be sure to serve:

Four pounds of meat

Three pounds of potatoes (for potato salad)

One pound of dry pasta (for pasta salad)

Two to three pounds of pre-cooked, peeled shrimp

Two pounds of clams/ mussels

One-half gallon of soup or stew, if served as an appetizer

One gallon of soup or stew if served as a main dish

Three large heads of lettuce/ 2 pounds green salad

Three cups of salad dressing

Twenty cocktails per hour

One gallon of punch

If you are cooking for a crowd of ten that loves cocktails, remember to have on hand ten pounds of ice and a variety of soft drinks. A standard cocktail uses 1.5 ounces of liquor, so plan on getting 16 cocktails from each 750 ml bottle.

Necessary Supplies of Cooking:

The equipments you will need to cook for a crowd are pans, bowls, dishes, disposable foil baking pans, professional catering equipments with large coolers.

Be Organized:

Things can get pretty crazy when you’re cooking for a crowd, so make a list of every dish you’re serving and check the list frequently. You don’t want to have the party end and the guests go home only to find that you have six gallons of uneaten potato salad in the cooler because you forgot to serve it.

Be prepared and organized to take the guesswork out of cooking for your guests. Congratulate yourself after the party is over for doing a brilliant job.

The author is an all-around writer. She writes articles for a variety of topics such as marriage and relationship advices, excellent deals on custom curtains (kids curtains), family and parenting concerns, fashion and beauty tips and a lot more.

Restaurants are a great place for people to go out and enjoy a meal without all the hassles of preparation and clean up. It’s a way to give oneself an occasional break. But, most customers never think about what it takes to prepare the food, the work and all the food equipment involved. If that equipment happens to fail, it takes a skilled repair person to fix it so that we the customer can enjoy our meals.

If you have the skill to fix food equipment of all kinds, you might want to consider starting up your own food equipment repair business. In order to do this, you will need to do a few things prior to going out and drumming up the business.

The first thing is to go to your local authority that handles business licenses and apply for one. You also are going to need to get yourself some liability insurance. It’s best that you go with at least one million dollars. This is because food equipment is extremely expensive and you want to be able to protect yourself and your business in case something happens. You will also need to apply for a tax identification number with the federal and state governments.

You then are going to need to take an inventory of your supplies and tools and be sure that you have enough to get your business started. After that make sure that you organize them neatly and secure them in either a van or a truck. You want to avoid spilling things or damaging your tools. It’s also smart to install yourself an alarm system for your vehicle too.

Once you have gotten all of your tools and other supplies in order you will need to make sure to register your new company with several different companies that supply parts. It’s best that you try to stick with local companies because you will be able to get your parts a lot quicker.

Let the suppliers know that you are just starting up your business and then make sure to give them a copy of your license, this then should entitle you to different contractor discounts as well as establishing credit lines with them. Always make sure to pick up their current catalogs as well as price lists so that you know what you can get, from whom and how much it will cost you.

Go to different restaurants in your area and set up meetings with the different managers. Always make sure that you set up these meetings during times that their restaurants are not busy. You never want to try and set up a meeting during rush hour. It’s important that at these meetings that you offer them your business card so they will remember you.

While at these meetings with prospective customers you will need to go over all the important details about your business, what you have to offer as well as how much each service will cost them should they want to hire you and your services. If you are able to get a manager to agree to hiring you, it’s important that you have a contract handy so that you can go over it with them before they sign it.

Looking for bar equipment? The leaders in overstock pizza ovens for sale have you covered. They offer supplies such as a conveyor pizza oven at the lowest price possible to save you money.