Virtual sampler
Let's taste some wines, and look for their distinguishing flavours and features.

Chardonnay

Chardonnay is everybody's darling, especially the wine-growers, because chardonnay grapes are so adaptable. They can be grown in all of our wine regions, producing everything from big, ripe, powerful, tropically-fruity wines to cool-climate charmers of elegance and subtlety.

As we explore our country's potential for higher altitude and colder viticultural regions, more premium cool-climate chardonnays are being produced such as this Lindemans offering. It has a whiff of leafy grapefruit on the bouquet, nectarine and citrus fruit flavours, and a creamy texture with restrained spicy oak character.

Try: Lindemans Padthaway Chardonnay

Great with: spicy food, smoked fish, braised calamari and roast pork.

Riesling

Crisp, dry and aromatic riesling remains Australia's premium white wine bargain. You can buy good riesling for around $10 and great riesling for less than $20. Some of our best come from the Eden and Clare Valleys of South Australia.

This has abundant floral and lime aromas, citrus and herbal flavours and a steely, minerally mouthfeel, due partly to its high acidity.

Try: Orlando St Helga Eden Valley Riesling.

Great with: most types of seafood (especially crustaceans) white meat salads and tasty Thai and Vietnamese dishes.

Aged riesling

Riesling is the perfect each-way bet, as it matures magnificently over a 6-12 year period. The acid softens, the colour deepens to a rich gold and the varietal flavour intensifies and fills out, acquiring some honey and toast smells and flavours.

Try: One of the Petalumba aged reislings

Great with: chicken casseroles and crab stir-fries.

Sweet riesling

Sweet riesling is labelled botrytis or noble riesling.

Try: Mitchelton Blackwood Park Botrytis Riesling with delicious honeyed tropical fruit and juicy citrus flavours.

Great with: fruit pies and puddings.

Semillon

Herbaceous, minerally and sometimes austere when young, semillon, especially that from the Hunter Valley of NSW, develops with age and becomes an absolutely wonderful 'food' wine.

Try: Mount Pleasant Elizabeth. This has a bouquet of lemon, honey and herbs and a buttered toast and grilled hazelnut character.

Great with: roast chicken, barbecued kingfish or tuna.

Sticky semillon

Another region of NSW, the Riverina, regularly produces some of our best sweet semillons from botrytis affected grapes.

Try: Miranda Golden Botrytis, with superb honeyed marmalade flavours.

Great with: Sticky date pudding and butterscotch and walnut pie.