Four mega-companies — Foster's Wine Group, Constellation Wines, Pernod Ricard, and McGuigan Simeon Wines — together with one family-owned winery, Casella Wines, are responsible for about two-thirds of Australia's wine production.

The James Halliday Points rating system, in the context of how it relates to the Citibank Dining program's wine selection, is as follows:

94 - 100 (Outstanding): Wines of the highest quality, usually with a distinguished pedigree.

90 - 93 (Highly Recommended): Wines of great quality, style and character, worthy of a place in any cellar.

87 - 89 (Recommended): Above average wines.

Star ratings by James Halliday are as follows:

5 stars - Outstanding winery capable of producing wines of very high quality, and did so this year. Also will usually have at least two wines rated at 94 points or above.

4.5 Stars - Excellent winery able to produce wines of high to very high quality, knocking on the door of a five star rating. Will have one wine rated at 94 points or above, and two (more) at 90 or above, others at 87 to 89.

4 Stars - Very good producer of wines with class and character. Will have two or more wines rated at 90 points or above or possibly one at 94 or above.

If you are new to wines and are looking for a few suggestions - try a Riesling , Gewurztraminer, or a Muscat dessert wine if sweeter wines suit your fancy.

If you prefer a dry white wine then look for a Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc.

As for reds, starting with a Gamay, Pinot Noir, or Merlot if you do not want anything too complex or full-bodied.

If you are looking to turn up the complexity meter, then go with a great California Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah (or Shiraz if its from Australia) or a Zinfandel.

Outstanding vintages from the best vineyards may sell for thousands of dollars per bottle, though the broader term fine wine covers bottles typically retailing at over about US$30–50.[52] “Investment wines” are considered by some to be Veblen goods—that is, goods for which demand increases instead of decreases as its price rises. The most common wines purchased for investment include those from Bordeaux, Burgundy, cult wines from Europe and elsewhere, and Vintage port. Characteristics of highly collectible wines include:

1. A proven track record of holding well over time
2. A drinking window plateau (i.e., the period for maturity and approachability) that is many years long
3. A consensus amongst experts as to the quality of the wines
4. Rigorous production methods at every stage, including grape selection and appropriate barrel-aging

Investment in fine wine has attracted fraudsters who prey on their victims' ignorance of this sector of the wine market.[53] Wine fraudsters often work by charging excessively high prices for off-vintage or lower-status wines from famous wine regions, while claiming that they are offering a sound investment unaffected by economic cycles. Like any investment, proper research is essential before investing.

Only a few wines have the ability to significantly improve with age. Master of Wine Jancis Robinson notes that only around the top 10% of all red wine and top 5% of all white wines can improve significantly enough with age to make drinking more enjoyable at 5 years of age than at 1 year of age. Additionally, Robinson estimates, only the top 1% of all wine has the ability to improve significantly after more than a decade. It is her belief that more wine is consumed too old, rather than too young, and that the great majority of wines start to lose appeal and fruitiness after 6 months in the bottle.

In general, wines with a low pH (such as Pinot noir and Sangiovese) have a greater capability of aging. With red wines, a high level of flavor compounds, such as phenolics (most notably tannins), will increase the likelihood that a wine will be able to age. Wines with high levels of phenols include Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo and Syrah.[1] The white wines with the longest aging potential tend to be those with a high amount of extract and acidity. The acidity in white wines plays a similar role that tannins have with red wines in acting as a preservative. The process of making white wines, which includes little to no skin contact, means that white wines have a significantly lower amount of phenolic compounds, though barrel fermentation and oak aging can impart some phenols. Similarly, the minimal skin contact with rosé wine limits their aging potential.

A guideline provided by Master of Wine Jancis Robinson[2]

• German QBAs
• Asti and Moscato Spumante
• Rosé and blush wines like White Zinfandel
• Branded wines like Yellow Tail, Mouton Cadet, etc.
• European table wine
• American jug & box wine
• Inexpensive varietals (with the possible exception of Cabernet Sauvignon)
• The majority of Vin de pays
• All Nouveau wines
• Vermouth
• Basic Sherry
• Tawny Ports

Classified Bordeaux like this 1982 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou have aging potential.

A guideline provided by Master of Wine Jancis Robinson. Note that vintage, wine region and winemaking style can influence a wine's aging potential so Robinson's suggestion of years are very rough estimates of the most common examples of these wines.[2]

• Botrytized wines (5–25 yrs)
• Chardonnay (2–6 yrs)
• Riesling (2–30 yrs)
• Hungarian Furmint (3–25 yrs)
• Loire Valley Chenin blanc (4–30 yrs)
• Hunter Valley Semillon (6–15 yrs)
• Cabernet Sauvignon (4–20 yrs)
• Merlot (2–10 yrs)
• Nebbiolo (4–20 yrs)
• Pinot noir (2–8 yrs)
• Sangiovese (2–8 yrs)
• Syrah (4–16 yrs)
• Zinfandel (2–6 yrs)
• Classified Bordeaux (8–25 yrs)
• Grand Cru Burgundy (8–25 yrs)
• Aglianico from Taurasi (4–15 yrs)
• Baga from Bairrada (4–8 yrs)
• Hungarian Kadarka (3–7 yrs)
• Bulgarian Melnik (3–7 yrs)
• Croatian Plavac Mali (4–8 yrs)
• Georgian Saperavi (3–10 yrs)
• Madiran Tannat (4–12 yrs)
• Spanish Tempranillo (2–8 yrs)
• Greek Xynomavro (4–10 yrs)
• Vintage Ports (20–50yrs) [4]

There are about 40 important types of red wine grapes grown in the world today. Some of the major types of red wine are listed below. The color of the wine actually depends on contact with the skin of the grapes, not the color of the grape. If you separate the grape from its skin soon enough after picking and you can make a very white red wine. For example, most wines made in Champagne are white wines made with a significant proportion of red grapes.

• Barbera
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Chianti
• Merlot
• Nebbiolo
• Petite Sirah
• Pinot Noir
• Sangiovese
• Syrah/Shiraz
• Tempranillo
• Zinfandel

There are 50 major white grapes grown in the world today, 24 in California alone. The most important types are listed below.

• Chablis
• Chardonnay
• Chenin Blanc
• Gewurztraminer
• Muscat
• Pinot Blanc
• Pinot Gris
• Riesling
• Savignon/Fume Blanc
• Semillon
• Viognier

Fortified wines are wines to which spirits have been added to raise the alcohol content. The greatest of these wines are the Port wines from the Douro region of Portugal, and Sherry from a region of Andalusia in southern Spain.

• Madeira
• Port
• Sherry
• Vermouth

Several varieties of wine can be made with the same grapes as regular reds and whites. But using different techniques produces some different wines.

• Champagne/Sparkling Wine
• KosherWine
• Rose
• White Zinfandel