Book excerpt: Written by one of the most respected wine critics in the world, this book is an authoritative and comprehensive guide to the wine-growing regions of Australia. With his usual wit and erudition, James Halliday introduces the reader to each area with an informative overview of its distinguishing features and history, as well as the wine styles and individual wines for which that region is known. He includes contact details for many of the regions' wineries, along with profiles of the wineries' styles and signature labels. Superbly produced with more than 90 color maps and hundreds of illuminating color photos throughout, this user-friendly atlas provides everyone from the devoted connoisseur to the armchair enthusiast with a thorough understanding of why Australia is rapidly becoming one of the world's top wine regions. Australian wines are known not only for their quality but also for their unequalled, rainbowlike spectrum of styles. With a career that spans over forty years, the author is a consummate authority on every aspect of the wine industry, from the planting and pruning of vines through the creation and marketing of the finished product. His passion for his subject is evident and his insights brilliantly demonstrate how variety, climate, terroir, and technology have combined to produce superb wines that are just beginning to make their mark on the world. Copub: Hardie Grant Books