A mistake people make cooking with wine.

Wine in cooking is generally an after thought. "Cooking wine will do" is often what you will hear. Well, if you have spent the time and money buying good quality ingredients, then why would you skimp on this ingredient too?

I recommend spending at most $10 on a bottle. You will taste the difference compared to a $3 blend. Cleanskins are a bit like Roulette though they are cheaper (Excellent ones can be found for $6 each), keep trying different ones until you hit a winner then buy up on it before supplier changes on that particular label. Ask the person at the bottle shop what wine would match the meal you are cooking. If they are good and are able to steer you onto the right path, stick with them! Pretty simple.

If you want to really compliment the meal, have a glass of the wine that you cooked with the meal. Try it.

Jessica’s Botrytis Semillon 2008

Delicious honey-like and stewed apple sweetness that follows through to a dry finish of bitter orange peel. Perfect with a cheeseboard and crackers. Cellar Door price (McLeish in the Hunter Valley).

1998 Krug Champagne

Instant satisfaction. Familiar and all expectations fulfilled. Toasty and robust characteristics. $2,200.

Pinot Noir. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

The thing about Pinot, unlike Shiraz or Cabernet, is after having a few different bottles you can start to quickly discern what is a good Pinot and what one contains faults along the way in the wine making process. Shiraz for example can cover some mistakes easily and make it passable. You cannot do this with Pinot. Devil's Corner is $14-20 depending where you go.

The 2005 vintage Kooyong is probably going to be the best Pinot Noir experience you could have. Big fruit flavours with all the elegance you would expect. Price varies from $45 - $70.

You know what, for $22 approx this Sticks Pinot blows most others in the $40-$60 range out of the water. Enjoy with warm olives and goats cheese.

Australian Sparkling you must try.

Want a change from the Chard Pinot fizz? Try this. It says it is 'extra dry' however there is enough nice Apple and Pear flavours that come through which will keep you coming back. I have six bottles of this stuff here. $20 at most places.

Fresh, clean and vibrant. Non-vintage ensures a consistent product produced. About $30.

Floral, Citrus and complex. Made in a Bollinger style. $40+ depending on vintage.

Recommended white wines under $15 for a lazy night in.

Can't decide what to have with that take-away pizza or Thai you are having tonight for dinner? Try some of these below that in my opinion represent excellent value and what I would recommend to have with them. Going with the idea of a lazy night in I am assuming the kitchen will be shut for the night and take-out will be the option you are going for (also saves you having to open any of your more expensive bottles if non-drinking friends happen to come around too!).

Price's are what you should be paying approximately per bottle. Note I am referring to commercial wine mostly for ease of access to obtaining these products from most bottle shops. Yay!

Chardonnay - Yellowtail ($9.99)

I know what you're thinking, "WTF. Something from the Chardonnay category recommended!? This blog cannot be credible!" I'm not one for Chardonnay at all really, however this one is impressive for a commercial wine, and why shouldn't it be? It is full of lovely peach and melon flavors with a creamy mouth-feel texture that unfolds, finished with a slight oak finish. Very pleasing. Try it with margarita pizza and garlic bread. Chardonnay has had a bad wrap for a long time, however it is making a comeback, trust me.

Sauvignon Blanc - Oyster Bay ($13.99)

Still the one setting the benchmark out there for Sauvignon Blanc in my opinion, this one is everything you would expect a great cool-climate wine to be - fresh, lively, gooseberry and grassy overtones. As the name of the wine implies, it is perfect with Osyters with freshly squeezed lemon on top of them.

Riesling - Pewsey Vale Eden Valley Riesling ($14.99)

Poor Riesling. With everyone oh-so-in-love with New Zealand Sauv Blanc, this Varietal is a little ignored. An excellent example of Aussie Riesling flexing it's muscles, this one is packed with lovely lime and mineral complexity following through to a nice lingering finish. Is it any surprise then that this is a perfect match with Pad Thai or Pad Kee Mao?

Sweet - Brown Brothers Moscato ($13.99)

No prizes for guessing I was going to throw this one here. Just drink it and love. Perfect with ice cream cake.

Alternative - Brown Brothers Pinot Grigio ($19.99 but wait for it to go on special which is around $13-$15 depending where you go to.)

Pinot Grigio is often described as 'the ultimate wine food' and is fast becoming the next Sauvignon Blanc. If you recall four years ago, Sauv Blanc was lucky to have two shelves of space in a bottle shop - now it has two bays! Keep an eye out. Pinot Grigio is along the same vein as Sauvignon Blanc, only with more Pear flavour evident and further mineral finish. Whatever meal you have in front of you, it is likely to go with it. Not kidding.

Alternative - Yalumba Viognier ($11.99)

Hard to pronounce, easy to drink! A medium dry style with the taste of apricots. I would recommend this with any grilled chicken dish. Don't be shy and give something different like this a go.

Dry Sparkling - Banrock Station Pinot Noir Chardonnay ($7.99)

An absolute bargain of a sparkling. Typical fresh bubbly characters ensure this is a pleasant, easy drinking fizz. I would recommend this with Sushi, in particular Salmon and cream cheese rolls.

Sweet Sparkling - Whispers Sparkling Moscato ($5.99)

An easy drinking, fresh and fruity sparkling that is an excellent introduction into wine for people that may not be familiar with wine yet don't want to fork out the dollars to try something they are unfamiliar with (That is, until they try Brown Brothers Moscato. Then they'll have a hard time trying not to compare other Moscato to Brown Brothers). Finger food is recommended for this type of wine.