There is no greater pleasure than sharing a fine bottle of wine with friends. On the other hand, there?no greater disappointment than opening a bottle that has been lovingly hoarded and finding that the wine is past its prime. Was the storage of the wine at fault or was it simply a poor bottle? Why had the level of the wine in the bottle dropped so dramatically and why did the cork fall apart upon extraction? How should wine be selected and what storage conditions will provide the most suitable enviroment for them? There is no-one better qualified to answer these questions than Australia?foremost wine expert and wine writer, James Halliday. In this completely updated new edition, he discusses the problems a bottle may encounter during its life and how to minimise them; how to choose white and red wines for cellaring; and the most efficient cellar racking systems. All this information is woven around Halliday?own irresistible tales venerable bottles and never-to-be-forgotten dinners.