Be it the enjoyment of a top drop as you and your playing partners dissect your round in the clubhouse at your favourite course, or the plentiful vineyards found in many of the best golfing destinations in this country.

To ensure the wine you choose to enjoy matches well with your post-round meal or to help seek out the best trips combining the game we love with the most consumed alcoholic beverage in Australia, the 2021 Halliday Wine Companion is essential reading.

The definitive guide to Australian wine has been compiled by renowned and respected wine critic and vigneron James Halliday, co-founder of Brokenwood in NSW’s Hunter region and Coldstream Hills in the Yarra valley.

Possessing a sharp wit and an incredible knowledge base about every aspect of the industry, Halliday’s work has been a part of this country’s wine culture since the 1970s, a period in which he has produced nearly 80 books on the subject.

Informative and comprehensive, this year’s edition is the result of more than 9000 wines tasted, with full tasting notes for 4063 wines and ratings, drink-to dates and prices for a further 4056 wines.

Profiling 1165 winery profiles, including 59 new, the Halliday Wine Companion offers perfect food and wine pairings, as well as bonus information on this year’s award winners.

Like all industries, our wine producers have experienced an uncertain and challenging time during 2020. First as a result of the devastating bushfires, followed by the unprecedented impact of COVID-19 on the domestic and international travel market.

Given these challenges, Halliday suggests now is the time to throw full support behind a world famous part of our culture.

“As the spectre of COVID-19 becomes less daunting, I implore those who read these words to plan visits – the longer the better – to the ever-changing beauty of Australia’s 63 wine regions,” writes Halliday.

“Those small to medium-sized wineries, many family-owned and run, are seeking to free themselves from the vinous crucifix so many bear, and a quick look at the vintage charts will tell you there is a feast to be had with the wines of 2019.”

Wise words, especially when considering golf too has, and continues to, experience similar difficulties throughout this year. And with the clear relationship between the two for many, Hallidays’s words could equally apply to the many golf destinations in each state. So too the quality of the 2019 products – think Tiger at The Masters and Hannah Green’s Women’s PGA Championship victories.

Meaning picking up a copy of his book and mapping out a road trip based on the writer’s advice to somewhere where throwing the clubs in the boot can also work is a fantastic idea.

So too, is ordering some of the award winners to enjoy after a good, bad or indifferent round, or even when watching or just thinking about golf.

Because let’s face it, we almost always are.

Golf Australia readers receive a 25 percent discount when purchasing, visit https://www.hardiegrant.com/au/publishing/buynowinterstitial?r=https%3a%2f%2fbooktopia.kh4ffx.net%2fc%2f1790613%2f584131%2f9632%3fu%3dhttps%253a%252f%252fwww.booktopia.com.au%252flink%252fprod9781743796443.html