Wine lovers in Japan may have noticed the recent appearance of several new labels from Australia's Leeuwin Estate. Collectors have long coveted Leeuwin's Art Series wines. But these collectible, top-tier Leeuwin wines require cellar-aging to realize their potential and they bear a stiff cost commensurate with their scarcity. As a result, budget-conscious wine fans are likely to welcome the arrival of Leeuwin's more affordable Prelude Vineyard series of wines, as well as the launch of their new Siblings label.

The road to fine wine always leads back to the vineyard. In Leeuwin Estate's case, the vineyards are located in the Margaret River region of southwestern Australia. Something of a freak of nature, the region is a 100-km-long block of granite, shaped like an anvil tilted on its side, which protrudes from the southwest coast into the Indian Ocean.

Through eons, the granite decomposed into well-draining gravelly soils that are perfect for growing quality grapes. The Margaret River region is surrounded by temperate oceans on three sides, resulting in a Mediterranean-type climate. The prevailing westerly winds temper the baking heat, preventing the overripe flavors that characterize wines from some other viticultural areas Down Under. And unlike Japan, where seemingly the exact opposite is true, 85 percent of the Margaret River region's rain falls in winter and thus the grapes can ripen in perfect, dry summer conditions.