There are thousands of different types of sausage. They're made all around the world and vary from region to region. What was historically an efficient way to turn off-cuts into tasty morsels has grown into a respected - and, in some cases, even gourmet - food category. Sausages can be made from meat, fish or vegetables, and there's no shortage of wine to complement them. The following wines have been selected for their savoury notes. Terrazas Afincado Malbec 2003, Argentina Argentina's Mendoza wine region is world famous and blessed with spectacular scenery. It's an ideal grape-growing area. The melting snows from the Andes provide limitless amounts of perfectly clean irrigation water and the range of altitudes from sea-level to the mountains offers growing conditions for a large and diverse variety of grapes. This malbec from the Afincado vineyard is a modern classic. A high-altitude vineyard, with sunny days and cold nights, gives the grapes plenty of time to develop flavour and colour. The wine is dense but elegant and has unmistakable spicy malbec tones. It's a decadent match with grilled lamb and mint sausages. The completeness of the combination is heightened by the mint's aromatic lift. Don't be in a hurry to drink the Afincado. It can age beautifully for 10 years or even longer. Available for $689 from Riche Monde (tel: 2976 1888) Don Maximiano, Errazuriz 2000, Chile Don Maximiano was one of the so-called grandfathers of the Chilean wine industry. This wine, produced by the internationally savvy Errazuriz winery, is classy and smart. The oak used is much more restrained than before. The fruit ripeness is complete and delivers a silky texture, making it a stunning match with smoky beef sausages. The wine's texture works well with the mince-like sausage filling and the sausage's smokiness brings the wine close to seamlessness. Available for $488 from Remy (tel: 2845 5995) Shaw and Smith Unoaked Chardonnay 2004, South Australia The beautiful Adelaide Hills have become home to several new vineyards in recent years. Shaw and Smith was one of the first to realise the potential of the area for quality wine growing. Unoaked chardonnays can be bland at times, but this Shaw and Smith is complex, with lots of fruit dimensions. It's also well balanced with plenty of natural acidity. It should work well with German weisswurst and plenty of slow-cooked, sweet onions. Try this unoaked chardonnay also with smoked Adelaide Hills trout. Available for $185 from Kedington (tel: 2898 9323)
