But while the majority of readers of wine magazines have traditionally been affluent, mature men, the environment is changing.

The number of serious wine appreciators in Australia is growing steadily. And the profile of wine lovers who want to increase their knowledge about wine is broadening - more women are joining the fold and wine appreciators are getting younger.

The wine media is spread between the high-end industry journal publications, to glossy consumer titles such as ACP's three-year-old consumer title The Wine Magazine and brash newcomer Wine X.

Wine X is strongly banking on the rise and interest of the younger wine drinker.

The bi-monthly wine/lifestyle title was launched in December by Gorrie Group Media in collaboration with US-based publisher X Publishing, which has published the title for the past four years.

GGM is currently distributing 30,000 copies of Wine X on newsstands and in retail outlets in Australia and NZ.

Publisher David Gorrie says Wine X targets the 18-35 year-old age bracket, a market he believes is yet to be tapped. Reader surveys show that Wine X's average reader is 29, female, tertiary-educated, and earning between $50,000 and $100,000.