Drink
Cold blood
by Keith Stewart
Sixty thousand tonnes of grapes were left to rot on Australian vines this year because of the billion litres of unsold wine lurking in tanks around the country. The glut has also seen Australian wine at its lowest-ever price in world markets. There is blood on the vines, as every person in the wine industry with an opinion looks for someone to blame for the present crisis. Some say it is the fault of the big companies who sell their wine below cost just to get market share. The big companies respond by blaming cool-climate winegrowers for growing unprofitable grapes. Nobody, however, seems to be saying, “Hey, these 2004 vintage reds we are starting to sell are pretty damned good wine!”
This could be good news for New Zealand drinkers. With hardly any margin for their wines at home, where supermarkets control the wine shelves, Australian wine producers are seeing New Zealand as an attractive option – at least for those who consider that they make a decent drop and therefore want a fair price for it.
These are wines that come from parts of South Australia and Victoria where the big companies hardly ever wander; places like the Adelaide Hills and Mount Benson in South Australia, and Mornington, Yarra, Beechworth, King Valley, Macedon, Geelong and Heathcote in Victoria. For the most part, these places are where serious wine producers go to grow their grapes. By serious, I mean serious about quality and character, not just profits. These are the same people that the big com-panies are blaming for Australia’s bottom-dredging export tactics.
A number of very classy producers from these lesser-known regions are worthy of attention from drinkers who like a good bottle now and then. Their wines may not be cheap as chips, but they are some of the best value around. With the 2004 vintage now on the market, the best reds are wines that you will be able to show to your grandchildren, not just tell them about.
Email: keith@sommnet.com
