New Zealand bound
Friday 6 November
It’s less than three weeks until I move from London to New Zealand. Now, I know it’s a long way away but you’d think I was going to disappear off the face of the earth! Whatever happened to the wonder of email, telephone and Skype?
I’ll keep you updated with general news – and the latest from the New Zealand and Australian wine industry plus I’ll still be writing for the UK publications including Harpers, Decanter and Food & Travel so you’re not rid of me yet.
Thanks to everyone who came to my leaving do on Tuesday. There were lots of familiar faces including the former head of Wines of Argentina, James Forbes. It’s just been announced he’ll be the new head of buying and marketing at Stevens Garnier in the New Year. Good luck to him in his new role.
Last chance to join Mosel protest
Tuesday 3 November
As regular readers of my blog will know, I’ve been to the Mosel to protest against this stupid road bridge and motorway that will plough through some of the world’s best Riesling vineyards. While the international press and bloggers like me have been getting their knickers in a twist about this, Germany’s media has given it little coverage: See my article on decanter.com
The latest from the region is that building work has moved ahead in several places but at last the issue has received some deserved attention from Germany’s equivalent of Panorama: Frontal 21.
The German gourmet magazine Der Feinschmecker has an online petition to help save the valley and vines from the politician’s bulldozers and concrete. The petition closes at the end of the month so sign up. It only takes 30 seconds and how often do you get the opportunity to save a wine region from desecration?
The Australian Alternatives
Monday 2 November
This week it’s the tenth Australian Alternatives Varieties Wine Show (AAVWS). Last year I was lucky enough to be an associate judge to taste my way through hundreds of Australian and Kiwi Tempranillos, Sangioveses and Vermentinos.
Max Allen is chief of judges and, as it’s a decade old, asked all previous judges to “indulge in some uninhibited crystal ball-gazing”. What will Australian wine be like in fifteen or so years from now, he asked?
His questions included what varieties will we be drinking, what will be the pressing issues of the day and will the export market have changed much?
My first thought was that I expect the Aussie industry to be a lot smaller than it currently is – through both consolidation and a lack of water.
What will Australia be producing in 2025? I certainly expect to see more alternative varieties accepted into the mainstream as we have seen with Pinot Grigio. The rise of varieties better-suited to a warmer and drier climate means the likes of Vermentino, Fiano, Grenache, Mourvedre and Touriga Nacional will be edging Pinot Noir and Merlot off the Australian shelves.
But for consumers to become more aware of these varietals as acceptable alternatives to Cabernet and Shiraz, it requires the big brands to get behind these alternatives and bring them into the mainstream consciousness as well as shows like the AAVWS.
Will the UK be a major export market for you? Perhaps not. Our Australian market offer is still promotion driven and I can’t see us moving away from that unless the government clamps down on those promotions. With an increased number of wine consumers in the USA, the Far East, and Scandinavia this is perhaps a better market for Australian wines. Ok, we do have more consumers who want to trade up to Grange or Hill of Grace unlike many other markets but ask any importer how Aussie fine wine sales are going and the answer is they can’t shift them despite the quality clearly being there.
Yes, the UK is a mature market and we are steadily growing to understand there is more to the country than South East Australia but will most consumers know the Hunter or Clare Valley exist by 2025? I doubt it.
Issues of the day? Doesn’t history repeat itself? Plague, famine, drought, war, the rich getting richer, the poor getting poorer. Why is the next 15 years going to be any different? I expect to see GM vines, flavoured wines, wines much lower in alcohol - how about robots instead of winemakers - at least we won’t have to put up with their egos then!
I wish I was over there judging again – it’s the most enjoyable judging week anyone could have: beers, bowls and jam sessions in between a lot of tasting. Follow the show on facebook or log on to The Australian Alternatives Wine Show website