NEARLY a billion bottles of French and Italian wine are to be turned into disinfectant and bio-fuels because no one is prepared to buy and drink them. And the reason?
British drinkers would rather buy Australian. Says Annabel Crabb (London) in the June 11 edition of The Age.
And if you look at what has been happening in Ireland since 1990 you can see how the French and Italians have been suffering while Australia has risen to the top in case sales and market share in 2004.
2 comments:
Mike, I think the rise in Aussie wines is due to two factors. The first is winemaking style. Because Australia doesn't have a long history of a vibrant wine industry, as does France and Italy, Australia has had to catch up quickly. They have done this through science. They have scientifically pursued the ideal of clean, fresh wines that not only taste the same from one bottle to the next but, with cheaper wine, from one vintage to the next. Almost like a cookie cutter approach that appeals to many consumers because they look at a label and know what the wine is going to taste like. Now, as an Aussie myself there is some pride in this, however I find myself being drawn to Bordeaux's and other wines that have been made via a more 'rustic' method. Maybe it is because I want a change. The second reason, in my opinion, is the vast oversupply of Australian wine at the moment which is keeping prices incredibly low. It is bad news for the farmers but the bargains are unbelievable! But, it is only just a thought - after all I am just an amateur!!
If you want to listen to some takes on Auzzie Shiraz check out Steve's Ten Dollar Wine Challenge (Audio Podcast) at http://www.pdxk.com/SWC/SWC or subscribe at iTunes under Steve's Ten Dollar Wine Challenge.
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)>--| Cheers,
Dan Kaufman
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