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Posts Tagged ‘Australia’

From: Australia
Price: $10.99

There’s no need to beat around the bush (ha! Australia Bush…get it?) with this wine review. The 2007 Henry’s Drive Pillar Box Red is an outstanding red wine.  It’s up there for me as one of the tastiest inexpensive reds that I’ve tried so far this year.  This red Aussie is a blend of 65% Shiraz, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Merlot.

The 2007 Henry’s Drive Pillar Box Red showcases an ample amount of ripe and sweet raspberry and strawberry flavors, with a spot on touch of spices and chocolate on the back end.  The wonderful combination of these flavors seems to linger around, even long after it’s gone.  In a nutshell, if you’re looking for a Shiraz that can deliver in the $10 range, this baby brings it home!

WineLife365 Rating: 3 Stars out of 4.

The Australian wine industry is currently in the midst of a major makeover.  After racking up years of record sales numbers, the Land of Oz is looking for new ways to transform itself into a recognized producer of fine high-quality wines, while trying to shake off the image as a maker of good inexpensive wines with fun loving critters on the label.  There are two main reasons for this marketing shift.  First, the country and it’s wine industry have been dealing for years with the most severe drought that it has ever seen.  The second reason for the marketing shift is due to decades of mass exporting of inexpensive wine (namely, Shiraz) faster than they can grow it.  New plantings have not faired well in the desert-like conditions, thus drastically curtailing Australia’s wine production numbers.  In order to avoid a total industry collapse, the country’s wine industry has started to take several precautionary measures to ensure long-term sustainability. 

It’s been reported that over the past several years the drought has been so severe that Australia’s overall grape harvest in 2007 was over 1/3 less than it’s 2006 figures.  In 2008, conditions only worsened.  Wine producers, particularly in South Australia, have been hammered by the drought and are very concerned about their future.  Growers specifically in the Riverland, Clare Valley, and the Langhorne Creek regions that surround the South Australian capital of Adelaide have been hit extremely hard.

Particular areas located in the Murray Darling area of Southeastern Australia produce over 50% of all Australian wine grapes and are home to the vineyards that produce much of the country’s largest and most recognized brands such as Black Opal, D’Arenberg, Hardys, Penfolds, and Wolf Blass just to name a few.  According to officials from the Wine Grape Growers of Australia, as much as 10% of the 7500 Australian grape growers could go out of business by the end of this year if water relief is not met.  Glen Arnold, who is the chairman of the Riverland Wine Grape Growers Association, said that the drought problem is so severe in the Riverland region that “vineyard operators have been forced to buy water from other growers, themselves pushed out of business by a lack of rain”.

In an effort to try and save this region from a total catastrophe, a group of growers have joined together to build a community-owned pipeline that will take water to their vines.  This pipeline, which is expected to be completed in October will cost the group of growers approximately $120 million.  Many of the growers supporting this project have said that the community had no other choice if they wished to save their businesses.

So what does all this mean for U.S. and other consumers in the future?

Wine Australia, the government body that directs Australia’s overseas wine marketing, says that it plans to shift the marketing focus away from its hugely successful brands – and more towards smaller producers that showcase these regions’ true essence and flavor.  Additionally, more Australian growers are experimenting with Italian Sangiovese and Brunello grapes which are more heat tolerant than Shiraz.  The result of less production and focus on smaller producers, officials hope, will result in fewer “bargain” Australian wines on the shelves and a greater number of Aussie bottles with a price tag of $20 and higher.

Let’s pray that these measures work because Australia Wine…I honestly love you!!

Sources:
Australia Wine Growers Facing Ruin Unless the Rains Come (Telegraph.co.uk)
For Australian Winemakers, More Turns Out to be Less (The New York Times)
South Australian Wine Industry Association
Australia’s Drought May Cut Wine Vintage by Half (Reuters)
Sever Australian Drought Threatens Wine Industry (Green Diary)

From: Australia

Price: $9.99

I picked this Australian white wine off the shelf because of its unique white grape blend.  I’m a big fan of wine labels that clearly tell you exactly what’s inside the bottle. The folks at St. Hallet clearly tell the consumer on the front label that their “Poacher’s Blend” is a mixture of 3 white wine grapes:  68% Semillon, 21% Sauvignon Blanc, and 11% Riesling.

The 2007 St. Hallet Poacher’s Blend is one of the oddest, but tastiest, white wines that I’ve tried this year.  In past reviews, I’ve used “odd” as a prelude to saying that the wine was just ok, or that I personally didn’t care for the wine.  On this occasion, however, odd and different can be very good.  This wine is very easy for me to describe.  It tastes like a French Champagne or dry Sparkling Wine without the fizz and tiny bubbles.  I really liked its unique taste.  It has the acidity, crispness, and finish that remind you of a Sparkling Wine.  But it also has the citrus fruit and a touch of oak to remind you that it’s still a white wine.  This wine was terrific with a mixed salad and grilled chicken.

If you’re looking to try a white wine that’s a bit off the beaten path, give this one a shot.  I think that you’ll like it a lot – I give it 3 Stars.  The 2007 St. Hallet Poacher’s Blend is a strange bird, but I really enjoyed it and would buy it again.

WineLife365 Rating: 3-Star

From: Australia

Price: $15.00

Wow! What a long name for a wine… say it with me – 2007 The Winner’s Tank “Eskadale Vineyard” Shiraz Langhorne Creek.  With a mouthful of a name, this wine has to be good, right?

Fortunately, it is.  In fact, it’s very good.  This Shiraz has a dynamite raspberry and cherry flavor. The flavors do linger around a bit, but not long enough for you to say, “Wow, what am I drinking!?”.  The only minor flaw that I tasted in this wine was that it tasted “hot” to me.  “Hot” meaning that the alcohol level of this wine was poking through the fruit flavors.  This Shiraz does contain 15.3% alcohol, which means it’s some high octane juice.

This wine definitely needs food to go along with it.  This ain’t a sipping kind of wine.  2007 The Winner’s Tank “Eskadale Vineyard” Shiraz Langhorne Creek is a very good Australian Shiraz and it definitely has some complex flavors.  I highly recommend that you try it. 

WineLife365 Rating: 3-Star