OUR neighbours across the ditch have launched a campaign to celebrate Australian wine. And to give their wine industry a shot in the arm.
Stephen Pannell, a producer from McLaren Vale, has set up a website, allforonewine.com.au, on which the loyal lush is encouraged to pledge his support. He wants Australians to drink Aussie wine and nothing else from 1-26 January 2011.
Apparently, Australians are a bit snobby when it comes to their own wines. Pannell told Decanter.com that “Australian wine is not travelling well even in our own market. There’s almost a cultural cringe about our wines but we should have pride in them. It’s hypocritical to eat local and then drink Chianti.”
While he has the support of other wine producers over there, he has raised the hackles of some in New Zealand. Since Australia is our biggest export market, there could be trouble if Pannell’s idea catches on.
Philip Gregan, CEO of New Zealand Winegrowers, is a bit nervous that the Australians may have an ulterior motive. He rightly points out,
“Where would the Australian industry be if a similar campaign started in the USA? The world is big enough for us all, and a huge part of the joy of wine is the taste and stories of wines from different places and cultures. Such a move represents a very myopic view of the world.”
I don’t think Pannell’s initiative is a great threat to our wine industry though. The website had only 709 pledges when I scoped it out last Friday. Nonetheless, we should perhaps launch our own campaign in readiness for a potential drop off in exports to Oz and drink only NZ wine for a month.
A good place to start is with wine of the week: Congratulations to Marlborough winery Saint Clair for winning their 100th trophy when Winestate awarded them NZ Winery of the Year recently. I helped them celebrate with their Pioneer Block 12 Lone Gum Gewurztraminer 2008 ($21.50). I reckon gewurz is under-rated, and recommend everyone go out and try a bottle of this. It’s nose is unassuming lychees and mandarin blossoms. In the mouth it delivers smooth crystallized ginger flavours. I could drink this off dry drop every day.